Last updated: 26.08.2024
Valid from: Opter 2023.12.00, Opter Terminal 76.0
Handling load carriers in Opter Terminal
A load carrier can be, for example, a pallet or a cage. The purpose of load carriers is that not all the packages in the load carrier need to be scanned at each transhipment; instead only the load carrier has to be scanned. A package can only belong to one load carrier at a time.
The picture above shows 3 packages (1, 2, 3), and one load carrier (4), and 3 terminals (A, B, C). The flow is as follows:
Each package is scanned with the load carrier scan type and then placed in the load carrier at terminal A.
The load carrier is scanned for departure from terminal A. The departure scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier. The load carrier then departs from terminal A.
The load carrier arrives at terminal B and is scanned on arrival. The arrival scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
The load carrier is scanned for departure from terminal B. The departure scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier. The load carrier then departs from terminal B.
The load carrier arrives at terminal C and is scanned on arrival. The arrival scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
At terminal C, each package is scanned individually with any scan type, except load carrier scanning. The packages thus leave the load carrier.
Tip
It is also possible to create a proof of delivery for a load carrier when making the scan. That proof of delivery is then registered on all the packages in the load carrier and on the orders to which the packages belong.
In the Example section below, different scenarios are described to increase understanding of how the load carrier function works.
Restrictions in the load carrier function
The function intentionally has the following restrictions:
"Unknown packages" cannot be placed in a load carrier.
Deviations cannot be registered on a load carrier, but deviations can be registered on packages in the load carrier.
(For more information, see Registering a deviation on a package in the load carrier below).
Undoing a load carrier scan is not possible.
(For more information, see Undoing the adding of a package to the load carrier and Removing packages from load carriers below).
Conditions
Warning
For the load carrier function to work optimally, Opter Terminal version 67.0 or later should be installed on all the devices being used.
If the text Load carrier (update app) appears in the app when a load carrier is scanned, this is a prompt to update to the latest version of Opter Terminal, as Opter Terminal version 66.0 or earlier is currently installed.
The load carrier’s label
The load carrier's label can be a QR code, a barcode or a note stating the load carrier's ID. The load carrier's label can be scanned or the load carrier ID, for example "LC555", can be entered.
Scan list
The amount of information displayed in the scan list depends on a setting made by your system administrator.
The scan list can be organised in two different ways:
The packages are displayed grouped by order. For each order that has at least one package in the load carrier, all the order's package IDs are displayed and how many of the order's packages are included in the load carrier, for example "1/3" (A).
The packages included in the load carrier are shown as green (B), the rest are shown as blue (C) in the scan list. (In other words, the packages shown as blue belong to the order, but are not part of the load carrier. A package marked as blue can be added to the load carrier by scanning it. If the scan is successful, the package is shown in green in the scan list).
The order (1) at the top of the list has one package (package ID 555) in the load carrier. The order (2) at the bottom of the list has all its packages (package numbers 555, 222, 333 and 444) in the load carrier.
If you tap on a package, more details about the package are displayed, for example, tapping on a blue highlighted package displays the information that it is part of another load carrier or that it is not part of any load carrier.
Each package is displayed as a separate block. Only the packages included in the load carrier can be seen and handled. All the packages in the load carrier are displayed.
The setting is made by setting onescanrow enabled to "true" or "false". For more information, see Load carrier.
The scan list can be organised in two different ways:
The load carrier ID and the number of packages in the load carrier are displayed. The package IDs and the order they belong to are displayed.
The load carrier ID and the number of packages in the load carrier are displayed.
The setting is made by setting onescanrow enabled to "true" or "false". For more information, see Load carrier.
Adding packages to a load carrier
To add packages to a load carrier, proceed as follows:
Press Load carrier scanning and scan the load carrier label or enter the load carrier ID, for example "LC555".
(If the Load carrier scanning option does not appear in the app, this is due to a setting made by your system administrator. The load carrier function cannot be used in that case).
When Load carrier scanning is tapped and the load carrier label is scanned, one of the following happens:
If there is not already a load carrier with the ID "LC555", a new load carrier with the ID "LC555" is created in Opter. The new load carrier does not contain any packages.
If the load carrier "LC555" is already registered in Opter, you will be asked Do you want to remove all the existing packages from the load carrier? If you choose No, all the existing packages remain in the load carrier and you can add more packages.
Select one of the following:
If you don't know which load carrier it is, press No and finish the scan by pressing Done. Nothing has then changed in Opter.
