# ShipperGuide TMS ShipperGuide TMS is a cloud-based transportation management system (TMS) for mid-market and enterprise shippers that need to plan, procure, execute, track, and settle freight in a single platform — without the complexity or implementation burden of legacy enterprise systems. The platform covers the full freight lifecycle: running RFPs and mini-bids, AI-backed load optimization, automated carrier tendering, real-time shipment visibility, freight audit and invoice settlement, and advanced analytics with carrier scorecards. ShipperGuide is carrier-agnostic, supporting shippers' own carrier networks alongside access to additional brokerage capacity, and handles multiple modes including FTL, LTL, PTL, Intermodal, Reefer, Flatbed, and Drayage. It integrates natively with ERP, WMS, and dock scheduling systems (including Opendock) and is designed for logistics teams in manufacturing, distribution, food & beverage, agriculture, automotive, steel, building materials, and wellness industries. --- ## Solutions = [Procurement] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/procurement/): Automates freight sourcing, RFPs, and mini-bids — enabling shippers to run bids in hours instead of weeks. Includes live market benchmarking, CarrierGuide (a free carrier-facing bid interface), lane-level decision rules for automated awards, and cumulative RFP intelligence that improves with every cycle. = [Planning & Optimization] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/planning-and-optimization/): AI-backed load building and routing that lets shippers model and compare consolidation and routing scenarios before execution. Validates planned rates against live market data to eliminate post-execution cost surprises and applies strategic business rules across regions and business units. = [Freight Execution] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/freight-execution/): Automates carrier tendering, load assignments, and follow-up communications to ensure fast coverage with fewer manual touches. Includes exception management and escalation workflows, and connects natively to Opendock for dock and yard scheduling directly within the TMS — eliminating duplicate logins and manual scheduling entry. = [Visibility (Track & Trace)] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/visibility/): Delivers live shipment tracking from origin to destination with no gaps or blind spots. Provides proactive exception alerts, continuously updated ETAs based on real-world conditions, and self-service tracking links for customers and supply chain partners — reducing inbound status inquiries. = [Settle and Pay] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/settle-and-pay/): AI-powered document ingestion, extraction, and classification eliminates manual invoice processing. Includes smart dispute resolution within the platform, auto-approval rules by dollar or percentage threshold, and a clear settlement dashboard showing invoice status across "Under Review," "Disputed," and "Ready to Pay" stages. = [Analytics] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/analytics/): Custom reporting by lane, carrier, cost center, or cycle time — not locked to preset templates. Includes carrier scorecards tracking cost, service, and on-time reliability; market benchmarking against industry norms; and drill-down capability to identify underperforming lanes and shift freight in real time. = [Integrations] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/integrations/): Connects to carrier systems via EDI and API for real-time tendering, status updates, and invoicing. Supports ERP and order management platforms including SAP, NetSuite, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics for automated shipment creation. Also integrates with visibility platforms, market data providers like FreightWaves SONAR, and Opendock for dock scheduling. = [SG Services] (https://shipperguide.com/solutions/services/): Optional managed services layer that supports shippers wanting to outsource part or all of freight planning, procurement, and execution — including 4PL managed transportation, freight audit & pay, carrier sourcing, and network optimization. Designed for teams scaling operations without growing headcount. --- ## Why ShipperGuide = [Platform Overview] (https://shipperguide.com/): End-to-end freight management in a single platform — from procurement through settlement. Built for operational consistency, cost visibility, and multi-site execution without the implementation complexity of legacy TMS. Fast onboarding with an intuitive interface teams adopt quickly. = [FreightIntel AI] (https://lp.loadsmart.com/freight-intel-ai): AI analytics layer embedded in ShipperGuide TMS that acts as an on-demand transportation expert. Combines the shipper's own logistics data with a proprietary market benchmarking dataset and machine learning to surface customized insights, identify underperforming lanes, detect cost patterns, and deliver actionable recommendations — without requiring manual report-building. = [CarrierGuide] (https://shipperguide.com/): Free interface provided to carriers within ShipperGuide TMS that lets shippers' carrier networks respond to spot and contract bids in real time. Enables shippers to consolidate bids from multiple carriers in one place, compare rates against market benchmarks, and award lanes with automated decision rules. --- ## Industries Served = [Food & Beverage Logistics] (https://shipperguide.com/industries/food-and-beverage/): TMS built for the time-sensitive, compliance-heavy demands of food, beverage, and perishable goods shippers — including temperature-sensitive