[otmrookie]

Hi guys,

I'm curious as to what a RateWare is and how it works with OTM? Thanks!

otmrookie

[chrisplough]

Hello

RateWare is a server, written and distributed by SMC, which is used to provide costing information for LTL and Small Package freight shipping. These are usually handled by CzarLite data modules, which include standardized tariffs, which many LTL freight carriers standardize on.

Product URL:
RateWare: LTL and Small Package Pricing Management System

Once the RateWare server is installed, the data modules are loaded, and OTM is configured -- OTM makes network calls to the RateWare server to query for the tariffs.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Chris

[otmrookie]

Hi all,

Thanks again Chris for your previous response. My next question is if we are to have CzarLite in place does that mean we won't have to maintain LTL rates at all within OTM? To give you guys some background information, we have about 35-40 LTL carriers that handle most of our pool shipments throughout the U.S. and we ship to about 300-400 customer locations. Thanks for all of your help!

otmrookie

[AlejandroBarba]

Hi,

If by maintaining LTL rates at all within OTM, you mean uploading the base rates in OTM, the answer is no as long as there is not any new base rates. The tariff bases, as the Czar Lite, do not change over time but periodically the carriers issue a new tariff. BTW, these rates can be uploaded into OTM but it is an extremely time consuming process and I would strongly discourage its use unless that it is only for a manageable number of lanes and classes.

If you are referring to the LTL rates in OTM that specify the rate base (tariff), the discount and the absolute minimum charge, it would also depend on not having contractual changes with your carriers on the discount percentage, the minimum charge or the rate base (tariff).

Finally, we manage a large number of LTL carriers too and it has paid off keeping as many carriers as possible under the same tariff and version.

Hope this is useful,

Alejandro B.

[JayVal]

Hi :

I too have a question on the RateWare.

1) If we disable/Stop this RateWareServer, will OTM still be able to get the Rates ?

If Yes, what tables if will pull the data from ?

Thanks
Jay

[nick.polites]

If you stop SMC while and you have rates that lookup NMFC classes, they will fail to build.

[selvaganeshg]

Hi,
We are planning to introduce another Rateware along with Czar Lite and planning to create a group which will go to look against that Rateware. So,My question is whether OTM can support two ratewares or not. If anyone has seen / implemented,Please let me know.

Thanks,
Selva

[nick.polites]

At the present time you can only use one SMC rateware per OTM instance. It wouldn't make sense to use multiple versions since you can use multiple tariffs in each instance.

[selvaganeshg]

Thanks a lot for the reply Nick,
I am bit new to this Rateware configuration. I will tell the need for this and pls validate whether it makes sense -
I understand Czar is for Rating LTL for carriers in USA. If we need to go beyond USA geographical location and we get a Rateware pertaining to that geographical location. How to configure that?
Do we need to have a new OTM instance in that case?

Thanks
Selva

[nick.polites]

Selva,

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I think SMC Rateware is only for North America. If there are any tariffs outside then you can just load them in the same instance and reference them in OTM. There is an entire procedure on how to configure this in OTM via the help. From an SA standpoint all you need to do is load the tariffs in SMC.

Nick