DMS for forwarders: finding the right software and implementing it safely
A DMS for forwarders is a document management system that manages documents from dispatch, accounting and HR in an audit-proof way, is connected to the transport management system via order and shipment numbers and controls review and approval processes as a workflow.
This page is about the decision: which requirements matter, how to compare providers and how to make the implementation succeed. AWP Consult has supported forwarders and logistics service providers as a certified enaio partner since 2006, from process analysis to go-live.
250+completed projects since 2006150+reference customers in the DACH region12 to 18months average payback
Requirements profile forwarderExample view
Dispatch
- File per order
- Return control
- Call-up from TMS
Accounting
- Incoming invoices
- Credit notes
- E-invoice
HR
- Driver file
- Follow-up reminders
- Separate permissions
Shared requirements specificationBasis for demonstration and evaluation
TMS integration checked before the decision
Key points at a glance
01
A DMS for forwarders manages all documents relating to orders, invoices and staff in one audit-proof system and assigns them automatically via order and shipment numbers from the transport management system (TMS).
02
The TMS plans orders, routes and settlement, the DMS handles documents, workflows, deadlines and archiving. Forwarding software therefore does not replace a DMS.
03
The most important selection criterion is the reliable assignment of every document to an order, shipment or route, tested with your own consignment notes, proofs of delivery and carrier invoices instead of the provider's sample documents.
04
During a tax audit, the tax authority can demand direct data access, a machine-based analysis according to its specifications or the handover of the data under § 147 (6) Abgabenordnung (AO). The DMS must support all three routes.
05
If the DMS logs access or evaluates processing times, the works council has a co-determination right under § 87 (1) no. 6 Betriebsverfassungsgesetz (BetrVG) and should be involved in the project early.
06
In AWP Consult's experience, a first site is typically live after 8 to 16 weeks. For customers the implementation pays for itself after 12 to 18 months on average, based on data from more than 40 companies.
What is a DMS for forwarders and how does it differ from forwardingsoftware?
A DMS for forwarders is the software in which a forwarding company keeps, reviews and retains its documents, while the forwarding software or the TMS manages the operational data on orders, routes and settlement. The DMS adds audit-proof storage, workflows, permissions and deadlines to the TMS and connects the two via order and shipment numbers.
The topic is also searched for as DMS forwarding, document management forwarding or document management system for transport. The underlying question is which software for forwarding and transport holds documents in such a way that all departments can work with them and a tax audit finds nothing to object to. Our page on the DMS for logistics gives an overview of document management across the entire industry.
TMS or forwarding software
Captures orders, plans routes, settles freight and knows customers, lanes and carriers. It often stores documents as attachments, but without retention periods, versioning and workflow.
Document management system
Accepts documents from all channels, assigns them, controls review and approval, governs permissions per department and site and retains every document unchangeably with its own deadline.
ERP and financial accounting
Posts incoming and outgoing invoices, maintains accounts payable and receivable and makes payments. The DMS supplies reviewed documents and posting data and keeps the document image available for the accounting entry.
The link between them
The order and shipment number are the shared key. From the order in the TMS the file opens in the DMS, and from the entry in financial accounting the matching document image opens.
Gather requirements before you compare providers
Together with dispatch, accounting and HR, we record which documents arise where and which systems are to be connected.
- Document flows per department
- Interfaces to TMS and FiBu
- Basis for your requirements specification
What requirements should a DMS for forwarders meet?
A DMS for forwarders should assign documents automatically to the correct order, be connected to the TMS and financial accounting, process carrier invoices, credit notes and e-invoices, separate permissions by department and branch, involve partners without full access and store every document in an audit-proof way with its own retention period.
