Did anyone follow up with the carrier? Was the ISF filed? Is the invoice ready?
If the answer to these questions lives scattered across email threads, you have a visibility problem. And that problem costs you money, time, and customer relationships.
“I can only see it being added… but I can’t see if it’s done.” — Operations manager at a Hong Kong office handling export documentation
Modern freight forwarders don’t track tasks through email. They use integrated workflow tools that show exactly what needs to happen, what’s in progress, and what’s done.
Why email fails as a task system:
The result:
Modern freight software provides three levels of visibility:
Every shipment shows:
Managers see:
Customers (via portal) see:
Without a dashboard:
With a dashboard:
Time saved: 30-60 minutes per day in status checking.
1. Task assignment at creation Every task should have an owner from the moment it’s created. No orphan tasks.
2. Deadline automation Deadlines should calculate automatically based on shipment milestones (e.g., ISF due 24 hours before vessel departure).
3. Escalation rules Overdue tasks should escalate to supervisors automatically.
4. Customer-triggered notifications When a document is uploaded or status changes, relevant parties are notified automatically.
5. Completion confirmation Tasks aren’t complete until marked complete in the system, not just done in practice.
Forwarders with integrated task tracking report:
| Improvement | Impact |
|---|---|
| Missed deadline reduction | 50%+ |
| Customer complaint reduction | 30-40% |
| Manager oversight time | -50% |
| Email volume | -40% |
The shift from email-based tracking to system-based workflow management is transformational. Teams stop asking “did this happen?” and start knowing.
Signs you’re ready for the shift:
Ready to see workflow visibility in action? Our freight forwarding software puts operational visibility at your fingertips.
Last updated: February 2026