Let’s be honest, spreadsheets like Excel have done a decent job for many businesses and hauliers over the years. It’s familiar, easy to use, and has probably helped keep your business running smoothly, for the most part. But as your operation grows, and customer expectations rise, so do the challenges.
If you’re finding that spreadsheets, such as Excel or Google Sheets, just aren’t cutting it anymore, it could be time to upgrade to something designed specifically for road transport management.
Here’s why making the move from spreadsheets to TMS software (Transport Management System software) could be one of the best decisions for your haulage business.
1.
Centralise Your Operations with Transport Software
When you rely on spreadsheets, key information can be locked away in different documents — or worse, across different people’s inboxes. This can lead to unnecessary delays and duplication of workload.
With a TMS, everything is centralised and is updated automatically. Whether it’s job bookings, vehicle schedules, driver availability or customer details, it’s all in one system. Everyone works from the same live data, making collaboration across your team faster and more accurate.
“We used to manually enter all information, including job creation, new deliveries, sudden changes to shipping lanes, driver info’, sub-contractors, POD’s and invoices etc. Now, the MoveIT TMS ties it all together in digital form and saves all documents to the correct place, for quick and easy retrieval. Good for us and great for our customers.” – Brendan Ryan at Martin Ryan Haulage
2.
Save Time, Reduce Errors, and Work Smarter
Manual data entry and admin tasks in Excel can be slow and prone to mistakes. A modern transport software solution automates repetitive processes — from job scheduling and invoicing to proof of delivery uploads. You save valuable time, reduce costly errors, and free your team up to focus on more pressing matters.
“As jobs come into TPN Connect, they appear live on MoveIT, allowing us to track everything throughout the day without the need to manually import EDIs. The link is seamless.” – Mark Quinn at Quinn Transport
3.
Real-Time Visibility for Every Job
Once a job hits the road, Excel can’t offer much in terms of tracking. Any updates to data need to be manually entered, and for decent sized operations, this can be especially difficult to keep up with.
With a TMS software solution however, you get real-time updates on job progress, estimated times of arrival (ETAs), and live vehicle locations. This real-time visibility is a game-changer for both you and your customers — no more chasing updates, just accurate information when you need it.
“MoveIT TMS allows me to double my workload in the same amount of time it used to take using Excel. It saves me about half a days work. The time-saving is unbelievable.” – Darragh Kehoe at P&D Foley Transport
4.
Enhance Your Customer Service and Communications
With the industry more competitive than ever in road transport management, good service goes a long way. It can be the difference between good customer retention and losing out to competitors.
A TMS helps you keep customers informed with automated updates, tracking links, and faster responses to queries. Everything’s stored in one place, so you’ll never be caught off guard again.
Similarly, solutions that integrate with TMS software, such as the Eureka Customer Portal, give customers a direct way to access and monitor their deliveries. This self-service option reduces the need for them to call your office for updates or documents, keeping them satisfied while saving your team valuable time on handling routine queries.
“They log into the portal and see every job. Before MoveIT with Excel, we could always see everything, and they couldn’t. Now they can, and they have access to everything they need.” – Jack Ward at Ward Waste Products
5.
Stay Compliant with Less Stress
Compliance is non-negotiable in the transport industry. With spreadsheets, monitoring, managing, and maintaining elements such as vehicle road conditions or drivers’ hours can be difficult, leading to potential compliance failures and health and safety risks.
TMS software makes it much easier to stay on top of driver hours, vehicle maintenance, PODs, and documentation. It’s all stored securely, ready for inspections or audits. No more scrambling through multiple spreadsheets, emails or file cabinets.
“MoveIT and MaintainIT work very well together and the usability for hauliers is tremendous. Combined, they give us great insights – we get fast access to the information we need and in the right format.” – David McArdle at DG McArdle International
6.
Use Data to Drive Smarter Decisions
Excel is great for recording data, but not so much for analysing it. A TMS provides automated reporting and detailed dashboards, helping you understand performance, identify trends, and make strategic decisions based on real-time data-driven insights. Whether it’s vehicle utilisation or job profitability, you’re always in the know.
Thinking About Switching? We’re Here to Help
Moving away from Excel might feel like a big leap, but we’re here to make it easy. At Eureka, we help hauliers like you transition to powerful transport software that simplifies day-to-day operations and supports long-term growth.
So, if Excel’s no longer pulling its weight, maybe it’s time to upgrade. With the right TMS software, you’ll gain control, boost efficiency, and deliver better service every step of the way.
Want to see what Eureka can do for you? Start your journey with Eureka, and get in touch for a free demo and discover how our transport management software can transform your haulage operation.
https://www.eureka.ie/request-a-demo
Click to see some of the benefits the Eureka MoveIT Transport Management Software could provide to you and your team:
Sales Contact:
 |
🗣️ Phil Newton |
| 🏢 Head of Sales & CSM (Eureka) | |
| 📞 M: +44 (0) 7791 074 636 | |
| ✉️ pnewton@eureka.ie |
Marketing Contact:
 |
🗣️ Jack Hall |
| 🏢 Marketing (Mandata & Eureka) | |
| 📞 P: 0191 250 2220 | |
| ✉️ marketing@eureka.ie |
Eureka is Ireland’s leading provider of transport management systems, with over 4,000 daily users of its software. The Co. Wexford-based company has been successfully developing TMS solutions for the transport and logistics industry for over 25 years.
For further details, and to see the Eureka software solutions live, click here to request your free demo.