Performing General Dispatch Setup Procedures

Performing general Dispatch setup procedures

2.Performing general Dispatch setup procedures

Many of the features in the Dispatch applications can be configured to the way your company does business. This chapter describes configuration settings that are used most often by TMW customers. However, many other settings exist. For a complete listing of TTS50.ini settings that affect Dispatch, see Appendix A in this guide.

The following pages provide instructions on performing key setup procedures:

Identifying the mileage interfaces your company uses

[MileageInterface] XFace[1] Type[1] Path[1] Response[1]

XFace[2] Type[2] Path[2]

XFace[3] Type[3] Path[3]

XFace[4] Type[4] Path[4]

XFace[5] Type[5] Path[5]

Specifying the mileage interface to be used for routing

Specifying the mileage interface to be used for billing

Determining whether mileage lookups are by city, company, ZIPCode, or longitude/latitude

Using zip to zip lookups with Rand as your mileage interface

Using latitude/longitude to look up mileage

Recording latitude and longitude information in the company profile

Assigning latitude and longitude information to an individual company

Assigning latitude and longitude information to a group of companies

Using a factor to increase or decrease mileage amounts

Determining how fractional ALK mileages are handled

Determining how mileage is calculated for intra-city moves

Preventing users from changing an order afterithasbeeninvoiced

Closing Dispatch with, or without, the confirmation query

Setting requirements for entering company IDs on a trip

Requiring a company location for event types

Specifying whether a company ID must be recorded for the origin and destination

Displaying only valid Bill To IDs in the Bill To field

Preventing the use of UNKNOWN as a valid Bill To ID

Setting requirements for entering dates

Specifying your date/time formats

Making the General Info Table setting

Specifying date/time formats in the user profile

Using Regional Options date/time formats

Regulating the actualization of stops

Locking a trip during asset assignment

Specifying the OK button text in the AssetAssignmentwindow

Configuring the driver log feature

Activating the log feature

Specifying how the system is to handle a driver’s missing log hours

Specifying how the system should handle an order cancellation when pay details exist

Updating the last recorded commodity for a trailer

Preventing the assignment of both a non-board carrier and another resource to the same movement

Issuing a warning

Estimating dates for park and hook events

Preventing the assignment

Requiring the user to resolve conflicts on planned trips

Allowing trips with date/time conflicts to be saved

Retrieving data for terminated resources

Limiting empty miles and total routed miles

Specifying how the Late warning indicators work

Specifying what the system is to monitor for lateness

Specifying when a late warning indicator is triggered

Using the CrossDockLLD INI setting to add functionality

Setting up the system to use trailer planning options

Configuring the display of trailer status/availability information

Default display of trailer status and availability information

Using the Advanced Trailer Planning feature

Trailer status for a trailer that is not planned or dispatched on other trips

Trailer status for a trailer that is planned or dispatched on other trips

Configuring the display of trailer availability data

Example 1: Order with no splits

Example 2: Split trip

Example 3: Trip with a Post Unload

Identifying the mileage interfaces your company uses

Order Entry and Dispatch use mileages to calculate estimated times of arrival and distances between locations. In addition, Order Entry and Invoicing use mileages to calculate billing charges that are based on mileage.

Where do these mileages come from? TMWSuite’s mileage figures are stored in the TMWSuite mileage database or in a purchased mileage database. To find the mileage between two locations, TMWSuite first looks to its own mileage table. If it cannot find the mileage there, it tries to find a match in a third party database. If a mileage value is found, it is stored in the TMWSuite mileage database for future reference.

You can base your mileage figures on shortest miles, practical miles, or a figure negotiated by your company and its customers. Each mileage type is stored and referenced in the TMWSuite mileage database.

Different applications in TMWSuite can be set up to use different mileage databases and lookup types, e.g., shortest or practical. For example, Order Entry and Invoicing always use the same mileage lookup method because they are records of the services the customer requested and they determine how the customer will be billed for those services. Although Order Entry and Invoicing frequently are configured to use shortest miles, Dispatch and Settlements often are set to use practical miles to more accurately reflect true mileages for planning and driver payment purposes. The mileage lookup settings used by your company are located in the [MileageType] and [MileageInterface] sections of the TTS50.ini file.

