Time and Cost Savings From TMS Integration

Electronic manual shipping processes often feel efficient because they are familiar. However, familiarity hides measurable waste. When a shipper spends roughly 3-4 minutes to use a rate shopper and manually create a bill of lading, and then schedule the shipment for carrier pickup, that time compounds. At 200 shipments per day, those tasks consume nearly two hours of labor, resulting in valuable hours lost to repetitive administrative work. This is the cost of operating without integration.

Transportation management software (TMS), when integrated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other order management systems, reduces these inefficiencies. It allows you to quickly execute workflows, helping save costs across freight, cash flow and administrative overhead.

Explore how you can experience time and cost savings from TMS integration.

Reduced Freight Costs

Manual shippers tend to default to static routing guides or a short list of preferred carriers.

While this approach provides a sense of control, it leaves money on the table. Static guides don’t reflect daily market fluctuations, seasonal capacity shifts or mode-level pricing differences. As a result, organizations often overpay because they lack real-time visibility.

An integrated TMS changes this dynamic. For example, a rate shopper module compares rates across all shipping models, including less-than-truckload (LTL) and parcel, in real time. It allows teams to see current market options when creating a shipment. The system evaluates contracted rates and service-level requirements simultaneously, then surfaces the most cost-effective option that meets delivery expectations.

Integration also helps organizations prevent overpayment. When your TMS pulls order data from your ERP or warehouse management system (WMS), it ensures that dimensional data and service requirements align with your current conditions.

This intelligence can also support better carrier negotiations. Teams gain clear insight into lane performance and the true cost of shipments, which may strengthen their position during contract renewals.

Supported Cash Flow

Freight costs affect cash flow. In manual environments, there is typically a seven-day lag between when a shipment leaves the dock and when an organization invoices a customer. This lag creates a ship-to-bill bottleneck, slowing cash flow.

An integrated TMS reduces that delay. When you generate a shipping label, the system can automatically trigger your ERP to invoice the customer. This immediate billing shortens days’ sales outstanding (DSO) and improves working capital. For high-volume shippers, a one- or two-day improvement in DSO can provide meaningful liquidity.

Integration also helps reduce disputes. Because shipment data flows from order creation through execution and billing, customers receive accurate invoices that match the items shipped. Fewer discrepancies can reduce delayed payments and the time finance teams spend resolving issues.

Minimized Administrative Error

When you manually enter a shipment detail, there is a risk of error. This includes typos in weight, class or accessorials that can lead to carrier rebills or overcharges. These errors can lead to revenue leakage.

An integrated TMS reduces errors by establishing a single source of truth. The system generates shipment data, which is then automatically transferred across other operational platforms. When combined with freight auditing, the system validates carrier invoices against contracted rates and shipment details before releasing payment.

This audit process catches overcharges when they are easiest to resolve, and recovers funds that organizations can use for other areas of operations.

Integration also improves collaboration by allowing teams to work from the same dataset. This means there is no confusion about which numbers are correct or which version of a shipment record is current. Shared visibility improves communication across teams.

Reduced Compliance Risk

Compliance failures can drain valuable time and resources from organizations. Manual processes increase exposure to errors in classification and documentation. Each inconsistency creates downstream risk in the form of rebills, disputes, claims or regulatory scrutiny.

An integrated TMS mitigates this risk by enforcing standardized processes across shipments and locations. The system applies business rules automatically and maintains shipment records in a centralized system of record. Greater consistency reduces noncompliant shipments and simplifies audit preparation.

Organizations can achieve time and cost savings through TMS integration by spending less time reconciling conflicting records and minimizing financial leakage from preventable errors.

Optimized Routes and Saves Fuel

Some savings from TMS integration are immediately measurable. When routing decisions improve, trucks drive fewer unnecessary miles and consume less fuel due to better planning and execution.

An integrated TMS supports route optimization by using accurate, real-time shipment data. Orders flow into the transportation workflow, allowing teams to plan routes with greater precision and reduce empty miles.

Improved routing lowers transportation costs by reducing fuel consumption. It also supports sustainability by lowering emissions per shipment, an important consideration as environmental reporting requirements continue to influence logistics strategy. In this way, routing efficiency provides cost control and operational resilience.

However, route optimization is only as effective as the data that supports it. Accurate order dimensions, service requirements and delivery locations ensure routing decisions are realistic and executable.

Streamlined Data-Driven Decision-Making

Transportation inefficiencies may persist because of fragmented data. When shipment and performance data reside in disconnected systems, teams can spend valuable time reconciling reports and miss out on opportunities.

An integrated TMS consolidates data into a reliable source of truth. It allows teams to evaluate various factors affecting a shipment and make decisions based on current data, enabling them to correct service-level mismatches before they impact margins.

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction and Retention

Operational efficiency influences customer experience. When transportation data flows from order creation through delivery, shipments become more predictable. Accurate delivery estimates, consistent carrier execution and real-time visibility reduce the service disruptions that impact customer trust.

An integrated transportation platform enables organizations to identify delays or capacity constraints before they become customer-facing problems. This efficiency allows teams to intervene in real time or communicate updates, which helps reduce the volume of inbound service inquiries.

From a time perspective, these improvements can result in fewer manual escalations and less time spent resolving avoidable service failures. From a revenue standpoint, reliable fulfillment strengthens retention by reinforcing confidence in your operation.

Automate Your Shipping Operations With Broussard Logistics Today

Broussard Logistics has over 40 years of experience helping companies manage, control and lower freight costs by improving their supply chain. Newblims, our TMS software solution, integrates with your existing systems to streamline shipment execution, visibility and reporting across your operations. It improves data accuracy and provides the insights needed to make informed transportation decisions.

We also support your savings through LTL contract optimization and audit services that protect freight. Our signature services ensure your rates reflect real-world performance and reduce overcharges. Our team provides personal-level service, with direct access to our company president.

Contact us today to discover the time and cost savings from TMS integration.