Plan Routes – Route4Me Last Mile Route Optimization Web Platform
With Route4Me, you can easily plan and optimize the most optimal, efficient, sustainable, and profitable multi-address routes. In this guide, you can learn how to plan and optimize routes using Route4Me’s Last Mile Optimization Web Platform. Specifically, how to add, upload, and import route addresses, route settings, optimization types, routes, and scheduling. Additionally, you can learn how to manage your planned routes and dispatch routes to drivers and vehicles.
NOTE: Depending on the add-ons and modules enabled on your Route4Me Route Planning Solution account, you will have the respective set of available features and capabilities. Additionally, you can learn how to use the Feature Manager to customize your Route4Me Route Planning Software account.
Table of Contents
Quick Steps to Plan and Optimize Routes on Route4Me Web Platform
With Route4Me’s best route optimization software, the entire route planning and sequencing process is extremely fast and easy. Follow these steps to plan and sequence profitable and efficient routes using Route4Me’s Route Optimization Platform:
- Go to “Routes” and “Plan New Route” in the main menu and then select the preferred method for adding route addresses.
- Next, you can select a ready-to-use Optimization Profile or set up custom route and optimization settings.
- After that, you can add your addresses using the previously selected method, i.e., upload a spreadsheet with addresses, pick addresses on the interactive map, import addresses from a could drive, etc.
- Finally, check you automatically geocoded, validated, and autocorrected addresses on the map.
Route4Me will automatically plan and optimize the most optimal number of efficient routes based on the specified settings. Further, you can learn more in detail about these route planning steps.
Add Route Addresses – Spreadsheets, Cloud Drive, Interactive Map
To plan a new route, go to “Routes” and then “Plan New Route” in the main menu. Next, you can select the preferred method for adding your route addresses. For your convenience and efficiency, Route4Me supports multiple methods for uploading, importing, and adding addresses. Below, you can learn more about the available methods for adding route addresses.
| Add Addresses | Description |
|---|---|
| Interactive Map Editor | Pick addresses or exact location coordinates (latitude and longitude) on the interactive map and add them to your routes. Accordingly, Route4Me automatically geocodes and validates locations picked from the map. |
| Copy-and-Paste | Copy and paste a list of addresses and Route4Me will automatically geocode and validate the pasted addresses. |
| Upload File | Upload a CSV, XLS, or XLSX spreadsheet with addresses from your computer or device. Route4Me will automatically detect and validate addresses in the uploaded spreadsheet. |
| Import Data | Import a CSV, XLS, or XLSX spreadsheet with addresses from a cloud storage or cloud drive. For example, you can upload spreadsheets from Google Drive, Dropbox, or Box. |
| Upload Scan(s) | Upload a scan with your addresses and Route4Me will automatically detect and add addresses from the uploaded scan to your routes. |
Route Settings – Schedule, Optimization Type, Driver and Vehicle
After selecting the preferred method for adding addresses, you can specify the preferred route and optimization settings. In detail, you can select a ready-to-use Optimization Profile with predefined settings. Alternatively, you can skip selecting a profile and manually customize your route and optimization settings.
To use an Optimization Profile, simply select the preferred profile and then click on the “Continue” button to proceed to add addresses. Additionally, you can learn more about Creating and Using Route4Me’s Optimization Profiles.
Alternatively, click on the “Skip” button to manually customize your route and optimization settings.
Next, you can specify custom route settings and optimization parameters that best fit your unique routing requirements and business needs. Accordingly, you can schedule your routes, assign drivers and vehicles to routes, select where the routes will start and end, and more. Additionally, you can use various Route4Me Business Rules and Optimization Constraints. Below, you can learn more about the available route and optimization settings in the respective tabs.
