Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. Can you provide some brief information on TraxTech’s management team?
  2. Can TraxTech handle all modes of domestic and international transportation?
  3. Can TraxTech handle multiple currencies?
  4. Can TraxTech provide online access to historical data, regardless of its origin?
  5. What kind of payment options does TraxTech provide?
  6. Does TraxTech offer flexible reporting to multiple organizations inside a company or to designated third parties?
  7. Does TraxTech adhere to an accounting calendar for processing cutoff and reporting dates?
  8. Does TraxTech have a flexible rules engine for processing logic to accommodate changing business needs or custom requirements by operating divisions?
  9. How does TraxTech maintain data integrity and process control?
  10. Does TraxTech provide an audit process and service that ensures that all bills are rated correctly and that duplicate payments are avoided?
  11. Does TraxTech offer consulting services that can help our company meet its transportation cost savings and productivity goals?
  12. Does TraxTech provide prompt payments to carriers and accurate cost allocations to our company's operating units?
  13. Does TraxTech have flexible reporting options?
  14. What is your procedure for processing freight bills?
  15. Can TraxTech capture all required data fields for complete transportation operations analysis?
  16. What are TraxTech’s validation and control requirements?
  17. What is TraxTech’s policy for handling past due and balance due invoices?
  18. How does TraxTech protect against duplicate payments?
  19. How does TraxTech identify and apply account codes?
  20. How does TraxTech validate accounting and other codes?
  21. How does TraxTech handle rejected or incomplete bills?
  22. What about split bills?
  23. How does TraxTech handle the adjusted freight bill process?
  24. What is TraxTech’s policy on confidentiality?
  25. Is there a primary contact at TraxTech I can call or e-mail?
  26. Does TraxTech provide documentation of who handles a specific bill?
  27. What can you tell me about TraxTech's financial stability?
  28. Can you provide background information on Trax Technologies, Inc.?
  29. What is TraxTech’s recruitment and training policy?

  1. Can you provide some brief information on TraxTech’s management team?
    J. Scott Nelson, President, CEO & Founder
    Scott is the chief architect of TraxTech FPS and has been developing transportation management systems for over 20 years. He is nationally recognized as a pioneer in automated freight processing and distributed management information systems.

    Alan Chute, Executive Vice President
    Alan’s professional background spans over 20 years and includes leadership roles in supply chain management at General Electric and Digital Equipment Corporation. He has specific experience in transportation process improvement and automation as the Manager of Freight Administration at Digital. He is a Certified Management Accountant. Alan joined TraxTech in 1995.

    Bill Baird, Vice President of Software Development
    Bill’s leadership in software development spans over 20 years, including work at Unisys Corporation and File Express. He has extensive experience designing and developing systems for supply chain automation. He is primarily responsible for the development of TraxTech's proprietary rules engine and atomization technology which powers much of the company's software. Bill joined TraxTech in 1995.

    David Henderson, Vice President of Global Business Development
    David has over 19 years of experience in finance, international operational review, information technology and supply chain cost management. David is a qualified chartered accountant, and has worked internationally for Price Waterhouse, The Coca-Cola Company, Compaq and Digital Equipment Corporation in a variety of roles covering operational review, finance, logistics and general management. He has vast experience in international business, having worked in Europe, South America, Africa and the USA. David joined TraxTech in 2000. Back to Questions
  2. Can TraxTech handle all modes of domestic and international transportation?
    TraxTech FPS currently processes approximately one million freight transactions per week covering all modes and most major types. Back to Questions

  3. Can TraxTech handle multiple currencies?
    TraxTech FPS is a flexible multi-currency application that rates and pays in any currency and also offers primary currency translation. Back to Questions

  4. Can TraxTech provide online access to historical data, regardless of its origin?
    TraxTech provides historical data in an Access database that is easily accessed for queries and reports. We can easily integrate with other ODBC-compatible databases. SQL Server is an option for your historical database. ORACLE is also feasible and we would be pleased to discuss this option with you. Back to Questions

