XCargo – The Flexible Logistics Solution for Excel®
XCargo plugs directly into your Microsoft Excel® application and offers you a wide variety of functions to optimize your logistics network. It enables you to quickly and efficiently visualize your logistics network, calculate transportation costs, determine appropriate freight rates, plan route schedules, optimize network locations, and more. To top it off, XCargo’s comprehensive collection of templates facilitates the daily work of logistics service providers, forwarders, and anyone wanting to improve logistics processes in their supply chain.
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Chris Bass
Chris Bass is the Senior Account Executive for the Digital Business within Siemens Logistics. Prior to Siemens Logistics, Chris led development and management of logistics processes at Nolan Transportation Group. This responsibility carried across a variety of customers and multiple industries.
Originally from Missouri, Chris attended Columbia College, focusing on the fields of Business Marketing and Psychology. Outside of Siemens Logistics, Chris enjoys time with family, golfing, and training for triathlons.
XCargo USE CASES
XCargo can be used for a variety of use cases, from assisting you with daily logistics operations to solving more complex network tasks. Below are a few detailed examples of ways that XCargo can help you improve your logistics processes.
Contact us for information regarding additional use cases!
Achieve the Best Rates for Tendering
Challenges:
- Complexity of large-scale networks that include many hubs and consolidation points
- Avoiding empty returns and under-loaded transports
- Accounting for invoicing inconsistencies, differences, and complexities
- Maintaining high service level and network efficiency
- Fulfilling the specific demands and unique offer structures of individual customers
XCargo Solution:
- Analyze input data and geocode locations (visualized in maps)
- Consider actual distances and weight using real data
- Determine routing for FTL, LTL, and consolidated shipments
- Evaluate costs using various types of transportation data (e.g. main haul, short-haul, hubs) and customized margins
- Determine the best offer rates according to individual customer demands
- Use cost-profit comparisons and visualized transportation flows for expert analysis
Customer Benefits:
- Reliable freight cost calculation based on precise mathematical equations for optimization
- Transparent and flexible transportation cost structures
- Improved efficiency through standardized processes
- Reduced costs by achieving the best tender prices
Reduce Costs and Improve Network Efficiency by Optimizing Supply Chain Locations
Challenges:
- High transportation and warehousing costs
- Maintaining a high service level and an efficient flow of goods
- Accounting for capacity constraints at each location
- Adapting to a growing customer network
XCargo Solution:
- Use actual shipping volume data to calculate the best and correct quantity of locations
- Set customized capacity restrictions at each location
- Use integrated geocoding distance tables to calculate transport costs
- Calculate transportation costs using actual toll, distance, routing, and other real data
- Service level constraints can be customized to meet your needs (e.g. 95% of your customers must be within a two-hour radius of a specified location)
- Simulate various what-if scenarios using test locations and differing location quantities
Customer Benefits:
- Reducing transportation and warehousing costs
- Improved network efficiency through optimized route times and distances
- Location simulations increase planning value and reliability
- Visualization of locations improves transparency and adds clarity to the supply chain
Visualize your Supply Chain and Create Comprehensive Network Transparency
Challenges:
- Inadequate presentation of data links and network connections in flat data models
- Difficulties detecting network inefficiencies and flow of goods discrepancies in data spreadsheets
- Inability to identify developing vulnerabilities
XCargo Solution:
- Use Map Views to visualize the flow of goods, logistical relations, designed routes, and more
- Easily add customers, suppliers, hubs, warehouses, and production sites to maps
- Customize color choices, company icons, and unique objects to tailor your Map Views and improve network presentation
Customer Benefits:
- Identify complex logistics relationships for enhanced network analysis
- Highlight transportation bottlenecks and routing vulnerabilities and proactively prevent future inefficiencies
- Generate improved logistical insights and increase the value of your existing data
Versions
XCargo is available to rent in 3 versions, with tailored module combinations to meet your needs.
- All XCargo Excel® Functions
- Map Views
- All XCargo Excel® Functions
- Map Views
- Tariffs
- Supply Chain
- Matrix Designer
- All XCargo Excel® Functions
- Locations
- Center of Gravity
- Assignment
- Routes
- Sequence
- Generator
- Cross Product
- Net Flow
Modules
XCargo Versions are comprised of individual Modules configured for various logistics and operative tasks. Each Module is available directly in your Excel® Menu bar at the top of your spreadsheet.
Map Views
Input customers, suppliers, warehouses, production sites, hubs, and more to visualize the flow of goods, logistical relations, and real or proposed routes. Customize your visualization with specified constraints, tailored objects, colors, and company icons.
Tariffs
Calculate freight costs from specified forwarding data.
Supply Chain
Calculate freight costs with forwarding data bundling or defined routing rules.
Matrix Designer
The Matrix Designer helps you to calculate bids and rates. Using shipping data that has been evaluated in terms of costs, you generate rate matrixes that are customized to meet your needs and the cost patterns that exist in your business.
Locations
Analyze and optimize the structure of your network locations by using customer, supplier, and order data to determine the most cost-effective places and structures for your locations and to obtain the best customer assignment.
Center of Gravity
Determine the geographic focus of any number of locations and return the XY-coordinates for that focus using the address information for current and potential locations.
Assignment
Assign customers to specific warehouse locations in the most cost-efficient arrangement, considering the capacities of each warehouse and defining fixed and variable costs for individual customers and warehouses.
Routes
Reduce costs by optimizing routing processes based on real data for locations, fleets, and customers. Optimize route stops in terms of distances and time, as well as improving the order of positions along each route.
Sequence
Optimize the order of stops along a single route using existing and potential location data to achieve the shortest route distance or the lowest route time possible.
Generator
Generate shipments based on numerous user-defined parameters.
Cross Product
Generate a list of all possible relations between two locations using address data.
Net Flow
Finds the most cost-efficient flow through your network while meeting demand and taking warehouse capacities, hubs, and production plants into account.