·2 min read
Many small transport and courier companies run on Excel, WhatsApp and an accounting package. That works up to a point. Which transport software you need after that — a TMS, a route planner or a carrier portal — depends on where you spend the most time: planning, managing your carriers, or invoicing and paying.
When are Excel and WhatsApp no longer enough?
- You search back through chats every day to see who took which route.
- Price agreements are scattered across messages and cannot be found afterwards.
- Every change means calling everyone separately.
- Carrier invoices do not match what was agreed.
- You type in dozens of payments by hand every week or month.
The types of transport software
- TMS (transport management system): orders, planning, customers and rates. The heart of your transport planning.
- Route planner or route-planning software: the best order of stops and routes, useful for couriers and distribution.
- Driver app or on-board computer: following the route on the road, with proof of delivery.
- Carrier portal: the collaboration with your carriers, from putting a route out to payment.
- Accounting package: your bookkeeping and VAT.
You do not need all of them. A small company that outsources a lot often gains most from a carrier portal; a company with its own vehicles and many stops from route planning.
Questions to ask when choosing
- Which part of the work takes me the most time right now?
- Does it run in the browser and on the phone, without installation?
- Do my carriers or drivers need to use it too, and do they pay for it?
- Does it connect to what I already have: Excel, my TMS, my accounting and my bank?
- How quickly can I get going, and who helps me set it up?
- What does it cost per month, and am I tied in for long?
Start small
You do not have to switch everything at once. Start with the part that takes the most time, run it alongside your old way of working for a few weeks, and then expand.
How Charterportaal helps
Charterportaal is software for transport companies that work with carriers: putting routes out, assigning, invoicing and paying in one place. It runs in the browser, your carriers pay nothing, and you can also import your routes from Excel. See how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Which software does a small transport company need?
That depends on where most of the time goes. A TMS for planning and orders, route planning for many stops, a carrier portal if you outsource a lot, and always an accounting package.
What is the difference between a TMS and a carrier portal?
A TMS plans orders and routes. A carrier portal handles the collaboration with the carriers who drive those routes: assigning, recording agreements, invoicing and paying.
Can I use transport software alongside Excel?
Yes. Much software can import routes from Excel, so you do not have to switch all at once.