One of the most effective ways to streamline work inside a transportation management system is to use shortcuts that reduce navigation, repeated data entry, and unnecessary clicks.
KSMTA developed this series to help carriers extract more value from the TMS they already have. Tip number two focuses on three ways users can work faster without changing systems.
“There is no shortcut to success.” — Malcolm Gladwell
“Work smarter… not harder.” — Allen F. Morgenstern
Hot Keys: A Gateway to Swift Navigation
Hot keys are like secret passages to common actions. They let a user perform a function without navigating through menus or clicking several buttons. Every TMS has them, but many users know only a fraction of what is available.
Some hot keys may open a dispatch window or move directly to a date field. Familiar Windows combinations such as Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to paste, and Alt+Tab to switch applications illustrate the same idea. Many combinations also let a user keep one hand on the mouse and one on the keyboard.
Committing even a handful of frequently used hot keys to memory can reduce the time required for routine work. That gain is particularly valuable during last-minute planning, dispatching, and load saves, when speed matters most.
Order of Operations: Sequence Is Key
Using shortcuts effectively also requires knowing the most efficient sequence of screens and actions. Most TMS platforms provide more than one way to complete a task, but the alternatives are not equally efficient.
For example, one screen may display every tractor, while another shows only available tractors and includes the driver linked to each unit. Both may allow a tractor to be assigned to a load, but one eliminates unnecessary searching.
When users understand both the business process and the TMS capabilities, they can choose a sequence that avoids backtracking and prevents the same information from being entered more than once.
Minimum Keystrokes, Maximum Impact
The basic rule for any software shortcut is to accomplish the task with the fewest practical keystrokes. Every unnecessary tap or click adds friction.
Advanced TMS shortcuts may support the creation of driver schedules, master orders, or load tours that contain multiple dispatches in sequence. In other cases, the gain is much simpler: typing only the first two letters in a drop-down field may bring up the correct value.
Small reductions in keystrokes compound over a day. When the same action is performed repeatedly by planners, dispatchers, and customer service representatives, the time reclaimed can be significant.
Unleashing TMS Potential
Hot keys, a deliberate order of operations, and minimum-keystroke habits can make daily TMS work faster and more precise. The best approach is to begin with a small number of shortcuts, use them consistently, and expand the repertoire as they become comfortable.
With practice, users can complete routine tasks in a fraction of the time they once required, leaving more time for the work that needs judgment rather than data entry.