If you know which load carrier it is and want to add more packages to it, tap No.
The next package that is scanned is added to the load carrier "LC555".
If you know which load carrier it is and you want to empty the load carrier "LC555" in Opter, tap Yes.
All the packages in the load carrier are removed and the next scanned package is added to the load carrier "LC555".
Scan a package. The package is added to the load carrier "LC555".
Place the physical package in the load cage (load carrier).
To add more packages to the load carrier, repeat the step above.
Tap Done when finished.
Depending on the settings made by your system administrator, you may be able to create proofs of delivery for the packages that have been scanned.
Departure scanning of the load carrier
If a departure scan is carried out on a load carrier, the departure scan is applied to all the packages in the load carrier. Proceed as follows:
Click on Scan outgoing (departure scan) and then scan the load carrier’s label, for example "LC555".
The load carrier ID and the number of packages in the load carrier are displayed in the app. Depending on the settings your system administrator has made for the scan list, the package numbers and the order they belong to may also be displayed.
Tap Done. The departure scan is applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
Depending on the settings made by your system administrator, a prompt to create a proof of delivery for the load carrier may appear. If Yes is selected, that proof of delivery is registered on all the packages in the load carrier and on the orders to which the packages belong.
Arrival scanning of the load carrier
If an arrival scan is carried out on a load carrier, the arrival scan is applied to all the packages in the load carrier. Proceed as follows:
Click on Scan incoming (arrival scan) and then scan the load carrier’s label, for example "LC555".
The load carrier ID and the number of packages in the load carrier are displayed in the app. Depending on the settings your system administrator has made for the scan list, the package numbers and the order they belong to may also be displayed.
Tap Done. The arrival scan is applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
Depending on the settings made by your system administrator, a prompt may appear offering the chance to create a proof of delivery for the load carrier or stating that this is mandatory. If a proof of delivery is created, it is registered on all the packages in the load carrier and on the orders to which the packages belong.
Floor-check scan of a load carrier
If you tap Floor check and scan the label of a load carrier, the app will display the load carrier's ID and the number of packages in the load carrier. Depending on the settings your system administrator has made for the scan list, the package numbers and the order they belong to may also be displayed.
Removing packages from load carriers
You can remove one package at a time or remove all the packages from the load carrier by doing one of the following:
Take the physical package out of the load cage (load carrier).
Click on Scan outgoing, Scan incoming or Floor check in the Opter Terminal and scan the package.
The package then leaves the load carrier in Opter and the scan is registered on the package. The load carrier does not change status, but the number of packages in it is reduced by one.
If you are offered the opportunity to create a proof of delivery, it is only registered on the package that has been scanned.
Press Load carrier scanning and scan the load carrier label or enter the load carrier ID, for example "LC555".
If the load carrier "LC555" is already registered in Opter, you will be asked Do you want to remove all the existing packages from the load carrier? If you choose No, all the existing packages remain in the load carrier and you can add more packages.
Tap Yes to empty the load carrier "LC555" in Opter.
All the packages are removed from the load carrier in Opter. We recommend taking all the physical packages out of the actual load carrier (load cage).
Select one of the following:
To finish using the load carrier, press Done.
To continue using the load carrier, scan a package. The package is added to the load carrier "LC555".
Place the physical package in the load carrier (load cage). Scan more packages and put them in the load carrier if desired.
Example
Different scenarios are described here to increase understanding of how the load carrier function works.
20 packages are to be transported from the Helsinki terminal to the Stockholm terminal, and then on to the Oslo terminal. All the packages fit in one load cage. The load cage has been labelled with the load carrier's ID, for example "LB555". The load carrier's label can be a QR code, a barcode or a note with the load carrier's ID.
At the Helsinki terminal: In the Opter Terminal app, the terminal employee selects Load carrier scanning and scans the load carrier label or enters the load carrier ID, for example "LC555".
A new load carrier is then created in Opter, and it currently contains 0 registered packages.
(If the load carrier "LC555" already exists, the terminal employee is asked Do you want to remove all the existing packages from the load carrier? If No is chosen, all the existing packages remain in the load carrier and more packages can be added. The terminal employee presses Yes because in this example we want to start with an empty load carrier. The next package that is scanned is added to the load carrier "LC555".)
The terminal employee scans a package. The package is then added to the load carrier ("LC555") specified in the step above.
The terminal employee then places the physical package in the load cage (load carrier).
