Here's a preview video of what's new in this release:

New features included in this release

NOTE: Barcode verification on All Fields has been removed to improve the performance. All accounts that were set on All fields are changed to Automatically Generated and will result in a barcode with the OrderId-000S  where OrderId is the ID of the order and S is the numeric increment on the parcel. For more information see below.

• Several new features for Order Template and Recurring Orders have been introduced. It's now possible to: 
  • To improve Dispatch Science performance a new message was added on the DIspatch Board that appears every half hour of inactivity. 
  • The  POST /api/v1/drivers/{id}/track-history API call used to get the track history from the driver will no longer include the snapping to the route
  • Quickly change a user on an Order template
  • Copy a recurrence
  • Run recurring orders on custom dates

• Deadhead management capabilities have been enhanced
• Multi-segment orders can now have custom pick-up and delivery windows that override the posted standard service level window
• New route dispatching capabilities have been introduced. It's now possible to:
  • Dispatch a single route in a route container
  • Override the default warehouse on a route
  • Move an on-demand order over to a route
  • Easily move a routed order to another route plan in the future
  • Create zip code-based route plans
  • Create cascading route plans. In these, routed orders that don't fit into a level X container, will automatically be assigned to a level Y container

Other new features

• Dispatch Science now supports Euro and Mexican Pesos currencies
• Exception codes are fully enabled (Drivers must use version 1.40 of the Driver App or greater)
• A new Refresh link has been added for creation of multi-segment orders:
• Barcode management capabilities have been enhanced
• A new ZIP/Postal code column is now available on the customer web portal order list

Definition

The release notes refer to different sections of the application:

Back Office: Where Customer Service Representatives (CSR) create and edit orders, create accounts, review drivers, etc.

Dispatch Board: Where Dispatchers assign orders to drivers, get notifications for invalid orders, etc.

Auto-Dispatch: This section refers to the automated order assignment setup and its process.

Administration: This section is in the Back Office but refers to sections only an administrator will use like Settings and Pricing.

Customer Portal: Where account users log in to create orders, view their order history, enter a credit card, etc.

Tracking site: Where customers enter a tracking number like the order ID or a reference number to view the status of their order.

OData: Data fields and variables saved in OData

Account API: API provided to your accounts to create, update and get orders. For documentation, please follow this link:https://api.dispatchscience.com/
Tenant API: API provided to you to create orders for your accounts, retrieve invoices and change invoice status. For documentation, please follow this link: https://api.dispatchscience.com/  

Back Office

Account Scan Fields Modification 

The All Fields selection in the Scan Fields, in the Account Order Profile section, will be removed in the following weeks. Any account with this selection is changed to an auto-generated number using the OrderID followed by a dash and a sequential number of 4 numbers starting with 3 zeros for each parcel. 

To keep using the Order Id or the Reference Field for scanning without custom formatting:

1) Open the Account, then the Order Options.

2) In the Scan Fields, select the field you wish to use for scanning. 

3) Save

Recurring Orders

It's now possible to change the defined customer user on any order template. This way, if a user leaves a company, it's easy to replace him or her on the order template.

How to:

Before changing the user on a template, ensure the new target user is listed as a user for that company.

1) Go to Orders -> Recurring Orders -> Order Templates, and select an order template. The completed order will appear, and you will see a new Edit option in the Customer Info section:

2) Start typing the client company name:

3) Select the new user from the dropdown and click Save:

4) You will see the new user on the template:

Recurring Orders

It's now possible to copy a recurrence. This makes it fast and easy to create multiple similar recurrences in the system. 

How to:

1) Go to Orders -> Recurring Orders and select a recurring order from the list. Then click on the drop-down arrow next to Save, and select Copy from the dropdown:

2) Type a name for the new recurrence and click Save:

A new Recurrence that you can edit will appear on the list of recurrences.

Recurring Orders

It's now possible to setup additional recurrences to run at specific extra dates.

How to:

1) Go to Orders -> Recurring Orders and select a recurring order from the list. Then click on the Exceptions button:

2) An Exceptions dialog box will popup. While previously it was possible to add Exclusions to a recurrence, it's now also possible to add Inclusions, meaning extra dates when the recurrence must also occur. Simply click on the calendar icon in the Date to add section and select a calendar date when to add the occurrence. Click Add to add a date. 

