What is Manhattan Active TM? Modules, integrations and alternatives
Manhattan Active TM is the cloud-native transportation management product from Manhattan Associates, part of its Manhattan Active platform. It plans, executes and settles freight and is built to work with the vendor's warehouse and order products. It is used by shippers and logistics providers.
Also known as: Manhattan Active Transportation Management, Manhattan TMS, Manhattan Active Platform TM
Manhattan Active TM is Manhattan Associates' transportation management offering, delivered as a cloud-native service on the same platform as its Active warehouse management and omnichannel products. The platform model emphasises continuous updates and API-based extension rather than customer-managed versions.
Shippers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers use it to plan loads, choose carriers and modes, tender and track shipments, and settle freight. It carries forward capabilities of Manhattan's earlier transportation products, which customers may still know as Manhattan TMS.
In a manufacturing stack it sits beside the ERP as the freight layer. It is most compelling where the same company also uses Manhattan Active WMS, because shipment and warehouse processes share a platform. Manufacturers on other warehouse systems can still integrate it, with more mapping work.
Modules and capabilities
Order and shipment management
Brings in orders and shipment requests and organises them for planning.
Planning and optimisation
Load building, mode and carrier selection and route planning against cost and service rules.
Carrier management and tendering
Maintains carrier profiles, rates and service, and automates tendering and acceptance.
Execution and tracking
Dispatch, status events and exception handling through delivery.
Freight audit and settlement
Compares carrier invoices to expected charges and prepares approved payment.
Parcel and small shipment support
Rating and shipping workflows for parcel carriers alongside larger freight.
Analytics and visibility
Dashboards and reporting on freight cost and service performance.
Integrations and data access
Manhattan Active products
Shares a platform and integration model with Manhattan Active WMS and order management products, simplifying shipment and delivery handoffs.
ERP integration
Connects to ERPs such as SAP, Oracle, Infor and Microsoft Dynamics through APIs, files or middleware for orders, deliveries and cost data.
REST APIs
Exposes API interfaces for extending and integrating the platform; confirm current coverage with the vendor.
EDI with carriers
Tendering, status and invoice exchange commonly use X12 messages through a translator or network.
Visibility and telematics feeds
Ingests shipment events from carriers and third-party providers.
Strengths
- Cloud-native platform with vendor-managed updates.
- Close fit with Manhattan warehouse and order products.
- Combines planning, execution and settlement in one product.
- API-oriented design supports extension without core modification.
- Heritage in distribution and supply chain execution.
Limitations
- Benefits are strongest when other Manhattan products are also used.
- Continuous updates mean less control over timing of change, which some regulated teams find hard.
- Does not replace ERP, production or warehouse execution functions.
- Integration with a non-Manhattan warehouse system or ERP still takes design and testing.
- Packaging and product naming have evolved, so confirm current scope.
Where AI helps Manhattan Active TM users
- - Explain planning decisions, such as why a load was split or a carrier skipped, for planner review.
- - Draft carrier communications about delays and detentions using shipment events, subject to approval.
- - Extract data from carrier paperwork and emails into shipment records.
- - Highlight freight invoice anomalies against expected charges for auditors.
- - Provide natural language answers about lane cost and carrier service over reporting data.
Evaluating Manhattan Active TM? Check these
- Decide whether a single-vendor platform with warehouse management matters to you.
- Understand the update model and how you will test releases that arrive continuously.
- Map ERP order, delivery and cost-posting integration before signing scope.
- Pilot with real lanes, carriers and rates to compare planned versus actual cost.
- Check carrier connectivity effort and who owns it.
- Clarify extension options through APIs versus configuration.
Common alternatives: MercuryGate, Oracle Transportation Management, SAP Transportation Management, Descartes, Blue Yonder Transportation, E2open.
Frequently asked questions
What is Manhattan Active TM?
Manhattan Active TM is the cloud-native transportation management product from Manhattan Associates. It plans loads, selects carriers, tenders and tracks shipments, and handles freight audit and settlement, running on the same Manhattan Active platform as the vendor's warehouse and omnichannel products.
How is it different from Manhattan TMS?
Manhattan's earlier transportation product is commonly called Manhattan TMS, while Active TM is the cloud-native offering on the Manhattan Active platform with vendor-managed updates. Capabilities and packaging differ, so check what a given contract actually includes.
Does it require Manhattan Active WMS?
No. It can be used on its own and integrated with other warehouse systems and ERPs. The integration is simplest when the same platform runs warehouse management, but non-Manhattan environments simply need more mapping and testing.
Is it suitable for manufacturers?
Yes, particularly manufacturers with substantial outbound distribution and many carriers. It does not run production or inventory costing, so it complements an ERP rather than replacing any part of it.
What are Manhattan Active TM alternatives?
MercuryGate, Oracle Transportation Management, SAP Transportation Management, Descartes and Blue Yonder are common alternatives. Decisions typically weigh ERP alignment, existing warehouse systems, freight complexity and tolerance for continuous cloud updates.
Running Manhattan Active TM?
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