Consolidation is a powerful way to efficiently manage transport costs and rating.
By combining shipments (consolidating) based on predefined rules, you can avoid each shipment being rated separately under a tariff.
This often results in better tariffs, less administrative hassle, and greater transparency — especially for customers who regularly have multiple shipments.
In Transpas, consolidation refers to combining multiple shipments (possibly from different files) into one consolidated group for tariff calculation.
Instead of rating each shipment individually based on tariffs, the total of the consolidated shipments is used to determine the applicable tariff.
In short:
Selecting Consolidation Fields
A table is available containing all possible fields that can be used for consolidation.
Examples of consolidation fields include:
One commonly used consolidation method is based on delivery location and delivery date.
For example, a consolidation field like a date/time value such as the planned unloading date (PUD) is already 24 characters long.
Its consolidation code looks like this: [PUD]2022-05-31T00:00:00
Consolidation fields using coordinates are also long — typically 23 characters.
Character Limit per Field
To avoid exceeding the maximum length, you can limit the number of characters per consolidation field using the # Characters column.
The system will then only use the specified number of characters, starting from the left, and excluding the field label (e.g. [PUD] in [PUD]2022-05-31T00:00:00).
⚠️ Warning:
If a consolidation field is limited too much, essential criteria may be lost from the consolidation code.
For example, truncating a date/time field may result in the time being cut off first.
Entering and Registering Shipments
Once a consolidation method is active for a customer, new shipments will automatically be assigned a consolidation code based on the selected method.
These shipments will appear in the Shipment Consolidations screen, where you can see which shipments have been grouped together.
Redistributing the Tariff / Revenue
When consolidation is executed periodically (e.g. via the app server), the calculated tariff (based on the full consolidation group) is redistributed across the individual shipments.
This may result in slightly lower revenue per shipment compared to invoicing each one individually.
Below are some real-world examples that illustrate how consolidation works, what benefits it provides, and what to watch out for.
| Example | How It Works | Benefit(s) | Possible Complications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example A: Delivery Location + Date | Client Y sets the consolidation method to “delivery location = X” and “delivery date = 2025‑09‑20”. All shipments from that client delivering to location X on Sept 20 are grouped under the same consolidation code. Tariff is based on the total volume or number of shipments. | More shipments fall within one tariff, enabling use of a lower rate → lower cost per shipment. Fewer invoice lines. | If a shipment is later changed (e.g. different date or location), it may end up with the wrong consolidation code. Field length limits may cut off important data. |
| Example B: Loading Location | Client X consolidates based on loading location. Three shipments on different days but from the same location (e.g. Warehouse A) are grouped together. | Shipments from one location are grouped, improving route planning and enabling better tariff scaling on total volume/weight. | If loading location is entered inconsistently (e.g. spelling differences), shipments won’t consolidate. Different tariff units can also block consolidation. |
| Example C: Monthly Consolidation | Client Z uses a method where all shipments of a specific product group within the same calendar month are consolidated. | One monthly tariff calculation instead of daily. One invoice line per month. Greater volume benefits for regular shipments. | If shipment dates fall across month boundaries (e.g. Aug 31 / Sept 1), shipments may be excluded. Risk of delayed invoicing. |
There are several reasons why consolidation may not work (fully) or be applied:
Shipments within a consolidation group can only be included on an invoice once all shipments in the group are ready for invoicing.
This ensures that invoicing doesn't get ahead of shipments that are still open or subject to changes.
The revenue from the consolidated shipments is redistributed across the individual shipments.
Because the total volume may qualify for a lower tariff, the revenue per individual shipment might be slightly lower.
However, the overall margin of the consolidation may remain stable — or even improve — due to volume efficiency.
Customer transparency is essential: Clearly indicate that shipments were consolidated, on what basis, and under what rules — this helps prevent disputes.