You configure mileage interface information using settings in the TTS50.ini file. The following settings are among the most critical in ensuring that TMWSuite and your mileage interface(s) work together properly:

[MileageInterface]
XFace[1]
Type[1]
Path[1]
Response[1]
XFace[2]
Type[2]
Path[2]
XFace[3]
Type[3]
Path[3]
XFace[4]
Type[4]
Path[4]
XFace[5]
Type[5]
Path[5]
Applies to / TMWSuite3/27/17 DJ: TBT in Ops, Fuel, Back Office
Description / Three settings must exist for each mileage interface you are using:

XFace[x]
Type[x]
Path[x]

If you are using interfaces to server installations of Rand MileMaker, you must also have a fourth setting, Response[x].
A number in brackets follows each of these settings. This number serves as the unique identifier for a specific interface. The system uses these numbers to distinguish between mileage interfaces. You use them as options for the settings contained in the [MileageType] section.
For example, suppose you have these entries in the [MileageInterface] section of your TTS50:
XFace[2]=A - ALK
Type[2]=P - Practical
Path[2]='DLL'
If you have [MileageType]Billing=2, the system will use the ALK mileage interface's practical mileage calculation method to determine billing miles on orders.
Options forXFace[x]= / Identifies the mileage application the interface will use. The options are:

A – ALK
P – Rand MileMaker
I – Rand IntelliRoute
M – Manual

Note: You can also use just the first letter of an option as your entry for a setting. For example, an entry for Rand MileMaker could be just the single character, P.
Options for Type[x]= / Identifies the mileage calculation method the interface will use. Each option can be used only with certain mileage applications.
The following options can only be used with ALK (XFace[x]=A) and Rand MileMaker (XFace[x]=P):

P – Practical
S – Shortest

The following options can only be used with ALK (XFace[x]=A):

N – National
T – Toll Discouraged
F – Fifty Three
A – Air Miles

The following options can only be used with Rand IntelliRoute (XFace[x]=I):

HA - MM HHG Audit
HB - MM HHG Full
LB - Lowest Cost With SMB
LR - Lowest Cost Only
MI - MM HHG Mileage
PB - MM Practical with SMB
PM - MM Practical Mileage
PR - MM Practical Only
QB - Quickest with SMB
QM - Quickest Mileage
QR - Quickest Only

The following option can only be used with manual interfaces (XFace[x]=M):

A – Actual (hub)

Note: You can also use just the initial letter(s) of an option as your entry for a setting. For example, an entry for Shortest could be just the single character S, and an entry for Lowest Cost with SMB could be just the characters LB.
Options for Path[x]= / Identifies the installed location of the mileage program used by the interface. The options are:

‘DLL’

Use this option for local installations of ALK. You must enclose your entry in single quotes.

‘RANDDLL’

Use this option for local installations of Rand MileMaker. You must enclose your entry in single quotes.

User-defined path

Enter the path to the LAN Interface‘s request folder. For example, Path[1]=r:\mmaker32\request.
Do not include spaces in your entry.

tmwutil

This option is used for LAN Server installations of IntelliRoute.
Note: TMWSuite's interface to IntelliRoute was developed for LAN Server installations of IntelliRoute. Interfaces to IntelliRoute may not work for standalone installations, that is, with IntelliRoute installed on the same computer as TMWSuite.
Options for Response[x]= / This setting is used only for server installations of Rand MileMaker. Enter the path to the LAN Interface's response folder. For example, Response[1]=r:\mmaker32\ans_dir.
Do not include spaces in your entry.

Specifying the mileage interface to be used for routing

The Operations= setting in the [MileageType] section of the TTS50.ini file indicates which mileage interface should be used by Dispatch. You must specify the sequential number used in the [Mileage Interface] section (XFACE[#], TYPE[#] and PATH[#]) that represents the interface to be used by the TMWSuite module. The default options are:

Rand Shortest (HHG)

ALK Shortest

ALK Practical

Rand Practical

Actual (used for manually recorded mileages, such as hub entries)

Specifying the mileage interface to be used for billing

The Billing= setting in the [MileageType] section of the TTS50.ini file indicates which mileage interface should be used by Order Entry and Invoicing. You must specify the sequential number used in the [MileageInterface] section (XFACE[#], TYPE[#] and PATH[#]) that represents the interface to be used by the TMWSuite module. The default options are:

Rand Shortest (HHG)

ALK Shortest

ALK Practical

Rand Practical

Actual (used for manually recorded mileages, such as hub entries)

Note: The Billing= setting will be overridden if a different mileage interface is specified in the Bill Miles field on the Bill To’s company profile.

Determining whether mileage lookups are by city, company, ZIPCode, or longitude/latitude

The DefaultLookupBy= setting in the [MileageInterface] section of the TTS50.ini file determines the default mileage lookup process the system is to use to find the mileage between two locations. If the system is unable to find the mileage between the two points using the lookup method specified, mileage is returned as NOF (not on file):

[MileageInterface]
Setting / Description
DefaultLookupBy= / This setting determines the system-wide default method the system will use to look up miles.
Notes:

This setting is not dependent on any mileage interface, however, your mileage table must be pre-populated. If the mileage cannot be found in TMWSuite, then the mileage interface comes into play.
Unless otherwise noted, all options work with both ALK’s PC*MILER and Rand McNally mileage interfaces.
ZIP Code mileage lookups are based on the ZIP Code's primary post office location. City mileage lookups are based on the city's main post office location, usually near the center of the city.

