Glossary
Overview
The glossary contains the definitions of terms commonly used at ProTrans and throughout Optimiz.
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A third party logistics company or 3PL provides logistics services traditionally performed within a company. This can include part of all of the customer's supply chain. May include any or all of the following: LTL, TL, Milkrun, etc.
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Accessorial charges are miscellaneous charges for such things as storage charges, detention, trailer processing, etc.
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An advanced shipment notice or ASN is detailed shipment information transmitted to a customer or consignee in advance of delivery, designating the contents and nature of the shipment. May also include expected time of arrival.
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The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) Label is the automotive standard for labels put on freight. This label usually contains the PO, the supplier or vendor code, and the part number.
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A connection between computers or between computer programs that enables them to communicate with each other to exchange data, features, and functionality.
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A connection between computers or between computer programs that enables them to communicate with each other to exchange data, features, and functionality.
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An advanced shipment notice or ASN is detailed shipment information transmitted to a customer or consignee in advance of delivery, designating the contents and nature of the shipment. May also include expected time of arrival.
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Attempted Pickup is used to designate shipments called in but not available when the partner carrier arrives to pick up.
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The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) Label is the automotive standard for labels put on freight. This label usually contains the PO, the supplier or vendor code, and the part number.
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A bar code or barcode is a symbol consisting of a series of printed bars representing values used to read, scan, and track units.
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A bar code or barcode is a symbol consisting of a series of printed bars representing values used to read, scan, and track units.
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A Bill of Lading or BOL is a document issued by a supplier that details the contents of a load/shipment. It serves as the legal document for the transfer of materials from a supplier to a customer.
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The Bill To (BT) Party receives the invoice for services rendered and is responsible for payment for logistic services provided by ProTrans.
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A Bill of Lading or BOL is a document issued by a supplier that details the contents of a load/shipment. It serves as the legal document for the transfer of materials from a supplier to a customer.
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Bonded Freight refers to shipments which are permitted to travel across a country to inland destinations across borders before they are cleared by customs.
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A Bonded Warehouse is authorized by customs authorities for storage of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until the goods are removed.
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Booking is a term referring to arrangements with a carrier for the acceptance and carriage of freight, ie, a space reservation.
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A broker is a person who arranges for the transportation of loads in exchange for a percentage of revenue from the load.
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The Bill To (BT) Party receives the invoice for services rendered and is responsible for payment for logistic services provided by ProTrans.
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The buy rate is the amount a carrier would charge ProTrans to move a load. In Optimiz, buy rates are found at the load ID level when creating a one time load or logistics plan.
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C/O or Care Of refers to an alternate location that assumes responsibility for a shipment. It is commonly found in use with Ship From & Ship To.
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A Call Queue load type means that the shipper has to approve a load before it moves through the system. ProTrans will communicate directly with the shipper on behalf of their customer to see when loads are ready to be moved.
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C/O or Care Of refers to an alternate location that assumes responsibility for a shipment. It is commonly found in use with Ship From & Ship To.
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A carrier is a transportation company that moves freight. The two main types are LTL and Linehaul. ProTrans pays carriers to move freight on behalf of its customers.
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Carrier Planning is an approval step in the one time load work flow. When someone creates a one-time load, it may be necessary for a Planning Manager to review the load.
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The Carrier Portal is a web-based application that enables carriers to access information regarding load tenders, as well as update live information on their loads by entering check calls.
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A Carrier Pro Number, Pro #, or Carrier Pro # is a unique freight identification number issued for tracking and control purposes. This is the carrier's description of what is being shipped.
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A Carrier Pro Number, Pro #, or Carrier Pro # is a unique freight identification number issued for tracking and control purposes. This is the carrier's description of what is being shipped.
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A check call is a status update on a load and is normally made by a carrier. These check calls most commonly verify whether a load has been picked up or delivered.
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A claim is a demand made upon a transportation line for payment on account of a loss sustained through its alleged negligence.