  5. What kind of payment options does TraxTech provide?
    TraxTech provides four convenient payment options:

    Option
    Payment Request
    Payment Method
    Funds
    Remittance Advice
    1
    Trax FPS feed to a legacy A/P system
    Check or EFT
    From your company’s account
    Trax FPS sends an 820 or Report to Carrier
    2
    Trax FPS
    EFT
    From your company’s account
    Trax FPS sends an 820 or Report to Carrier
    3
    Trax FPS
    EFT or check
    Weekly, your company wires funds to Trax’s account 
    Trax FPS sends an 820 or Report to Carrier
    4
    Trax FPS
    EFT or check
    Weekly, your company sends check(s) to Trax’s account
    Trax FPS sends an 820 or Report to Carrier

    Back to Questions

  6. Does TraxTech offer flexible reporting to multiple organizations inside a company or to designated third parties?
    TraxTech FPS effortlessly customizes reports, queries, or electronic files for any source you authorize. Your units can generate their own reports or we can generate them for you. Back to Questions

  7. Does TraxTech adhere to an accounting calendar for processing cutoff and reporting dates?
    Relevant dates for payment, cost allocation, and reporting are available in the database and easy to customize for your specific needs. Back to Questions

  8. Does TraxTech have a flexible rules engine for processing logic to accommodate changing business needs or custom requirements by operating divisions?
    The TraxTech FPS rules engine uses a radical transaction processing tool that drives transportation management process reengineering. Back to Questions

  9. How does TraxTech maintain data integrity and process control?
    TraxTech FPS creates custom processing rules using electronic information from your carriers and your in-house control systems. The comprehensive databases, easy access to information, and flexible rules engine enable TraxTech’s clients to efficiently manage transportation spending. Concurrently, these same companies reduce costly manual efforts.  Data integrity is protected because all data are retained—nothing is ever lost or stripped off the historical record. Data are archived indefinitely in three forms: Original format, an MS-Access database, and snapshot batch messages of various processing stages. Access to any data is easily achieved either by electronic message transfer or storage media. Back to Questions

  10. Does TraxTech provide an audit process and service that ensures that all bills are rated correctly and that duplicate payments are avoided?
    TraxTech FPS enables you to re-price every transaction from your major carriers using our robust rules engine. Duplicate or invalid payments are avoided this way. Back to Questions

  11. Does TraxTech offer consulting services that can help our company meet its transportation cost savings and productivity goals?
    Yes, absolutely. One of TraxTech’s key value offerings is our consulting practice. Our industry distinction is due to our executive level logistics experts, who can help you improve your transportation operation’s bottom line with insights on process and strategies. Such insights can only come from years of industry experience. For more information, or to arrange a complimentary initial consultation, please call +1 480-556-8700 or e-mail us via this form.     Back to Questions

  12. Does TraxTech provide prompt payments to carriers and accurate cost allocations to our company's operating units?
    The TraxTech rules engine assigns accurate cost codes to each freight bill using a variety of customized rules for each of your company’s operating units. Your internal cost allocation process is automated with TraxTech FPS. Processing is typically completed within one to two days. Payment is determined by your company's payment terms with each carrier. Back to Questions

  13. Does TraxTech have flexible reporting options?
    Any of the reporting options mentioned are possible using TraxTech FPS. We can provide separate databases for each operating unit to reside locally or arrange for remote access via the Internet. During the implementation phase, TraxTech can create separate report front ends for each corporate division to meet its specific reporting requirements at no additional charge. Custom queries and reports are easy to create using Microsoft Office applications such as MS Access, MS Excel or any other similar product. Back to Questions

  14. What is your procedure for processing freight bills?
    The entire processing history of each freight bill in a batch is electronically available in TraxTech FPS, regardless of its origin (paper or electronic). We can perform all processing of duplicate, financial, cost allocation, matching, and payment issues on your behalf, electronically sending the historical results electronically to the appropriate operating unit. Alternatively, your company can choose to perform its own online exception processing of any or all types. Each of your company's operating units has its own dedicated account manager. Regular access to management for consultation or project management issues is available. Specifically, regular conference calls for status and rules development questions during the implementation period are established at the onset of any new project or client relationship with TraxTech.