The terminal employee scans the other 19 packages. The packages are then added to the load carrier ("LC555") specified in step 1 above.
The terminal employee places each physical package in the load cage (load carrier).
In Opter Terminal, the terminal employee selects Scan outgoing (departure scan) and then scans the load carrier’s label ("LC555"). The departure scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
The load carrier departs from the Helsinki terminal with 20 packages in it.
The load carrier arrives at the Stockholm terminal with 20 packages in it.
At the Stockholm terminal: In Opter Terminal, the terminal employee selects Scan incoming (arrival scan) and scans the load carrier’s label or enters the load carrier ID ("LC555").
The arrival scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
At Stockholm terminal there is one more package destined for the Oslo terminal. The package can fit in the load cage (load carrier). In Opter Terminal, the terminal employee selects Load carrier scanning and scans the load carrier’s label or enters the load carrier ID ("LC555").
The terminal employee is asked Do you want to remove all the existing packages from the load carrier? If No is chosen, all the existing packages remain in the load carrier and more packages can be added.
The terminal employee presses No and then scans the package.
The package is added to the load carrier in Opter. The terminal employee then places the physical package in the load cage (load carrier).
At the Stockholm terminal: In Opter Terminal, the terminal employee selects Scan outgoing (departure scan) and then scans the load carrier’s label ("LC555"). The departure scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
The load carrier departs from the Stockholm terminal with 21 packages in it.
The load carrier arrives at the Oslo terminal with 21 packages in it.
At the Oslo terminal: In Opter Terminal, the terminal employee selects Scan incoming (arrival scan) and scans the load carrier’s label or enters the load carrier ID ("LC555").
The arrival scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
From the Oslo terminal, the various packages are destined for different recipients, so the load carrier will now be emptied. The terminal employee takes a physical package out of the load cage (load carrier), selects Scan outgoing in Opter Terminal and scans the package. The package then leaves the load carrier in Opter and a departure scan is registered on the package. The load carrier does not change status, but the number of packages in it changes from 21 to 20.
The above step is repeated for all the packages.
The empty load carrier remains in the Opter system.
A load cage is used as a load carrier and already contains 14 packages. The load cage has been labelled with the load carrier's ID, for example "444LC". The load cage is at the Copenhagen terminal and is going to the Oslo terminal.
At the Copenhagen terminal: In the Opter Terminal app, the terminal employee selects Scan outgoing (departure scan) and then scans the load carrier’s label ("444LC"). The departure scan is then applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
When moving the load cage, a package falls out of it. However, that is only discovered later.
The package is still registered in Opter as being on the load carrier "444LC", so the Opter system believes that the package is still in the physical load carrier (i.e. in the cage).
The load carrier departs from the Copenhagen terminal with 13 packages in it.
The load carrier arrives at the Oslo terminal with 13 packages in it.
At the Oslo terminal: In Opter Terminal, the terminal employee selects Scan incoming (arrival scan) and scans the load carrier’s label or enters the load carrier ID "444LC".
The arrival scan is then applied to all the packages registered in the load carrier. The arrival scan is thus also applied to the package that fell out of the actual load carrier at the Copenhagen terminal, as the package is still registered on the load carrier in Opter.
At the Copenhagen terminal: A terminal employee finds the package that fell out of the physical load carrier earlier. The terminal employee does not know anything about the package and therefore chooses Floor check (or Scan incoming or Scan outgoing). In conjunction with the floor-check scan, the package is removed from the load carrier "444LC" in Opter.
(If the terminal employee chooses Scan incoming (arrival scan) or Scan outgoing (departure scan) instead of floor-check scan, the package is removed from the load carrier "444LC" in Opter in connection with the scan, and the arrival/departure scan is registered on the package.
At a terminal, there is a load cage with 7 physical packages in it. The load carrier is a registered load carrier in Opter, and it has a label with the load carrier ID, for example "LC33". The load carrier has 7 packages registered to it in Opter. Everything is correct.
The terminal employee does not know that the load cage is a registered load carrier. Depending on whether the terminal employee scans the load carrier’s label or a package in the load cage, one of the following scenarios occurs:
If the terminal employee presses Scan incoming, Scan outgoing or Floor check and scans the package, the package is removed from the load carrier "LC33" in Opter in conjunction with the scan, and the scan is registered in Opter as a normal package scan.
(In Opter Terminal, it cannot be seen that the package belonged to a load carrier before the scan).
