Order of Operations

Descartes Route Planner is a tool for managing the order-to-delivery process effectively. The ultimate goal of Descartes Route Planner is to consolidate users supply chain data such that the end result produces a schedule that encompasses effective deployment of resources via an efficient Route to fulfill user’s customer orders.

1       The administrator using the Descartes Route Planner Application Configuration menu needs to set up companies and users.

2   The administrator or planner sets up templates used in creating schedules. The template types are:

·  Schedules

·  Routes

·  Stops

3   Once the administrator or planner has set up the necessary templates, the next step is to create the schedules used to determine and assign activities for incoming orders.

4       Now that the schedules exist, the administrator or planner must populate the Descartes Route Planner database with the following data types for auto-assignment to schedule:

·  Locations (Depots Only)

·        Orders (Customer Location Information comes with the Orders)

·        Resources

Ü   Note - Typically, locations and orders are imported from an external application such as Transport Order Entry, Fleetwise Simulator, or any other integration performed by LNOS Drawbridge. Data imported into Descartes Route Planner is auto-assigned to a schedule based on the scheduleKey on each of the imported records. When importing orders, Descartes Route Planner translates orders into unassigned Stops and resources into empty Routes.

·  Buckets

Ü   Note - Routes are created automatically by Descartes Route Planner, based on the schedule setting provided with the resource that users create. Routes cannot exist without schedules and resources.

5   At this point, the planner typically assumes responsibility for the schedules. Specifically the planner is responsible for editing the schedules such that:

·        unassigned Stops become assigned to empty or existing Routes

·        Stops are assigned optimally to Routes

·        resources are being used efficiently

·        Routes and schedules are optimized relative to users organization’s criteria

6   Optimized schedules are now available for execution by the dispatcher. The dispatcher can:

·        assign new orders and optimize Routes as new orders arrive

·        communicate with drivers, using wireless technology if implemented, to monitor the progress of Routes and communicate Route changes

Ü Note - For details regarding Descartes Route Planner and wireless technology, see the Descartes Route Planner Integration Strategies Guide.