Logistics glossary: key terms explained briefly
The key terms around warehousing, transport and dimensioning
Request a demoLogistics comes with many abbreviations and technical terms, and not every operation means the same thing by them. This glossary explains the terms we meet most often in conversations with warehouses, freight forwarders and parcel carriers. Where we have a detailed guide, the explanation stays short and the link takes you further.
Intralogistics
Intralogistics is the flow of materials within a site: receiving goods, putting them away, picking, packing, staging and loading. It covers conveyor technology, shelving systems, industrial trucks and the software that controls them. Its counterpart is transport logistics between locations. Improving intralogistics usually means shorter routes, less waiting and fewer errors. That takes reliable data on every item, above all dimensions and weight. More in our guide to warehouse automation.
Cross-docking
In cross-docking, goods go from receiving straight to shipping without being stored in between. They arrive on one vehicle, are regrouped by destination or customer and leave on another. That saves floor space and shortens lead time, but it demands a tight rhythm and accurate data on every shipment. How measuring at the doors affects throughput is shown by the simulation Standing or driving through.
CEP carriers
CEP stands for courier, express and parcel. CEP carriers mainly move smaller shipments, bundled and sorted in networks of parcel hubs and delivery depots. Courier means a direct door-to-door run, express means particularly fast, often time-definite delivery, and parcel means standard shipping. Because prices are often based on dimensions and weight, measuring every parcel is a core process in this industry. The L13x is built for parcels.
Receiving inspection
Receiving inspection checks whether a delivery matches the order: type and quantity of goods, damage, paperwork and labeling. It often includes checking or first-time capture of dimensions and weight so that storage space and transport can be planned correctly. A measurement with a photo also shows the condition in which the goods arrived. Pallets in receiving can be dimensioned, for example, by the L23x or, with black foil, by the L33x.
Sorting system
A sorting system automatically distributes parcels or piece goods to destinations such as chutes, outlets or vehicles. A scanner or scan tunnel reads the barcode or other identifier, and the controls switch diverters or pushers accordingly. Depending on the design, systems sort by postal code, delivery area or customer. Measured dimensions and weights help to divert special cases early, for example parcels that are too large or too heavy for the system. The L13x measures parcels during a short stop at the measuring station; it is not an in-motion measurement.
Transshipment terminal
A transshipment terminal, also called a cross-dock, is a site where shipments stay only briefly. They are unloaded, sorted by lane and loaded onto vehicles for the next leg. Unlike a classic warehouse there is hardly any inventory, and the focus is on doors, driveways and time windows. Typical operators are freight forwarders and groupage networks. How measuring plays out in a cross-dock is shown by the cross-dock simulation.
DWS (dimensioning, weighing, scanning)
DWS stands for dimensioning, weighing, scanning: one system captures the dimensions, weight and barcode of a shipment in a single step. Instead of measuring length, width and height by hand, weighing and scanning the label separately, you get one record that the downstream system takes over directly. MetriXFreight adds a photo as proof of condition. The page Freight dimensioning gives an overview, and Dimensioners describes the hardware.
WMS (warehouse management system)
A warehouse management system manages storage locations and inventory and controls putaway, retrieval, replenishment and picking. It needs the dimensions and weight of every item to assign storage locations and choose cartons. How measurement data flows into a WMS, TMS or ERP is covered in the guide Connecting to WMS, TMS and ERP. In German-speaking countries the system is often called LVS (Lagerverwaltungssystem).
TMS (transport management system)
A transport management system plans and monitors transport: routes, carriers, shipment tracking and freight billing. It often calculates transport costs from dimensions, weight, volumetric weight or loading meters. If these figures are wrong or estimated, planning and billing are off as well. Measured values can be passed on through an interface, see Connecting to WMS, TMS and ERP.
Master data and item master data
Master data are the basic records that rarely change, such as customers, suppliers and items. Item master data include description, number, dimensions, weight and packaging unit. They determine where an item is stored, which carton it fits in and how it can be billed. If dimensions are missing or wrong, errors follow in every process downstream. How to capture them automatically is described in the guide Automate master data capture.
Volumetric weight
Volumetric weight, also called dimensional weight, converts the volume of a shipment into a weight. Light, bulky goods take up a lot of space. The chargeable weight is therefore the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight. The conversion factor depends on the mode of transport. A calculation with an example is in the guide Calculate volumetric weight.
Loading meters
A loading meter is one meter of loading surface across the full width of a vehicle. In road freight it serves as a billing unit, above all for groupage and part loads that take up a lot of floor space but cannot be stacked. How many loading meters a shipment needs depends on dimensions, stackability and vehicle. For the calculation there is the guide Calculate loading meters.
Cubic meters (CBM)
CBM stands for cubic meter. A cubic meter is the volume of a cube with an edge length of one meter. For a cuboid you multiply length, width and height in meters. In ocean and air freight, volume in CBM is a basis for cargo space and price, and for consolidated loads it is compared with weight. For irregularly shaped goods, the dimensions of the enclosing cuboid count. Formula, calculator and container dimensions are in the guide Calculate CBM.
Legal for trade
A measuring system is legal for trade when an independent body has tested its type against the legal requirements for measurements used in billing. In the EU the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) sets the requirements for such measuring instruments; internationally, OIML describes the requirements in a recommendation. You generally need legal-for-trade measurements when you bill by dimensions or volumetric weight. The weights and measures authority settles this definitively. Which variants are approved is covered in the guide Legal-for-trade volume measurement.
Bulky goods
Bulky goods are items that do not fit the usual flows because of size, shape or weight: too long for the roller conveyor, too bulky for standard cartons, not stackable or irregular. They often need their own vehicles, handling and rates. Measuring is especially hard for irregular objects, because the enclosing cuboid is larger than the true volume. More in the guide Bulky and irregular items.
Load carriers
A load carrier combines goods into one transport unit. The best known are pallets, wire mesh containers and bins, along with roll cages and crates. Standardized carriers make storage, loading and transport predictable because their base dimensions are fixed. Which dimensions common load carriers have and how tall loaded units get is shown in the guide Load carrier dimensions.
Frequently asked questions about logistics terms
What is cross-docking?
Cross-docking means goods go from receiving straight to shipping without being stored in between. They are regrouped by destination and leave the site on another vehicle. This saves floor space and shortens lead time.
What is intralogistics?
Intralogistics is the flow of materials within an operation: receiving, putaway, picking, packing and loading. It includes conveyor technology, shelving, industrial trucks and the controlling software. Transport between sites is not part of it.
What is a CEP carrier?
CEP stands for courier, express and parcel. A CEP carrier mainly moves smaller shipments, meaning parcels and small packages, as well as time-critical express deliveries, and bundles them in networks of parcel hubs and delivery depots.
What does DWS mean?
DWS stands for dimensioning, weighing, scanning. A system captures the dimensions, weight and barcode of a shipment in one work step, so nothing has to be measured by hand or typed in.
What is the difference between WMS and TMS?
The WMS manages the warehouse with inventory, storage locations and picking. The TMS plans and monitors transport with routes, carriers and freight billing. Both need the dimensions and weight of the shipments.
What is a transshipment terminal?
A transshipment terminal is a site where shipments stay only briefly. They are unloaded, sorted by lane and loaded onto vehicles for the next leg. There is hardly any inventory.