When optimizing routes, you can use a variety of planning settings to get the most accurate routes for your needs. In this article, we will explain what those planning settings mean and how you can use them.
| Who can use this feature | |
| All plans | |
| All users | |
| All regions | |
Accessing planning settings
Planning settings appear when you are optimizing your routes. To see this screen:
- Go to the "Plan and Optimize" tab
- Click “Plan Routes”
- The "Planning Settings" window will appear
This window allows you to review your settings before clicking “Plan routes” which will then optimize your orders into routes for your drivers.
| If you have Weekly Planning enabled, the planning settings window will also show "Advanced" settings that can be used to configure constraints for planning over multiple weeks. |
Planning settings
Planning settings allow you to refine what "optimized" routing means to you by giving you controls to tweak the outcomes of the routes.
Allowed changes
This setting allows you to choose how you want to incorporate new orders to already planned routes.
Allowed changes allows you to modify orders in 3 different ways:
-
Allow all changes to the current solution
This option means that when you click “Plan Routes”, OptimoRoute will be allowed to rearrange all routes, orders, and drivers to find the most optimal route. If you have existing routes, this means they could be modified substantially.
-
Keep planned routes unchanged and add new orders to unused drivers
This option keeps routes that are already planned unchanged and any additional orders will be added to drivers without routes.
-
Keep drivers/vehicles for planned orders and fit in new orders
This option will keep all existing orders matched with their current driver, however these orders might get rearranged to fit in the new orders.
Balancing
Balancing settings give you the ability to distribute orders more evenly among drivers.
- No balancing - No rules are applied and all orders are optimized to use the least amount of drivers in the least amount of time.
- Balance routes - Balancing rules can be chosen (see below)
- Balance routes and use all drivers - Balancing rules can be chosen (see below) and all drivers will be used. This will also expose the "Balancing Factor" slider.
Balancing Rules
- Balance by working time - Orders will be distributed to ensure that drivers have similar working hours
- Balance by number of orders per driver - Orders will be distributed to ensure that drivers have similar number of orders on their routes
- Balancing Factor - This option will be exposed if you choose “Balance routes and use all drivers”. It’s purpose is to give you control over how strict or loose the balancing constraint is applied.
Return to depot
There is also the option to allow drivers to return to the depot to collect more orders. This option is important to consider if you’re using load capacities in your routing.
When this option is enabled:
- Drivers will be sent back to the depot after they’ve unloaded their current vehicle capacity so that they can pick up more orders
- You can define how long the depot visit duration is
- The depot visit will be included in the routing plan
When this option is disabled:
- A driver’s route will be limited by the vehicle capacity
- Once vehicle capacity is reached, no other orders will be added to the route
Adjusting drivers
If necessary, you can adjust:
- Which drivers are included in the route planning
- Load capacities
- Driver work time
- Which vehicle they will be driving