| Requirement | Why it matters in forwarding | How to recognise it in the test |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment to the order | Without an order, invoicing and invoice checking stall | Your own documents with barcode, plain-text number and without a number are assigned live or end up in a clarification list |
| TMS integration | Order data should not be maintained twice | The provider names the integration route for your TMS and shows the call-up from an order |
| Incoming invoices and credit notes | Many supplier invoices from subcontractors, often settled by self-billing | The invoice is checked against the order and proof of delivery, and approval runs by amount and cost centre |
| E-invoice | Receiving is mandatory since 2025, issuing follows in 2027 and 2028 | XRechnung and ZUGFeRD are recognised, displayed legibly and archived in the format received |
| Permissions by department and site | Personnel records, terms and damage cases must not be visible to everyone | Roles for departments and branches are shown in the system |
| External partners | Partners supply documents but should not see other parties' data | Upload without a licence and without read access to the file |
| Audit-proof storage and deadlines | A single order contains documents with retention periods of six, eight and ten years | Deadlines per document type, deletion protection, logging and export for the tax audit |
| Mobile capture | Proofs of delivery arise with the driver, not in the office | The photo of the document goes with a time stamp directly to the correct shipment |
At most forwarding companies, assignment, TMS integration and incoming invoices are top priorities.
We will show you how this looks with enaio in your organisation.
Schedule an appointment +49 6104 94738-13What do dispatch, accounting and HR need from a DMS?
Dispatch needs complete order files and return control for proofs of delivery, accounting needs incoming invoices with approval and GoBD-compliant storage, and HR needs a protected file for drivers and employees with follow-up reminders for expiring certificates. A DMS for forwarders serves all three areas in one system and still separates their data strictly.
Dispatch and customer service
All paperwork for an order in one place, from transport order and consignment note to proof of delivery. Outstanding returns appear as a work list. The file per order with its sub-files is called a digital forwarding file.
Accounting
Carrier invoices and credit notes are recognised, checked against the order and proof of delivery and, after approval, handed over to financial accounting. The process and checking rules are described in the incoming invoice workflow.
HR department
Driver records such as driving-licence checks, the driver card, the ADR training certificate and continuing-education certificates are kept in a protected file. Follow-up reminders give notice before expiry, for example 90, 60 and 30 days in advance. More on the digital personnel file.
Claims department
Damage photos and reports go directly to the affected shipment, and a workflow controls processing with the insurer.
Branches
Every site works with the same rules but sees only its own orders.
Management and IT
One system instead of folders, network drives and mailboxes, operated in the cloud or in your own data centre, with a transparent permissions concept.
Prefer to clarify things in person rather than read on?
By which criteria do forwarders select a DMS?
Forwarders select a DMS by six criteria: reliable assignment of documents to order and shipment, connection to financial accounting and ERP, incoming invoices with credit notes and e-invoice, audit-proof storage for the tax audit, permissions for sites and partners, and a partner who supports implementation and operation over the long term.
Weight the selection criteria for your forwarding company
Together with you, we derive from document flows and departments the criteria that are decisive for you, and we prepare test cases for the demonstration.
Request a consultation +49 6104 94738-1301
Assignment to order, shipment and route
The core of a DMS in forwarding is not reading out individual fields but the reliable assignment of every document to the correct order. Consignment notes, CMR, proofs of delivery and invoices arrive crumpled from the cab, as a photo from a smartphone or as a PDF from external systems. The key is the order and shipment numbers from the TMS, ideally as a barcode on all of your own paperwork.
Check what happens to documents without a readable number. A good system places them in a clarification list with an assigned owner. In enaio, enaio classify handles the extraction, and the AI module enaio kairos also recognises documents without a fixed template and learns from corrections.
- Test case 1 your own proof of delivery with barcode, scanned at the depot
- Test case 2 an external consignment note without barcode, only with a plain-text number
- Test case 3a photo document from the driver with a handwritten note
Practical tip
Bring 20 to 30 real, anonymised documents to the demonstration, including poor ones. What the system does with your most difficult paperwork says more than any slide.
02
Connection to financial accounting and ERP
In addition to the TMS, a DMS for forwarders needs a connection to financial accounting or the ERP system. From there come accounts payable and cost centres, to there reviewed invoices go as postings, and the document image remains linked to the accounting entry.
enaio is connected, among others, to SAP via RFC and BAPI, to DATEV, to Microsoft Dynamics 365, Business Central and NAV, as well as to proALPHA, Sage, Diamant Software, eGECKO and Unit4. The page on the enaio interfaces describes how this works in detail.