| Tab | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Name your routes. You can then search for routes by name in the Routes List and Routes Map. |
| Departure | Enter the address from where your planned routes will start. Accordingly, routed trip routes will start and end at the same Departure Address. Equally important, if you leave this field empty, your routes will start from the first address you added or uploaded in a spreadsheet. |
| Schedule | Schedule your routes to start at the preferred date and time. Additionally, you can specify the custom Route Optimization Service Time and enable the Dynamic Route Start Time. |
| Sharing | Share a public link to the planned routes via email. Accordingly, recipients can then use the public route links to open and view the routes shared with them without the ability to edit those routes. |
| Optimization | Specify custom route optimization settings. Accordingly, depending on your account’s configurations, you will have the respective multi stop route planning software settings available. First, you can select the Single Driver or Multiple Drivers Route Optimization type. Additionally, you can add custom Logistics Route Planning Software Constraints such as Max Stops per Route, Max Route Duration, Max Pieces, Weight or Revenue per Stop, etc. Furthermore, you can use such advanced multi stop route optimization software settings as Mixed Fleet Routing, Optimization Fine Tuning, etc. |
| Driver Breaks | Enable and customize Driver Breaks settings. Accordingly, Route4Me will automatically insert driver break stops into planned and optimized routes based on the specified settings. |
| Avoidance Zones | Select and use Avoidance Zones. Accordingly, planned and optimized routes will not include addresses located within the selected Avoidance zones. |
| Directions | First, you can select the preferred travel mode for driving, walking, or bicycling. Nexyiou can select what roads you want to avoid on planned and optimized routes (i.e., toll roads, highways, etc.). |
| Turn Restrictions | Enable or disable the preferred turn avoidance settings. Specifically, you can avoid right turns on planned routes and avoid left turns on planned routes. |
| User | Select the preferred driver or user the routes will be dispatched to once planned. Similarly, you can select the preferred GPS vehicle the routes will be dispatched to once they are planned. |
Verify Imported Route Data and Geocode Addresses on Map
Next, after specifying your route and optimization settings, you can proceed to review and verify addresses. Equally important, when you upload or import spreadsheets, you can add additional data to your route stops. For example, Time Windows, order details, customer information, etc. Accordingly, Route4Me will automatically verify, validate, and match column names in the header of your spreadsheet to the respective entities and attributes in the system. Furthermore, you can manually match data columns from the uploaded spreadsheet to the system’s reserved entities and attributes in case certain column names don’t match the data in them. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Spreadsheets Formatting Requirements.
After that, Route4Me’s best route mapping software will automatically geocode and validate the added, uploaded, or imported addresses. Next, you can review the geocoded addresses on the address routing software map. Accordingly, addresses with a green marker are geocoded with high confidence, and addresses with a yellow marker require review. After adding and reviewing your addresses, you can plan and optimize your routes based on the previously specified settings.
Manage Planned Routes – Route Editor, Routes Map and Routes List
Accordingly, Route4Me will plan and optimize one or multiple routes based on your specified settings. After that, you can easily manage your planned routes using the Route Editor, Routes Map, and Routes List.
When Route4Me’s Route Optimization Software plans a single route, the system automatically opens this route in the Route Editor. Route4Me’s Route Editor is the primary tool for opening, viewing, and managing individual planned routes. You can use the Route Editor to manage stops and addresses, check route progress and KPIs, change optimization settings, synchronize route changes with mobile driver apps, and more. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Route Editor Route Management.
Equally important, when you plan multiple routes, Route4Me’s route management software automatically opens these routes in the Routes Map. After that, you can use the Routes Map to manage multiple routes on the same interactive map. In detail, you can compare routes, check route start times, move stops between routes, track route progress in real-time, track multiple drivers and vehicles on the map, and more. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Routes Map Route Management.
Furthermore, Route4Me will automatically save planned routes in your Routes List. Your Route4Me Routes List is the best route management software database where you can store and easily manage hundreds of thousands of optimized routes. In detail, you can edit routes, track route progress in real-time, check stop and order statuses, dispatch routes to drivers and GPS vehicles, reschedule routes, and more. Additionally, learn more about Route4Me’s Routs List Route Management.
Dispatch Planned and Scheduled Routes to Drivers and GPS Vehicles
Furthermore, Route4Me delivers seamless and continuous real-time route synchronization across Route4Me’s Mobile Driver Apps and Route Optimization Website Platform. In detail, drivers and field team members can use Route4Me’s Mobile Android Route Planner and iOS Route Planner apps to open and navigate dispatched routes, add stop statuses, attach proof of visit and delivery, etc. Route4Me will automatically synchronize dynamic route changes across all connected accounts, devices, mobile apps, and route planning website in real-time.
To dispatch a route to a driver or user, simply assign the user to the preferred route. After that, the route will become available on the user’s account in real-time. After that, the driver or user can open, start, navigate, and complete the route using the mobile app. Similarly, to dispatch a route to a GPS vehicle, assign the vehicle to the preferred route. Accordingly, you can then track the user and vehicle assigned to the route on the interactive map in real-time.
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