Optimization Profiles – Route Optimization Templates

Route4Me’s Route Optimization Profiles make your route planning and last-mile optimization process faster, more efficient, and especially convenient. Optimization Profiles are customizable optimization settings templates. You can create one or multiple Optimization Profiles and then easily re-use them to optimize hundreds of thousands of routes without having to specify the settings of each route manually every time.

Optimization Profiles are extremely flexible and easy to use. You can add multiple routing business rules, optimization constraints, pre-assign vehicles and drivers, pre-schedule future routes, etc. To use profiles, simply add addresses and select the preferred Optimization Profile. Route4Me will automatically optimize, schedule, and dispatch the most optimal routes for you.

You can create Optimization Profiles for specific vehicles or drivers, different customer types, various field services or seasonal services, unique business goals, and so on.

Furthermore, you can share your Optimization Profiles with other team members. Without having to manually adjust the settings of each route, they will not only save hundreds of hours of planning time but also avoid making mistakes.

 

 

Create New Route Optimization Profiles for Your Account

To create a new Route Optimization Profile, go to “Optimization Profiles” from the navigation menu. Next, click on the “Create New Profile” button and then customize the profile settings.

Create a new route optimization profile in your Route4Me account.

 

General Route Optimization Profile Settings

First, in the “General” tab, you can customize the following profile settings:

Add optimization profile name, service time override, route name, assigned user and vehicle, etc.

SettingsDescription
Profile NameName the profile. You can then select your Optimization Profiles by profile name when optimizing routes.
Route NameRoutes optimized using this profile will automatically inherit the specified Route Name. Additionally, when splitting a set of addresses into multiple routes, each optimized route will have the same Route Name, prefixed with its respective route part number.
Route Start TimeRoutes optimized using this profile will start at the specified Route Start Time. Additionally, you can select a different Route Start Date each time you use this profile. NOTE: If you don’t specify the Route Start Time, routes optimized using this profile will start at 12:00 AM by default.
Service TimeSelect “Use Stop Service Time” for route stops to keep the service times specified in the uploaded spreadsheet.  Select “Override Service Time” to override the service times specified in the uploaded spreadsheet. Accordingly, all stops on the optimized routes will get the same specified service time. Learn more about using Route Stops Service Times.
AssignmentIn the “Driver” dropdown list, you can select the user that will be automatically assigned to the routes optimized using this profile. Similarly, in the “Vehicle” dropdown list, you can select the vehicle that will be automatically assigned to the routes optimized using this profile. Learn more about dispatching routes to drivers and dispatching routes to vehicles.

 

Optimization Route Optimization Profile Settings

Next, in the “Optimization” tab, you can customize the main Optimization Profile settings. NOTE: Your Optimization Profiles can support multiple features and constraints enabled through the respective add-ons. To enable additional features for your Optimization Profiles, you can use the Feature Manager or reach out to the Route4Me Support Team.

Add route optimization profile settings, route end option, stops distribution, business rules and optimization constraints, etc.

SettingsDescription
Route StartRoutes optimized using this profile will start from the specified address. Respectively, Round Trip routes will start and end at the same Route Start Address.
Route EndSelect the preferred option where the routes optimized using this profile will end. End Route at Any AddressRoute4Me will automatically end each optimized route at the most optimal address. End Route at Departure Address (Round Trip): Optimized routes will start and end at the same address/depot.
Balance RoutesPlan a specific number of routes with an equal number of stops per route. To do so, enable the “Balance Routes” setting, select the “Based on Number of Stops” balance mode, and then specify the preferred number of output routes. Additionally, you can learn more about Route Balancing Optimization and Stops Distribution.
Minimize RoutesOptimize the most optimal number of routes based on the specified business rules and constraints. To do so, enable the “Minimize Routes” option and then specify the maximum number of routes that can be optimized with a set of added or uploaded addresses. Route4Me will automatically account for all specified business rules and optimization constraints and output the most optimal number of routes that doesn’t exceed the specified Maximum Number of Routes.
Business RulesAdd business rules and optimization constraints based on your unique routing requirements, vehicle capacity, and business needs: Max Weight per Route, Max Cube per Route, Max Revenue per Route, Max Pieces per Route, Max Route Duration, Max Route Distance, and Max Number of Stops per Route. Route4Me will automatically distribute and sequence route stops based on the specified constraints.
Ignore Time WindowsA Time Window is the time interval when a specific route stop can be visited and serviced. If you want to disable all Time Windows on the added/uploaded stops, check the “Ignore Time Windows” checkbox. Additionally, learn more about Routing with the Time Windows Optimization Constraint.