Practical tip
Do not only ask whether an interface exists, but who adapts it when your financial accounting changes version.
03
Incoming invoices, credit notes and e-invoice
In forwarding companies, many supplier invoices from subcontractors meet few people in accounting. Some carriers are settled by self-billing, others send a PDF, paper or an e-invoice. The DMS brings all routes into one checking process: check against the order and proof of delivery, approve by amount and cost centre, hand over to financial accounting.
Since 1 January 2025, all domestic companies must be able to receive e-invoices. From 1 January 2027, companies with more than 800,000 euro in prior-year turnover must issue e-invoices, and from 1 January 2028 all companies must. The DMS should recognise XRechnung and ZUGFeRD automatically and display them legibly for auditors. What this means for freight invoices and credit notes is set out on the page on the e-invoice in logistics.
For outgoing documents, simpleflow from AWP Consult sends invoices and credit notes electronically. The page on invoice processing software gives a market overview.
04
Audit-proof storage and tax audit
Under § 147 (3) AO and § 257 (4) Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB), ten years apply to books and financial statements, eight years to accounting documents such as invoices and credit notes and six years to commercial and business letters received and sent. The DMS therefore needs deadlines per document type with deletion protection.
During a tax audit, the tax authority may, under § 147 (6) AO, inspect the data and use the system to do so, demand a machine-based analysis according to its specifications or request the data in a machine-readable format. In practice this is referred to as Z1, Z2 and Z3. Since the amendment to the principles for the proper keeping and retention of books, records and documents in electronic form and for data access (GoBD) of 14 July 2025, retaining the structured part is generally sufficient for e-invoices.
The pages on the GoBD-compliant DMS and on audit-proof archiving in logistics describe what matters here in detail.
- UnchangeabilityStorage with versioning, changes to metadata are logged
- Procedural documentation describes receipt, assignment, review and archiving so that third parties can follow it
- Data accessRead access and export for the tax audit without copying folders
05
Sites, partners and data protection
Forwarders with several branches need permissions that depend on site, department and document type. External carriers and partner depots supply documents but should not see other parties' terms. An upload channel such as the AWP Link and Upload Portal is better suited to this than read access to the file.
Personnel files, damage cases involving personal data and driver data are subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If the DMS is operated by a service provider in the cloud, a data processing agreement under Art. 28 GDPR is required. The page Cloud or on-premises describes the trade-off.
Practical tip
Write out the permissions concept as a table of roles and document types before you invite providers. Then you can see immediately in the demonstration whether the system reflects your structure.
06
Partner for implementation and operation
A DMS runs at a forwarding company for many years. In addition to the software, what matters is therefore who implements it, connects it, provides training and supports it after go-live. Ask about projects in the industry, about support and about the approach to version changes.
AWP Consult has been a certified enaio partner since 2006 and has implemented forwarders with several branches. Several members of groupage cooperations such as CargoLine work with enaio and AWP Consult, so we know the requirements within such a network from practice. Before you sign a contract, you receive a transparent effort estimate, and each project phase is signed off with a clear outcome.
Practical tip
Ask for a reference from the forwarding sector and talk there to accounting and dispatch, not only to IT.
How does DMS selection at a forwarding company work?
DMS selection at a forwarding company runs in six steps: record document flows and departments, capture requirements in a requirements specification, narrow providers down to a shortlist, run demonstrations with your own documents, evaluate the results in a weighted scoring analysis and decide on the basis of reference calls and an effort estimate.
01
Record document flows
Which documents arise in dispatch, accounting, HR and the claims department, through which channel do they arrive, which number do they carry and who needs them? This includes volumes, sites and current systems.
02
Write the requirements specification
The requirements specification describes from your perspective what the system should do, not how. It contains mandatory and optional requirements, interfaces, the permissions concept, volume figures and test cases.
