DOCTAG Knowledge
eCMR and DeCA without a TMS interface
DOCTAG receives transport documents through the mail connection: you send the finished consignment note as a PDF attachment to your DOCTAG mail address. No EDI project, no API integration and no development work are required.
This makes DOCTAG software-independent. Any system that can produce a PDF and send it by email can be connected, which covers virtually every transport management system, ERP, warehouse management or invoicing system. Your existing system stays unchanged.
How the process works
- Your TMS, ERP or invoicing software creates the consignment note as a PDF exactly as before. Layout, number ranges and forms remain unchanged.
- The PDF is sent as an email attachment to the mail address of your DOCTAG instance, either manually or automatically as a distribution rule from dispatch.
- DOCTAG creates the document, assigns an unguessable document ID and generates a link and QR code from it.
- Driver, recipient or enforcement authority open the document via link or QR code, without app installation and without a user account.
- Signatures, reservations and changes are cryptographically bound to the document state and remain traceable.
What you do not need
- No EDI or API integration.
- No replacement and no rebuild of your existing TMS or ERP.
- No app installation for driver or recipient.
- No user accounts for external business partners.
- No migration of existing PDF layouts into a proprietary format.
- No central platform account that every party has to join.
Requirements
- A document as a PDF, produced by any software.
- The ability to send that PDF by email.
- For on-site signing: a smartphone or tablet with mobile internet.
Mail connection compared to classic platform integration
| Criterion | DOCTAG mail connection | Classic platform integration |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Configure a mail address | Interface project and data mapping |
| IT effort | No development required | Development, testing and acceptance |
| Existing TMS | Stays unchanged | Adaptation or migration |
| Document layout | Existing PDF unchanged | Often the provider template |
| External partners | Access via link or QR code | Often an account in the provider network |
| Time to start | Possible at short notice | Usually weeks to months |
Note: the mail connection does not rule out a later API integration. It is the fastest entry point, not the only option.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really introduce DeCA and eCMR without any development?
Yes. The mail connection is enough to start: the finished PDF is sent as an attachment to the DOCTAG mail address, and DOCTAG turns it into the digitally provided document with link and QR code. An API integration is possible but not required for operation.
Which transport or forwarding software is supported?
DOCTAG is software-independent and does not require a specific application. Any system that can produce a PDF and send it by email is supported, which applies to virtually every transport management system, ERP, warehouse management and invoicing system.
How does the PDF reach DOCTAG automatically from dispatch?
Typically the DOCTAG mail address is added as an additional recipient or distribution rule in your existing document dispatch. The consignment note is sent as usual and reaches DOCTAG in the same step, without extra handling.
Is the mail connection suitable for high document volumes?
Yes. The mail connection is an automated inbound channel and is not limited to individual cases. Every incoming mail is processed and created as its own document, regardless of daily volume.
What happens if something changes during transport?
An updated PDF can be provided again. The provided document state and every export remain documented, so it stays traceable which version was available at which time.