TMS migration
TMS migration without losing a load in the gap
Switching TMS is mostly a data and timing problem. Here’s what to export, how to run both systems side by side, and what FreightVero can import today.
Short answer
A TMS migration moves your customers, carriers, open loads and history from one system to another. Plan it in three phases: export and clean the data, run both systems in parallel on live freight, then cut over on a set date. FreightVero imports customers and carriers from CSV today. Open loads don’t import.
What FreightVero can and can't import today
Customers and carriers import from CSV files. Open loads and load history don’t import yet, so open loads finish in your old system or get re-entered. We scope every switch on a demo call, and we won’t promise a migration timeline before we’ve seen your data.
Before you start: read your current contract
The first migration step is finding three dates and terms in your current contract: the renewal date, the notice window, and any early termination fee. Some examples from published terms, as of September 10, 2026:
- Tai TMS terms say the agreement will auto-renew in perpetuity after the initial term, and require cancellation at least 60 days before each renewal term.
- BrokerPro terms require cancellation notice at least 14 business days before the automatic renewal date, and say no refunds are granted after renewal.
- EZ TMS terms renew for the same length unless either party gives notice at least 60 days before expiration, and set a buyout fee of 50% of the remaining contract value for early termination.
None of these terms are unusual for business software. They just need to be on your calendar. Put the notice deadline there and work backward from it. Then ask your current vendor, in writing, how you’ll get a full data export and in what format. For more on contract terms across vendors, see TMS pricing for freight brokers.
Step 1: export your data
Pull these from your current TMS before you set a cutover date.
| Data | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Customers | Legal name, billing address, contacts, payment terms, billing method, required invoice documents | Billing rules decide what each invoice needs |
| Carriers | Name, MC and DOT numbers, contacts, compliance status, insurance expiration dates, do-not-use notes | Vetting decisions shouldn’t get lost in the move |
| Open loads | Load and reference numbers, stops and times, carrier, rates, documents | Each one needs a plan: finish in the old system or re-enter |
| Load history | At least 12 months of loads with revenue, carrier cost and lane | Margin reporting, lane pricing and customer disputes |
| Documents | Rate cons, signed rate cons, BOLs, PODs, carrier packets | Claims and audits can reach back months |
| Users | Who works in operations, sales and billing | Sets up access on day one |
| Rate con terms and letterhead | Your current terms text and logo | Carrier paperwork should read the same after the switch |
| Accounting references | Customer and carrier IDs as they appear in your accounting system | Keeps invoices and payables matching after cutover |
Step 2: clean the data before you import it
- Merge duplicate customers and carriers. The same carrier under two names means two compliance statuses, and one of them is probably wrong.
- Standardize MC numbers, phone formats and state codes.
- Leave out carriers you no longer use, or mark them clearly, instead of importing them as active.
- Confirm each customer’s billing requirements with your billing team. The export often doesn’t show what your team actually checks before an invoice goes out.
- Pull carrier packets and insurance certificates for your active carriers into one folder, so they can go onto the new records.
Step 3: run both systems in parallel
A parallel run means new loads go into the new TMS while the old one finishes what’s already moving. Keep it short and structured:
- Pick a start date. Every load booked after it goes into the new system.
- Let open loads finish in the old system instead of re-entering them mid-move.
- If your team is large, start with one desk or a small set of customers.
- Check billing daily. Every delivered load should show up in exactly one billing queue.
- Keep a shared list of gaps the team hits, and decide on each one before cutover.
A parallel run is also where new rules show up. In FreightVero, a load can’t dispatch without a signed rate con or be marked delivered without a POD and the signer’s name. Teams used to skipping those steps notice on day one. The four checkpoints are worth walking through with dispatch before the start date.
Step 4: cut over
- Set the cutover date for when the old system has no open loads left, or the last few have been re-entered.
- Freeze edits in the old system and pull a final export for your records.
- Update carrier and customer paperwork: rate con letterhead, remit-to details, and where to send PODs and invoices.
- Send the cancellation notice before your contract’s notice deadline, and keep proof it was received.
- Keep read access to the old system, or a complete export, for as long as your records policy requires.
How a switch to FreightVero works
We start with a demo call. You show us how a load moves through your team today, and we run the same kind of load through FreightVero, including the checkpoints your dispatchers will hit.
From there we scope the switch together: what imports from CSV (customers and carriers), what your team re-enters, and how long a parallel run makes sense for your volume. Bulk import is on the Growth and Scale plans. Carrier records carry MC, DOT and compliance status, covered on the carrier management page.
We’ll also be direct about fit. If you depend on something FreightVero doesn’t have live yet, like QuickBooks sync, DAT or Truckstop integration, or EDI, we’ll say so before you plan a cutover around it.
Related pages
Scope your switch on a demo call
Bring an export from your current TMS and a list of what your team can’t live without. We’ll tell you what moves and what doesn’t.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a TMS migration take?
It depends on data quality, team size, integrations and your contract dates. FreightVero is new, and we won't hand you an average we can't back up. We'll look at your data and your notice deadline on a demo call and scope the switch from there.
Can FreightVero import open loads?
Not today. Customers and carriers import from CSV, and open loads don't. The usual approach is to let open loads finish in the old system during a parallel run, then re-enter any that are still open before cutover.
Should we move our load history into the new TMS?
Keep it, but it doesn't always need to live in the new system. Export at least a year of loads with revenue, carrier cost and documents, and store it where your team can search it. FreightVero doesn't import historical loads yet.
We use QuickBooks Desktop. Does that change the plan?
FreightVero doesn't connect to QuickBooks Desktop, and the QuickBooks Online integration is still in development. Plan to keep invoicing in your accounting system as you do now through the switch. See QuickBooks for current status.