The differences between the eRES Cargo Limited, eRES Cargo, eRES Cargo Extended and eRES Cargo Extended Plus configurations are shown on the chart The eRES Cargo Pricing Plans And Product Comparison.

The eRES cargo system consists of:

• eRES Cargo - on-line cargo system.
• All system programming required by the eRES Cargo system.
• Dedicated servers located at Flight Data Management's location in Houston, Texas including connection to the Internet with unlimited utilization.
• A web site with on-line booking by customers, cargo agents corporate customers and other airlines.
• Departure Control System.
• Operations Control applications.
• Cargo Interlining based on IATA/ICAO standards
• Speed Mail and Packages.
• Automatic Credit Card clearing.
• Cargo Tracking.
• Aircraft Load Instructions
• Cargo Load And Un-Load Tracking using wireless hand held scanners.
• Weight and Balance.
• Crew tracking and scheduling application. The crew tracking program will be configured to the specifications of the airline's head pilot.
• Aircraft maintenance program that will track parts and aircraft required maintenance will be provided. The application will allow all maintenance rules, documentation, etc. to be maintained on-line for access by the airline's personnel. This application will be configured to the specification of the head mechanic of the airline.
• Interlining to other airlines that have eRES Cargo installed.
• Design and implementation an on-line reservation website to the airline's specifications. The airline's present website can be utilized if so desired.
• Any additional cargo reports needed by the airline will be supplied at no cost.
• The on-line booking website is in American English. All languages are supported, at no cost, but the airline must provide a translation.
• An email application with unlimited user IDs with access from all client email systems. Also included is a state of the art Web Mail system.
• A tool that will allow you to view the traffic and traffic patterns of the access to your on-line booking system.

eRES Cargo Overview

The eRES Cargo System, is comprehensive in scope and detail, and at the same time it is efficient and cost effective. It reduces the number of personnel needed for your airline's cargo operation.

The advanced functionality provided is accomplished by the application and requires no in-depth knowledge by cargo agents. This allows cargo agents to focus on the cargo operation, not the cargo application.

Data input is held to the bear minimum. Data is input only once and used by all cargo applications. This eliminates human input errors and makes the overall operation more efficient.

A customer/agent file is maintained and when the customer/agent name or IATA/ICAO number is input all data is fetched from the database and placed on the cargo booking input screen. This reduces operator input and possible errors.

System generated pricing and routing, based on input city pair, includes pricing based on rate tables contained within eES Cargo or standard IATA/TACT rates. The rates are modified by any interline agreements, straight rate proration and, if applicable, agent agreements. There is no human intervention required in obtaining the correct pricing for every cargo shipment.

eRES Cargo provides real time, up to the second, reports for accounting and management that allow you to control your airline on a real time basis, not days later when reports are made available by out sourced cargo system suppliers.

We base our data communication on the Internet. The Internet facilities are reliable, fast and available, anywhere in the world, to your airline, booking agents, clients and any other group that you choose to give access permission to. This reduces the communication charges.

Provided is the ability for customers, cargo agents, other airlines and the airline's remote stations to book and track their cargo shipments on your airline from their locations, anywhere in the world, on a real-time basis. This makes is easy for your clients, cargo agents, freight forwarders and your employees to get the information they need on a real time basis.

All data is resident, there is no archiving of data. This means all cargo and financial records are always on-line and available to be accessed.

The diagram shows the major areas of your airline that eRES Cargo supports and the interaction between the applications.

The relational SQL database is common to all applications installed at your airline. This means that all data can be used by all applications. Data is input only once, thereby eliminated input errors from multiple entries of the same data. Both productivity and accuracy are improved.

eRES Cargo provides:

• Real-time reporting of all business aspects.
• Direct availability of all data to external applications via Java JDBC, MS Windows ODBC and a spread sheet exportable cargo report for all cargo data.
• Every transaction made in the system is summarized and placed into a transaction log. You can view every transaction at any time in the same detail it was input into the system as. All transactions are available to anyone with proper authority.

eRES Cargo Communication Configuration

Interconnectivity provides directly connection of eRES Cargo to all airline, client, service providers and other airlines. The connection types can be Internet, satellite, wireless, local area networks, dial or leased.