    Paper source documents’ key fields are double-verified for quality control. In addition, data integrity checks (for both paper and e-sources) are incorporated into your custom rules as necessary. Back to Questions

  15. Can TraxTech capture all required data fields for complete transportation operations analysis?
    Each field you specify is available in the TraxTech FPS database, and is populated if it is provided on the carrier’s source documents or any other shipment control documents we receive (i.e. bill of lading, manifest, entry document, PO receiver, etc.). ALL information provided on an electronic invoice is stored in the historical database for later analysis. NO data is ever lost or stripped away. Our experience reveals that you can never anticipate what information will be necessary for analysis at some point in the future.

    In many cases, the data we mine during the processing phase are based on your own definitions and interpretations for managing transportation at the operating unit and corporate levels. This logic is very easy to modify as your business needs change. Back to Questions

  16. What are TraxTech’s validation and control requirements?
    All electronic invoices are processed within one to two days of receipt. Paper invoices are keyed into the system within three days of receipt and processed online within one to two days after entry. All exception bills are viewed and electronically processed. Exceptions may be denied, paid at the invoice amount, paid at the system’s approved amount, or paid at an amount specified by the processor. In addition, accounting codes may be manually entered or altered prior to payment in the event of a predetermined exception. Service failures are automatically adjusted. Adjustment reasons and codes are passed to the carrier on an electronic remittance advice or faxed report and retained in the database for later reporting. Back to Questions

  17. What is TraxTech’s policy for handling past due and balance due invoices?
    Past due and balance due invoices are electronically managed via the rules engine. The status of any invoice or freight bill in the system is easily retrieved online. The status of how each bill was rated and cost allocated, as well as the check number and date of payment, are also available.

    A balance due invoice is first detected as a duplicate in exception processing. Then, based on either automatic rules or manual review, depending on the circumstances, the bill can be declared a balance due, supplemental, original (i.e. not a duplicate), or duplicate (i.e. deny payment) and submitted for further processing.

    A past due bill that has not been previously received is processed as an original, subject to data validation and audit at the appropriate rates and rules for the actual ship date. At your discretion, valid bills are processed for payment immediately, or aged according to normal payment terms. Back to Questions

  18. How does TraxTech protect against duplicate payments?
    Duplicate payments are primarily checked against duplicate waybill numbers. However, it is also possible to build custom checks using other criteria such as pieces, weight, ship date, and bill of lading as your needs dictate. The timeframe of historical data for duplicate payment checks is flexible. Eighteen months is acceptable, although many customers choose to maintain duplicate checking for one year and simply reject any bills older than one year based on the ship date.

    Most customers begin by using the standard TraxTech FPS duplicate checking process, then perform post-audit queries against historical data to determine if duplicates exist using other criteria. If a risk is discovered, we can tailor the rules to check for the specific circumstances uncovered in the sample review. In this way, customers ensure that controls are cost-effective and focused on reasonable risks rather than perceived risks. Duplicate payments are extremely rare using TraxTech FPS. However, we are prepared to file claims on your behalf with carriers in the event that duplicate payments are detected. Back to Questions

  19. How does TraxTech identify and apply account codes?
    TraxTech’s rules engine analyzes the ambiguous data on carriers’ freight bills, integrates that information with client-provided reference data, and then performs automated, accurate, and efficient cost allocation advice. Most customers are amazed at our capabilities in this area, and delighted to find that our system can produce dramatic productivity gains as well as improved cost allocation results than their existing legacy methods. Back to Questions

  20. How does TraxTech validate accounting and other codes?
    Upon regular receipt of reference files from your company's operating units, any validations are incorporated into the TraxTech FPS for data integrity. Back to Questions

  21. How does TraxTech handle rejected or incomplete bills?
    All transactions processed in TraxTech FPS include an extensive history of results including any adjustments and the reasons for such adjustments. This is true whether the freight bill was manually or electronically entered. TraxTech’s approach differs from other alternatives. We do not employ people to process paper documents, record the results, and store a summary of the processed information in a database. This approach is too costly, time-consuming, error-prone, and inconsistent.

