RateLinx links WES and TMS

RateLinx is making the case that warehouse execution systems should feed live data directly into transportation management software, so shipping choices change as orders move through the building. (ratelinx.com) In RateLinx’s example, that transportation layer is ShipLinx, the company’s transportation management system for parcel, less-than-truckload, and truckload shipping. RateLinx says ShipLinx can reduce freight spend by up to 30% and go live in as little as 30 days. (ratelinx.com) A warehouse execution system, or WES, runs the flow of work inside a warehouse: where orders go, how items are picked, when cartons are packed, and which dock or trailer they reach. A transportation management system, or TMS, picks carriers, rates shipments, creates labels, and plans how freight moves after it leaves the dock. (ratelinx.com 1) (ratelinx.com 2) RateLinx says the gain comes when those two systems stop working in sequence and start sharing data continuously. Dimensions, weight, service deadlines, and warehouse status can be passed into the TMS before picking is finished, not after cartons are already staged. (ratelinx.com 1) (ratelinx.com 2) That lets the warehouse route products to the right pack station, trailer, or parcel line earlier in the process. RateLinx says the same data can automate carrier selection, labeling, and shipping mode decisions without a manual handoff. (ratelinx.com) RateLinx and Numina Group have used that argument for several years in joint marketing around Numina’s real-time distribution software and ShipLinx. In one RateLinx post, the companies said a unified WES and TMS workflow can reduce freight expense by up to 30% while improving order-fulfillment efficiency. (ratelinx.com) Dan Hanrahan, chief executive of Numina Group, said the integration can also raise labor productivity by automating pick, pack, ship, and inbound receiving steps. RateLinx says that reduces labor cost while improving profitability by removing manual decisions from repetitive tasks. (ratelinx.com) Shannon Vaillancourt, RateLinx’s chief executive, has framed the payoff as better mode and carrier selection under real operating constraints. In a September 10, 2024 post, he said companies can avoid defaulting to expedited shipping by using warehouse and shipment data to find lower-cost ground or regional options that still meet delivery dates. (ratelinx.com) RateLinx is also tying that message to a broader sales pitch around connected supply-chain software. Its website says the company combines ShipLinx TMS with freight audit and pay in one platform, aiming to connect execution data with invoice control and freight-spend visibility. (ratelinx.com 1) (ratelinx.com 2) The thread running through RateLinx’s message is simple: if warehouse data arrives before a shipment is locked in, the shipping plan can change before the cost does. (ratelinx.com)