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A classification is a publication, such as Uniform Freight Classification (railroad) or the National Motor Freight Classification (motor carrier), that assigns ratings to various articles and provides bill of lading descriptions and rules.
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To collect means the consignee is going to pay for the freight payment charges.
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A cmmercial invoice is a mandatory document needed for all shipment to clear customs.
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The consignee is the party to whom goods are shipped and delivered or the location to which freight is moved from a supplier. It is also known as the ShipTo entity and the “D” in O/D pair. It is not necessarily the same as the customer.
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Consol or consolidation refers to a multi-stop route containing multiple shipments and involving at least one ProTrans Hub. Smaller shipments (less than truckload, or LTL) are assembled at a warehouse and shipped together to take advantage of better freight rates, less handling, less damage, and better security of the loads.
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A consol or consolidation center is where LTL shipments are delivered and combined with other freight in order to fill a linehaul trailer.
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Consol Linehaul is the combining of customer's shipments at a consolidation center to be picked up by a Line Haul carrier for transport to a processing center.
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A consol pickup is picked up by partner LTL carrier and taken to a consolidation center.
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Consol or consolidation refers to a multi-stop route containing multiple shipments and involving at least one ProTrans Hub. Smaller shipments (less than truckload, or LTL) are assembled at a warehouse and shipped together to take advantage of better freight rates, less handling, less damage, and better security of the loads.
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A consol or consolidation center is where LTL shipments are delivered and combined with other freight in order to fill a linehaul trailer.
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A contract is one or more service agreements for a customer. It defines the business rules and exceptions between ProTrans and the Customer.
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Cross-docking is the direct flow of merchandise from the receiving function to the shipping function, eliminating any additional steps in between, including the need for storage (transferred across the dock).
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A cross reference is a link created between a shipper and consignee.
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A customer is an organization that ProTrans is providing logistics services. Customers are set-up via the Customer Hierarchy.
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The Hierarchy or Customer Hierarchy is the relationship defined in Optimiz between a customer, locations, trading partners, and suppliers. The Customer Hierarchy feature in Optimiz is used internally to create a set of customer-specific defaults specified by contractual terms and agreements with a customer. These defaults are used to auto-populate various fields throughout Optimiz.
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The Customer Portal enables customers to track their associated requests, loads, or shipments.
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Customs refers to the government agency charged with enforcing the rules passed to protect the country’s import and export revenues.
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A hundredweight (CWT) is a pricing unit used in transportation (equal to 100 pounds in the United States).
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The term deadhead refers to a vehicle moving through one leg of a trip without a paying cargo load.
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A delivery is the freight taken from a processing center to the destination dock of a consignee.
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The delivery manifest is ProTrans' description of what is contained on a delivery trailer.
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Density is the weight of cargo per cubic foot or other unit.
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The Destination is the geographical location that serves as the ending point of a shipment. It is also referred to as the Consignee or ShipTo and is the “D” in O/D pair.
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A detention is a penalty charge against shippers or consignees for delaying a carrier's equipment beyond allowed time.
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Distribution refers to outbound logistics, from the end of the production line to the end user.
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DOT stands for the United States Department of Transportation. See http://www.dot.gov/ for more information.
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A drop trailer is a trailer that is left at a facility to be loaded or unloaded at a later time.
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A dry van is the standard trailer type used to move non-liquid freight from point to point. It is typically 48’ or 53’ in length with 102” inside width and 110” inside height.
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The due date is the contractually agreed upon number of days or hours from pickup to delivery.
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The DUNS # is a numeric code (usually 9 digits) used in manufacturing to categorize material.
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Efficient Consumer Reports or ECR is a demand-driven replenishment system designed to link all parties in the logistics channel to create a massive flow-through distribution network. Replenishment is based upon consumer demand and point of sale information.
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Electronic Data Interchange or EDI is the standard format for paperless data exchange between businesses, generally requiring little or no human intervention. An EDI message contains a string of data elements, such as a price, product model number, etc.
