Flat Files are used to provide the software specifics concerning your customers and fleets. Creating and/or updating these files are key steps that must be done to initiate any scheduling project.

SchedulePro Stop File: The Stop File is normally a tab-delimited text file (.xlsx, .xls, .stp) or a comma-delimited file (.csv), typically created from a Customer Master File, and contains order information for each customer, i.e. address, time windows, expected delivery days, volume, loading instructions, etc.
SchedulePro Truck File: The Truck File contains information relating to the delivery fleet, including driver and truck assignments, availability, start and end times, vehicle capacities, work rules, etc.
SchedulePro Pattern File: The Pattern File lists the days and frequency that may be assigned to the customer throughout the planning period.

For sample Stop and Truck Files, see About Route Files.

SchedulePro Stop File

The Stop File is a spreadsheet that contains the customers’ order and delivery information. Key fields represented in the Stop File include order ID1, Volume, Delivery Date, Address, and any special delivery rules. Optional data fields can also be used to manage customer schedules and territories, provide statistical data, generate reports, and/or generate additional Route Files.

If you already have one, or a spreadsheet with the required customer information, it can be used in the SchedulePro project if it contains the required data columns. If you do not already have a Stop File, a new one can be created that will automatically populate the necessary header columns and allow manual input of all customer data. Use the SchedulePro Stop File Fields Table to help complete the required columns. Additional optional data fields can also be included if needed (ref. Stop File Fields and Descriptions Table).

Create/Update the SchedulePro Stop File

From the menu, select File > Open > Stop, or File > New > Stop.
Update or enter each customer’s data directly into columns on the spreadsheet or double-click on each row to launch the Stop Dialog box and update/enter all the data for each customer in one window.
Geocode the Stop File to locate and fill the correct Lat/Long for each record in the file (Ref. Geocoding Records).

When completed, the file should be saved in the project folder (DirectRoute Data Folder).

SchedulePro Truck File

The Truck File is a spreadsheet that contains all the information about the fleet that will be used to make deliveries. Each row in the file represents a truck on which the stops can be loaded.

The Volume Allocation version of SchedulePro requires one truck per driver per day, or one truck per day which references the total capacity for all trucks on that given day. These must be single-day trucks, each dispatching and returning on the same Edate and Ldate. SchedulePro’s Volume Allocation algorithm does not understand overnight vehicles or vehicles that could start before midnight on the previous day, such as a dispatch of 2300 on Sunday for a route that makes its deliveries on Monday. If these two types of trucks are required (vehicles that can perform overnight routes or vehicles that must dispatch before midnight of the previous day), a different truck file must be used for Route creation and Sequencing in DirectRoute once you complete the scheduling portion of the SchedulePro project.

If you already have a Truck File or a spreadsheet with vehicle and depot information (such as one that might have been used in TerritoryPro), it can be used in the SchedulePro project provided it contains the required data columns. If you do not already have a Truck File, a new one can be created that will automatically populate the necessary header columns and allow manual input of all customer data. Use the SchedulePro Truck File Fields Table to assist in completing the required columns. Additional optional data fields can also be included if needed (ref. Truck File Fields and Descriptions Table).

NOTE: SchedulePro's truck file is required for each day you are building. DirectRoute's truck file understands the overall operation. To properly build for SchedulePro, you will need to supply both of these files.

Create/Update the SchedulePro Truck File

From the menu, select File > Open > Truck, or File > New > Truck.
Enter each vehicle’s data directly into each column of the spreadsheet, or double-click on each row to open the Truck Dialog box and update/enter all the data for each vehicle in one window.
Geocode the Truck File to locate the correct Lat/Long for each record listed in the file (Ref. Geocoding Records).

When completed, the file should be saved in the project folder (DirectRoute Data Folder).

SchedulePro Pattern File

The Pattern File, sometimes referred to as a Pattern Library, is a text file that details the number of times that a stop may be serviced (Frequency) and when (Day) that stop may be serviced. This is done by assigning a pattern to the various frequencies used.

Create/Update the Pattern Data File

The Pattern Data File is created as a spreadsheet file (.xls) with eight (8) columns. Once the file has been completed, it should be saved and stored in the DirectRoute Data Folder, where it can be used for multiple SchedulePro projects.

First Column: Pattern Identifier. This identifies the frequency and day of the week (1M = 1x week on Monday, 2MW = 2x week on Monday and Wednesday).

EXAMPLE: 1M = 1X a week (Monday); 2MF = 2X a week (Monday, Friday); 3MWF = 3X a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Second and subsequent columns: Each column represents a day of the week, beginning with Sunday; enter the Volume Allocation (weekly volume divided by Frequency) for each Pattern Identifier. There can be a maximum of eight subsequent columns.
EXAMPLE: 1 = 100% weekly volume; 0.5 = 1⁄2 (one-half) the weekly volume; 0.25 = 1⁄4 (one quarter) the volume; 0.333 = 1⁄3 (one third) the volume (with 0.333 and 0.334 = 100%)

Pattern Data File Sample Table

1 M	1
1 T		1
1 W			1
1 R				1
1 F					1
2 MR	0.5			0.5
2 TF		0.5			0.5
2 MW	0.5		0.5
2 MF	0.5				0.5
2 TR		0.5		0.5
2 WF			0.5		0.5
3 MWF	0.333				0.334
3 MTR	0.333	0.333		0.334
3 MWR	0.333		0.333	0.334
3 MTF	0.333	0.333			.0334
4 MTRF	0.25	0.25		0.25	0.25
4 MTWR	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25
4 MTWF	0.25	0.25	0.25		0.25
4 MWRF	0.25		0.25	0.25	0.25
5 MTWRF	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25

Remember to save the file and store it in the DirectRoute Data Folder, where it can be used again for multiple SchedulePro projects.

Custom Volume Allocation by Account

You may have accounts where volume is not allocated equally among the delivery days in a week. For example, let’s say you have two accounts with deliveries on Tuesdays and Thursdays (TR). However, Account 101 needs to be allocated at a 40/60 (0.4/0.6) split, while Account 102 needs to be allocated at a 70/30 (0.7/0.3) split. To do this, you need to:

In the Pattern Library, create and name separate patterns for each of the accounts. Best practice is to give each account a Pattern Identifier based on the account name. The above example with Accounts 101 and 102 would look like this:
For the allocation to work properly, you must manually update the Patterns column in the Stop File with the appropriate pattern availability for each individual account. In the example above, you would use the Account Number as the Patterns value. (Note: The Patterns column will only be available if you have either run SchedulePro at least once in the past or if you manually add it under File > Preferences > Stop User Fields.)
Under Preferences > SchedulePro, change Update Patterns to False. This prevents SchedulePro from overwriting the values that were manually populated in the Patterns column. Accounts with a blank value under Patterns will receive all appropriate pattern options based on that Account’s Frequency and Pattern1 values.

Create/Update SchedulePro Files Print