Connections To Other CRS Systems

eRES Cargo provides, optionally, an interface to the other cargo computerized reservation systems. This connection is made via either ARINC or an Amadeus connection which provides the necessary communication protocol and eRES Cargo provides the IATA/ICAO Cargo Interchange Message Procedures and EDI. eRES CARGO supports completely the IATA/ICAO Cargo IMP messages formats and IATA/ICAO eFreight.

The data contained in the relational SQL booking database is originated at:

Internet Web Site For Your Cargo Airline

eRES Cargo provides an Internet web site allowing cargo reservations to be booked and tracked directly from:

• Cargo agents
• Forwarders/Brokers
• The airline's cargo agents.
• The airline's remote stations and locations.
• Clients
• Other airlines

eRES Cargo Details

Booking System

The booking system enables your airline to make cargo bookings. There are provisions for storing all pertinent information of a shipment including the:

• Number of packages
• Actual and Volumetric Weights
• Contact Names
• Outbound Flights
• Inward Flights

Some of the features of the booking system are:

• Quick updating and modification of bookings.
• Ability to see future bookings on all flights at a glance.
• Printing of loading instruction sheets for ground cargo handling operations.
• Inquiries and printing of bookings by flight, by date, by agent, etc.
• Once the air waybill has been produced, then all information of the air waybill is immediately available to the booking system and therefore to the airline's personnel.
• Data is always resident, no archiving of data.

Air Waybill Production

The air waybill production application has as it's main purpose, the computerized production of both IATA/ICAO and house air waybills.

Some of the features of the air waybill production application are as follows:

• Ability to produce IATA/ICAO air waybills as well as house waybills, all on plain printer paper.
• Capture of other airlines air waybills into eRES Cargo

Central Air Waybill File

The central air waybill file is a table in the cargo relational database. The central air waybill file is fed by all of the eRES Cargo applications. With this system the airline simply needs to key in the air waybill number and instantaneously, it will see where the cargo is and what the status is of the waybill. The important point is that the booking could have been made in London and the inquiry could be made in Manila and so on.

The following different types of status can be shown against the air waybill number, all data associated with the particular status is also shown:

• Booking made
• Air waybill produced
• Cargo received at outbound station
• Cargo manifested
• Flights departed
• Shipment arrived at destination airport, as per the received FFM messages.
• Shipment delivered
• Payment Confirmation

The important thing to be aware of is that any authorized person, anywhere in the world, can view the entire data concerning any cargo instantaneously. Any user, with proper authority, can update the data from anywhere in the world. Complete audit trails to be able to determine who did what, when and how are maintained for instantaneous viewing.

Outbound Freight

The application highlights are:

• Automatic look up of rates, based on departure and destination cities, service type and commodity.
• Provisions for special rates for special customers.
• Automatic provisions for IATA/TACT/House/Special rates.
• Automatic calculation of freight amounts, based on stored rates.
• Inquiry facility of historical air waybills and records for an unlimited time frame.
• Production of cargo labels.
• Statistical reports are available by, airline, departure and destination cities, shipper, etc.
• Shipper and consignee master files are maintained, to avoid recapturing the same information and thus reducing human error.

The airline personnel, cargo agents, forwarders and corporate customers all see the same sequence and panels that will be described below. The difference is that according to who you are you are only allowed to see and do what you are authorized for.

The user inputs either the account number or a locater for both the shipper and consignee. If the information is not available the user just continues.

When "CONTINUE" is selected the next panel appears.

If the shipper's account number was input, on the previous panel, then the shipper's information is automatically shown.

If the shipper's account number was not know then the shipper's information is manually input by the user. The system will provide a unique shipper account number automatically.

If an air waybill from another airline is being input the selection for "External Air Waybill is set to "Yes". Then the three digit IATA/ICAO Airline code is input for the Airline code and 8 digit air waybill number of the foreign airway bill is input. This combination provides the air waybill number that is used to store, look-up, delete or modify the foreign air waybill.

