Häufig gestellte Fragen
What is the difference between ERP, TMS and WMS in logistics?
The ERP covers the commercial level and controls order entry, master data, business-level scheduling, invoicing and accounting across all areas. A transport management system (TMS) handles operational transport execution - shipment consolidation, tour and route planning, carrier selection and status monitoring en route - while a warehouse management system (WMS) optimises the processes inside the warehouse such as putaway, picking and inventory management. In practice, many logistics service providers combine an ERP with a specialised TMS and WMS, whose added value depends largely on the seamless integration of the three systems. Freight forwarding and logistics solutions such as CarLo from Soloplan, the systems from LIS (Logistische Informationssysteme) or Active Logistics already cover parts of these functions in an integrated way.
What does a logistics ERP cost?
Realistic implementation costs for a logistics ERP in the mid-market range between 220,000 and 1,100,000 euros over the first 3-5 years, depending on user numbers and depth of customising. Logistics service providers with telematics, customs and warehouse hardware integration often need 500,000 to 700,000 euros for full stack integration. Added to this are annual maintenance and update fees of 18-22 percent for on-premise models, or a cloud subscription that scales at around 80-180 euros per user per month. A detailed breakdown can be found in our guide ERP costs.
Must a logistics ERP support customs processing via ATLAS and NCTS?
For commercial imports and exports, electronic communication with the German customs administration via the ATLAS IT procedure (Automatisiertes Tarif- und Lokales Zollabwicklungssystem) is mandatory; paper-based processing is generally no longer possible. Cross-border transit procedures under the Union and common transit procedure with the EU and EFTA states as well as further contracting parties such as the United Kingdom, Turkey or Ukraine run via the NCTS (New Computerised Transit System), which controls the transit of goods not yet released for free circulation. Many logistics ERPs connect certified customs software as a module or via an interface, so master and transaction data can be used directly for ATLAS declarations without duplicate entry. Freight forwarders without their own customs software alternatively outsource the processing to specialised customs agencies.
Which EDI standards does a logistics ERP need for data exchange with shippers and carriers?
The central international standard in transport is UN/EDIFACT, which is maintained by the UNECE and, for freight forwarding, has been differentiated with the EDIFOR subset maintained by the DSLV as well as specific message types. Particularly relevant is the IFTMIN message, the electronic transport or forwarding order that the shipper transmits to the logistics service provider and on the basis of which capacities and tours are planned. Via an EDI connection in the ERP, orders, despatch advices and status messages can be exchanged automatically with key accounts and carriers, which reduces duplicate entry and transmission errors. In the forwarding business, the larger partner often dictates the data format, which is why flexible mapping of multiple formats is an important selection criterion.
How does an ERP support the CO2 accounting of shipments?
With the CSRD reporting obligation, large shippers must disclose their transport-related Scope 3 emissions and increasingly demand reliable emissions data from their freight forwarders and subcontractors for this purpose. The authoritative frame of reference is the ISO 14083 standard published in March 2023, with which the GLEC Framework of the Smart Freight Centre, previously used as the de facto standard, has since been harmonised. Modern logistics ERPs and connected carbon accounting tools use this to determine the CO2 footprint per shipment, ideally based on telematics-based primary data rather than pure averages. Service providers without a traceable emissions calculation risk dropping out of the tenders of large clients in the medium term.
How long does it take to implement a logistics ERP?
In the logistics sector, mid-market ERP implementations typically take 9 to 18 months, while larger multi-site and corporate-group projects can easily take 30 to 48 months. Connecting shipper systems via EDI extends the project by several months per connected key account, based on experience, as formats and processes have to be agreed individually. Around 60 percent of the project duration goes to conceptual design, customising and data migration, with the remaining 40 percent for testing, training and the productive roll-out. Our ERP implementation checklist describes a structured approach.