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Efficient Consumer Reports or ECR is a demand-driven replenishment system designed to link all parties in the logistics channel to create a massive flow-through distribution network. Replenishment is based upon consumer demand and point of sale information.
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Electronic Data Interchange or EDI is the standard format for paperless data exchange between businesses, generally requiring little or no human intervention. An EDI message contains a string of data elements, such as a price, product model number, etc.
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The Entities module in Optimiz contains all of the information about companies, carriers, and more. The information and categories contained in the Entities database allows Optimiz to perform various tasks. Entity information is used in all areas of the application, serving as a single source for all the contact information used in Optimiz.
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An entity is an items (organizations, locations, etc.) used within the Optimiz system. Example entity types include Ship From, Ship To, Bill To, Broker, Carrier, Hub, Miscellaneous Vendor, Payment Party, Tenant, Customer, and Trading Partner.
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The equipment type refers to the type of carrier equipment being used to move a shipment, such as a 53' Dry Van.
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The Estimated Time of Arrival or ETA is the time a shipment or tractor is scheduled to arrive at the destination.
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The Estimated Time of Arrival or ETA is the time a shipment or tractor is scheduled to arrive at the destination.
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Expedite refers to freight that has been identified as urgent and must be moved as quickly as possible. This is normally a customer-requested service beyond normal commitment.
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A flatbed is a specialized trailer used to move oversized or dense materials. It does not have side walls or a ceiling, using tarps and tie straps to secure the freight.
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Free Astray refers to moving a misrouted shipment or piece of freight free of charge.
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Freight is goods picked up from a supplier for transfer to a customer.
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Freight Management is done by a company providing liaison services between a company needing shipping services and an authorized motor carrier.
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Gross weight is the entire weight of goods, including packaging and freight on the trailer.
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Hazardous Materials are any substance or material which the DOT has determined to potentially pose a risk to health, safety, and property when stored or transported. They are also defined by 49 Code of Federal Regulations 171.8 as a substance or material designated by the Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce and which has been so designated.
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Hazardous Materials are any substance or material which the DOT has determined to potentially pose a risk to health, safety, and property when stored or transported. They are also defined by 49 Code of Federal Regulations 171.8 as a substance or material designated by the Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce and which has been so designated.
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The Hierarchy or Customer Hierarchy is the relationship defined in Optimiz between a customer, locations, trading partners, and suppliers. The Customer Hierarchy feature in Optimiz is used internally to create a set of customer-specific defaults specified by contractual terms and agreements with a customer. These defaults are used to auto-populate various fields throughout Optimiz.
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A Hub is a ProTrans freight consolidation and/or processing center. In ProTrack, this entity type is referred to as a dock.
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A hundredweight (CWT) is a pricing unit used in transportation (equal to 100 pounds in the United States).
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A hundredweight (CWT) is a pricing unit used in transportation (equal to 100 pounds in the United States).
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InTransit is a load status indicating that the load has been picked up by the carrier and is actively proceeding to the destination(s).
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In Bond is a status for freight from one country passing through U.S. bound for another country.
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Inbound Logistics refers to the movement of materials from suppliers and vendors into production processes or storage facilities.
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Intermodal Transportation is the transportation of freight using two or more transportation modes, such as rail and truckload.
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The International Standards Organization or ISO deals in standards of all sorts, ranging from documentation to equipment packaging and labeling.
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InTransit is a load status indicating that the load has been picked up by the carrier and is actively proceeding to the destination(s).
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Inventory refers to the raw materials, works in process, and/or finished goods and supplies required for creation of a company's goods and services.
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An invoice is a commercial document identifying both buyer and seller, containing specific information required for the purposes of payment of services.
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The International Standards Organization or ISO deals in standards of all sorts, ranging from documentation to equipment packaging and labeling.
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Just-In-Time or JIT Services refers to an inventory control system that controls material flow into assembly and manufacturing plants by coordinating demand and supply to the point where desired materials arrive just in time for use.
