FourKites, a real-time supply chain visibility platform, introduced multimodal purchase order tracking for all freight in the FourKites system. This new capability gives shippers, carriers and receivers the power to track the full lifecycle of shipments using their associated PO numbers. PO tracking simplifies freight visibility for the many organizations and teams that manage the exchange and transportation of goods primarily via PO numbers.

POs, which might include a single load of freight or hundreds, include comprehensive product details, such as name, quantity, price and SKU. Absent PO lifecycle tracking, different teams have had to work within multiple systems to identify all of the individual load numbers associated with any given PO. The FourKites PO tracking system eliminates these time-consuming t processes via a single pane of glass that can provide every organization, team and partner with a common view of exactly where a PO is in its lifecycle.

FourKites built its new PO lifecycle tracking solution in close collaboration with Meijer, which has since implemented the system across its procurement/materials management, transportation and merchandising teams. This has streamlined the scheduling, transit and on-time delivery of all of Meijer’s POs from its vendor facilities to its own, and between its distribution centers. In addition, Meijer is now sharing product details, along with shipment statuses, to its merchandisers so they can proactively plan for retail store deliveries.

“Visibility has been hugely valuable for us, and as a large retailer and shipper, adding PO lifecycle visibility means we can now identify critical orders faster, eliminate inefficiencies and make better decisions on lead times,” said Paul Thompson, Inbound Logistics Director at Meijer. “Meijer prides itself on being first to market in many categories, and we are thrilled to have co-innovated this product with the FourKites team, which will drive enhanced transparency throughout our entire supply chain.”

“As we’ve said many times, real-time freight visibility is just the beginning when it comes to better and more efficient supply chain management,” said Priya Rajagopalan, Chief Product Officer at FourKites. “For so many departments within our customers, the PO is the primary vehicle by which they manage the exchange of goods with their own customers and partners. Today’s new PO and SKU tracking capabilities means FourKites is now the one-stop shop, organization-wide and across all modes, for real-time supply chain visibility.”

About FourKites 

FourKites is the largest predictive supply chain visibility platform, delivering real-time visibility and predictive analytics for the broadest network of Global 1000 companies and third-party logistics firms. Using a proprietary algorithm to calculate shipment arrival times, FourKites enables customers to lower operating costs, improve on-time performance and strengthen end-customer relationships. With a network that spans millions of GPS/ELD devices in 80+ countries and covers all modes, including truckload, LTL, ocean, rail, air, intermodal and parcel, FourKites has 1 million loads and over $100 billion in freight under management at any given time. The platform is optimized for mobile and equipped with market-leading end-to-end security.