The most common workflow to build the first routing solution (collection of routes) for a group of orders is the Route Building Wizard. The Route Building Wizard begins with the route planning tab and the Build Routes button in the empty route column. Don’t worry about making mistakes in the wizard. Anything done in the wizard can be easily undone.
Route Dates (Orders)
When the wizard workflow is started, you will be asked to specify the dates for the orders selected to build routes. All the orders available for the dates selected will be checked by default for route building.
If you need to remove some orders from this list or change the time interval of the earliest and latest orders, filtering time and date entries can be used during this step of the wizard. Unloaded orders can be sorted by any column, or additional columns can be added to find specific orders or groups of orders which need to be omitted for routing.
After selecting orders for routing, click Next to proceed to the next step. You can cancel the wizard at any time by clicking Close.
Truck Profile
The second step of the wizard is the selection of the truck profile and/or the specific trucks to be used for the routing solution. Select the truck profile to be used and the individual trucks. If some trucks are not available, uncheck the box next to the idle truck. Make sure the truck dispatch date is correct. Click Next.
Boundary Files
You are given the option to select a boundary file for the routing boundaries. If you are not using a boundary file (fully dynamic routing), choose No Boundary File.
If your organization is using geographical boundaries to guide the Route Building Wizard’s routing areas, select a boundary file already uploaded, or upload a locally stored boundary drawing file (.drw) created in DirectRoute. For more information on boundary files see the larger section on boundaries and boundary files later in this guide. Click Next to continue.
The last step in the wizard is the preview pane. The preview pane provides a summary of the previous selections before the automated route-building solution commences. You still have the opportunity to return to the previous steps and modify the selections. If you return to the previous steps you can continue and complete the workflow from that location. The last choice to be made is to decide whether to optimize routes after loading. Checking this box will perform additional “between route” and “sequence” optimization for the best, most cost-effective routing solution. To start the automated action to create a routing solution, click Build Routes.
Routing Results
When the route building wizard has completed, the route planning tab will list the fewest number of routes possible for the trucks, boundaries, and orders selected. The route cards will be stacked in the Routes column. The map will show all the routes plotted in color-coded lines and stops, and the Route comparison statistics (each route distance, cost, and stop count) in the Statistics panel at the bottom of the page. The Summary statistics in the footer at the bottom of the page show the total of the following:
- the number of routes created.
- the number of stops (might be less than the number of orders due to consolidated stops).
- the number of orders on routes.
- the number of remaining unloaded orders.
- mileage of all routes.
- the work hours of all routes.
- the cost for all routes.
If you are unhappy with the results of the routing solution, you can edit the routes using some of the tools and techniques described later in this manual, or you can choose to start over by selecting all the routes in the route column, choosing the action button, and “unloading and deleting all routes”. This will create the starting list of unloaded orders and delete all the created routes. You can then restart the route-building process.