If the terminal employee wants to put the package back into the load carrier again, he/she selects Load carrier scanning, scans the load carrier’s label and then scans the package.
If the terminal employee accidentally presses Load carrier scanning and scans the package, Opter Terminal will think that a load carrier has been scanned (because Load carrier scanning was pressed) and thus that the scanned package ID is a load carrier ID. One of the following happens in this case:
If there is an active load carrier with that load carrier ID, Opter Terminal shows that it is a load carrier, the load carrier ID, the time and date it was created, and how many packages are in that load carrier. Opter Terminal asks if the employee wants to remove all the packages from the load carrier; if the response is No, all the packages remain in the load carrier. Hopefully, the terminal employee realises their mistake, responds with No and ends the scan by pressing Done. Nothing has then changed in Opter. (If the employee’s response is Yes, all the packages are removed from the load carrier that the system thought had been scanned).
If there is no active load carrier with that load carrier ID, a new load carrier with that load carrier ID is created. Opter Terminal indicates that a new load carrier has been created. Hopefully, the terminal employee realises their mistake and ends the scan by pressing Done. In Opter there is an empty load carrier, but that doesn't matter.
If the terminal employee presses Load carrier scanning and scans the label on the load carrier, Opter Terminal shows that it is a load carrier, as well as the load carrier ID, the time and date it was created, and how many packages are included in the load carrier. (Then, for example, it is possible to add packages to the load carrier or empty the load carrier).
If the terminal employee taps Floor check and scans the label on the load carrier, the app display the load carrier's ID and the number of packages in the load carrier.
If the terminal employee taps Scan incoming or Scan outgoing and scans the label on the load carrier, the app display the load carrier's ID and the number of packages in the load carrier. The arrival or departure scan is applied to all the packages in the load carrier.
If a proof of delivery is created for a load carrier, the proof of delivery is registered on all the packages in the load carrier and on the orders to which the packages belong.
If the system administrator has made it possible for the app user to be offered the opportunity to create a proof of delivery for a load carrier during arrival and/or departure scanning, the following happens:
The terminal employee presses Scan incoming or Scan outgoing, and then scans the load carrier’s label.
(The terminal employee continues to work with the scanned load carrier, e.g. registers deviations on packages in the load carrier).
When the terminal employee presses Done under the scan list, he/she will be asked if he/she wants to create a proof of delivery for the load carrier. If Yes is selected, that proof of delivery is registered on all the packages in the load carrier and on the orders to which the packages belong.
If the system administrator has set it up so that the app user is offered the opportunity to create a proof of delivery for a load carrier when scanning, the following applies:
To create a proof of delivery for all the packages in the load carrier except for one specific package, first remove that package from the load carrier by scanning the package with any scan type except load carrier scan (e.g. floor-check scan). Then a proof of delivery can be created for a load carrier, and this is registered on all the packages that are still in the load carrier and on the orders to which the packages belong. For instructions, see Registering a proof of delivery for load carriers above.
It is not possible to register deviations on load carriers, but deviations can be registered on packages in the load carrier.
A deviation can be registered on a package when the package is added to the load carrier. Proceed as follows:
Press Load carrier scanning in Opter Terminal and scan the load carrier’s label or enter the load carrier ID manually.
Scan the package.
The package then appears in the scan list.
Tap the package in the scan list to open the detail view, where deviations can be registered. For instructions, see Registering deviations in Opter Terminal.
It is also possible to do as follows to register deviations on a package in a load carrier:
Scan the package with any scan type except load carrier scanning (for example, floor-check scanning). After scanning, the package is no longer in the load carrier.
Tap the package in the scan list to open the detail view, where deviations can be registered. For instructions, see Registering deviations in Opter Terminal.
Put the package back into the load carrier by selecting Load carrier scanning, scan the load carrier’s label and then scan the package. (For detailed instructions, see Adding packages to a load carrier above).
To remove a package from a load carrier, scan the package with any scan type except load carrier scanning (for example, floor-check scanning). After the scan, the package is no longer in the load carrier in Opter.
For more information, see Removing packages from load carriers above.
Troubleshooting
If the load carrier function is not working properly, the following list can be used for troubleshooting:
For the load carrier function to work optimally, Opter Terminal version 67.0 or later is required. Update Opter Terminal to version 67.0 or later on all devices to optimise the load carrier function.
The changes to settings made by the system administrator in Terminal.Settings are displayed in Opter Terminal after the user has logged out and then logged back in.