What is digital freight collaboration?

Digital freight collaboration is the use of web and mobile-based technology for shippers, carriers, and logistics services providers to tender and execute on spot and long-term logistics contracts based on market rates, performance requirements, and capacity.

How does digital freight collaboration work on a business network?

Freight collaboration on a business network enables shippers to tender and execute the end-to-end freight order or booking lifecycle with a network of carriers or logistics services providers. The shipper finds and connects with carriers and logistics providers already on the network or invites them to join the network for optimal capacity utilisation. Shippers, carriers, and logistics services providers are connected on one platform for digital transacting and system integration.

What are the benefits of digital freight collaboration?

Digital freight collaboration between a shipper and a carrier or logistics services provider enables faster, more competitive prices for reduced logistics costs, as well as digitalised transacting and dock appointment scheduling for improved capacity utilisation and logistics performance.

Who collaborates on digital freight order tendering or booking on SAP Business Network?

Digital freight order tendering and booking, as well as comprehensive digital transacting from contracting through to settlement, is conducted between shippers and carriers or logistics services providers the shipper connects with on SAP Business Network, or the shipper invites them to join SAP Business Network for free.

What is the scope of digital freight collaboration on SAP Business Network?

Digital freight collaboration on SAP Business Network includes order contracting, dispute management, and settlement for multiple modes of transportation between a shipper's transportation management system and the carrier or services provider – all on one standard platform. Setups where the logistics services provider plans the transport are also supported. Shippers and carriers can collaborate through the solution on dock appointment scheduling and gate processing. Carriers and logistics services providers can use either a web portal or set up flexible integration to their back-end system for collaboration with shippers.

SAP Business Network Freight Collaboration

Streamline logistics and warehouse operations through efficient collaboration with a global network of carriers and logistics service providers.

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Dashboard of SAP Business Network Freight Collaboration

Drive efficiency and resilience with streamlined carrier collaboration

Reduce logistics costs and automate the contract-to-settlement process with visibility and insight across a global network of carriers and service providers.

The SAP Business Network Freight Collaboration solution connects you and your logistics partners on a safe network for optimised collaboration and insights, integrated tightly with core business processes for efficiency and resilience.

Cloud deployment
Global, multimodal carrier and service provider network
Real-time transparency into competitive market prices and carrier performance
Digitalised transacting, collaboration, and shipment tracking

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How to achieve a three-year ROI of 404%

IDC study reveals the business value realised by SAP Business Network customers.

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Key benefits

Reduce logistics costs

Save time and money through real-time transparency of competitive market prices and multimodal shipment tracking.

Optimise utilisation

Gain flexible capacity and greater agility with extended reach into a global network of multimodal carriers and logistics service providers.

Improve performance

Connect core warehouse, yard, and manufacturing processes for integration that can improve on-time, in-full (OTIF) performance and customer satisfaction.

Key features

Freight order collaboration

Shop carriers competitively to send digital requests for quotation and freight orders through the network
Collaborate with carriers though the network from multimodal order contracting through settlement
Onboard once and collaborate with many on a global cloud platform

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Dock appointment scheduling

Optimise operations by enabling self-services for creating, rescheduling, and cancelling dock appointments

Share gate check-in and checkout processes and event information among shippers and external warehouse and yard operators

Reduce idling, product spoilage, carbon emissions, and noise pollution

Shipment execution and document exchange

Exchange business documents such as a bill of lading

Gain milestone transparency into shipment execution progress such as proof of pickup and proof of delivery

Enable full lifecycle collaboration through standard and open API integration with transportation management and partner solutions

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Intelligent insights

Enhance SAP Business Network Freight Collaboration with the SAP Business Network, intelligent insights add-on to turn transactional network insights into data intelligence

Leverage SAP Business Network, intelligent insights add-on for detection of bottlenecks and analytics across shipments, carriers, and geographies

Pricing

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Learn how Celas Group successfully digitalised logistics collaboration.

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Resources

Where to start with business networks?

Start by demystifying them to remove confusion. Get this new Spend Matters white paper as your guide.

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Handle logistics disruptions before they escalate

See how proactive inbound logistics enabled by SAP Business Network can help you improve decision-making and operational efficiency.

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Save transportation time and cost through greater visibility and collaboration

Learn how SAP Business Network can help you connect stakeholders across your logistics and product ecosystems for smoother, digitalised collaboration and advanced insights.

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Enhancing compliance and visibility with standardised global processes

Discover how Hitachi Energy Ltd. used a centralised solution to manage its global supply chain processes so it could improve shipment visibility and costs throughout its enterprise.

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Portfolio recognition and awards

SAP Business Network is recognised for its multi-facted industry leadership based on verified user reviews, ratings, and in-depth customer insights.

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Technical information

This product is deployed in the cloud and is available as software as a service (SaaS), so you can access your software from any web browser.

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Frequently asked questions

: Digital freight collaboration is the use of web and mobile-based technology for shippers, carriers, and logistics services providers to tender and execute on spot and long-term logistics contracts based on market rates, performance requirements, and capacity.
: Freight collaboration on a business network enables shippers to tender and execute the end-to-end freight order or booking lifecycle with a network of carriers or logistics services providers. The shipper finds and connects with carriers and logistics providers already on the network or invites them to join the network for optimal capacity utilisation. Shippers, carriers, and logistics services providers are connected on one platform for digital transacting and system integration.
: Digital freight collaboration between a shipper and a carrier or logistics services provider enables faster, more competitive prices for reduced logistics costs, as well as digitalised transacting and dock appointment scheduling for improved capacity utilisation and logistics performance.
: Digital freight order tendering and booking, as well as comprehensive digital transacting from contracting through to settlement, is conducted between shippers and carriers or logistics services providers the shipper connects with on SAP Business Network, or the shipper invites them to join SAP Business Network for free.
: Digital freight collaboration on SAP Business Network includes order contracting, dispute management, and settlement for multiple modes of transportation between a shipper's transportation management system and the carrier or services provider – all on one standard platform. Setups where the logistics services provider plans the transport are also supported. Shippers and carriers can collaborate through the solution on dock appointment scheduling and gate processing. Carriers and logistics services providers can use either a web portal or set up flexible integration to their back-end system for collaboration with shippers.