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Just-In-Time or JIT Services refers to an inventory control system that controls material flow into assembly and manufacturing plants by coordinating demand and supply to the point where desired materials arrive just in time for use.
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Kitting is the light assembly of components or parts into defined units.
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The Load or L# refers to the service/movement a carrier provides to ProTrans.
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A Lane or Segment is the movement between two stops in a Route -- each lane or segment has its own Origin & Destination.
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Less Than Truckload or LTL refers to freight that does not fill the designated cargo space. It is not combined with other freight to create a truckload. Trucking companies that consolidate often transport smaller (less than truckload) shipments of freight by utilizing a network of terminals and relay points.
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Linehaul (LH) refers to transportation from one city to another as differential from local switching service. Normally, LH carriers rung long haul and 48 or 53 foot trailers.
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Linehaul (LH) refers to transportation from one city to another as differential from local switching service. Normally, LH carriers rung long haul and 48 or 53 foot trailers.
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The Load or L# refers to the service/movement a carrier provides to ProTrans.
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Load Management is an Optimiz module that handles day to day operations of active loads. In Load Management, users can view details, event logs, accept and reject tenders, and enter check calls.
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A Location is a customer site. In the Customer Hierarchy, this can only be a Ship To or Ship From entity.
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A Logistics Plan or LP is a plan for how to move goods efficiently between an origin and a destination in order to meet a customer’s needs and requirements. It is created by Engineering & Analysis and entered in Optimiz. It includes details of load, route, carrier, services, etc and is usually recurring.
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A Logistics Plan or LP is a plan for how to move goods efficiently between an origin and a destination in order to meet a customer’s needs and requirements. It is created by Engineering & Analysis and entered in Optimiz. It includes details of load, route, carrier, services, etc and is usually recurring.
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Less Than Truckload or LTL refers to freight that does not fill the designated cargo space. It is not combined with other freight to create a truckload. Trucking companies that consolidate often transport smaller (less than truckload) shipments of freight by utilizing a network of terminals and relay points.
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Margin refers to the amount of revenue that remains after fixed and variable costs are subtracted from income.
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Marginal Cost refers to the cost to produce one additional unit of output.
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Materials Handling refers to the physical handling of products and materials between procurement and shipping.
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Milkrun refers to a multi-stop truckload that may include multiple shipper sites, consolidation centers, or a combination of both.
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A Miscellaneous Vendor is a third-party business service provider that is not regularly used or does not fit in other Entity categories.
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The National Motor Freight Classification or NMFC is a tariff which contains descriptions and classifications of commodities and rules for domestic movement by motor carriers in the United States.
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Net Weight is the weight of goods alone without any immediate wrappings, e.g., the weight of the contents of a tin can without the weight of the can.
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The National Motor Freight Classification or NMFC is a tariff which contains descriptions and classifications of commodities and rules for domestic movement by motor carriers in the United States.
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Origin and Destination pair used in Logistics Plan (Shipper/Consignee; ShipFrom/ShipTo).
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An off-plan load contains one-off shipments that are based on a logistics plan. Occurs when a contracted carrier falls off a load.
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One Time Load Entry is a feature of Optimiz that enables ProTrans representatives, such as Route Engineers, Route Managers, and Supply Chain Managers, to create and deploy single-use, one time unplanned loads.
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Optimiz is the name of custom software developed by ProTrans, fulfilling a variety of functions for the company’s transportation services.
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Optimization is the process of making something as good or as effective as possible with given resources and constraints.
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Order Processing refers to the activites associated with filling customer orders.
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The Origin refers to the site from where a shipment first moves. Also refered to as the Shipper.
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Origin and Destination pair used in Logistics Plan (Shipper/Consignee; ShipFrom/ShipTo).
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OS&D is an abbreviation for Over, Short, and/or Damaged freight.
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A pallet is a platform with or without sides on which a number of packages or pieces may be loaded to facilitate handling by a lift truck.
