Dynamics 365 TMS: transportation and procurement management
Planning shipments, choosing the right carrier, tracking deliveries and auditing freight invoices: the Dynamics 365 transportation management module handles these operations on the same platform as your purchasing, inventory and accounting. FiveForty configures it and integrates it with your carriers.
What is a TMS and what does the Dynamics 365 TMS do?
An TMS (transportation management system) manages all shipping operations: load building, carrier selection, cost calculation, shipment tracking and freight invoice control. The TMS built into Dynamics 365 has one decisive advantage: it works on the same data as your orders, inventory and accounting, with no interface to maintain.
Why transportation so often escapes control
In many companies, transportation is managed on carrier portals, in spreadsheets and by phone. The real cost is only known when the invoice arrives, when it is too late to make decisions. Linking it to the order that generated it changes the very nature of management.
What the transportation module covers
Rates by carrier, load planning, dock appointment management, shipment tracking and matching of freight invoices against calculated costs. In addition, there are automated exchanges with carriers.
Transportation and procurement, two sides of the same flow
Transportation is not just about customer shipments: it also carries your inbound supplies. Controlling upstream lead times and costs determines the reliability of everything that follows.
The features of the Dynamics 365 TMS
From the transportation plan to invoice control, without leaving the ERP.
Pricing and carrier rate tables
Rate tables by carrier, geographic area, weight or volume bracket, with fuel surcharges and ancillary fees. The estimated cost is calculated before shipment, not after.
Load building
Grouping orders into loads based on weight, volume, destination and delivery windows. The fill rate becomes a measurable cost-saving lever.
Carrier selection
Automatic comparison of available offers based on lead time and price, with the option to enforce rules: preferred carrier by zone, customer constraint, traceability requirement.
Appointment and dock management
Scheduling of loading and unloading slots, avoiding queues and billable vehicle downtime.
Shipment tracking
Tracking numbers, statuses, proof of delivery and exceptions flow back into the ERP. Customer service can answer without calling the carrier.
Freight invoice matching
Systematic comparison between the invoice received and the cost calculated at the time of shipment. Pricing discrepancies represent a recovery opportunity that is often significant and rarely exploited.
“ A transportation cost discovered on the invoice is not a managed cost: it is a bill.”
Procurement and inbound flows
Half of transportation is decided upstream, and it is often the least monitored half.
Actual supplier lead times
The contractual lead time is not the observed lead time. Measuring the gap makes it possible to adjust replenishment parameters based on facts rather than sales promises.
Inbound transportation and Incoterms
Depending on the Incoterm chosen, transportation cost and risk transfer at different points. These rules must be handled by the system to value the cost price correctly.
Imports, customs and ancillary costs
Customs duties, insurance, port handling: these costs are included in the cost price of goods rather than being treated as general overhead.
Tracking order acknowledgments
Detecting a delay announced by the vendor before the planned delivery date leaves time to react: order elsewhere, notify the customer, reschedule production.
Receipt and inspection
Matching against the order, quantity and quality checks, immediate dispute in case of a discrepancy. Inventory is updated at the moment of the action.
Multi-site procurement
Delivering several warehouses from the same supplier, choosing between direct delivery and transit through a central hub: these choices have a direct impact on total cost.
Connect your carriers and partners
Without integration, every shipment requires double entry on an external portal.
EDI exchanges with carriers
Transportation orders, shipping notices, confirmations and tracking updates flow automatically using the industry’s standard formats.
Connectors and APIs
For carriers that offer modern interfaces, the connection is made via API: label printing, retrieval of tracking numbers and reporting of events. See our page APIs and connectors.
Printing transportation documents
Labels, waybills and customs documents are generated from the ERP, in the right format for each carrier.
Customer portal and information
Sharing tracking information with customers without human intervention significantly reduces the volume of calls to customer service.
Outsourced logistics providers
When logistics is outsourced to a third-party provider, exchanges of inventory, picking orders and shipment confirmations must be industrialized with the same rigor.
Telematics and fleet tracking
For companies that deliver with their own fleet, vehicle data feeds complement route management and proof of delivery.