If the consignee's account number was input, on the previous panel, then the consignee information is automatically shown.

If the consignee's account number was not know then the consignee information is manually input by the user. The system will provide a unique consignee account number automatically.

On the panel below the routing information is determine, the weight and measurement units are selected and the currency to be used is selected. The airline can define as many currencies as required. The conversion rates can be based on the IATA/ICAO NUC or standard bank rates. A tool is supplied to input the needed currencies. The measurement and weight units can be mixed. For instance the weight can be pounds and the measurement can meters.

The top of the panel below shows the shipper and consignee information. It will be filled in using the information input by the user in the panels above. This will allow the user to verify that the shipper, consignee, routing and measuring units selected are correct.

The panel below allows the user to input the cargo descriptions that will be placed on the AWB.

There are provision to select the type of cargo.

There are also selection for dangerous goods and the class of service provided.

This input is done for each cargo item that will be included in the AWB being input.

The items in the above panel are described below:

The panel below shows that one line (cargo description) was input the system.

If the user has completed this shipment they would select the 'Continue" link to proceed.

The panel below is produced by the cargo system.

Automatic pricing based on house rates, special rates or IATA/TACT rates is done.

To determine the pricing two calculations are done:

1. Price using actual weight.
2. Price using Volumetric Weight.

The greater of the two above calculations is used as the price.

Once all of the above data is input you can review the cargo shipment pricing as shown below.

On this panel the user can select/input:

• Agreed to pick-up and delivery charges.
• Select the charge for preparation of the dangerous goods documentation.
• Insurance coverage for the shipment can be selected.
• Both the navigation surcharge and GST are optionally selected.

The panel below allows the user to be charged for the shipment.

Payment methods are:

• No Charge
• Collect
• Cash
• Credit Card
• Invoice

Invoicing is only shown if the company making the shipment is allowed by the airline to be invoiced. This is accomplished by the airline editing the companies record in the cargo system and indicating that the company is allowed to be invoiced.

All of the standard IATA/ICAO payment methods are supported and can be used if the airline wants them.

Once this payment is determined then either an AWB or a house AWB can be produced.

An AWB is shown below:

A house AWB is shown below:

Air Waybill Tools

A tool is provided to allow the user to locate AWBs. The search can be based on:

• Air Waybill Number
• Shipper Name
• Consignee Name
• Nature of Goods
• Date Range

The Shipper Name, Consignee Name and Nature of Goods allows a fuzzy search. You can input as much of the information as you have. For instance a search of a shipper name with "A" input would show a list of all AWBs with shippers name's that contain an "A".

There are a set of tool provided that allow manipulation of AWBs and the data in the AWB. The tools provided are:

Print Labels for Shipment

When selected the system will automatically print the cargo labels for the number of items and with the routing information.

Loading Cargo Onto The Flight

Cargo is loaded on the aircraft using the origin, destination and flight date. When these are input into the system the following panel is displayed.

This panel shows all cargo that has not been assigned to a flight for the input city pair and date. All of the flights that meet the origin. destination and flight date requirements are also shown.

To load the aircraft select the desired cargo, select the flight and then select "Add" the cargo will be placed on the manifest of the selected aircraft.

Splitting and Recombination of Cargo

Cargo is removed from the aircraft by selecting the cargo item, from the top porting of the image above, then selecting "REMOVE". The cargo will be moved back into the "Add Items On This Flight" area.

Splitting of cargo is accomplished by manipulation the "Pieces Add" and to then move the cargo back to the top portion of the panel.

Of course recombination is accomplished by putting the cargo back onto the aircraft.

The database and cargo documentation is automatically updated to indicate the splitting or recombination operation.

Inbound Freight Operation

When the freight arrives it is possible to print a display manifest and to do inquires against those waybill numbers.

It is possible to print an in-check manifest which has one line per house waybill, where one can write in the number of parcels that have arrived against each waybill.

