TM 101 · PROCESS OVERVIEW
How does Transportation Management work?
A delivery says what must move. SAP TM decides how it can move: it turns demand into transportable units, fits them to capacity, obtains carrier commitment, tracks execution, and connects expected freight cost to settlement.
CORE DISTINCTION
Transport planning and physical execution are connected—not identical
TM can make a feasible plan before the warehouse has picked or loaded the goods. Warehouse and delivery evidence proves physical readiness and movement; TM freight documents hold the transport commitment, schedule, carrier, and charge context.
PROJECT MOMENT
One customer delivery, two transport decisions
A mixed delivery contains ambient and temperature-controlled pallets. Freight-unit building separates the handling requirements; planning may assign each unit to different compatible capacity. The delivery remains a business promise, while TM records how each part can actually travel.
- One source can create several planning units
- One planning unit can be split or consolidated
- A freight order or booking commits capacity
- Settlement is a separate commercial completion
See the documents and relationships behind a visible transport result.