TRAFFIC/CIS operates in a distributed processing or client/server environment interfaced with your downloaded mid-range or mainframe computer records. As monthly accounting closings occur, appropriate unit costs are developed through interface with the general ledger. These unit costs are applied to the freight bills of the month, utilizing the Cost Information System, to create a costed database of the month's activity.
Accurate application of costs is greatly enhanced by the interface of TRAFFIC/CIS with any or all of the following data sets:
TCG's customer profile lets you detail the shipment characteristics and off-bill revenue adjustments specific to any customer at any shipping location (or receiving location for in-bound accounts) to refine the costing.
Fields include:
• Density (overall or by class)
• Packaging
• Loss & Damage Adjustment
• Trailer Sport code and Trailer Pool Data
• Sort & Segregate Code
• Extra Costs
• Subsequent Revenue Rebates
• Loading Allowance
TCG's interline carrier profile details methods and locations of freight interchange with other carriers at specific locations:
Fields include:
• P&D Suppression
• Trailer Spot Code
• Dock Adjustment
• Extra Costs
Pickup and delivery driver trip data generated by key entry or on-board computer, details actual P&D performance. During the TRAFFIC/CIS processing, the actual P&D times (driving allocation and stop time) are calculated and matched to particular shipments, based on probill number or customer and date. After the database is costed, both "actual" and "standard" times are then available for various reports and comparisons.
After each monthly accounting period, all shipment records for the month are downloaded from your system into a standard text file. General ledger and payroll data can also be downloaded or entered manually using various menu options in TRAFFIC/CIS. The probill data is costed with LTL/CIS utilizing the customer and interline profiles to enhance the data, and using actual P&D data when available.
The result is a costed traffic database (or data mart), fully reconciled to both the general ledger and payroll hours, by freight terminal, for each month.
Reports
The costing process creates many
Standard Month-End Reports, and the system also includes the TRAFFIC/CIS Report Writer that allows users to design their own reports on the costed database. Reports sort and display summaries by a variety of selected breakdowns, including weight group, length of haul, origins, destinations, freight terminals, and even day of the week, from any available costed databases. Reports can be run on a wide range of data sets, for one or more periods:
• All Traffic such as from all states to all states.
• Customer such as "ABC Widgets" by length of haul
• Freight Terminal (if applicable) such as from Chicago by state destination
• ZIP Code/Postal Code or other location code basis.
Customer data sets include both individual shipping locations and master accounts.
Customer summary reports can be designed with the Report Writer as well, such as:
• Largest shippers to a particular consignee
• Most unprofitable customers from a specific state.
• Profitability of each customer moving freight of a specific type.
The Report Writer provides an analysis tool with virtually no limit on the data breakdowns available, enabling you to use the system to solve problems rather than just get rid of unprofitable customers.
TL/CIS includes the TRAFFIC/CIS module, and ongoing database built from carrier monthly load and trip data, downloaded to the personal computer. This enables accurate analysis of existing customers, lanes and other traffic segments, and provides a basis for evaluating the headhaul/backhaul implications of prospective freight as well. TCG provides record layouts for both load (shipment) and linehaul trip information, to be processed by the TCG software and loaded into a PC database, indexed by various criteria (order number, origin, destination, etc.).
After each monthly accounting period is closed, all loads and trips for the month are downloaded from your computer system in standard PC files. General ledger and payroll data can also be downloaded or entered manually using various menu options in the software. The data is then costed on the Truckload Cost Information System. It is in this process that loads are matched to all linehaul driving information including prior and subsequent loads, and headhaul/backhaul adjustments are made to obtain true load profitability.
The result is a costed traffic database, or datamart, fully reconciled to both the general ledger and driver payroll for the month.
The costing process generates a number of
Standard Month-End Reports, and the system also includes the TRAFFIC/CIS Report Writer, an easy to operate program which allows users to design their own reports on the costed database. Reports sort and display summaries by a variety of selected breakdowns, including length of haul, state, freight terminal, and even day of the week, for any traffic in the costed database. Reports can be run on a wide range of data sets, for one or more periods:
• All Traffic such as from all states to all states.
• Customer such as "ABC Widgets" by length of haul.
• Freight Terminal (if applicable) such as from Chicago by state destination.
• ZIP Code/Postal Code or other location basis.
Customer data sets include both individual shipping locations and master accounts.
Customer summary reports can be designed with the Report Writer as well, such as:
• Largest shippers to a particular consignee
• Most profitable customers from a specific state
• Profitability of each customer moving freight of a specific type.
The Report Writer provides an analysis tool with virtually no limit on the data breakdowns available, enabling you to use the system to solve problems rather than just get rid of unprofitable customers.