 

Additionally, you can use the following advanced route optimization constraints and features in your Optimization Profiles:

Adjust optimization profile advanced settings such as optimization fine-tuning, mixed fleet routing, etc.

SettingsDescription
Mixed Fleet Optimize routes for vehicles with different capacity profiles. First, check the “Use Vehicles with Various Capacity Profiles” box. Next, click on the “Manage Vehicles” button and then select vehicles with the preferred Vehicle Capacity Profiles. Route4Me will automatically use the maximum capacity of each selected vehicle based on the capacity requirements of the added/uploaded stops. Additionally, learn more about creating Capacity Profiles and using the Mixed Vehicles Fleet Route Optimization.
Adjustment – Slow DownService Time Slowdown extends the Service Time of each route stop by the adjusted percentage. Travel Time Slowdown extends the Total Route Travel Time by the adjusted percentage. You can use the Service Time and Travel Time Slowdowns to account for heavy traffic, time of the day, extreme weather conditions, etc.
Optimization Fine-TuningOptimization Fine-Tuning enables you to prioritize Route Distance, Travel Time, and Wait Time optimization parameters by a specific percentage. To do so, adjust the preferred priority percentage for the Distance, Travel Time, and Wait Time parameters using the respective toggles. For example, when you prioritize Distance, Route4Me optimizes routes with the shortest route distance. Additionally, learn more about using Route Optimization Fine-Tuning.

 

Bundling Route Optimization Profile Settings

In the “Bundling” tab, you can enable and customize the Stops Bundling settings. Stops Bundling allows you to group stops with the same address or coordinates into bundles so that stops in the same geographical region can be visited and serviced together.

First, enable Stops Bundling by checking the respective box. Next, select the preferred grouping option (by location or address) and then customize the Service Time Bundling Rules. Additionally, learn more about using Stops Bundling.

Add route stops bundling rules in the optimization profile settings.

 

After creating your Optimization Profiles, they instantly become available for planning and optimizing routes. The first created Optimization Profile automatically became your Default Optimization Profile.

Equally important, your sub-users can also see and use your Optimization Profiles.

Create and set the default route optimization profile.

 

Use Route Optimization Profiles to Optimize Last-Mile Routes

First, go to “Plan New Route” from the navigation menu and then select the preferred method for adding or uploading addresses: Interactive Map Editor, Copy and Paste, Upload a File, or Import Data. Next, you can use the pre-selected Default Optimization Profile or select another preferred Optimization Profile from the list. You can select and use only one Optimization Profile per the set of added or uploaded addresses.

If you don’t want to use Optimization Profiles, you can click on the “Skip” button and manually customize your optimization settings.

Select a route optimization profile when planning routes.

 

Optimized routes inherit the Route Name and are scheduled for the Start Time specified in the used Optimization Profile.

Additionally, optimized routes are dispatched to the selected User (Driver) and Vehicle. You can dispatch routes to other drivers and dispatch routes to other vehicles by re-assigning them.

Using route optimization profiles with custom optimization settings to plan routes.

 

Manage and Edit Route Optimization Profiles

To open and manage your Optimization Profiles, go to “Optimization Profiles” from the navigation menu. To edit an Optimization Profile, click on the three dots menu icon next to the profile and then select the preferred action.

NOTE: Sub-users can see, edit, and use the Optimization Profiles created by the users they report to. Accordingly, you can see and use the Optimization Profiles created by the user you report to, and your sub-users can see and use your profiles. Learn more about Route4Me’s user types, team hierarchy, and account-level permissions.

Manage route optimization profiles and edit profile settings.

ActionDescription
RenameChange the name of the Optimization Profile.
EditUpdate the settings and parameters of the Optimization Profile.
DuplicateCreate a copy of the Optimization Profile.
Set as DefaultSet the profile as the Default Optimization Profile. The Default Optimization Profile is automatically pre-selected when planning routes.
RemoveDelete the Optimization Profile. This action can’t be undone. NOTE: You can’t delete the Default Optimization Profile. If you want to delete the Default Optimization Profile, set another profile as the default first.

 

 

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Route4Me has over 35,000 customers globally. Route4Me's Android and iPhone mobile apps have been downloaded over 2 million times since 2009. Extremely easy-to-use, Route4Me's apps create optimized routes, synchronize routes to mobile devices, enable communication with drivers and customers, offer turn-by-turn directions, delivery confirmation, and more. Behind the scenes, Route4Me's operational optimization platform combines high-performance algorithms with data science, machine learning, and big data to plan, optimize, and analyze routes of almost any size in real-time.

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