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A Payment Party provides payment for services billed by ProTrans. Often a 3rd party company responsible for a BillTo's invoices or a 3rd party company that receives checks on behalf of a carrier.
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Pickup is the act of calling for freight by truck at the consignor's platform.
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A Planned Load contains shipments that are on a logistics plan.
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The Planning Management module enables Supply Chain Managers to review and take action on individual loads for their customers.
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A Proof of Delivery or POD is information supplied by the carrier containing the name of the person who signed for the shipment, the time and date of delivery, and other shipment delivery information. POD can also be an abbreviation for Port of Discharge, Port of Destination, and Proof of Delivery.
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Point to Point is shipping from one specific place to another specific place with no stop in between.
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A portal is a sub-site of Optimiz set up for a specific audience with which to interact. Carrier Portal - enables carriers to access Optimiz to perform carrier-related tasks. Customer Portal - enables customers to access Optimiz to perform customer-related tasks. Supplier Portal - enables suppliers to access Optimiz to perform supplier-related tasks.
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Prepaid is a freight term which indicates that charges are to be paid by the shipper.
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A Carrier Pro Number, Pro #, or Carrier Pro # is a unique freight identification number issued for tracking and control purposes. This is the carrier's description of what is being shipped.
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A Carrier Pro Number, Pro #, or Carrier Pro # is a unique freight identification number issued for tracking and control purposes. This is the carrier's description of what is being shipped.
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A Processing Center is a service center where consolidated shipments are delivered and loaded onto LTL carriers.
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A Proof of Delivery or POD is information supplied by the carrier containing the name of the person who signed for the shipment, the time and date of delivery, and other shipment delivery information. POD can also be an abbreviation for Port of Discharge, Port of Destination, and Proof of Delivery.
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Re-tender is to tender a shipment again to a carrier.
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A Ready to Tender status in Optimiz signifies that a load is complete and ready to be manually or automatically tendered.
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The Release Notes provide Optimiz users with a listing of the changes that are included in the latest version of Optimiz.
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Replenishment is the process of moving or resupplying inventory from a reserve storage location to a primary picking location or to another mode of storage in which picking is performed.
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Customers or internal ProTrans employees can create a request to ask for a specific actions to take place. Some of these include requests: add plan request, change plan request, terminate plan request, and others. Requests are sent to the Request Management page where they are reviewed and acted upon.
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The Request Management module is used to both submit and respond to requests from customers and internal employees.
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The Responsible Party Location is the specific location or division that will inherit the costs from the carrier. A Responsible Party Location can only be a BillTo entity.
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A route is a sequence of stops within a logistic plan or the manner in which a shipment moves.
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The Shipment or S# refers to the actual freight that is being shipped.
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A Service Authorization Form or SAF is a document authorizing special movement or treatment of a shipment (usually authorized by the paying party).
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The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a unique two-to-four-letter code used to identify carriers.
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Scanning is the procedure for making electronic images of documents.
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Scheduled Shipments are shipments that have been validated from a logistic plan but not yet tendered.
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The Supply Chain Manager or SCM is the primary point of contact for a ProTrans customer.
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A Lane or Segment is the movement between two stops in a Route -- each lane or segment has its own Origin & Destination.
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A sell rate is the amount the customer would pay ProTrans to move a shipment. In Optimiz, sell rates are found at the shipment ID level when creating a one time load or logistics plan.
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A Service Authorization Form or SAF is a document authorizing special movement or treatment of a shipment (usually authorized by the paying party).
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The Settings module is used to configure settings and preferences for Optimiz. Great care must be taken when modifying the configuration due to the global effect that changes in the Settings page can have in Optimiz.
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ShipFrom refers to the company who has manufactured and prepared the materials for shipment and who sends the freight from its origin. Also known as the shipper or supplier.
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The Shipment or S# refers to the actual freight that is being shipped.
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The Shipment Management module enables users to search for and edit both active and inactive loads.