03
Narrow down providers
After reviewing the market, three to four providers or partners remain who meet the mandatory requirements and can demonstrate experience with forwarders. You can find comparisons of enaio with other systems under enaio and DocuWare and enaio and d.velop.
04
Demonstration with your own documents
Each provider shows the same test cases with your documents: assignment, invoice checking, call-up from the TMS order, permissions for a branch and export for the tax audit.
05
Weighted scoring analysis
The criteria are weighted in advance and each demonstration is scored against them. This makes it clear whether a system is convincing on the important points or only on many small ones.
06
References and decision
Reference calls with forwarders, an effort estimate and a plan for the pilot site conclude the selection.
Would you prefer not to write the requirements specification on your own? We bring a question catalogue, test cases and weighting from projects in the forwarding sector.
Discuss the requirements specificationWhich questions should you ask DMS providers?
Ask DMS providers questions that can only be answered well with experience from forwarding: how documents without a number are handled, how the TMS is connected, how credit notes and e-invoices work, how partners deliver documents, how deadlines are set per document type and who provides support after go-live.
| Question | Solid answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| What happens to a document without a readable number? | A clarification list with an assigned owner, deadline and escalation | The document is filed in a general folder |
| How is our TMS connected? | A concrete integration route after reviewing your interfaces | A blanket assurance without looking at your system |
| How do credit notes to carriers work? | A dedicated process with checks against the order and proof of delivery | Credit notes are handled like incoming invoices |
| How do subcontractors deliver documents? | An upload channel without a licence and without access to other parties' data | Partners receive a normal user account |
| How are retention periods set? | Per document type, with deletion protection and a deletion suggestion at the end of the period | One deadline for all documents or manual deletion |
| Who supports us after go-live? | A named support contact who knows your project | A general hotline with no link to your project |
Cost and licensing questions also belong on the list. What matters is the licensing model, the operating model, the scope of interfaces and the support. You can obtain a quote for your situation via our contact page.
Unsure where to start? We will help you assess your situation.
Arrange an initial consultation +49 6104 94738-13How does the TMS integration of a DMS for forwarders work?
In the TMS integration of a DMS for forwarders, the DMS takes the order number, shipment numbers, customer, lane, dates and carrier from the transport management system, uses these to assign incoming documents and, depending on the interface, reports statuses such as proof of delivery received back, while the file can be opened directly from the TMS order. No one maintains order data twice.
Three routes are common: a programming interface of the TMS, export files or database access. AWP Consult clarifies which one fits in the initial consultation and only commits afterwards. The aim is for dispatch to open the file in enaio from the order with a single click, including via the enaio webclient in the browser.
From the TMS to the DMS
Order and shipment data, customer, loading and unloading point, dates, carrier and status.
From the DMS to the TMS
Feedback such as proof of delivery received or damage case open, as far as the interface allows.
Call-up from the order
The file opens from the TMS order, without searching again.
Mobile documents
Proofs of delivery are photographed after handover and assigned to the shipment with a time stamp, so settlement can start earlier.
What forwarders say about AWP Consult
Voices from forwarders who have chosen enaio and AWP Consult.
After several meetings and presentations, enaio was exactly the solution we had envisaged for a new DMS and a new incoming invoice workflow. Easy to operate, a clear user interface, well-defined process flows. All documents can be found again quickly and easily.
With AWP's incoming invoice workflow, we standardise document processing in a secure and efficient process. Documents are checked digitally and on a personalised basis, and at the end there is automatic posting in financial accounting.
Does this sound right for your company? Let's talk about it.
Request a consultation +49 6104 94738-13Which mistakes happen when selecting and implementing a DMS for forwarders?
The most common mistakes when selecting and implementing a DMS for forwarders are demonstrations with sample documents, a selection made by IT alone, an unresolved TMS interface, a permissions concept without the HR department, involving the works council only shortly before the start and a rollout to all sites at once. All of them can be avoided before the decision is made.
01
Demonstration with sample documents
- Consequence
- In everyday use, recognition fails on crumpled and external documents.
- Better
- Use your own documents, including poor ones, as fixed test cases for all providers.
