Dispatch Track Guide

Created by Migration Bot, Modified on Fri, 23 Oct at 2:29 PM by Migration Bot

Originally written by John Hardwick, last updated Oct 24, 2023, on the Swan Retail knowledge base (FRS).

This document details the integration between Dispatch Track (a route planning solution) and SwanFRS.

This document is based on SwanFRS release version 1206

Additional licences are required for Dispatch Track.

Click to view / download the PDF version of this document

Overview

Dispatch Track (DT) is a market leading delivery planning suite providing the operator with graphical tools for route planning and tracking along with delivery team tracking.

Where applicable, SwanFRS can interact with DT sending delivery schedules to DT and receiving notifications of delivery back. This document details the configuration and use of the interface.

DT is a third-party package and is pay per use service. Swan cannot advise or train on its usage or configuration. Training on DT will be provided by DT at time of implementation.

Configuration

Application Parameters

Menu Location: Administration > Set Up Application Parameters

See Set Up Application Parameters

The following parameters require setting.

DELIVERY_PLANNER	Specify the Delivery Planner to be used. Choose from DispatchTrack – DT is in use. None. – SwanFRS delivery scheduling is in use.
DISPATCHTRACK_API_CODE	Specify the API Code for the connection to the DT API. This information will be provided by DT.
DISPATCHTRACK_API_KEY	Specify the API Key for the connection to the DT API. This information will be provided by DT.
DISPATCHTRACK_HOST	Specify the Hostname for the connection to the DT API. This information will be provided by DT. Include the https:// in then URL provided by DT.
DISPATCHTRACK_SETUP_TIME_ FACTOR	Specify the Setup Time Factor for Seats for the DT API. This value is multiplied by the SKU’s number of seats value to generate a set-up time within DT.
DISPATCHTRACK_SHOW_ COLLECTION_PRICES	Show Collection Prices on XML for the DT API.
DISPATCHTRACK_SHOW_DELIVERY_ PRICES	Show Delivery Prices on XML for the DT API.
DISPATCHTRACK_USE_SELLING_ LOCATION_ON_EXPORT	Tick to instruct SwanFRS to send the sales order’s selling location’s DT Account reference instead of the order’s delivery location account. Unticked sends the delivery from location’s DT Account Reference.
DISPATCHTRACK_USE_TRUCKRUN_ LOCATION_ON_REFRESH	Ticking tells SwanFRS to use the location of the original run when refreshing a run rescheduled in DT. Unticked uses the operator's location.

To proceed with the set-up the DELIVER_PLANNER must be set to DispatchTrack.

Locations

SwanFRS Menu Location: System Admin > Sales > Set Up Locations

See Set Up Locations

DT Menu Location: Admin > Accounts

Having switched on DT the next step is to ensure the link is established for the sales branch / warehouse with DT.

Field	Comments
Use Delivery Planner	Tick to instruct SwanFRS to use DT when processing delivery runs.
DispatchTrack Account	Set to the name specified in DT – Accounts Section.

Not Delivered Reason

SwanFRS Menu Location: System Admin > Warehouse > Set Up Not Delivered Reasons

See Set Up Not Delivered Reasons

It is necessary to set up a default not delivered reason should it not be possible to deliver an item.

The DT import process will not operate if a default reason code is not set.

Vehicle Fleet

It is recommended that the delivery fleet is replicated in both systems

SwanFRS Menu Location: System Admin > warehouse > Set up Trucks

See Set Up Vehicles

DT Menu Location: Admin > Tucks

Operation

SwanFRS can be used in two forms when operating with DT.

Runs are created and collated within SwanFRS and are sent to DT for routing with a view to retaining their run numbers.
A default daily run can be constructed in SwanFRS with all items to be delivered that day amassed on the single run. This is then sent to DT where it is scheduled – scheduling splits this amalgamated run into several runs, thus maximizing the delivery fleet available. Once scheduled it is then possible to pull these runs back into SwanFRS which will provide the delivery run history for future reference.