The options are:

“Z”

Zip-to-Zip
Notes:

If the mileage is not on file in your mileage interface, the system will perform additional searches in this order:

Zip to Company
Company to Zip
Zip to City
City to Zip
City to City
To use Rand McNally for zip code-to-zip code mileage verification, you must be using Rand V. 17 or later. Your TTS50.ini file must include the RandVersion= setting in the [MileageInterface] section. You enter the version number as the value for this setting. For example: RandVersion=17.

You must be using the RANDDLL.

“C”

City-to-city only
Note: The system only looks for City-to-City miles. If the mileage is not on file in your mileage interface, the system will not attempt to use a different lookup method.
DefaultLookupBy= / (cont.)

“O”

Company-to-company
Note: If the mileage is not on file in your mileage interface, the system will perform additional searches in this order:

Company to Zip
Zip to Company
Company to City
City to Company
Zip to Zip
Zip to City
City to Zip
City to City

“OC”

Company-to-company; if company-to-company is unsuccessful, use city-to-city.
Note: If city-to-city is unsuccessful, no other lookups will be attempted

“OO”

Company-to-company only.

“L”

Longitude/latitude-to-longitude/latitude
Notes:

This option is applicable only for TMWSuite clients who use PC*Miler|Streets Version 14 or higher. You can assign latitude and longitude information to an individual company or to a group of companies.
If the mileage is not on file in your mileage interface, the system will perform additional searches in this order:

Zip to Zip
City to City

DefaultLookupBy="C" (default)

For most of the DefaultLookupBy= options, if the mileage is not on file in your mileage interface, the system attempts to use a different lookup method. This table indicates the lookup sequence TMWSuite uses, as determined by the option specified in the DefaultLookupBy= setting:

INI setting / Lookup sequence used to find mileage
DefaultLookupBy="C" / The system looks only for City-to-City miles.
DefaultLookupBy="O" / The search order for the mileage is:

Company-to-Company
Company-to-Zip
Zip-to-Company
Company-to-City
City-to-Company
Zip-to-Zip
Zip-to-City
City-to-Zip
City-to-City

DefaultLookupBy="Z" / The search order for the mileage is:

Zip-to-Zip
Zip-to-Company
Company-to-Zip
Zip-to-City
City-to-Zip
City-to-City

DefaultLookupBy="OC" / The search order for the mileage is:

Company-to-Company
City-to-City

If “City-to-City” is unsuccessful, no other lookups are attempted.
DefaultLookupBy="OO" / The system only looks for “Company-to-Company” miles.
+DefaultLookupBy="L" / The search order for the mileage is:

Longitude/Latitude to Longitude/Latitude
Zip-to-Zip
City-to-City

Using zip to zip lookups with Rand as your mileage interface

Zip to zip lookups require Rand Version 17 or later. Using the RandVersion= setting, you must specify the Rand version you are using in the [MileageInterface] section of your TTS50. For example, RandVersion=17. You must be using the RANDDLL.

Note: Zip to zip lookups are supported by all versions of ALK’s PC*Miler mileage interface.

Using latitude/longitude to look up mileage

Four TTS50.ini settings are used to configure the latitude/longitude lookup feature:

MappingInstalled=PCMILERSTREETSNEW in the [PCMilerMap] section is used to activate the latitude/longitude feature. This setting makes the Get Lat/Long button available in the company file.
DefaultLookupBy=”L” in the [MileageInterface] section tells the system to use latitude/longitude as the default method for looking up miles.
The DefaultLatitude= setting in the[Internationalize] section determines whether latitudes should be considered North or South.

For companies in the northern hemisphere.

Note: This is the default value for this setting.

For companies in the southern hemisphere.

The DefaultLongitude= setting in the [Internationalize] section determines whether longitudes should be considered East or West.

For companies in the western hemisphere.

Note: This is the default value for this setting.

For companies in the eastern hemisphere.

Recording latitude and longitude information in the company profile

You can assign latitude and longitude information to an individual company or to a group of companies.

Assigning latitude and longitude information to an individual company

To populate an individual company’s Lat and Long fields:

Open the company’s profile in File Maintenance.
Do one of the following:

To have the system populate the fields, click the Get Lat/Long button.
Manually enter latitude and longitude information in the Lat and Long fields.

Assigning latitude and longitude information to a group of companies

Follow these steps to populate the Lat and Long fields for a group of companies:

In File Maintenance, select Edit > Populate Company Lat/Long. The Mass Lat/Long Assignment window displays.

In the From Company and To Company fields, enter company IDs to select a group of companies to be retrieved.

Notes:

The system will retrieve a list of all companies that are alphabetically within the range you entered in the From Company and To Company fields.
To retrieve all companies, leave UNKNOWN in the From Company and To Company fields.

In the Display Options section, select either:

Show all companies

Show all companies in the range specified in the From Company and To Company fields.

Show only companies with missing lat/long

Show all companies in the range specified in the From Company and To Company fields that are missing latitude/longitude information.

If you selected the Show all companies option in Step 3 and you want to replace existing latitude/longitude entries, select the Replace existing lat/longs check box.
Click Retrieve. The system lists all the companies you specified.