02
Selection by IT alone
- Consequence
- The specialist departments do not recognise their own processes.
- Better
- The specialist departments help evaluate the demonstration, while IT checks operation and interfaces.
03
TMS interface unresolved
- Consequence
- Order data has to be entered by hand after all once the contract is signed.
- Better
- Clarify the integration route in writing before the decision.
04
Permissions concept without the HR department
- Consequence
- Driver records are visible to dispatch or branches.
- Better
- Involve HR from the start and define separate roles and document types.
05
Works council involved too late
- Consequence
- The start is delayed because logs and evaluations have not been agreed.
- Better
- Inform the works council early and prepare an agreement on logs and evaluations.
06
All sites at once
- Consequence
- Mistakes in assignment and permissions hit the whole company at the same time.
- Better
- Start with a pilot site and one process, then expand step by step.
Would you like to see this with your own documents?
How is a DMS implemented at a forwarding company?
A DMS is implemented at a forwarding company in four phases: analysis and concept covering document flows, roles and interfaces, configuration of the file structure, permissions and workflows, testing and training with real orders at the pilot site, and go-live with support and step-by-step expansion. In AWP Consult's experience, a first site is typically live after 8 to 16 weeks, with further branches following in stages.
01
Analysis and concept
Document flows, document types, number ranges, interfaces, roles and deadlines are captured in the concept.
02
Configuration
The file structure, assignment rules, clarification list, permissions, interfaces and workflows for incoming invoices and returns are set up.
03
Testing and training
At the pilot site, real orders run through the system. Key users and end users are trained according to their roles.
04
Go-live and expansion
Productive start with support, then further sites and document types such as personnel files.
More on this: enaio implementation and DMS implementation checklist and training
Checklist: is your forwarding company ready for DMS selection?
Use these points to check whether you can compare providers meaningfully. You can find a general list for any DMS implementation in our DMS implementation checklist.
01
Requirements
- Document flows per department recorded
- Mandatory and optional requirements in the requirements specification
- Permissions concept based on roles and document types
- Retention periods agreed with your tax adviser
02
Systems
- Interfaces of the TMS known
- Financial accounting or ERP identified
- Incoming channels for post, email, drivers and partners defined
- Decision on cloud or your own data centre prepared
03
Organisation
- Project lead and key users from dispatch, accounting and HR appointed
- Works council and data protection officer informed
- Test cases with your own documents prepared
- Pilot site selected
Which terms around a DMS in forwarding should you know?
The most important terms from the selection, implementation and operation of a document management system in forwarding.
01
DMS
Document management system for storage, search, workflows, permissions and archiving. In forwarding it complements the TMS and financial accounting.
02
TMS
Transport management system for orders, dispatch, routes and freight settlement. Supplies the order data to the DMS.
03
Forwarding software
An umbrella term for software with which forwarders handle orders, usually a TMS with settlement.
04
Requirements specification
A description of the requirements from the company's perspective: what the system should do, not how it is implemented.
05
Weighted scoring analysis
An evaluation method in which weighted criteria are scored for each alternative and combined into an overall value.
06
Self-billing
A settlement method in which the recipient of the service, for example the forwarder, bills for the carrier's service instead of the carrier issuing an invoice.
07
Data access Z1, Z2, Z3
Direct access, indirect access via analyses and handover of data media during a tax audit under § 147 (6) AO.
08
Procedural documentation
A description of how documents are received, processed and retained, as evidence of proper practice under the GoBD.
Start with one process at one site
Begin with incoming invoices or proofs of delivery at one branch and test the rules on real orders.
Sources and legal basis
The legal statements on the forwarding contract, retention, data access, co-determination and e-invoicing are based on these sources. Reviewed as of: October 2026.
- § 453 HGB: forwarding contract The forwarder's obligation to arrange the dispatch of the goods
- § 147 AO: retention of records Periods of ten, eight and six years, data access under subsection 6
- § 257 HGB: retention of records Commercial letters six years, accounting documents eight years
- § 87 BetrVG: co-determination rights Subsection 1 no. 6: technical devices for monitoring behaviour or performance
- KPMG: second amendment to the GoBD BMF letter of 14 July 2025, retention of e-invoices
- IHK Region Stuttgart: e-invoices Receiving since 2025, issuing from 2027 and 2028
Frequently asked questions about a DMS for forwarders
What is a DMS for forwarders?
