Create trips with the optimizer

The optimizer takes a set of consignments and vehicles and proposes trips: which vehicle does which consignments, in which order. You review the proposal and save the trips you want. You can also run the optimizer from map planning, on orders you select on the map.

Run the optimizer

1. Click the home icon (Dashboard) and open the Optimizer tab.
2. Set the Start date & time from which the trips may start.
3. In step Locations, click the locations to include. Selected items move from Available to Selected. Click Next.
4. In step Consignments, select the consignments to plan and click Next.
5. In step Vehicles, select the vehicles that may drive and click Next.
6. In step Means of transport, select the trailers or other load carriers to use.
7. Click Optimize! and wait. Large sets can take a while.

Each list has a search box and Filters. Click a selected item again to move it back. Use Back, or click an earlier step, to change a selection.

Combine with trips you already have

In the step for existing trips, choose the open trips the new consignments may join. Each keeps its vehicle, drivers, equipment and stops, and stops already done stay where they are. By default new stops only go around the open ones. Switch on Also reorder the open stops for a trip to let the optimizer change their order. A proposal then shows Added to trip, and saving it updates that trip instead of creating a new one.

Advanced settings

Open Advanced settings to fine-tune the run:

• Max driving period (seconds) and Max period (seconds) limit how long trips may be.
• Default vehicle operating intervals: click Add interval to set the hours vehicles may work (08:00-18:00 by default).
• Ignore location constraints, Ignore consignment constraints and Ignore action constraints let the optimizer disregard opening hours and time windows. Use them when a run places too little.

With Use schedule routes on, the optimizer may send a consignment by one of your stored rail, barge, sea or air services, with road legs at both ends, when that beats road only. The result then shows the road tours and the departures each consignment rides. Saving it creates those trips, and the booking stays a draft until the trip is confirmed. A run with existing trips plans road only.

Which optimization engine is used is set for your platform by an administrator. Combining with existing trips and schedule routes work with the built-in Transportial engine.

Review and save the trips

1. Read the Completed trips summary: number of trips, duration, time on the road and distance.
2. Check each trip card: vehicle, stops, start date, distance and duration. Each trip has its own colour on the map.
3. Click a trip card to open the trip, or an address to open the location.
4. Check Unplanned consignments for consignments the optimizer could not place.
5. Click Save on a trip to create it, or Save all trips to create all of them.

Saved trips get the status accepted and appear on the plan board and planner. Click Back to settings to change the selection and run again; your choices are kept.

An administrator can switch on Apply optimizer plans automatically in the planning settings. It is off by default. When on, every successful run saves its trips without review, and the result shows which trips were saved and which could not be.