Glossary

Discover clear, concise definitions to navigate the complexities of modern logistics and streamline your operations.

API-First Architecture

A design approach where the platform prioritizes API development to facilitate smooth integration with external systems.

Automated Freight Audit

Automatically reviewing freight invoices to detect discrepancies, optimize costs, and prevent overpayment.

Capacity Planning

Ensuring efficient use of shipping resources like vehicles and warehouses to meet fluctuating demand.

Carbon Footprint Analysis

A tool for measuring the environmental impact of freight shipments, often integrated with load optimization.

Carrier Performance Analysis

A feature enabling businesses to track and evaluate carrier efficiency and performance over time.

Cloud-Native Platform

A logistics management platform built entirely in the cloud, enhancing flexibility, scalability, and data accessibility.

Consignee

The individual or business to whom goods are being shipped or delivered. They differ from the consignor, who is the sender of the goods.

Cost-to-Serve

Calculating the total cost of delivering a product or service, including freight, logistics, and service expenses.

Data Analytics Dashboard

An interactive, visual interface that aggregates, organizes, and displays key shipping data and metrics in real time.

Deadheading

When an empty vehicle (such as a truck or train) travels without any cargo, typically to return to its origin or move to another location.

Declared Value

The monetary value that a shipper assigns to a package or shipment for the purpose of determining its liability coverage in case of loss, damage, or theft during transit.

Demand Forecasting

Predicting future shipment volumes to enhance resource allocation and logistics efficiency.

Density

Refers to the mass of a cargo per unit of volume (usually in pounds per cubic foot), which is an important factor in determining shipping costs, as it influences how much space cargo will occupy in a container or transport vehicle.

Detention Fees

Charges imposed on the consignee (receiver of the goods) or shipper when containers are not returned to the shipping line or depot within the agreed-upon timeframe.

Dock Scheduling

A tool for managing and scheduling time slots for loading and unloading at distribution centers and warehouses, improving workflow efficiency.

Drayage

The transport of goods over short distances, typically from a port to a nearby warehouse, distribution center, or rail terminal.

Dynamic Route Planning

Real-time adjustments to shipping routes to optimize for changes in delivery times, traffic, and load requirements.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

The digital exchange of business documents (such as purchase orders, invoices, shipment notifications, and customs documentation) between organizations, without the need for manual input.

ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)

The predicted time a shipment is expected to arrive at its destination.

Exception Management

Handling disruptions or delays in the shipping process, such as missed pickups or inaccurate delivery addresses.

Freight Audit

Reviewing freight invoices to verify accuracy and prevent overpayment.

Freight Chargeback

Costs billed back to a supplier or vendor due to shipping discrepancies.

Freight Class

A standardized classification system used to categorize different types of freight based on specific characteristics such as weight, size, density, and handling requirements.

Freight Invoicing

Automated processing and management of freight billing and payments to streamline finances.

Freight Procurement

Sourcing and securing transportation services to move goods from one location to another.

FTL (Full Truckload)

Freight shipments filling an entire truck, ideal for larger shipments or time-sensitive deliveries.

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)

The total weight of a vehicle, including its own weight and its cargo.

Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)

Substances or materials that pose a risk to health, safety, property, or the environment due to their chemical, physical, or biological properties. HAZMAT is regulated to ensure safe handling, storage, and transport, and specific labeling, packaging, and documentation are required to comply with safety standards.

Historical Lane Insights

Data on past shipping performance and pricing trends for specific routes or "lanes," aiding in rate benchmarking.

Inbound Freight Management

Organizing, tracking, and optimizing the transportation of goods or materials from suppliers to a company's facilities, such as warehouses, distribution centers, or production sites.

Intermodal Transportation

The use of two or more different modes of transport (such as rail, truck, ship, or air) to move goods from origin to destination.

Lane Benchmarking

Comparing shipping rates and performance across specific lanes to optimize logistics strategies.

Last Mile Delivery

The final step in the delivery process, where goods are transported from a transportation hub (e.g., a warehouse, distribution center, or store) to their ultimate destination, typically the customer’s doorstep.

Load Optimization

A feature or tool for consolidating less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments into full truckload shipments to reduce transportation costs.

LTL (Less Than Truckload)

Freight shipments that do not require a full truckload, often consolidated with other shipments to lower shipping expenses.

Manifest

A comprehensive document that lists all the cargo on board a vessel, aircraft, or truck. It is typically used by customs authorities, freight forwarders, and shipping companies to ensure proper documentation and facilitate the clearance process.

Multimodal TMS

A transportation management system supporting multiple transportation modes such as truckload, LTL, air, rail, and sea.

Order Consolidation

The practice of combining smaller orders to create a full truckload and minimize shipping costs.

Outbound Freight Management

Overseeing and optimizing the transportation and delivery of goods leaving a company or facility to its customers or distribution centers.

Over-Dimensional Load (ODL)

Cargo that exceeds standard size or weight limits set by transportation authorities, necessitating special permits and transport conditions.

Parcel Shipping

The transportation of small, lightweight packages that typically weigh less than 150 pounds and are usually delivered by carriers like UPS, FedEx, USPS, or DHL.

Predictive Analytics

Using data and analytics to forecast logistics outcomes such as delivery times, based on past patterns.

Pricing Intelligence

A tool that provides real-time insights into shipping rates and historical data for more informed cost management.

Proof of Delivery (POD)

Documentation that confirms a shipment has been successfully delivered, and received in satisfactory condition, to its intended recipient.

Rate Integration Marketplace

A platform for comparing and accessing shipping rates from various carriers and providers.

Reefer

A refrigerated trailer or container used to transport perishable goods that need to be kept at specific temperatures.

Reverse Logistics

The process of managing the flow of goods, materials, or products from their final destination back to the origin or an alternate point in the supply chain for purposes such as return, repair, refurbishment, recycling, or disposal.

RFP (Request for Proposal) Automation

Automating the process of creating, sending, and evaluating bids for freight shipping services.

Settlement Automation

Automating the freight payment and auditing processes to improve accuracy and reduce administrative work.

Shipment Consolidation

Combining multiple shipments into one to reduce costs and optimize load efficiency.

Shipment Visibility

Real-time tracking of shipments, providing updates and transparency throughout the entire logistics process.

SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance

A cybersecurity framework ensuring that a company meets stringent standards for data security and the ability to store and process client data.

Spot Market Rates

Shipping rates determined by current market conditions, typically used for on-demand shipments.

Supply Chain

The entire system of people, processes, technologies, and resources that work together to produce, handle, and deliver goods from their origin (suppliers) to their final destination (consumers).

Swifty AI Assistant

Shipwell’s AI-powered assistant, streamlining shipping and logistics operations through advanced natural language processing.

TMS (Transportation Management System)

A software platform to manage, automate, and optimize the logistics and transportation processes for increased efficiency.

Transportation Spend Management

The strategic process of controlling, optimizing, and analyzing the costs associated with a company's transportation and logistics operations.

Unified Command Center

A central platform for managing all logistics operations,data, and tracking in one place.