A DMS for forwarders is a document management system that manages documents from dispatch, accounting and HR in an audit-proof way. It assigns consignment notes, proofs of delivery and invoices to the correct order via order and shipment numbers. Review and approval run as a workflow, and every document type carries its own retention period. It is connected to the TMS via an interface.
What distinguishes a DMS from forwarding software?
Forwarding software or a TMS manages orders, routes and freight settlement. A DMS manages the associated documents, with workflows, permissions, versioning and audit-proof retention. The two systems complement each other and are connected via order and shipment numbers.
What should forwarders look out for when selecting a DMS for forwarders?
What is decisive is the assignment of documents to order and shipment, the TMS integration, the connection to financial accounting, incoming invoices with credit notes and e-invoice, permissions for sites and partners and deadlines per document type. Test every system with your own documents.
Does enaio work with our TMS?
The connection is made via the interfaces of your TMS, for example a programming interface, export files or database access. In the initial consultation we clarify the right integration route and which order data is transferred. Only then does AWP Consult make a commitment. The aim is to call up the file directly from the TMS order.
Can subcontractors and partner depots access the DMS?
Yes, with defined permissions. In practice, an upload channel such as the AWP Link and Upload Portal has proven effective, through which partners deliver proofs of delivery and invoices without a licence of their own and without access to other parties' data. Every access is logged.
How long does it take to implement a DMS at a forwarding company?
In AWP Consult's experience, a first site is typically live after 8 to 16 weeks, depending on document volume and interfaces. Further branches and document types follow in stages. Starting with one process, for example incoming invoices or proofs of delivery, has proven effective.
What does the effort for a DMS at a forwarding company depend on?
Above all on document volume, the number of sites, the number of document types and the interfaces required to the TMS and financial accounting. Added to this are the licensing model and the operating model, that is cloud or your own data centre. After the initial consultation you receive a transparent effort estimate. You can request a quote for your situation via our contact page.
Which retention periods apply to forwarding documents?
Accounting documents such as invoices and credit notes must be retained for eight years under § 147 AO and § 257 HGB, commercial and business letters for six years, and books and annual financial statements for ten years. The periods begin at the end of the calendar year. In the DMS they are stored per document type.
Must the works council be involved in the implementation of a DMS?
Often yes. Under § 87 (1) no. 6 BetrVG, the works council has a say in the introduction of technical devices intended to monitor the behaviour or performance of employees. A DMS with access logs and processing times in workflows can fall under this. Therefore involve the works council early.
From when does the e-invoicing obligation apply to forwarders?
Since 1 January 2025, all domestic companies must be able to receive e-invoices. From 1 January 2027, companies with more than 800,000 euro in prior-year turnover must issue e-invoices, and from 1 January 2028 all companies must.
How do I find a DMS with which I can build my records management in a legally compliant and structured way?
Look for files with document types instead of folders, deadlines and deletion protection per document type, a complete audit trail, role-based permissions and interfaces to your specialist systems. A partner who develops the procedural documentation with you also matters. In forwarding, automatic assignment via order and shipment number is added to this.
We will show you how this looks with enaio in your organisation.
Schedule an appointment +49 6104 94738-13Related topics
DMS for logisticsDocuments, files and processes in forwarding and warehousing at a glance.DMS implementation checklistAll the points for selection, project and go-live at a glance.E-invoice in logisticsDeadlines, formats and credit notes for forwarders.Archiving in logisticsAudit-proof archiving with deadlines per document type.
Your DMS for forwarding, selected properly
In the initial consultation we record document flows, departments and systems. You receive a recommendation for requirements, test cases, TMS integration and the pilot site, and before the contract a transparent effort estimate.
- In person in Dietzenbach or online
- With dispatch, accounting and HR
- Result: a clear next step
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