Logistics pilot scorecard

Blank worksheet, EDI / WMS / TMS / ERP parallel-path checklist, filled fictional example, and AI prompt for scoring a logistics pilot toward PO or MSA.

Blank worksheet

Update weekly. Bring this to midpoint and to the commercial ask. Bound scope to one lane / one DC / one mode / one SKU family unless the agreement says otherwise.

Criterion	Baseline	Target	Current	Status	Owner
1. ___	___	___	___	[ ] G [ ] A [ ] R	___
2. ___	___	___	___	[ ] G [ ] A [ ] R	___
3. ___	___	___	___	[ ] G [ ] A [ ] R	___
4. ___ (optional)	___	___	___	[ ] G [ ] A [ ] R	___
5. ___ (optional)	___	___	___	[ ] G [ ] A [ ] R	___

EDI / WMS / TMS / ERP parallel-path checklist

Start these in week one of serious interest, often before or alongside product proof instead of after "liked the dock demo." Track them as first-class workstreams beside product proof.

Workstream	Status	Blocker	Owner	Due
Vendor risk questionnaire	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared	___	___	___
SOC2 packet	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared	___	___	___
EDI / API to WMS	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared	___	___	___
EDI / API to TMS	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared	___	___	___
ERP hook (SAP / Oracle / etc.)	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared / N/A	___	___	___
Data room / sample feeds	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared	___	___	___
Carrier / 3PL access (if in scope)	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared / N/A	___	___	___
MSA / PO path	[ ] Not started [ ] In flight [ ] Cleared	___	___	___

Working steps

Paste written success criteria into the scorecard before kickoff: OTIF / on-time delivery %, dock-to-stock hours, cost-per-shipment, dwell time, inventory accuracy, claim rate. No soft "liked the dock demo" or NPS-only lines.

If there is a separate unpaid WMS/TMS sandbox / innovation logistics-lab clock, name it. Put it on a separate sheet and keep it out of the paid pilot scorecard.

Update status every week. Treat amber without a next action as red.

Bring ops and finance / economic buyer (or clear proxies) to midpoint. Re-score against written criteria only.

Before the commercial ask, confirm EDI / WMS / TMS / ERP and vendor risk are cleared or waived in writing, and that phase-two lane / DC / mode / ACV intent is still in the agreement.

Filled example (fictional: West DC / LTL / 3 retail lanes)

Teaching example only. Pattern-check your deal; do not cite these numbers as a real case study.

Criterion	Baseline	Target	Current (wk 7)	Status	Owner
OTIF (3 named retail lanes)	91%	≥96%	96.4%	Green	Ruiz / you
Dock-to-stock (West DC outbound)	6.5h	≤4h	3.8h	Green	DC ops
Cost-per-shipment (LTL cohort)	$48	≤$41	$40.2	Green	You + finance
Dwell time (pilot appointments)	n/a	≤2.5h	2.2h	Green	Yard / appointments
EDI + Manhattan + SOC2	Not started	Live before ask	Live wk 6	Green	IT / Vendor risk

AI prompt

Paste into ChatGPT or Claude. Replace bracketed placeholders with your deal facts.

You are helping a logistics / supply-chain founder run a paid pilot that must convert to a PO or MSA with an enterprise or mid-market ops / supply-chain buyer.

Company / product: [YOUR COMPANY + PRODUCT]
Buyer account: [COMPANY + SEGMENT]
Scope in pilot: [ONE LANE / ONE DC / ONE MODE / ONE SKU FAMILY]
Pilot window: [START] to [END]
Target phase-two ACV: [AMOUNT]
Ops / logistics champion: [NAME / TITLE]
Economic buyer: [NAME / TITLE, e.g. COO / VP Supply Chain / CFO]
DC / warehouse / transportation lead: [NAME / STATUS]
WMS / TMS / ERP / IT (EDI/API): [STATUS]
Vendor risk / SOC2 / data room: [STATUS]
Carrier / 3PL access (if needed): [STATUS]
Unpaid WMS/TMS sandbox / innovation logistics lab (if any): [N/A / SEPARATE CLOCK / STATUS]
Compelling event: [PEAK SEASON / CARRIER CONTRACT RENEWAL / WMS-TMS MIGRATION / DC GO-LIVE / SLA BREACH / NETWORK REDESIGN / M&A INTEGRATION / OTHER]

Produce:
1) A markdown scorecard table with columns:
Criterion | Baseline | Target | Current | Status (green/amber/red) | Evidence | Owner
Include 3-5 underwritable criteria (OTIF / on-time delivery %, dock-to-stock hours, cost-per-shipment, dwell time, inventory accuracy, claim rate). No soft "liked the dock demo" or NPS-only lines.
2) A second table: Stakeholder | Role | Attitude | Next action this week
(Roles: ops champion, EB, DC/transport, WMS/TMS/ERP/IT, vendor risk, carrier/3PL, procurement)
3) A third table for the parallel path: Workstream | Status | Blocker | Owner | Due
(Include vendor risk questionnaire, SOC2 packet, EDI/API to WMS, EDI/API to TMS, ERP hook if needed, data room, carrier/3PL access if in scope, MSA/PO path)
4) End with 5 bullets: biggest risk, whether to ask for PO/MSA this week, scope-cut options (one lane / one DC / one mode / one module; hold list price and per-shipment pricing), one quick-win memo angle for EB + ops sponsor, one thing to stop doing.

Rules:
- Invent no fake metrics; use ___ when unknown.
- Every status needs a next action.
- Prefer reduce lanes / DCs / modes / modules over discounting list price or per-shipment pricing.
- Ops / logistics champion is not the economic buyer.
- Unpaid WMS/TMS sandbox / innovation logistics lab is not a paid customer pilot. Keep the clocks separate.
- EDI, WMS/TMS/ERP, and vendor risk often start before or alongside the pilot instead of after the dock demo.