01 / Order context and customer request
PlannedA distributor's shipping team identifies an order that must move between facilities. The ERP remains authoritative for the sales order; the transportation request carries a customer reference, origin, destination, required window and freight attributes. Quote and rate workflows are planned, so the example does not imply a functioning pricing engine.
The shipping coordinator checks whether transport is already arranged. If an order reference is reused or a request changes, the workflow should distinguish an amendment from a duplicate movement. Missing addresses, incompatible appointment windows and uncertain quantities require review before a load is created.
02 / Warehouse ready → load created
In ProgressThe warehouse confirms that freight is staged. A planned WMS handoff would supply readiness, shipment references, handling-unit context and dock requirements. The core TMS target is a load record with a unique transportation reference, customer context and pickup / delivery stops. The load record is in progress; the WMS adapter is planned.
The warehouse owns the readiness fact, while the dispatcher owns transportation planning. If staged freight differs from the order request, both declared and observed attributes need to remain visible. The dispatcher must not infer readiness from the mere presence of an order.
03 / Carrier assignment and tender context
In ProgressThe dispatcher associates a carrier with the load and records operational contacts. Driver and equipment relationships may be enriched in later phases. Tender automation, rates and electronic acknowledgements are planned; assignment in this scenario is an intended core workflow, not a real tender being sent.
The dispatcher checks capacity and service requirements. MC / DOT identifiers and insurance notes can support context, but do not amount to verified compliance. If the carrier declines or equipment changes, the assignment history should preserve the prior relationship and the reason for the change.
04 / Appointment and observed arrival
PlannedA requested dock window and a facility-approved appointment are separate facts. A future appointment exchange should connect the load, facility and external scheduling reference. At pickup, a human-originated arrival event would carry occurrence time, recording time and source identity.
The facility controls dock acceptance; dispatch coordinates the carrier. A missed appointment or queue delay is an exception with an owner, not evidence that freight has been loaded. Time-zone confusion should be resolved at the contract boundary rather than hidden by a single generic timestamp.
05 / Loaded, BOL linked and departed
In ProgressWarehouse staff confirm the physical handoff. The proposed document workflow associates the bill of lading with the load and relevant stop; a loaded event and a departure event record different milestones. These core event and attachment targets remain in development.
A shortage, damaged unit or missing signature needs evidence and review. Loading should not overwrite the requested freight attributes. An outbound WMS acknowledgement is a planned exchange that would let the warehouse reconcile the departure against its own shipment reference.
06 / In-transit events and changed expectations
In ProgressThe event timeline is intended to show observations and updated expectations in one freight context. A dispatcher can record a reported delay with its source. Automated telematics, routing and alerts are planned, and no real-time tracking service is demonstrated by this scenario.
A late external observation must not obscure a newer confirmed milestone. Dispatch is responsible for interpreting the operational impact, while a receiving team needs an updated expectation tied to the correct inbound shipment. Raw coordinates should not silently change the load status.
07 / Delivered is a receiving fact
In ProgressArrival at destination precedes unloading and receiving. A delivery milestone should identify the receiving stop and the source of confirmation. The receiving facility owns its inventory receipt; the TMS retains the transportation evidence and any unresolved exception.
Shortage or damage at receipt should reference affected freight and the handoff evidence. Dispatch must be able to distinguish a completed movement with an exception from an incomplete delivery. Inventory adjustment belongs to the WMS or ERP, not an automatic transportation status update.
08 / POD received and reviewed
In ProgressProof of delivery provides evidence of the receiving handoff. The intended document model distinguishes expected, attached and reviewed documents, and associates the proof with its load. A file upload alone should not claim that the proof is complete or acceptable.
Missing pages, unreadable signatures or a disputed quantity create a review task. The document reviewer or responsible operator resolves the issue while preserving the original evidence. The website contains no working driver capture application or automated document-validation service.
09 / Invoice readiness and closure
FutureA future billing-readiness workflow would combine delivery evidence, approved commercial terms and resolved exceptions. The accounting system remains responsible for financial posting. Export acceptance, invoicing and carrier settlement are separate events, not implied by a green delivery status.
Closure should make the record explainable later: what moved, who handled it, which documents supported it and how exceptions were resolved. Accounting connectors, invoice readiness and settlement remain future or planned work. The scenario is an invitation to review domain assumptions, not a product demonstration.
