Evaluation guide · Updated 31 October 2026
How to evaluate the total cost of a freight forwarding TMS
Define workflows, clarify included and additional costs, and agree the evidence and responsibilities for a TMS implementation.
Define the workflows and transport modes
List the transport modes, offices, users and shipment stages the system must cover. Follow a representative file from enquiry and quotation through booking, documents, milestones, supplier costs and customer invoicing. Include exceptions such as amended bookings, split shipments and invoice corrections. Separate essential workflows from later phases and record which systems will remain in use.
Clarify every cost category
Request an itemised quote for subscription or licence fees, configuration, onboarding, migration, integrations, training, support and additional usage, where applicable. Ask what triggers a charge, how it is measured and when it becomes payable. Include internal staff time and third-party services in your planning, while keeping these separate from the provider’s fees.
Separate included work from additional services
Ask the provider to label each item as included, separately charged, optional or excluded. Define what standard configuration, a standard import and training actually cover. Record assumptions about data quality, integration access, number of sessions and changes to scope. Ask how additional work is approved before costs are incurred.
Compare quotes on the same basis
Give each provider the same user count, shipment volume, transport modes, required functions and implementation scope. Use the same contract period and document currency, tax treatment, billing frequency, renewal terms and any usage limits. Keep one-off charges separate from recurring costs, and ask for a revised quote when assumptions change.
Verify the workflows in a demonstration
Bring representative, appropriately anonymised files and a list of tasks for your operators, finance staff and managers. Ask to see quotation, booking, documents, changes, costs and invoicing in sequence. Test the proposed user roles and data exchange. Record whether each requirement was demonstrated, needs configuration, requires development or remains unconfirmed; request written scope for any work still needed.
Agree implementation responsibilities and acceptance
Name an owner on your team and on the provider’s team for configuration, data preparation, migration, integrations, testing and training. Record dependencies and agree milestones around actual readiness. Define acceptance criteria before work begins: for example, reconciled imported records, completed workflow tests and approved permissions. Agree who signs off, how issues are resolved, and what support and contingency arrangements apply at go-live.
Clarify support, data export and contract terms
Request support hours, channels, escalation contacts and any response commitments in writing. Check how you can export operational records and documents, in which formats, with what assistance and charges, both during the contract and on termination. Review access after termination, retention and deletion, notice periods, renewal, price changes and the process for resolving disputed scope. Confirm relevant data processing and security documentation with each provider.
Questions to resolve before signing
What belongs in a first-year TMS cost calculation?
First-year cost includes the subscription or licence fees, plus any separately charged setup, migration, integrations, training, support and usage. Avoid counting items twice when they are already included in the quoted package.
How should we compare provider quotes?
Use the same user count, shipment volume, required functions, contract period and implementation scope. Ask each provider to identify included work, additional charges and exclusions.
Where can we check current YLOAD pricing?
Use the official YLOAD pricing page and confirm the implementation scope and commercial terms with the team.
Use the TMS evaluation checklist to record evidence. For current YLOAD pricing and commercial terms, visit the official pricing page.