The in-check manifest can then be used to make any changes to the manifest in the system. When the agents arrive with their delivery orders, the ground handling agents simply key in the master or house waybill and it is then possible to tell exactly where the cargo can be found. After various security checks, the cargo can be released.

Collect Charges

Automatically production of statements, to pay other airlines, including currency conversion are produced for collect cargo handled for other airlines.

Handling of delivery of cargo that is collect, the system will close and cargo manifest that are not paid for. A report is produced by date range showing the status of all collect cargo.

Cargo Tracking

By simply keying in the master or house waybill number, it is possible to find out the precise location of the cargo.

The system updates the cargo for each step from the cargo office to delivery.

The report shows the following:

1. Current Date and Time
2. Air Waybill Number
3. Cargo Current Location
4. Time Arrived at Current Location
5. Assigned Flight Number
6. Flight Date and Time
7. Comments

Cargo tracking is available to airline personnel, cargo agents, freight forwarders and clients.

Security

Authorization is required to access the back-end system. Airline personnel are assigned identification numbers and passwords.

Each airline employee can only see what is required to do their job. The airline at remote stations can only view information pertaining to their location and are restricted from viewing information they do not need to do their assigned job.

Cargo agents and freight forwarders can only view what is needed for them to support their clients.

The name of all employees of the different outside agents who collect cargo are stored in the system. They cannot collect the cargo unless they can be identified. It is impossible for an unauthorized person to collect cargo from the airline's ground handling agents.

All sensitive data is encrypted before it is stored into the database including the users ID and password.

Inquiries By Airline

Data is stored for as long as your airline wishes to keep the data on-line, and therefore, by simply keying in a master or house waybill number, it is possible to get all the particulars of a shipment. There are inquiry reports by flight, by master waybill number, by house waybill number, by shippers name, by agent or any sorting sequence needed by your airline.

Inquires By Outside Agents

One of the most important aspects of eRES Cargo is that agents have access via the Internet, and thereby themselves, are able to do inquires by flight number, by manifest or by air waybill number. They can see that the shipment has arrived, who it is for, who cleared it, etc. No shipper or consignee data is displayed to inquiring agents. The major benefit of this aspect is that it puts the airline at a level where it is providing a high level of service to it's clients. Furthermore, there will be a lower number of incoming telephone calls. This facility is available 24 hours per day seven days per week to agents who have been given authorization to use it.

Dynamic Route Modification

eRES Cargo configuration provides both segment and flight dynamic insertion and modification based on todays or even this instant requirements.

The flight configuration tool allows insertion of new segment(s) into a flight or creation of a new flight in a matter of minuets. Segments can be modified or new ones created in a matter of minuets. This feature allows an airline that has a requirement to dynamically change a flight, segment or route to do so with a minimum of effort and in minuets.

Unit Load Device (ULD) Assignment, Tracking And Control

An application is provided that allows assignment, tracking and control of ULD's and pallets that belong to your airline and those in your system from other airlines.

The major functions of this application are:

• A listing of all ULDs available and where they are located

  

• Assignment of ULD,s to specific flights
• Listing of lost ULDs
• Listing of all ULDs presently in use
• Listing of all ULDs presently in transit
• Listing of all ULDs presently being repaired
• A history listing for a specific ULD

The listings/reports are available by any authorized person, outside agents or airlines.

Weight and Balance

The pilot or agent must input the fuel on-board, expected fuel burn and the pilot's name. All other information is gathered automatically by the system.

In addition to the load sheet the system provides the following:

• Load Sheet
• Load Notification
• Loading Instructions
• Special Loads
• Off-Loading
• Cargo Manifest
• NOTOC Report

Flight Following

The flight following is input by the flight operations personnel. The flight following panel is shown below.

Flight following data is available to airline personnel, cargo agents, freight forwarders and clients.

Cargo Reporting

The cargo reports are available, to the appropriate personnel, on a real-time basis. The reports can be reviewed, printed or exported to external applications. The following represents a basic set of reports. We will produce the necessary reports to allow you to run your business at no additional cost to you. The data contained in the following reports are based on the information as we understand it and will be refined to reflect what you actually need.

