Implentio: web application for 3PL billing

About the client

Our client is a group of US-based e-commerce business owners willing to simplify the third-party logistics (3PL) invoice reconciliation and performance management process for other online retailers and visualize invoice data and the costs of different logistics services over time.

Country:

USA

Industry:

Logistics, eCommerce

Service:

Logistics & FSM software development

Duration

April 2023 – June 2024

Model:

B2B

Team size:

1 project manager, 1 front-end developer, 1 back-end developer, 1 DevOps engineer, 1 QA engineer

Key technologies:

TypeScript, React, MUI...

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Client’s challenge

A group of e-commerce business owners has faced difficulties related to third-party logistics invoice reconciliation and a lack of control over documentation and costs. They decided to build a software platform that could automate invoice checks and give e-commerce businesses better visibility into their logistics operations.
The client's in-house IT team lacked the resources and expertise to take on a project of this scope, so they looked for an external software and web development partner.

The client's in-house IT team lacked the resources and expertise for the complex project, prompting them to seek a reliable software and web development partner. With the right expertise and relevant experience, NEKLO became the ideal choice for the job.

Time-consuming 3PL invoice reconciliation
Difficulty matching charges against rates and contracts
Fragmented order, invoice, and fulfillment data
Limited visibility into 3PL and carrier performance
Poor control over time-in-transit (TTN)
Difficulty spotting overcharges and billing errors
Lack of logistics data analytics and visualization
Complex credit claim process

Solution

After breaking down the requirements, we got straight to work building a platform that met the client’s goals and solved their biggest operational challenges.

Prototype and MVP development

NEKLO started the project by building a clickable prototype that defined how the main reconciliation and analytics workflows would work. Once the concept was agreed on, we moved on to a functional MVP that combined logistics data processing, invoice reconciliation, 3PL performance tracking, and visualization.

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3PL invoice reconciliation and data processing

The core of the product was the reconciliation process. To check 3PL invoices, the system first needed to handle large volumes of data related to storage, packaging, shipping, and order fulfillment. We built an application that processes and analyzes this data to validate 3PL billing. The platform can identify potential discrepancies and overcharges and classify reconciliation errors, so users can see what went wrong and which charges require further review.

Third-party data integrations

To reduce manual work and make reconciliation more reliable, we enabled the platform to automatically scan data from 3PL invoices, contracts, and carrier networks. The collected information can be compared during reconciliation, helping the client identify billing discrepancies and potential overcharges before they affect the company’s bottom line.

3PL and carrier performance tracking

We added validation tools and alerts to ensure billing accuracy, meet SLAs, and catch any order exceptions. The client can now evaluate how individual 3PL providers and carriers perform against agreed operational and service requirements.

Logistics data visualization

As the platform brought together growing amounts of reconciliation and performance data, this information also needed to be presented in a way users could easily work with. NEKLO built data visualization features and introduced advanced visualization rules to structure the data. With this integrated feature, users can review reconciliation data and logistics performance and uncover trends and insights across their logistics operations.

Process

Our team followed a structured three-step approach to shape the client’s idea into a working MVP for automated 3PL invoice reconciliation.

1. Product discovery and planning

First, we worked with the client's team to map how 3PL invoices, contracts, fulfillment data, and carrier information should be collected, compared, and validated within the platform. At this stage, we defined the core workflows and requirements for the MVP.

2. MVP development

Next, NEKLO’s team implemented the core MVP workflows, including automated data processing, invoice reconciliation, error classification, and visualization, and integrated the third-party services required to process logistics documents and carrier data.

3. Testing and product launch

As the final step, we tested the MVP using real logistics data and refined the reconciliation logic to support different billing scenarios. The validation improved the platform’s accuracy and laid the foundation for further product development and the introduction of additional logistics and 3PL performance features.

1. Product discovery and planning

2. MVP development

3. Testing and product launch

Technologies

Front-end

Emotion

MUI

React

TypeScript

Back-end

AWS

MySQL

Python

Snowflake

Deliverables

Data visualization tool

Auto-generated refund request letters

Automated data gathering

Data analysis

Integrations for fast document processing

3PL performance tracking feature

Data checks

Improved data automation

Results

NEKLO delivered a fully functional MVP that automates the process of reconciling 3PL invoices. The platform processes large volumes of operational logistics data and fulfillment data, compares charges with the available records, and flags hidden fees.

In 2024, Implentio became a semi-finalist in the Snowflake investment competition among early-stage startups. Following the successful MVP launch, the client continued developing the platform into a more complex and feature-rich product.