Glossary
OTM5
OTM5 (Open Transport Model 5) is an open standard for exchanging freight transport data — orders, consignments, stops, and statuses — between systems and partners.
OTM5 defines a common, vendor-neutral data structure for transport orders so that carriers, shippers, forwarders, and software platforms can exchange information without building bespoke point-to-point integrations for every partner. Because the model is open, data stays portable and interoperable across the logistics ecosystem.
Building a TMS on OTM5 means transport orders, consignments, and stops are structured to a shared standard from the start, simplifying integration with ERPs, customer systems, and partner carriers.
Frequently asked questions
How does OTM5 differ from EDI?
EDI is a family of older, message-based standards (such as EDIFACT) for exchanging business documents. OTM5 is a modern, open data model designed specifically for transport, making it easier to represent multi-stop, multi-modal orders in a structured, machine-readable way.
Can I convert documents to OTM5?
Yes. Transportial offers a free OTM5 document converter, and the platform exposes OTM5-structured data through its REST API for partner integrations.
See OTM5 in a real TMS
Transportial puts these concepts to work in one operational platform — planning, tracking, documents, and finance.