Moving On to the Right Transportation Accounting Software

Transportation Specific Accounting Challenges

Whether your company operates on land, sea, or air, or moves people or things, you'll face a number of challenges common to the transportation industry. Standard off-the-shelf packages typically don't include enough customized functionality to meet the needs of transportation companies. However, there are software solutions designed both to provide industry specific modules along with complete financial accounting capabilities.

Dealing with Regulatory Requirements

The transportation industry is heavily regulated. Any time there are regulations, there needs to be a way to demonstrate compliance. With the right software tools you can decrease the cost burden associated with demonstrating compliance on things like driver records and the payment of fuel taxes and surcharges. Driver logs also provide a way to demonstrate that you are complying with rules relating to driver hours and other common restrictions.

Routing, Dispatching, and Planning

Planning for transportation services introduces another level of complexity. Industry-neutral accounting packages are not likely to provide the tailored features and modules you need to realize efficiencies in these areas. Software designed specifically for transportation companies can offer you the ability to not only plan the best routes, but also integrate dispatching capabilities. By integrating load orders, route planning, and dispatching you can ensure that your drivers and staff are maximizing their potential to be on the road, earning revenues.

Invoicing and Pricing for Transportation Services

Another important aspect to finding the right software for your business is ensuring that you have the necessary flexibility in pricing and creating invoices. Modules are available to help you easily and accurately create price estimates based off freight-billing, per mile costing, and other transportation specific pricing and billing methods. Integrating this functionality with your accounting modules can help reduce errors associated with manually re-entering data, as pricing information can be passed from your estimating and billing modules to accounts receivable automatically.

Managing the Fleet

Fleet management modules also provide you with the ability to not only know where are all your vehicles are, but to comprehensively track maintenance records on each vehicle. Fixed asset applications can help you track the value of vehicles for tax and financial management purposes.

Comprehensive Accounting Functionality

Aside from the industry specific functionality discussed above, transportation accounting packages provide a complete set of financial management tools. Typical modules include accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, budgeting, cash managment, and report writers.