Integrated TMS or specialized TMS
The right answer depends on your business.
Dynamics 365 TMS or a specialized solution
| Criterion | TMS integrated into the ERP | Specialized TMS |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Shippers, manufacturers, distributors | Carriers and freight forwarders |
| Data | Shared with orders and inventory | Interface to maintain |
| Transportation cost | Linked to the order | Matched after the fact |
| Routes | Standard planning | Advanced optimization |
| Operations | Integrated into the ERP | Complete transportation operations |
If transportation is a means that serves your business, the integrated module avoids an interface. If it is your core business, a specialized solution remains relevant and then interfaces with the ERP.
TMS and procurement management with Dynamics 365
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management strengthens the management of your TMS by centralizing procurement, transportation and supplier data. The system optimizes orders, receipts, schedules and routes while providing full visibility into costs and lead times. You can track supplier performance, anticipate delays and harmonize your logistics flows. The Dynamics 365 TMS structures your purchasing processes, automates repetitive tasks and secures your supply. With a real-time view of purchasing, logistics and transportation, you improve operational reliability and reduce costs.
Our approach to transportation projects
We start by mapping your actual flows and existing rate tables. The quality of this reference data directly determines the reliability of the estimated cost, and therefore the value of invoice reconciliation.
Integration of your carriers
We connect your partners one by one, starting with those that represent the largest volume, to achieve a measurable gain within the first few weeks.
Maintenance and enhancements
Our application maintenance supports the addition of carriers and changes to your rate tables. See also our page Supply Chain & Logistics.
Our FiveForty expertise
FiveForty configures your Dynamics 365 TMS to harmonize your procurement processes, optimize your transportation and improve collaboration with your suppliers. We set up your purchasing rules, logistics flows, workflows and controls to secure the entire procurement-to-transportation cycle. Our hands-on, people-focused approach makes TMS adoption easier and ensures a lasting improvement in your performance. With our business and technical expertise, you gain visibility, reduce errors and streamline your logistics operations. With FiveForty, your TMS becomes a driver of reliability and competitiveness.
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Why choose FiveForty?
From integration to maintenance.
Clear management, smooth reporting and shared decisions.
Well-managed processes and a team that is always there to listen.
Personal, responsive and always cheerful support.
The benefits of the Dynamics 365 TMS
- Known transportation cost before shipping, not at invoicing
- Billing discrepancies systematically detected
- Load factor improved through consolidation
- Connected carriers : no more double entry on portals
- Accessible tracking to customer service in the ERP
- Generated documents in the right format for everyone
- More reliable procurement by tracking actual lead times
- Accurate cost price, including ancillary costs
- Margin per order finally accurate
A question? An answer.
Frequently asked questions
A TMS, or transportation management system, handles shipment planning, carrier selection, cost calculation, delivery tracking and freight invoice control. The one in Dynamics 365 shares the data of your orders, inventory and accounting.
Yes. Transportation management is part of Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management: rate tables by carrier, load building, carrier selection, dock appointment scheduling, shipment tracking and invoice reconciliation.
By calculating the estimated cost before shipment, consolidating orders to improve the load factor, comparing carrier offers on lead time and price, and systematically matching the invoice received against the expected cost.
Yes, via EDI or API depending on the carrier: transport orders, labels, tracking numbers and proofs of delivery flow automatically, which eliminates data entry on external portals.
Yes. Inbound transportation is often the least monitored, even though it determines the reliability of lead times and the cost price. The module covers actual supplier lead times, Incoterms and additional import costs.
If transportation is a means of serving your business (shipper, manufacturer, distributor), the built-in module avoids an interface to maintain. If transportation is your business, a specialized solution remains relevant and interfaces with the ERP.
The system compares the carrier’s invoice with the cost calculated at shipment from the contractual rate tables. Discrepancies are isolated for dispute. This is often the most quickly measurable gain of a transportation project.
A scope covering freight rating and invoice matching can be set up in a few weeks. Carrier integration then proceeds in waves, starting with those that represent the largest volume.