Add and manage driver skills

Driver skills are constraints that control which drivers can be assigned to certain orders. For example, all drivers may be able to complete installations, while only some are qualified to handle maintenance or repairs. This article explains how to create driver skills and use them when planning routes.

Who can use this feature
	All plans
	Users with administrator privileges
	All regions

What are driver skills?

Driver skills are hard constraints that control which drivers can be assigned to certain orders.

You assign skills to drivers to describe work they are qualified or preferred to perform. You then assign the same skills to orders that require those qualifications. During route planning, OptimoRoute only assigns an order to a driver who has all the skills required by that order.

For example, you might create skills for:

• Maintenance or repair work
• Language requirements
• Certifications
• Specialized job types
• Orders that should only be handled by certain drivers

If an order requires more than one skill, the assigned driver must have all of them. If no driver has the required skills, OptimoRoute cannot assign the order without breaking the constraint.

Creating skills

You can create as many driver skills as needed. Skills act as constraints that control which drivers can be assigned to orders.

To create a skill:

1. Go to “Administration → Drivers” from the top menu
2. From the left menu, go to “Drivers → Skills”
3. Click “Add skill” at the top of the skills table
4. Enter a skill code
5. Enter the skill name
6. Add an optional description to explain when the skill should be used

Skill Code: Each skill requires a skill code. OptimoRoute uses this code when importing skills and when assigning skills to drivers.

Remember that skills will serve as constraints when route planning and may disqualify drivers from receiving certain orders that do not have matching skills.

Examples of skills

Skills are used to differentiate drivers from one another based on certain criteria. Examples of skills can be things like: 

• Language skills
• If two or more drivers are necessary
• Job type specialization
• Certifications

You can even use skills to assign drivers to orders based on things like postal codes. 

Assigning skills

In order for skills to be used properly, they need to be assigned to both drivers and orders. 

Step 1: Assign skills to drivers

To assign skills to drivers:

1. Go to the Administration→Drivers
2. Double-click on the driver you want to add a skill to
3. When the driver detail window appears, choose "Skills" from the left menu
4. Select the skills you want the driver to have

You can also assign skills to drivers in bulk by selecting multiple drivers at a time and clicking "Edit drivers". 

Step 2: Assign skills to orders

To assign skills to orders:

1. Go to the Plan & Optimize→Orders
2. In the order table, choose the order you want to edit
3. When the order detail window appears, choose "Skills" from the left menu
4. Select the skills you want the order to have

Remember that skills will serve as constraints when route planning and may disqualify drivers from receiving certain orders that do not have matching skills.

You can also assign skills to orders in bulk by:

• Selecting multiple orders at a time from the order table and clicking "Edit Orders",
• Or by adding the skills to your import file. Separate multiple skills with a semi-colon (;) in the "Skills" column.

Routing results

When an order requires a skill, OptimoRoute can only assign it to a driver who has that skill.

For example, you have three drivers:

• Dave has Skill 1.
• Jordan has Skill 2.
• Maria has Skill 1 and Skill 2.

• Order A can be assigned to Dave or Maria because both drivers have Skill 1.
• Order B can be assigned to Jordan or Maria because both drivers have Skill 2.
• Order C can only be assigned to Maria because she is the only driver with both required skills.
• Order D cannot be assigned because none of the drivers have Skill 3.