JDA Software Group, Inc, the supply chain company, has announced the release of JDA Transportation & Logistics Management 6.3.4. This major solution suite release is generally available and represents the second phase of JDA's post-i2 acquisition transportation and logistics management product roadmap integration plan announced in April 2010. The first phase, completed in December 2010, focused on procurement capabilities convergence and new enhancements. JDA Transportation & Logistics Management 6.3.4 focuses on freight order management capabilities convergence and ongoing innovation.
Continuing to Invest and Improve
JDA's world-class Transportation & Logistics Management solution suite features industry-leading products developed by Manugistics and i2 Technologies. Offering a comprehensive planning and execution platform, the solutions help shippers, carriers and third-party logistics providers more effectively manage multi-modal logistics network complexities. This latest release includes freight order management and inbound visibility convergence as well as valuable new functionality to further drive integrated planning and execution.
"We are excited to complete the second milestone release in our Transportation & Logistics Management convergence roadmap less than six months after the last release. Leveraging our rich tradition of investment in powerful optimization technologies, JDA continues its commitment to ensuring ongoing transportation management innovation for our customers," said Raghav Keshav, chief product officer, JDA Software.
Inbound Visibility with Freight Order Management Integration
JDA Transportation & Logistics Management 6.3.4 integrates the Manugistics-developed JDA Freight Order Management into a joint platform that leverages the suite's i2 and Manugistics synergies. This integration approach enables shared data between all JDA Transportation & Logistics Management solutions and drives a more integrated, closed-loop set of processes. With JDA Freight Order Management, companies can gain control of inbound moves with critical visibility into incoming order information. Reducing supply chain costs and uncertainty, the integrated solution enables collaboration between vendors and shippers at the purchase-order level and sends "ready to ship" confirmations to the JDA transportation management system to effectively create an efficient inbound transportation plan.
New Innovation to Reinforce Integrated Planning and Execution
In addition to JDA Freight Order Management convergence, the JDA Transportation & Logistics Management 6.3.4 release also introduces several new key enhancement areas within JDA Transportation Manager and JDA Transportation Planner, including the following innovations:
Ability to Model Fixed Routes
Optimization is generally predicated around dynamic planning and calculating how and when moves should happen in order to maximize network value. But in some supply chains with predictable demand and time-sensitive delivery, having fixed routes and fixed plans makes sense. Because changes and exceptions are inevitable, the JDA solution now delivers a powerful hybrid capability that defines fixed plans/routes but also includes the flexibility to make opportunistic plan modifications as required.
Native Support for Parcel Rate Management
The JDA Transportation & Logistics Management 6.3.4 release delivers the ability to manage the parcel mode as a core service directly within the transportation management system without having to rely on third-party software. The JDA solution can now upload negotiated rates with leading package delivery companies and import rates from any source directly into the system to perform freight auditing down to the container level. The solution builds upon already existing parcel-specific capabilities such as manifesting and container-level tracking; conducting these processes in a single system enables shippers to leverage advanced consolidation and modal shift opportunities.
Freight Auction Functionality
JDA Transportation & Logistics Management 6.3.4 mitigates the costs associated with deviating from a dedicated carrier list in the open market with a freight auction portal. This portal creates a private, controlled method of covering loads by automatically routing declined loads into a mini-marketplace where approved carriers can bid in a contained environment. Shippers are able to make more educated decisions regarding carrier selection with the ability to track status of current bid requests, previous carrier awards and historical pricing information.
Dock Scheduling and Slot Booking
JDA transportation management solutions have traditionally produced intelligent upfront plans and schedules that consider associated network constraint, provide visibility into dock restrictions, create a schedule down to the dock door and publish the schedule for shipper interaction within the solution. The latest release completes the circle by externalizing the schedule to the carrier community. This added interactivity expands collaboration-based execution and enables carriers to book scheduling times not necessarily associated with already booked pick-up orders. It also enables management of both committed and expected loads in a single streamlined process for more robust planning.
Increased dynamic interaction into scheduling elements between shippers and the carrier community enables appointment changes based on both dock and carrier availability and the visibility to leverage money-saving opportunities such as extending loads on already booked trips. These front-end planning capabilities along with a flexible schedule-replanning workflow and collaborative shipper-carrier communication into dock-level execution details create a powerful combination for shippers and carriers alike.
"Merging the granular planning and execution domains into a combined paradigm is a critical step in transforming to the next level of business performance for companies today. It is not a choice between planning or execution; instead, it really is about the two functions working together that drives maximum value in the industry," said Fabrizio Brasca, vice president, global logistics, JDA Software.
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