When operating with SwanFRS linked to DT the process of scheduling a delivery remains the same.

Please reference the Delivery Slots, Advanced Delivery Planning, Creating Delivery Runs guides for details.

Screens will vary dependent upon when advanced delivery planning is switched on however the process remains the same.

Once integrated to DT the Planning screens change.

Viewing the Runs

When viewing the delivery runs, the screen offers three DT related buttons.

Prior to selection, ensure the required delivery run(s) is / are selected from the A/N column.

EXPORT DELIVERY	Clicking sends the selected delivery runs to DT for onward processing. Once exported, it is not possible to amend the run.
CANCEL EXPORT	Clicking instructs DT that the selected delivery runs are to be cancelled and therefore removed from DT. Cancelling clears the Date Exported column.
REFRESH DELIVERIES	Click this button to pull back the revised delivery run from DT. This will cancel the original run and replace with new runs if DT has split the run into separate run.
IMPORT DELIVERY	Clicking this button updates SwanFRS with delivery confirmations processed in DT.

Exporting the Delivery Run

To send a Run to DT click the appropriate delivery (or use the A/N) if sending multiples, then select the EXPORT DELIVERY button.

Once exported to DT the Date Exported column will populate and the status will change to DESPATCHED .

The composition of the delivery run is now locked – Further amendments are not possible.

Cancelling the Export

If the run has been exported to DT in error, ticking the run and clicking the Cancel Export will revert the run back to its OPEN status ready for further processing within SwanFRS.

Refresh Deliveries

Where appropriate, after the run has been rescheduled within DT, it is possible to pull back the run(s) into SwanFRS this ensuring the rescheduled run is now visible within SwanFRS.

From the View Deliveries screen, tick the runs to be refreshed and click the REFRESH DELIVERIES Button.

This action pulls the refreshed delivery run to DT and updates SwanFRS.

Pulling the run effectively moves the contents of the original run and generates one (or more) new runs.

In the example above, run 27241 was sent to DT to be scheduled, DT sequenced the delivery. Once pulled back, run 27241 has been cleared of content and run 27313 created. 27241 is referenced in brackets after the run number to indicate DT has changed the run.

As DT has sequenced the run, each order on that run is given a stop (delivery slot) and an expected delivery time window

Clicking into the refreshed run shows the delivery breakdown, which now replaces that held in DT.

The original run can then be reused or cancelled as desired.

Note the refreshed run shows the delivery receipt / returns receipt document generated by DT. Clicking displays this as a new window.

The following buttons are available when viewing the run.

TOGGLE VIEW	Change between viewing the sales order and order line view.
REMOVE	Clicking removes (after confirmation) the selected order from the delivery run.
CANCEL EXPORT	Cancels the selected orders, effectively removing them from DT but leaves the item on the delivery run in SwanFRS.
REFRESH DELIVERIES	Click to pull a revised delivery schedule from DT. This process cancels the run generated by SwanFRS and replaces it with one or more ‘scheduled’ notes as created within DT.
CHECK STATUS	This requests the latest information to be sent back to SwanFRS from DT and refreshes the screen accordingly. This will refresh the Delivery Receipt / Returns Receipt status – for example, changing the Awaiting Import to Scheduled* or to Finished once delivered.
IMPORT	The DT status must be set to Finished before an import is allowed. Importing sets any delivered items to the blue, delivered state and closes the delivery run where all items have been delivered or collected.
DELIVERY RECEIPT RETURNS RECEIPT	At order level, it is possible to request the delivery receipt from DT.

When viewing order details, the buttons relate to the selected item, not the order,

DT representation of the delivery run

Import Deliveries

Once the delivery has been confirmed within DT, it is possible to import the confirmation into SwanFRS.

Clicking the IMPORT or IMPORT DELIVERIES button (dependent upon the detail displayed on screen) it is possible to update SwanFRS with the status of the delivery.