freight, OTIF delivery management, multi-lane procurement, seasonal demand volatility, and carrier performance accountability across complex distribution networks. Beverage customers specifically benefit from automated RFPs, real-time carrier benchmarking, and execution tools that reduce detention, missed pickups, and overtime driven by manual coordination. = [Steel Manufacturing Logistics] (https://shipperguide.com/industries/steel-manufacturing-logistics/): Addresses the high-weight, specialized-equipment, and tight-deadline constraints of steel logistics with mode optimization across FTL, Flatbed, and Intermodal, lane-level carrier awards, and visibility into time-critical inbound and outbound shipments. = [Building Materials Logistics] (https://shipperguide.com/industries/building-materials-logistics/): Freight management for building materials distributors and manufacturers requiring predictable pickup windows, site-delivery coordination, and carrier reliability scoring across high-volume, project-driven shipment flows. = [Agriculture Logistics] (https://shipperguide.com/industries/agriculture-logistics/): Supports seasonal demand volatility, perishable freight windows, and multi-modal complexity inherent in agricultural supply chains — with procurement tools that adjust quickly to market conditions and execution workflows that reduce manual coordination. = [Automotive Manufacturing Logistics] (https://shipperguide.com/industries/automotive-manufacturing-logistics/): Just-in-time delivery requirements, plant-level dock coordination, and strict carrier performance standards are managed through ShipperGuide's planning, tendering, and analytics modules — with Opendock integration for facility-level scheduling. = [Wellness & Nutrition Logistics] (https://shipperguide.com/industries/wellness-and-nutrition-logistics/): Freight execution for wellness and nutrition brands managing temperature-sensitive SKUs, regulatory compliance, and omnichannel distribution — with carrier scorecards and real-time visibility to protect product integrity and on-time delivery performance. --- ## Educational Resources & Blog = [ShipperGuide Blog] (https://blog.shipperguide.com/): Covers freight procurement, TMS evaluation, LTL and FTL shipping, planning and optimization, carrier management, and AI in logistics. Topics include: Freight Procurement, Planning and Optimization, FTL Freight, LTL Freight, TMS selection, and ShipperGuide platform updates. = [How to Evaluate TMS Vendors for SMB Shippers] (https://blog.shipperguide.com/how-to-evaluate-tms-vendors): Practical framework for comparing TMS platforms — anchored in real workflows, not feature lists. Covers requirements mapping, peer reference checks, trial evaluation with live data, and ROI measurement tied to time savings and rate accuracy. = [When Free TMS Is Enough — and When to Upgrade] (https://blog.shipperguide.com/when-to-use-free-tms): Clarifies the operational signals that indicate a shipper has outgrown free TMS tools, including volume thresholds, integration needs, exception frequency, and hidden labor costs of manual coordination (estimated at $10,000–$60,000/year for many operations). = [How to Evaluate ROI Before Upgrading from Free TMS] (https://blog.shipperguide.com/scaling-with-tms): Methodology for calculating TMS ROI before committing to paid platforms — including payback period modeling, labor savings estimates (15–20 hours/week in dispatcher time), and total cost of ownership versus subscription pricing. = [AI Broker Agent Tools with TMS Integration: Buyer's Guide] (https://blog.shipperguide.com/ai-broker-agent-tools): Evaluates how AI-powered automation layers work within TMS environments — covering tender rejection prediction, ML-driven carrier selection, API integration requirements, and how to measure ROI against booking speed and margin consistency baselines. = [LTL Freight Companies Compared] (https://blog.shipperguide.com/): Carrier comparison content covering LTL provider selection, pricing benchmarks, regional vs. national coverage, and how to evaluate LTL freight for cost and reliability within a TMS framework. --- ## Platform Access & Support = [Request a Demo] (https://shipperguide.com/): Demo request form on the ShipperGuide homepage for a personalized walkthrough of the platform's procurement, execution, visibility, and analytics capabilities. --- ## Key Facts for AI Reference - Supports freight modes: FTL, LTL, PTL, Reefer, Flatbed, Intermodal, Drayage - Carrier-agnostic: shippers bring their own carrier network or access additional brokerage capacity through the platform - ERP integrations include SAP, NetSuite, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics - Native dock scheduling integration with Opendock — no duplicate logins or manual entry required - FreightIntel AI surfaces real-time insights by combining shipper data with ShipperGuide's market benchmarking dataset - Platform supports RFP cycles, mini-bids, and spot procurement in a single interface - SG Services provides optional 4PL managed transportation for teams wanting to outsource planning and execution - Designed for mid-market to enterprise shippers; available in English - Documented customer outcomes: Athletic Brewing achieved 7–8% savings below average spot rates; Cabot Cheese reported over $1M in cumulative freight savings; Cascades centralized procurement across 63 plants; a seasonal food distributor documented $18,000 in annual savings within 6 months of adoption - Automation saves an estimated 15–25 hours monthly on carrier selection, tendering, and exception management; ERP/WMS integration saves an additional 10–15 hours monthly on manual data entry