    Instead, TraxTech translates ALL the data received on paper documents to electronic form, including complete addresses, descriptions, and pertinent reference information. In addition, we electronically scan the paper documents and make them available online along with the data. Then the rules engine performs the validations, rating, auditing, cost allocation, and payment processing. The results provide more overall accuracy and consistency. Further, you now have an audit trail for analysis to correct problems at their source, as well as newly discovered opportunities to optimize your organization’s transportation resources.

    All information pertaining to bill adjustments is returned to the carrier using an electronic remittance advice or faxed report if the carrier cannot accept EDI. This same information is electronically available to all your company's operating units. This proactive collaboration between you and your carriers promotes faster resolution of problems and keeps payments current. Back to Questions

  22. What about split bills?
    Split bills are easily handled by the rules engine using your company's specified processing guidelines. Back to Questions

  23. How does TraxTech handle the adjusted freight bill process?
    Adjusted freight bill information is electronically available on a bill-by-bill basis or query. In addition, historical transactions may be reprocessed in the rules engine to reflect changes in basic rating or other validation rules. This is useful for "what if" analysis or to quantify the impact of changes in rates or transportation policy. Back to Questions

  24. What is TraxTech’s policy on confidentiality?
    Trax Technologies is happy to sign a nondisclosure agreement with your company. Such agreements are common for us, and every TraxTech employee recognizes the importance of confidentiality in this industry. Back to Questions

  25. Is there a primary contact at TraxTech I can call or e-mail?
    The primary contact for planning and implementation of TraxTech's solution is Alan Chute, Vice President, +1 480-556-8716. In addition, operating unit and carrier representatives are assigned a TraxTech account manager for personalized and knowledgeable account service. Back to Questions

  26. Does TraxTech provide documentation of who handles a specific bill?
    Processing actions in TraxTech FPS are coded with a user ID to ensure traceability of specific actions to individuals. In addition, authorization to perform specific actions is controlled by user ID to ensure proper accountability and control. Back to Questions

  27. What can you tell me about TraxTech's financial stability?
    Trax Technologies, Inc. has been incorporated since 1993 and is a privately held corporation. Financial reports from inception to the present are available upon completion of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between Trax Technologies and your company. Back to Questions

  28. Can you provide background information on Trax Technologies, Inc.?
    TraxTech™ global transportation management solutions provide world-class companies the intellectual capital needed to streamline and manage complex shipping environments for competitive operational advantage. TraxTech’s freight processing division processes approximately one million freight bills per week. These professionals are experienced in providing freight processing and payment services to large corporations in an automated environment. Our R&D staff of highly skilled technologists develops, maintains, and supports the applications and communications facilities that drive our valuable and successful services to you. These technical resources are experts in the following applications and technologies:

    • Microsoft Windows
    • Microsoft Access
    • Microsoft Excel
    • SQL Server
    • C++
    • Delphi
    • C# / .NET
    • Prolog
    • Visual Basic
    • XML
    • JavaScript
    • Domain Specific Languages
    • Parsing / Grammars
    • Computational Linguistics

    Trax Technologies employs 100 people. Our worldwide corporate headquarters is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and satellite offices exist in Boston, MA, Scotland, Costa Rica and (as of Spring 2005) Prague, Czech Republic. Due to aggressive growth strategies, TraxTech is rapidly expanding and therefore plans to have more international locations in the near future. TraxTech’s installed base currently stands at 25 clients. Most of our customers are household names. Of these, the top two are "Fortune 10" corporations. Back to Questions

  29. What is TraxTech’s recruitment and training policy?
    New employees receive extensive hands-on training in both the technology as well as the specific business rules, rates, and priorities of assigned clients. TraxTech primarily employs highly skilled logistics and/or IT professionals who already have a solid background in either the transportation industry or specific application domains. Back to Questions
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