Operational Reports

Booked Cargo

The booked Inventory Report shows the inventory booked and charges on a flight basis.

Flight Manifest

This is a report that shows the cargo boarded on a flight basis. It is provided to the aircraft's captain in a printed format and can be viewed, printed or exported by the personnel allowed to access this report.

Management Reports

Booking Report

The Booked Revenue report shows the number of reservations made for a specific date and time frame as input by the user.

Shown in this report are:

• Cargo Cost
• Taxes and Charges
• Payment Method and Amount Paid

A total summary is provided for each column including the total cargo booked.

Future Booking Report

The Gross Revenue Report is a report that is intended for planning and accounting purposes. It allows management to produce a report that shows for a specific period (time and date, from one minute to as long as desired) the number of cargo bookings on every flight flown by your airline.

Accounting Reports

Financial Application

A full range of financial applications are provided. These include debtors, creditors, cash book and the ability to export date to the general ledger. Should the ground handling agent use other financial systems, it is possible to export the invoices onto a file, sent it to the agents via the Internet, to be imported into their system. Further, any of the financial applications are available without the others.

Accounting reports can be tailored as shown in the figure below:

An explanation of the selectable items are:

The reports can be for a period of one hour to as long as you desire.

Credit Card Batch Reconciliation

Credit cards can be processed using two methods.

The first and most used method is that the credit card is authorized and cleared by the credit authority in one step. This means that when the cargo reservations are made the credit cards are authorized and cleared into your bank account.

The second method is when credit cards are only authorized at the time the cargo reservation is made. And the reconciliation is handled at a later time when after a reconciliation batch is built and sent to the bank.

The building of the batch file is accomplished by utilizing the "Credit Card" function, this is the reconciliation batch to be sent to the bank. This report assembles into one report any unreconciled credit card charges into one reconciliation batch to be sent to the credit authority. Once the report is verified as correct the accounting department can send the report automatically to the credit authority using the supplied support.

Each report is time stamped and dated. When the credit card payments are received the accounting department is required to input the actual payment received into the system. When the entire batch is reconciled it may be move to the archive files for later use.

System Management Functions

System Definition Functions

The following items are configurable. We set them up when the system is installed and if you want you can change them yourself.

• Cargo Agent/Freight Forwarder edit/create/delete
• System Default Settings
• Currencies Used and Exchange Rates
• Rates House/IATA/TACT
• Date Format
• Report Headers
• Include Flight Operations
• Include Weight and Balance Function
• City Code and Description Definition
• Leg/Segment creation/edit/delete
• Flight creation/edit/delete
• Aircraft Definition: Weight and Balance
• Optional Charge Definition
• Block Flights or Holiday Definitions
• Edit Agent Commission
• Edit Client or Company Records
• Internal Cargo Rate Tables
• Dangerous Goods Code Definition

Analyze Traffic

We install, at no cost, the Google traffic tool that will allow you to understand the people that are accessing your reservation system and what areas they are accessing.

Cellphone and PAD Support

The eRES Airline applications are accessible from cellphones and tablets (iPAD and others).

Clients, Cargo Agents, Freight Forwarders, Corporate Customers and your airline employees using a cellphone or tablet can access your eRES system from anywhere the world.

All functions of the eRES Airline Management System are supported.

Passengers can:

• Book Cargo
• Check flight status
• View flight schedules
• Cancel and re-book cargo

Your airline can:

• Load Cargo on the aircraft, scan cargo labels for verification.

• Flight crew can view work schedules
• Flight crew can bid on work assignments
• Remote stations can make book cargo if the Internet or electrical power is not available.
• Flight operations can send today's schedule and work assignments to employees at anytime.
• Pilots can use the eRES internal email to pickup and send messages to anyone that has access to the reservation system.
• Airline personnel has full access to all eRES functions from anywhere in the world via their cellphone or tablet.

Social Networks

Facebook

The flight following report can be viewed via Facebook.

Twitter

Clients can report problems, request help and ask questions via Twitter. This service is handled normally by flight operations or the client help desk in the airline.