The X Route dispatch screen is used to dispatch routes to drivers and to monitor driver's route activity. The X Route dispatch screen consists of two summary windows:
- Active Routes Window: Routes are assigned and drivers, stops, and parcels are monitored from this window.
- Active Drivers Window: Driver's on-demand orders are monitored from this window when in X Route.
Other important detail screens are:
- Route Manifest: Used to display selected route's stops with related parcel and other information.
- Route Manifest with optional fields: Several additional optional fields can be displayed by placing cursor between column headers on standard fields, pressing left mouse button and shifting column to the right. Notice additional columns indicated with red-arrows in images. Please note that currently the optional fields are for reviewing information temporarily, these fields do not remain displayed once manifest is closed. Functioning may be changed to allow save.
- Parcels: Used to display selected stop's parcel information.
Active Routes Window
This window is where routes are assigned and drivers, stops, and parcels are monitored.
To group, or sort, by a column, drag the column header up to the dark gray area. Once column header is located in the gray area, it can be clicked to change from ascending sort to descending sort and back again. To remove the group, or sort, drag the column header out of the gray area.
Columns can also be moved left and right to customize screen layout for specific dispatchers. The layout can be saved by right-clicking and using "Save Layout" option.
Below is a table of the main fields used in the Active Routes window. Please note that some minor fields are not listed.
| DriverID | Numeric | Driver assigned to route. If no driver is shown, then no driver is assigned to route. |
|---|---|---|
| RouteID | Alphanumeric | ID of route. A route ID of "UNASSIGNED" groups active stops not assigned to a route. |
| Description | Alphanumeric | Description of route entered when route was created, cannot be edited here. |
| FleetID | Numeric | Fleet ID assigned to route upon creation of route. |
| FleetName | Alphanumeric | Fleet name associated with Fleet ID assigned to route. Fleet names can be edited in Maintenance -> Fleets. |
| PostDate | Date | Date route posted. |
| StartTime | Time | Start time as defined upon route creation. It's used for reporting and display purposes only. |
| EndTime | Time | End time as defined upon route creation. It's used for reporting and display purposes only. |
| Stops | Numeric | Total number of stops on route. |
| Completed | Numeric | Total number of completed stops on route. |
| Status (2 fields) | Alphanumeric |
Two "Status" fields exist: "Status (Max)" and "Status (Preferred)." Each evaluate the number of late stops, however they use different times for this evaluation. "Status (Max)" uses the "Max" time set on a stop, versus "Status (Preferred)" uses the "Preferred" time. Ideally all stops are delivered before the customer preferred time, however sometimes this isn't the case and the stop isn't officially considered late until delivery time exceeds maximum defined time. These fields show three pieces of information:
*Late: a late stop is when current time exceeds preferred time of stop. |
| Total | Numeric | Total number of parcels existing on delivered stops. |
| Over | Numeric | Total number of parcels indicated as "Overages" on delivered stops. (Parcels not originally on stop.) |
| Short | Numeric | Total number of parcels indicated as "Short" on delivered stops. (Undelivered parcels.) |
| Exceptions | Numeric | Total number of parcels indicated as "Exceptions" on delivered stops. (Delivery person marks stops as "Exceptions." |
Active Drivers Window
This window displays the same X Dispatch information as seen in the on-demand dispatch board. Route information is not included in this section.
Route Manifest
The route manifest lists all stops in an active (posted) route. Many useful features are integrated in the route manifest that allow for effective managing of routes and stops.
Some of these features are:
- Viewing important information about each stop.
- Editing stop information directly from manifest.
- Editing parcel information via stops directly from manifest.
- Resequencing stops within a route by dragging and dropping.
- Reassigning (and resequencing) stops between routes by dragging and dropping.
- Moving multiple stops between manifests. (Available in X Dispatch 2013+) Review video here.
- Plotting stops on maps.
Manifest information can be defined in three areas:
- Route planning for scheduled "contract" stops.
- Route dispatch screen for unscheduled stops. (All information, even if setup in route planning or imported via an ASN file can be modified in the dispatch screen.)
- Via imported ASN file.
Parcel
The parcel details window is accessed by right-clicking on a stop and selecting "Distribution Parcels" or by opening a stop with parcels and selecting the parcels icon. (
)
If a stop already has parcels defined, then the parcels are displayed. Double click on parcel to make changes.
To add, remove, or delete parcels access "File" menu for options. Removing a parcel removes it from the current stop. Deleting a parcel removes it from the current stop and all other stops. (Load, pickup, delivery, etc.)
Select parcel type, enter pieces and weight and press "Generate Barcode" for the system to create unique barcode for parcel, or enter the reference or barcode number in "Reference / Barcode" field and X Route will record it and convert it into a barcode. The master barcode information can be entered as well, which is a time saving feature that is used to attach parcel to a "master barcode" which when scanned updates all attached parcels. Enter description of parcel if desired.
See X Route - Route Stop - Parcel Manifest for more information about Parcels.