Orders Routing – Aggregate Orders And Plan Routes With Order Groups

Route4Me’s Delivery Management System enables you to easily import, sort, schedule, manage, route, and deliver hundreds of thousands of orders. For your convenience and efficiency, you can easily group orders by various parameters to create custom Order Groups and then re-use Order Groups for repeat routing. In this guide, you can learn how to group orders by ZIP Code, Custom Data values, and Group IDs, and use customized Order Groups for recurring route planning and optimization. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Territory Orders Route Planning and Optimization.

Configure Order Groups – Aggregate Orders by Custom Parameters

To open, use, and manage your Order Groups, open the Routing With Orders page. Equally important, the Routing With Orders page shows one set of custom Order Groups at a time. Accordingly, every time you configure and create a new set of Order Groups, it automatically replaces the previously created Order Groups set.

To configure and create a new set of custom Order Groups, click the “Configure Order Groups” button. After that, you can group orders by ZIP Code, Custom Data values, and Group IDs to create the respective new set of Order Groups.

ZIP Code Order Groups – Aggregate Orders by Address ZIP Code

Orders in Route4Me’s Delivery Management System have a geocoded and validated address. Accordingly, the ZIP code is a part of the geocoded order address. Grouping orders by ZIP code allows you to create custom Order Groups where each group can contain orders that have the same ZIP code in their address.

First, open the “Group Orders By” dropdown list and then select the “ZIP” option. Next, add the preferred ZIP codes into the “Inspector ID Allowed Values” field, separating them with a comma. The “Inspector ID Allowed Values” field should contain the values that represent ZIP Codes.

Moreover, you can enable the “Plan Combined Route” option for the new Order Groups. Further, you can learn more about the “Plan Combined Route” routing option. Furthermore, you can also select what order statuses (Scheduled and Sorted) should be available for Order Groups routing. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Delivery Management System Order Statuses.

After that, the new Order Groups become available on the Routing With Orders page, where you can manage and use them for route planning. Accordingly, each added ZIP code is added as a new separate Order Group that groups orders with the same ZIP code in their address.

Further, you can learn how to assign Optimization Profiles to groups, filter orders in groups, and plan routes using Order Groups.

Custom Data Order Groups – Aggregate Orders by Custom Data Values

For your convenience, you can add to your orders additional parameters, attributes, and other details that don’t fit into the reserved order fields based on your unique business needs. Accordingly, you can then group your orders using the respective Custom Data values. Grouping orders by Custom Data values allows you to create custom Order Groups, where each group contains orders that have the same Custom Data value.

For example, you can add the same Custom Data Field Name with different Custom Data Values to multiple orders. After that, you can group orders by the same Custom Data Field Name and create Order Groups for different Custom Data Values. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Custom Data Add-On.

First, open the “Group Orders By” dropdown list and then select the “Custom Data” option. Next, add the preferred Custom Data Field Name and then one or multiple of its associated Custom Data Values, separating them with a comma.

Moreover, you can enable the “Plan Combined Route” option for the new Order Groups. Further, you can learn more about the “Plan Combined Route” routing option. Furthermore, you can also select what order statuses (Scheduled and Sorted) should be available for Order Groups routing. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Delivery Management System Order Statuses.

After that, the new Order Groups become available on the Routing With Orders page, where you can manage and use them for route planning. Accordingly, each added Custom Data Value creates a new separate Order Group that groups orders with the same respective Custom Data Value.

Further, you can learn how to assign Optimization Profiles to groups, filter orders in groups, and plan routes using Order Groups.

Group ID Order Groups – Aggregate Orders by Custom Order Group IDs

For your convenience, you can add unique and customizable Group IDs to your orders. After that, you can use Group IDs for fast and easy order grouping, sorting, and other purposes. Accordingly, you can aggregate and group orders with the same unique Group IDs into Order Groups.

First, open the “Group Orders By” dropdown list and then select the “Group” option. Next, add the preferred Group IDs into the “Inspector ID Allowed Values” field, separating them with a comma. The “Inspector ID Allowed Values” field should contain the values that represent Group IDs.

Moreover, you can enable the “Plan Combined Route” option for the new Order Groups. Further, you can learn more about the “Plan Combined Route” routing option. Furthermore, you can also select what order statuses (Scheduled and Sorted) should be available for Order Groups routing. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Delivery Management System Order Statuses.

