How to Create a Multi-Segment Orders

Dispatch Science supports Multi-Segment Orders, allowing users to create orders that consist of one Master Order with two or more Internal Segment Orders.

• Customers only see the Master Order.

• Dispatchers have full visibility and dispatching control over each Internal Segment.

This feature is especially useful for shipments that pass through one or more warehouses before reaching the final destination (e.g., Hub & Spoke configurations or Long Haul segments). Each Internal Segment is treated like a complete order for dispatch purposes, and optimization is triggered independently at every stage of the journey.

It’s essential to understand the difference between Multi-Segment Orders and Continuation Orders. Learn more about how they compare.

Benefits

• Extends Dispatch Science beyond Last Mile delivery.

• Provides carriers with full first-to-last mile chain of custody, visibility, and management within one platform.

• Shippers interact only with the Master Order, keeping their experience simple while carriers manage the complexity.

Multi-Segment Orders in Back Office

Creating a Multi-Segment Order

Manual creation is a two-step process:

⚠️ Note: Internal Segments cannot be created once the Master Order has been dispatched.

1. Create the Master Order

   • Manually create the order (origin → final destination).

   • Do not dispatch the order yet.

2. Add Internal Segments

   • Select the Master Order.

   • From the New Order dropdown, choose Create Multi-Segment Order.
     

   • In the popup window, enter the Hub (warehouse/transit station) address and any optional notes, then click Confirm.
     

   • By default:

     • The first segment is created from the origin → hub.

     • The second segment is created from the hub → final destination.

3. Add Additional Hubs (if needed)

   • Click + Add Hub to insert another transfer point.

   • Manually refresh your screen to see new segments.

   • Each segment is linked, so the delivery address of one segment becomes the pickup address of the next.
     

4. Segment Identification

   • Segment orders use the same number as the Master Order, with an added “.x” suffix (e.g., 12345.1, 12345.2).

   • A symbol indicates orders belonging to a Multi-Segment group.

5. Review & Edit Segments

   • Click on a segment order number to adjust details such as:

     • Ready At time

     • Pickup/Delivery windows

   • ⚠️ If not updated, the system applies the Master Order’s time windows to all segments.

   • Items are managed only at the Master Order level, not within segments

Multi-Segment Orders in the Customer Portal

• Customers see only the Master Order.

• Internal Segment details remain hidden.

Multi-Segment Order Templates

• Available for Order Templates in Back Office (Recurring Orders).

• Not supported for:

  • CSR Templates

  • Self-Service Templates

• The Create Template option (from the Order Details menu) is unavailable for Multi-Segment Orders.

Summary

The Multi-Segment Order feature enables carriers to manage complex, multi-step shipments within Dispatch Science, while keeping the customer experience simple and streamlined. With this release, carriers can expand services beyond Last Mile delivery and manage the entire journey—from pickup to final destination—all within a single platform.