Transport and logistics parcel delivery giant UPS Inc. today unveiled enhancements to the shipping visibility software it offers to clients of the company's third-party logistics (3PL) division, UPS Supply Chain Solutions. UPS said the upgrades will improve the notification process for any changes in shipping status (known in the trade as "exceptions").

Atlanta-based UPS said its "Flex Global View" software can better manage product visibility from the purchase-order level through to customs clearance, including inventory control and shipping by multiple modes. The enhancements provide such features as an ocean-container dashboard containing shipment data sorted by carrier, shipper, receiver, and port of loading or unloading, as well as real-time online views of UPS transportation invoices for faster processing, UPS said.

UPS' latest upgrades are designed to help users avoid any surprises by providing alerts and reports throughout the transaction process, Cindy Miller, president of UPS Freight Forwarding, said in a statement. The company plans to deploy additional updates to the suite throughout 2017, she said.

The move comes a week after UPS rival FedEx Corp. expanded its own 3PL arm, known as FedEx Supply Chain, by adding an online-fulfillment services division for small businesses called FedEx Fulfillment.