TMS Implementation Guide: 4 Steps to a Successful Deployment

Key Takeaways

• A TMS implementation starts with a requirements checklist and a plan for the people using it.
• Stakeholder buy-in is easier when you can show the savings the system should produce.
• Data migration on a modern platform is usually a file import, not a custom project.
• Adoption depends on training, so pick a vendor with a clear onboarding process.

Supply chain management has never been more streamlined when you use the right tools, and a planned TMS implementation is how most teams get there. The Global Transportation Management Software Market is expected to reach $77 billion by 2033, up from $13.4 billion in 2023. Warehouse managers and logistics coordinators are increasingly aware of the fact that a transportation management system (TMS) is key to managing supply chains in increasingly volatile circumstances.

But knowing this technology is useful and understanding how to successfully integrate it into your operations are two different issues.

In this post, we’re going to detail our 4-step TMS implementation guide that will allow you to make use of transportation management software in your daily operations. This includes initial planning, active usage, and tips for training users, all to ensure your success with a new tool.

Part 1: How Do You Plan for TMS Implementation?

Planning starts with a checklist that covers two things: the features you need from the system, and how you will introduce it to the people who have to use it.

The first part of preparing to adopt a new TMS is creating a TMS implementation checklist. This checklist should have two components:

• A list of TMS requirements to define what features you want a prospective transportation management system to include. This will help keep you focused as you browse your options.
• Your plan for introducing this TMS to relevant team members. Studies have shown that when businesses want to transform how they handle operations, organizational change and “people” are the most difficult aspects to wrangle. While finding a TMS that is simple and intuitive for users will help with adoption of the new technology, have a strategy in mind for easing the adoption process for team members, managers, and carriers.

Measuring and Gathering Key Requirements

In order to create a list of prospective requirements from the TMS, start taking note of your supply chain operations on a daily, weekly, and even monthly basis. Look back at information you needed, bottlenecks you’ve encountered, and operations that would’ve been alleviated through the use of automation. Examples include managing carrier appointments, communicating with team members and your carrier network, and monitoring the variation of freight rates. Knowing what data you need on hand before kickoff keeps this step short.

Stakeholder Buy-In

Part of adopting a new transportation management system includes ensuring stakeholders won’t be hesitant to adopt new software. The 2023 PMI Global Survey on Project Management revealed that stakeholder engagement was one of the top five key drivers of a project’s success.

Getting stakeholder buy-in for the deployment of new software improves a business’s chance of success. This means being able to communicate and forecast the potential benefits of a new TMS. That is the heart of the business case for a TMS, and it can be achieved through detailing its features, using any provided calculation features to present potential savings, or even embarking on a demo through the TMS setup and usage process.

Timeline Development

Develop a timeline that details not only when your organization will begin to make use of this TMS, but for when you expect all relevant players to be able to operate the new software. Note: any quality TMS will come with continuous updates and new features to keep up with the ever-changing transportation industry.

Incorporation of AI technology is one such example. This means that learning new software can be an ongoing process, though the core features used on a daily basis are unlikely to shift.

Part 2: How Do You Select the Right TMS?

Select the system that matches your operational requirements today and can scale and integrate as volume grows, rather than the one with the longest feature list.

Choosing the right TMS is a critical step for shippers looking to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve visibility across their supply chain. The ideal TMS aligns with a company’s specific needs, whether that’s automating order management, optimizing freight planning, or integrating with carriers and load boards. By evaluating features, scalability, and ease of use, businesses can select a solution that supports both current operations and future growth.

Determine Your Specific Requirements

The TMS should match your operational requirements, whether it’s automating order processing, optimizing shipments, or integrating with carriers and load boards. Choosing a system with the right features ensures immediate efficiency gains and reduces the need for workarounds.

Consider Scalability and Integration

A TMS must be able to grow alongside your business and connect seamlessly with existing systems. Scalable, well-integrated solutions help maintain smooth workflows as shipping volumes increase and operational complexity rises.

Part 3: Data Migration and System Integration

The next step is TMS data migration and system integration. This involves transferring existing data and ensuring the new software communicates with your digital tools.

The integration process will change depending on your TMS, though most tools will make this an intuitive process. For example, ShipperGuide TMS allows business owners to easily import their previously completed shipments into the platform via a CSV file. Teams coming off an older system should plan a TMS migration rather than a fresh start.

Connecting Your TMS to Existing Technology

Whether you’re currently using a warehouse management system (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or customer relationship management system (CRM), it’s critical that a prospective TMS not slow down or impede the way you transfer data between tools. Look for a TMS that offers an API or even direct integration with your existing digital tools, as well as connectivity to a carrier network. Either of these options helps ensure seamless data transfer and record-keeping.

Part 4: How Do You Manage Change and Train Users?

Work out what managers, ground-level employees, and carriers each need to know, then use the vendor’s onboarding process and the platform’s own invitations to bring them in.

In order to ensure that you can implement your TMS into your workplace, you’re going to want to consider what TMS training will look like. The more carefully you consider your strategy here, the more you can ensure higher rates of TMS user adoption.

The Onboarding Phase

Before fully using a TMS, a structured onboarding phase is essential. Selecting a vendor with a clear and comprehensive onboarding and training process ensures that your team understands how to use the system effectively, minimizing disruptions and accelerating the path to operational efficiency.

Ensuring Adoption

Some transportation management systems will allow you to directly invite your employees and carriers to the platform via email or phone number, which is also how carrier onboarding usually starts. This will help ensure that everyone is made aware of the platform. Then, guide employees in using the tool.

Sometimes a TMS will have useful documentation and blog posts, which include video tutorials on TMS setup and demos that you can instruct team members to watch to understand how the tool functions. Training employees and new software can be a complicated process, so make it easier on yourself by using the very same tools a TMS uses to communicate its function and value to you.

Maximizing TMS Value

Transportation management systems come with functions like automatic calculations, market rate benchmarking, and the tracking of efficiency metrics. In short, they save their users time, money, and effort. It’s important to highlight these upsides to your employees and encourage optimal usage of your chosen TMS. The more they make use of the tool, the more your entire business will benefit, and the further you stay from the reasons implementations fail.

Begin the Process of Implementing TMS Software Today

While it can be difficult to convey the potential value of implementing a TMS, ShipperGuide makes it easy for you. ShipperGuide TMS has an estimated savings calculator that will immediately show how much annual spend your company could be saving with a high quality TMS.

Additionally, you can try out the demo to get a hands-on feel for how easy the functions are to use, and how they can streamline your shipping and transportation operations across the board.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Implement a TMS?

You can implement a TMS by understanding its features, comprehending the potential value of said features, and showing your relevant team members how to make use of the TMS and its functions. The difficulty in implementing a TMS comes from navigating how to convey the potential benefits against potential hesitance towards learning new software.

How Do I Get Stakeholders to Back a New TMS?

Show the value before you ask for the commitment: detail the features, forecast the savings, and walk people through a demo of the setup and daily use. Buy-in belongs in the planning step for a reason, since stakeholder engagement is one of the top five drivers of whether a project succeeds. Explaining what the system will do for each group, and letting them see it running, works better than announcing the decision.

What Is TMS Deployment?

TMS Deployment is the process of teaching your team to use the transportation management system, then making that software the official tool your company uses. Deployment is the point at which the old spreadsheet or legacy system stops being the record of truth and the TMS takes over.