Companies that operate in supply chain logistics can quickly become overwhelmed by the software choices to manage various aspects of moving goods from one location to another.
Because there are so many options, we want to present you with a simplified list of software used in logistics. Using our list, you can make an informed decision about the tools that you need to support the specific needs of your supply chain.
What Software Do You Need in Logistics?
Our goal is to present you with a list of essential and additional software tools to help you create the right mix of software that fits your company. Because we are vendor-agnostic, we won’t be providing you with a list of recommended vendors for each of these tools. However, we can certainly discuss specific vendor options with you!
Let’s start by reviewing the logistics software that you should consider utilizing.
Essential Software Used in Logistics
Transportation Management System (TMS)
A Transportation Management System (TMS) is critical for today’s digital supply chain. For companies looking to move from paper recordkeeping or disconnected spreadsheets to a more robust software solution, TMS is a great starting point to help coordinate the movement of goods in real-time.
A TMS will help you better schedule and track shipments, coordinate delivery, and communicate with stakeholders. If you’re still wondering why you should use a Transportation Management System, consider these key benefits of utilizing this software tool:
- Increased efficiency
- Reduction of effort
- Improved shipping times
- Real-time visibility into shipment status
- Better customer service
- Reduced costs
- Better document management and recordkeeping
Warehouse Management System (WMS)
A Warehouse Management System (WMS) supports your warehouse logistics needs by enabling you to efficiently track, manage, and move inventory from one location to another. You can also use a WMS for inventory control to track stock levels and order new goods to keep enough inventory on hand to meet demand.
The best part is you can perform these functions in real-time. You don’t have to wait until the end of the day to review inventory levels and make adjustments after the fact. In today’s hyper-fast business environment, you need to be able to make decisions on the fly. Otherwise, you could fall behind. This could hurt your customer relationships and lead to rising costs if you constantly need to rush order new inventory.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software platform is essential to connect supply chain logistics to the rest of the business. There are many great cloud-based software solutions available in the market to help you integrate supply chain information with other business information from areas such as procurement, materials handling, HR, accounting, customer service, and more.
The supply chain management process becomes much more simplified and streamlined when utilizing an ERP to pull valuable data from other locations. Then, you can obtain one central view of how your part affects the entire business, allowing you to make really smart decisions about how to manage the supply chain.
Additional Software Used in Logistics
Third-party Logistics (3PL) Software
You might also consider utilizing software specifically for third-party logistics (3PL) purposes. 3PL software can help you better coordinate shipments with third parties and improve communication with these parties.
Instead of having one tab for each 3PL company in a giant spreadsheet, you can eliminate confusion by using 3PL software to track information for multiple companies:
- Create a repository of shipping processes when working with each 3PL company.
- Set up custom business processes to support billing and invoicing for each one.
- Easily reference contact information to communicate with each company directly.
Vendor Management Software
Vendors play a critical role in helping you access the resources you need to support the supply chain. Similar to 3PL software, you can use vendor management software to manage key relationships and keep track of the status of orders.
This type of software can also help you manage risks associated with each vendor. Vendor risk management software will help you avoid operational headaches and regulatory issues that commonly occur when vendors are not properly managed. Using software can reduce the risk of financial, operational, and compliance problems.
Fleet Management Software
A lack of fleet management can easily lead to greater costs and inefficiencies. If you are directly responsible for managing a fleet of vehicles or have more of a support role helping coordinate the movement of fleets, then fleet management software can help you get the job done.
The purpose of fleet management software is to help companies maximize the amount of time spent on the road moving goods from one place to another, help drivers operate safely by providing them with the best (and safest) routes, and reduce the costs associated with transporting products.
Most platforms utilize GPS tracking to provide you with real-time information about the status of each vehicle in the fleet. Some platforms even have the ability to track the health and behavior of each driver, capture fuel usage, and provide you with alerts when it’s time for vehicle maintenance.
– There are many other pieces of software that target specific supply chain functionality. Some of this software includes freight management software, safety management, compliance tracking, and other specialized tools.
CloudLogix Can Seamlessly Integrate Software Used in Logistics
Here’s the challenge for supply chain companies using all of these software tools – It’s a lot to keep up with! You might have your TMS on one screen, Fleet Management software on another screen, WMS pulled up on a tablet, and other standard business tools on your phone.
CloudLogix can help by simplifying supply chain management for you and your team using our robust platform. Just one logistics software solution gives you the power you need to manage everything in supply chain logistics.
Our platform integrates with the tools that you are already using from our list or are planning to incorporate into your supply chain as part of a digital transformation. CloudLogix can accept data from just about any source and translate it into a workable format that can be easily leveraged across your company.
Here’s how it works!
- Step 1: We’ll assess your current use of supply chain software tools to determine necessary integrations.
- Step 2: We’ll hook up these integrations (e.g., connect to your ERP software system).
- Step 3: We’ll test the connections, configure CloudLogix to fit your operating reality, and train your team.
Once we complete the set-up process and ensure that your team understands how to utilize the platform, you’ll be able to manage each critical area of your supply chain.
We invite you to schedule a no-obligation demo with our team to learn more about how our platform works and how we can help you improve supply chain management. Let’s get to work on optimizing the software used in logistics!
