Both shippers and carriers can use the Freight Payment module inthe IBM? SterlingTransportation Management System (Sterling TMS). As a shipperyou can use Freight Payment to manage your transportation spendingfor the shipments delivered by your carriers:

1. Carriers submit freight invoices to Sterling TMS which providea summary of the billed charges.
2. Sterling TMS generatesfreight payment vouchers. Depending on how your administrator configuredthe Freight Payment module the voucher includes the following charges:
   • If your organization uses the Auto-Pay process in Sterling TMS the voucherrepresents the freight charges that are calculated by Sterling TMS. These chargesare based on your contracts with the carriers. The voucher includesthe linehaul rate and any planned accessorials that apply to the shipment.
   • If your organization uses the Match Pay process in Sterling TMS the systemcompares the carrier invoice charges to the freight charges calculatedby Sterling TMS. Ifthe carrier charges fall within the tolerances your administratordefined Sterling TMS submitsthe carrier charges in the freight payment voucher.
3. You can use Sterling TMS tosubmit the freight payment voucher charges to your shipping organizationin EDI or XML format. You can then import the charges into your accountspayable system and use that system to pay the carrier.

Your shipper administrator defines your freight payment configurationwhich includes freight payment rules and triggers:

• You can choose to require the receipt of a carrier invoice before Sterling TMS generatesthe voucher.
• You define freight payment triggers that determine when SterlingTMS generates each voucher. For example you can have Sterling TMS generate avoucher when the carrier accepts the shipment tender or when the shipmentdeparts from the origin.
• You can specify the number of days after the original voucherdate that Sterling TMS locksthe shipment charges. After the lock date the carrier cannot submitnew or updated shipment charges online in Sterling TMS.
• You can specify whether to use the carrier PRO number as the carrierinvoice number when generating a Sterling TMS voucher.
• You can use the Partial Payment Voucher feature to have SterlingTMS automatically generate a voucher for the linehaul planned accessorialand any other approved charges when the triggers have been satisfied.A shipper user must reconcile and approve pending charges on the shipment.
• Your organization can require a user to manually approve eachshipment before Sterling TMS generatesa freight payment voucher.

There can be multiple invoices and vouchers for a single shipment.For example the carrier might submit an original invoice and thenan amended invoice.