Descartes TMS

Descartes sells an enterprise TMS suite: Shipper TMS, Forwarder TMS and MacroPoint visibility, with API and EDI access issued by its account team. Loads your team runs in Descartes get a live timeline in Cargofy, documents are filed automatically, and carrier and rate data reach procurement without a manual export. The logistics manager who owns visibility usually switches it on; IT holds the keys and the EDI mapping.

What teams use it for

Start tracking when a load is ready

Without the connection, someone opens MacroPoint after the carrier confirms and keys in the driver's mobile number. With it, a digital worker creates the tracking session when the load is ready in Load Hub, using whichever identifier you track by: mobile, vehicle, trailer, shipment, container, airway bill or rail car. The session exists before the truck rolls, and the first position appears in Tracking.

One timeline across truck, port and rail

A container from Rotterdam to Chicago leaves the vessel and moves to rail. MacroPoint sends the status change to Cargofy as a webhook callback. When the drayage truck picks it up, Samsara positions feed the same session. Cargofy validates each callback and writes it to the container's timeline in Tracking. When the consignee asks where the box is, the customer service rep reads the current leg and last position in one place.

Warn the receiver before the dock closes

A drayage driver's ETA slips past the delivery appointment. The status update lands in Tracking, the digital worker opens an exception, and the customer service rep sees the new ETA next to the appointment time. The rep calls the receiving warehouse while there is still a slot to move to. The exception stays on the shipment with the callback that triggered it.

File the BOL and waybill automatically

Descartes issues the waybill and BOL as the booking moves, and they tend to sit in the TMS until someone downloads them. Cargofy reads shipment, booking and waybill data over API and EDI and files the documents in Documents against the load. When a customer asks for the BOL, the rep opens the load and sends it. When the carrier invoice arrives, Finance finds the same set on the shipment.

Give procurement the carrier data the TMS holds

At quarter end, the procurement lead starts the lane review. Carrier rates, listings and orders from the Descartes B2B connectivity network are read into Freight Procurement, so the lead can open a lane, filter by carrier and see what each carrier was paid and on which orders. The lead builds the shortlist for next quarter's bids there, on the same numbers the TMS settled on.

How it fits your stack

Descartes TMS remains the system of record for shipments, bookings and carrier contracts. Cargofy reads location and status updates, shipment, booking and waybill data, carrier rates and orders, and documents. It writes tracking sessions and shipment and booking updates; it does not write to carrier contracts in Descartes. Setup is per installation: keys are issued per product by your Descartes account team, and Cargofy registers its webhook receiver and maps your EDI messages. Capacity and carrier sourcing through the MacroPoint Capacity endpoints are not part of the base tracking connection.

Who it is for

Shippers, brokers and forwarders on Shipper TMS or Forwarder TMS with MacroPoint. Customer service gets the timeline, transport planners keep their bookings in Descartes, procurement gets carrier data, and the IT admin owns the keys and the EDI mapping.