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The Shipper is the party which tenders goods for transportation.
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ShipTo refers to the actual delivery location to which the freight is moved. Also known as the consignee.
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A Split Shipment is a shipment that has been divided onto more than one Load for final delivery.
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Spotting is the process of placing a container where it is required to be loaded or unloaded.
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The Supplier Release Schedule or SRS is a report outlining ship days, lockout days, and transit times for each of a customer’s suppliers.
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Standard Pack is the type of container that material is packed in, such as cartons or pallets.
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The supplier is the company who has manufactured and prepared materials for shipment; also referred to as shipper or shipper site.
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The Supplier Release Schedule or SRS is a report outlining ship days, lockout days, and transit times for each of a customer’s suppliers.
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A supply chain is the physical, financial, and informational networks that involve the movement of materials, funds, and related information through the full logistics process, from the acquisition of raw materials to the delivery of finished products to the end user.
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The Supply Chain Manager or SCM is the primary point of contact for a ProTrans customer.
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A surcharge is an extra or additional charge.
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Tare Weight is the weight of a container or truck without its contents.
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A tarrif is a tax assessed by a government on goods entering or leaving a country. The term is also used in transportation in reference to the fees and rules applied by a carrier for its services.
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A tenant is the fiscal entity or business division that owns the financial transactions. Shipments paid under or billed under the standard company will be tagged to the ProTrans Int. tenant and those paid under or billed under the books for Mexico only will be tagged to the ProTrans de Mexico tenant.
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A tender is a contract between ProTrans and a carrier and defines the services a carrier needs to perform before receiving payment. It contains details such as the equipment, origin, destination, pickup and delivery date and time, and handling units. In other words, an electroic offer to a carrier to pick up a load.
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The Tendered status refers to a load whose tender request has been electronically sent to a carrier for their approval.
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Tendering methods are the process in which check calls are sent/received (Example: EDI 214, Carrier Portal, or flat file).
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Terms are contract-specific details, such as overrides.
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A third party logistics company or 3PL provides logistics services traditionally performed within a company. This can include part of all of the customer's supply chain. May include any or all of the following: LTL, TL, Milkrun, etc.
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TL or Truckload means a trailer is fully utilized.
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If a customer who contracts a full truckload for their shipments has space left in their truck, shipments from other customers may be added to their truckload for cost saving. This is referred to as Truckload Through Consol or abbreviated TLthruConsol.
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A Transportation Management System or TMS is a system used to plan freight movements, conduct freight rating and shopping across all modes, select the appropriate route and carrier, and tender and provide visibility to shipments.
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Tracking and Tracing refers to the monitoring and recording of shipment movements from origin to destination.
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A tractor is the unit of highway motive power used to pull one or more trailers or containers.
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A Trading Partner is an entity that is set up to ship or receive for a specific customer location. In the Customer Hierarchy, this can only be a ShipTo or ShipFrom entity. If the Trading Partner is a ShipTo, then the Location must be a ShipFrom and vise-versa.
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Trailer is the truck unit into which freight is loaded, as in tractor-trailer combination.
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Transit Time is the total time that elapses between a shipment's pickup and delivery.
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A Transportation Management System or TMS is a system used to plan freight movements, conduct freight rating and shopping across all modes, select the appropriate route and carrier, and tender and provide visibility to shipments.
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Transportation Mode refers to the mode in which the shipment is moved, such as air or rail.
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TL or Truckload means a trailer is fully utilized.
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If a customer who contracts a full truckload for their shipments has space left in their truck, shipments from other customers may be added to their truckload for cost saving. This is referred to as Truckload Through Consol or abbreviated TLthruConsol.
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An unplanned load contains shipments that are not based on a logistics plan and do not have contracted carriers.
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Visibility refers to the ability to access or view pertinent data or information as it relates to logistics and the supply chain.
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A warehouse is a place for the reception, delivery, consolidation, distribution, and/or storage of goods.
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A Yard is a classification, storage, or switching area.