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Automatic Weight Updates from Carrier Reports (LTL)

Let the Tai TMS apply a carrier's re-weighed LTL weight to a shipment automatically, within set limits, and see why freight class differs.

This article explains how the Tai TMS automatically adjusts a shipment's weight when a carrier reports a different weight in an electronic status message, what limits apply, and why freight class is not changed automatically.

Overview

Carriers often re-weigh freight and report the weight they measured back electronically. When that weight arrives in a carrier's EDI status message (an EDI 214), the Tai TMS can apply it to the shipment automatically, so your records and billing reflect the real weight without manual re-entry. There are guardrails: very small differences are ignored, moderate differences are applied automatically, and very large differences are left alone for a person to review. Only weight is adjusted — freight class is never changed by this automation.

How it works

When a carrier's EDI status message for a shipment includes a weight, the Tai TMS compares it to the shipment's current total weight (the sum of the weights on its commodity lines):

  • If the difference is small, nothing changes.
  • If the difference is moderate, the shipment's weight is updated to the carrier's value automatically. The Tai TMS adds a "Carrier Weight Difference" alert to the shipment and a shipment activity-log entry that shows the previous shipment weight and the carrier's weight, so your team can see that the system made the change before the shipment is billed or invoiced.
  • If the difference is very large, the weight is not updated automatically, because a change that big is more likely to be an error or an exception that deserves a human's judgment. No alert is raised in this case, so large discrepancies are easy to miss and worth watching for.

Which weight is used. The Tai TMS uses the gross weight reported in the carrier's message. If the message does not identify a gross weight, it uses the total of all the weights reported in the message.

How the change is applied to the shipment. The shipment's weight is stored on its commodity lines, so the adjustment is applied to those lines until the shipment total equals the carrier's weight. An increase is added to the first commodity line. A decrease is taken from the first commodity line, and if that would leave the line below 1 lb, the line is set to 1 lb and the rest of the decrease is taken from the next line, and so on. No line is reduced below 1 lb.

When it applies. The adjustment is tied to the status the carrier's message is reporting. It is applied only when that reported status is no later than Delivered; carrier status messages report statuses such as In Transit, Out for Delivery, or Delivered. The weight check does not depend on whether the shipment's own status changes as a result of the message.

Business rules & limits

  • Less than 20 lb difference → no change. Differences under 20 pounds, up or down, are treated as negligible and are not applied.
  • From 20 lb up to a 40% difference → automatic update. If the carrier's weight differs by at least 20 lb but by less than 40% of the shipment's current weight, the Tai TMS updates the shipment to the carrier's weight, adds a "Carrier Weight Difference" alert, and records the previous and carrier weights in the activity log. That alert is your signal to review the change before billing. The alert is only added if the shipment does not already have one.
  • 40% or more → not applied automatically. If the difference reaches 40% of the current weight, the Tai TMS leaves the weight unchanged and raises no alert. A difference that large should be reviewed and, if correct, updated manually.
  • The 40% is measured against the shipment's current weight, not against the carrier's number or the size of the change. If the shipment has no weight recorded, the limit works out to zero and nothing is applied automatically.
  • Freight class is not updated automatically. This automation adjusts weight only. If a carrier reclassifies the freight, the class is not changed for you — a person needs to update the class manually. Handling units and dimensions are not changed either. (Weight changes can affect density and therefore the class you would choose, which is one reason class is left to a person.)
  • The weight comes from EDI status messages. Automatic weight updates are driven by weights reported in a carrier's EDI status message. Carrier tracking that arrives through an API does not update the shipment's weight, and carriers that do not send a weight in their status messages do not drive automatic updates.
  • Only weights reported with a status of Delivered or earlier are applied. A weight reported alongside any later status is not applied.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Tai TMS automatically change my shipment's weight when the carrier re-weighs it?

Yes, when the carrier reports the weight in an EDI status message. The Tai TMS compares the carrier's weight to the shipment's current weight and updates it automatically when the difference is at least 20 lb but less than 40% of the current weight. Smaller differences are ignored, and differences of 40% or more are left for manual review.

What are the exact thresholds for an automatic weight update?

In the Tai TMS: a difference under 20 lb is ignored; a difference from 20 lb up to (but not including) 40% of the shipment's current weight is applied automatically; a difference of 40% or more is not applied automatically. The thresholds apply to both increases and decreases.

Does the system also update the freight class automatically?

No. This automation only changes weight. Freight class is never reclassified automatically in the Tai TMS — if the class needs to change, someone has to update it manually. Handling units and dimensions are also left alone.

How will I know the system changed a weight?

When the Tai TMS auto-adjusts a weight (the 20 lb–40% case), it adds a "Carrier Weight Difference" alert to the shipment and writes an activity-log entry showing the previous shipment weight and the carrier's weight. That lets your team review the automatic change before the shipment is billed or invoiced.

What happens if the carrier's weight is wildly different from ours?

If the carrier-reported weight differs by 40% or more of the shipment's current weight, the Tai TMS does not apply it automatically and does not raise the Carrier Weight Difference alert. You should review large discrepancies yourself and update the weight manually if the carrier's figure is correct.

Where does the Tai TMS get the carrier's weight, and which weight does it use?

In the Tai TMS the weight comes from the carrier's EDI status message. It uses the gross weight in the message, or the total of the reported weights if no gross weight is identified. Carrier API tracking does not supply a weight for this automation.

If a shipment has several commodity lines, which line changes?

In the Tai TMS the weight change is applied to the commodity lines in order so that the shipment total matches the carrier's weight. An increase is added to the first line; a decrease is taken from the first line and carries on to the next line if the first would drop below 1 lb. No commodity line is reduced below 1 lb.

Will weight keep updating after the shipment is delivered?

The Tai TMS checks the status reported in the carrier's message, not the shipment's own current status, and only applies a carrier-reported weight when that reported status is Delivered or earlier. Carrier status messages normally report In Transit, Out for Delivery, or Delivered, so a re-weigh reported with one of those statuses can still be applied after the shipment already shows Delivered. Weights reported with any later status are not applied automatically.