Auto dispatch

Auto dispatch means that an order is split into one or more shipments based on routes. The automatic distribution can be done manually in the order reception and traffic management, or automatically through a setting on the service.

In the case of automatic distribution, the pick-up and delivery times of the routes are entered as the last pick-up and delivery time on the order.

Activate the automatic distribution function

If you want to be able to use automatic distribution, switch on the function on the services. Orders for those services can then be dispatched manually or automatically. Proceed as follows:

Click on Economy > Price lists > Services and select a service from the list on the left.
Go to the Dispatch tab and select Allow automatic dispatching under Auto dispatch. There you can also allow stops at intermediate terminals on the route to be skipped by ticking Allow direct connections (one leg). This means that the times from the matching distribution route are entered as the last pick-up and delivery time on the order, but the transport can go directly from sender to recipient without stopping at the terminal.

Automatic auto dispatch

Select Allow automatic dispatching on the Dispatch tab for the service. Automated distribution occurs when an order with that service is created, and when any of the following changes are made to the order:

sender
receiver
customer
service
order date
options.

Tip

If you want to automatically distribute copied orders, tick Perform auto dispatch after copying order in the order settings (tab Settings).

Manual automatic distribution in order reception

Click on Auto dispatch under Shipments and save the order. If you want to cancel the automatic allocation, click on Single shipment and save the order and it will be reset to one order only.

If the service allows direct transport, the order may not be split into several missions, but the times from the distribution route used are added to the order.

Note:

If you try to auto-distribute an order with a service on which the feature is not enabled, no error message is displayed. If nothing happens when you click on Auto dispatch, check whether the function is activated for the service selected on the order (see above).

Limiting the selection of routes based on order options

The order options can be allowed to control which routes can be used for auto dispatching. Proceed as follows:

Click on Order > Routes and select a route from the list on the left.
Go to the Options tab and select Only combine with selected options.
Specify which options the routes should be able to handle by adding them to the Included list.
The Excluded list contains the options available in the system and which the route cannot handle. The Included list contains the options the route can handle. To move the options from one list to the other one, double-click on them. In the text fields above the lists,it is possible to search for the names of the options.
Tip
If there are many options, you can select all of them and drag and drop into the Included list. Then exclude the options that the route should not be able to handle.
Click on to save all changes.
Repeat steps 2–5 for each route where the options on the route and the order must match to enable the order to be auto dispatched on that route. When an order with options is auto dispatched, it is only matched with routes where those options are included in the Included list, and routes for which Only combine with selected options is deselected.

Limitations and special cases

Routes with Only combine with selected options selected, but no options in the Included list, are not used for the auto dispatching of orders with options.
Routes with all options added to the Included list are not affected by this feature –until new options are created. When new options are created, they are added to the Excluded list.
If an order has no options at all, all routes can be used for that order, whether this feature is enabled or not. This function only applies to orders with at least one option.
All options on an order must be in the Included list for the order to be auto dispatched on that route.
Routes with the Only combine with selected options checkbox deselected are not affected by this feature.

Example

If dangerous goods should not take a certain route, define the route as follows:

If dangerous goods must take a specific route, exclude that option on all routes except the route that is to be used.