3) Repeat the process to add more than one date, and click Save when done:

4) A warning icon will now appear next to the Exceptions button. The list of new inclusions will popup when you hover over the icon

Pricing Enhancement - Deadhead

The calculation and determination of additional charges travelling from or to a warehouse or other location before arriving at a pickup location, or returning after completing a delivery (Deadhead) has been improved. 

The warehouse travelling determination now comes from the price list determined by failover rules, rather than the initial pricelist. This change allows specific service levels to be used on the last failover price list and apply the travelling distance charges to only those service levels.

Multi-Segment Order Templates

It is now possible to create separate service level override windows for each step of a multi-segment order template. 

Dispatch Board

Dispatch Board Refresh

To improve performance, after 60 minutes of inactivity, the Dashboard will cease to refresh and a message will appear. To restart the refreshing on the Dashboard, simply click on the link in the message.   

Routes

It is now possible to dispatch a single route within a route container. This makes it easier for a dispatcher to launch routes for individual vehicles one-by-one rather than wait for all routes to be finalized.

To dispatch a single route, first ensure a driver is assigned to it. Then click on the menu icon, and select DISPATCH ROUTE:

It's now also possible to override the default warehouse for a route by clicking on CHANGE WAREHOUSE OPTIONS, on the same menu:

This will open a dialog box where new pickup or delivery warehouse locations can be specified, as well as the option to modify the the route's ending location:  

Move Orders to Routes

It is now possible to assign on-demand orders to a route.

How to:

1) Go to the on-demand dispatch map and select a non-dispatched order, then click on the action button. A new MOVE TO ROUTE action is now available:

The Move to Route dialog will popup:

2) Select the target Route Plan from the dropdown:

3) Select a Route Container:

4) Once you've selected a Route Container, you will be able to select the route on which to send the order:

5) Click MOVE to complete the process:

The order is now shown as a Routed order on the dispatch map:

NOTE: You must always select a route that is still in planning stage when attempting to move an on-demand order to a route, otherwise the move will fail.

INFO: The same feature is also available on the dispatch Grid.

Routed Orders - Move to future route plan

Previously, the way to move a routed order to a future route plan was to use the Move to Next Route option until the target date was reached. Now, it's much easier to quickly move an order to a future route. 

Here's how:

1) Select and open an order on a route:

2) Select a new target Ready at date and time (and then click Save):

3) Return to the dispatch map, select the order, then on the action button, select MOVE TO ROUTE:

4) Select the target Route Plan, and in Route Containers, select the (Use configuration) option, then click on MOVE:

The order will be placed in the route associated with that new target Ready At date and time.

This feature is particularly useful on orders where a customer decides to postpone the planned delivery to a specific future date.

Route Zones

Previously, route zone definitions were based upon KML files. Now, it's also possible to create route zones based on zip codes.

Here's how:

1) First go to Orders -> Routes and select New Route. A new checkmark option called Zip Based has been added.

To create a Zip code  based route, complete the New Route information as usual, and check Zip Based instead of Map Based when creating the route

2) The Route plan details will popup, but the KML file import section is now replaced by a Zones section. To create each Zip based zone, click the Add button on the right side:

3) A Create Zone popup will appear. Give the zone a name, and insert (or copy/paste) the set of zip codes you want to associate with the Zone, then finish completing the required information:

NOTE: Separate each zip code with the ";" symbol.

3) Repeat the process by clicking on Add for each new zone you want to add:

You have now created a Zip code-based Route.

Routes - Cascading Route Plans

Dispatch Science has added an option to rank a route plan. This means that it's now possible to create any number of route plans and to give each one a rank. The system will automatically attempt to place a new order from a specific client with a specific service level in the highest ranked route. If the order does not meet the zone requirement associated with that route, instead of adding it to an unmapped zone, it will automatically attempt to place it in the second level route. If that fails as well, the third ranked one would be selected, and if no more ranked routes are available, it will search through unranked routes matching the account with service level until the order finds a suitable route and zone. If none are found, it will be placed in the unmapped zone of the lowest ranked route or if an unranked route plan exists, in the unranked route.

Adding a rank to a route is simply a matter of selecting a Rank from the new Rank dropdown menu item in the Edit Route dialog box:

To see the ranking of different routes, go to Orders -> Routes, and check their rank on the table: