# System of record versus system of action

A system of record keeps the agreed and observed facts about a load. A system of action helps people decide and carry out the next step. A trucking operation needs both: an action without a reliable record can propagate an error, while a perfect record that never prompts follow-up can leave work stalled.

## A concrete distinction

The record says the delivery appointment is 14:00, the driver reported an ETA of 14:45, and the last update arrived at 12:10. The action layer asks who should verify that ETA, whether the receiver needs a revised appointment, and which messages require approval. It should record the decision back against the load so billing and customer service see the same story.

## Design checks

- Show the source and timestamp for important facts.
- Separate a proposed action from an approved or completed action.
- Give an exception an owner and a deadline.
- Preserve corrections and the reason for an override.
- Identify the authoritative system for each field when tools exchange data.

These are workflow design principles, not a claim that every RunaboutX connection or action exists today. The [AI TMS](/ai-tms/) workflow examples connect record and action; confirm the supported behavior for your operation in a demo. [Operational memory](/features/operational-memory/) addresses how context may carry forward; [integration planning](/resources/learn/tms-integration-planning/) covers field ownership across tools.

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Canonical: https://www.runaboutx.com/resources/learn/system-of-record-vs-system-of-action/
Last reviewed: 2026-10-14