ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE RUNS THE SHOW

By: Debbie McClanahan, Technical Writer Brentwood, TN — October 31, 2006

Enterprise can be defined as a business, an important endeavor or even a starship. When pertaining to software, enterprise implies an application that runs seamlessly company-wide, manages all significant activities, and boldly goes where no individual program has gone before.

Whether the business is a large, multi-divisional or multi-departmental organization or a small family operation, enterprise software eliminates the need to manually juggle several jobs at once and minimizes errors by reducing data entry. It coordinates the individual programs behind the scenes and moves data effortlessly throughout the system. Users can enter information one time and the enterprise software pulls it where needed, interfacing with internal functions, as well as external sources.

In the trucking industry, the ideal enterprise software should run the gamut from operations through rating and billing, through payroll and settlements - pulling in miles, fuel charges and fees along the way - and then on to accounting. All this with minimal data entry and human intervention.

"I think the neat thing is that it (enterprise software) is a completely self contained system in which those multiple parts work together," said Jon Arnold, Director of Pricing and Traffic for Nationwide Express, Inc. in Shelbyville, Tennessee, referring to his company's enterprise software. "We're not switching from one kind of software system to another with the possibility of missing data... We're entering the load one time with Customer Service and then from there all we're doing is basically updating it."

Nationwide Express maintains 200 trucks and 400 trailers, and provides truckload transportation services throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast regions, as well as to selected markets in Texas and California. While they efficiently move cargo from pickup to delivery, they depend on their enterprise software to move their data along the same path, and beyond.

"Once it's entered into the system, essentially by the Customer Service Rep, there's then a clear trail of that load basically from beginning to end," Arnold said. "We know when it was entered. We know when it's supposed to pick up. We know how it was dispatched, how it was delivered, and we know when it was billed. We know when it was rated, when it was invoiced, and then we know when it was paid for."

Enterprise software is all about efficiently running the business. No games. No fluff. No wasting time. Its salient characteristics include:

• Seamless Integration
  • Internally, across departments and/or specialty areas;
  • Externally, with third-party vendors.
• Scalability - grows with the company and its needs.
• Reliability - provides dependable, continuous service and is always available.
• Security - allows selective access to all or parts of the system;
  • Accessibility - allows different users access to specific functions as established by the security.
  • Maintainability - allows easy upgrades and corrections of components without affecting the entire system.

At its best, enterprise software provides a single environment for companies of all sizes to centralize their operations. It handles complex organizational functions and can be easily customized and upgraded. All components communicate smoothly within the internal system and effortlessly integrate with vital outside vendors to produce efficient, timely and accurate results.

In trucking, whether the company runs 20 trucks or thousands of trucks, the best enterprise software combines all the basics:

• Operations - from load tendering through dispatch, pick up and delivery, including stop-offs and detention records.
• Fuel - interfaces with multiple vendors for fuel purchases and driver advances; manages fuel surcharges and fuel taxes.
• Government Regulations - monitors and maintains Hours of Service, licensing, hazardous materials and border crossing.
• Risk Management - manages liability and mitigates Workers' Compensation issues.
• Payroll and Owner Settlements - accurately compensates drivers and owners.
• Rating and Billing - accurately compensates the company; includes interface with mileage vendors.
• Maintenance - tracks inventory, repair orders and warranties.
• Accounting - generates and maintains accurate financial records.

Scalable. Reliable. Accessible. Integrated. Secure. Enterprise software spans the spectrum of business needs and manages them all, as Nationwide Express's Arnold succinctly summarized: "We use it for everything."

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