OptimoRoute allows you to create linked pick up and delivery orders by using our pick up and delivery feature. In this article, we go over what this feature is and how you can create these linked pick up and delivery orders.
| Who can use this feature | |
| Custom plans | |
| All users | |
| All regions | |
What is pick up and delivery?
Pick up and delivery (PnD) is a feature that allows you to link a pickup order with a delivery order. Doing so allows you to bypass the depot location altogether.
Two common scenarios for the use of this feature:
- Courier services – When you have an item waiting at a third-party location which needs to be delivered directly to another location
- People transportation – If you need to pick someone up from one location and drop them off at another location
When creating an order, the default is “delivery” but there are other order types that denote different types of orders.
For pickup and delivery, you need to be aware of the standard pick up and standard delivery definitions:
- Standard pick up order is when an order is picked up from a customer and returned directly to the depot/start location of the driver.
- Standard delivery order is when an order originates from the depot/start location of the driver and is delivered directly to the recipient.
However, with linked pick up and delivery orders a pick up is picked up from a location and delivered to another, without stopping through the depot.
Creating PnD orders
There are two ways to create PnD orders: import and when creating orders inside the OptimoRoute web app.
Import
There are 2 formats in which you can import your PnD orders:
- Standard Template
- PnD Template
Standard Template
In this format, 3 columns are necessary:
- Order ID
- Related Order ID
- Order Type
To set up this template:
- Make sure each order type is labeled either "P" for pick up or "D" for delivery
- Each pick up order has a related delivery order ID in the "Related order column"
You must have an order representing the pick up and an order representing the delivery. In the above image you can see that the Related Order ID (Column B) is where you show the connection between these orders. This item being picked up from Candiworks is being delivered to Farm Corp.
PnD Template
In this format you will have the entire movement of an item in a single row. The following columns are necessary (though column names do not need to be exact):
- Pickup Name
- Pickup Address
- Delivery Name
- Delivery Address
Any additional information per stop, such as: Notes, Custom Fields (1-5), Loads, Phone Numbers, etc. can all be included by adding the descriptor of “Pickup” or “Delivery”.
During Import you will need to check the “Pickup & Delivery mapping” option at the top of the mapping window. This will allow you to map the columns in this way.
Manually adding or editing an order
You can also add pick up and delivery orders or link existing ones.
To do this:
- Open or create a delivery or pickup order
- Choose the corresponding order where it says "Choose pickup/delivery"
- Click "Save"
When you click the drop-down menu, the selection will show you the "Order ID" and the "Location name" of the possible related orders.
Alternatively, you can create a new order from this window by:
- Going to the "Choose pickup/delivery" option
- Pressing the [ + ] button located to the right .
By pressing [ + ] a new window will open for you to add the new order.
Routing results
When pick up and delivery orders are properly configured, when you plan your routes, the OptimoRoute algorithm will make sure:
- One driver is responsible for both the pickup and delivery
- The pickup order comes before the delivery order
Appearance in Web App
You will be able to see which items are pickup and delivery and how they are connected within the web application.
Orders Tab
In the "Plan & Optimize" tab, you can see how your orders are linked in the orders tab.
Timeline Tab
When in the "Timeline" tab, any PnD orders will reveal themselves as linked when you hover over them. It will also make sure that when you move the pick up order, the delivery will also shift to always be after the pickup.