After that, the new Order Groups become available on the Routing With Orders page, where you can manage and use them for route planning. Accordingly, each Group ID creates a separate Order Group that groups orders with the same Group ID.

Further, you can learn how to assign Optimization Profiles to groups, filter orders in groups, and plan routes using Order Groups.

Order Groups Routing – Plan Routes with Aggregated Orders

An Orders Group groups orders by a specific order attribute or parameter, such as ZIP code, Custom Data, etc. Furthermore, you can filter orders included in Order Groups by applying additional filters, such as Scheduled For Date, Stop Type, etc. This way, you can adjust the orders included into existing Order Groups and re-use Order Groups for recurring routing.

Filter Orders and Adjust Order Groups Settings for Route Planning

To plan routes with Order Groups, open the Routing With Orders page, where you have your configured Order Groups. Next, you can filter orders in your Order Groups by date or date range using the “Scheduled For” calendar. After that, you can filter orders by the Stop Type (i.e., Delivery, Pickup, etc.) and Order Status (Sorted and Scheduled orders only). Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Order Management System Order Statuses.

After filtering orders by Date, Stop Type, and Order Status, the “Total Orders” column will display the total number of orders within each Orders Group that are scheduled for the selected dates and fit the applied filters. After that, you can select a single or multiple groups for route planning.

NOTE: The “You Have # Orders Out of Groups” indicator shows how many orders on your account don’t match the applied filters and are not included in the respective Order Groups.

Plan Combined Route with Order Groups

The “Plan Combined Route” option allows you to plan a single route with all orders within all selected Order Groups. First, select one or multiple Order Groups that you want to use for planning the route by checking the boxes next to them. After that, click the “Plan Combined Route” button.

Next, schedule the route by selecting the preferred date in the “Route Start Date” calendar. After that, select the preferred Optimization Profile that will be used to optimize the combined route. Finally, click the “Continue” button to optimize the route. Additionally, learn more about Creating and Using Route4Me’s Optimization Profiles.

After that, the system will plan and optimize a single route with all orders within the selected Order Groups. Accordingly, the route will be optimized based on the settings in the selected Optimization Profile and scheduled for the selected date. When the system plans and optimizes a single route, this route is automatically opened in Route4Me’s Route Editor.

Plan Separate Routes with Order Groups

The “Plan Separate Routes” option allows you to plan separate routes with the orders within each individual Orders Group without group overlaps. First, select one or multiple Order Groups that you want to use for planning routes by checking the boxes next to them. After that, click the “Plan Separate Routes” button.

Next, schedule all routes by selecting the preferred date in the “Route Start Date” calendar. After that, you can change or keep the same assigned Optimization Profile for each selected Orders Group. Additionally, you can remove selected Order Groups from the list by clicking the X icon next to them. Finally, click the “Continue” button to optimize the routes.

Next, the system will optimize one or multiple routes with the orders within each individual Orders Group without group overlaps. Equally important, routes within each individual Orders Group are planned based on its assigned Optimization Profile settings.

Accordingly, depending on the Optimization Profile assigned to an Orders Group, the system can plan one or multiple routes with the orders within this Orders Group. When the system optimizes multiple routes, they are automatically opened on Route4Me’s Routes Map, where you can simultaneously view and manage multiple routes.

Dispatch Routes to Driver Mobile Apps and Track Order Progress in Real-Time

Furthermore, you can dispatch optimized order routes to drivers and vehicles. When using Optimization Profiles, routes are automatically dispatched to the driver and vehicle assigned in the used profile. Additionally, you can dispatch routes to drivers and vehicles manually. To manually dispatch a route to a driver or vehicle, assign the preferred user to the route and assign the preferred vehicle to the route.

Accordingly, once a driver is assigned to a route, this route becomes available on their account, and they can easily complete the route using Route4Me’s Android Route Planner app or iOS Route Planner app.

As orders are registered in the system, included in routes, loaded on vehicles, delivered, and completed by drivers, they change their status in the system. Accordingly, Route4Me automatically updates order statuses across all connected Route4Me accounts and devices in real-time, providing visibility throughout the entire order lifecycle. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Delivery Management System Order Statuses and Order Lifecycle.