Create recurring orders [beta]

Recurring orders let you create orders that repeat automatically on a set schedule. This article explains how recurring orders work.

Who can use this feature
	All plans
	All users
	All regions

Getting access to this feature

This feature is still in development and is available through an early release program. Please reach out to support to get access.

Because this feature is in development it is still not fully compatible with all OptimoRoute features. 

Recurring orders is not yet compatible with:  API  Pick up and delivery order sets Multi-day long haul

Creating recurring orders

You can create recurring orders in OptimoRoute in two ways:

• Add an order manually: Set the recurrence schedule while creating the order.
• Import orders: Include the recurrence details in the import file.

Manually adding recurrence to orders

You can set a recurrence schedule when creating a new order or editing an existing one in OptimoRoute.To do this: 

1. Go to "Plan & Optimize"
2. Click "Add order" or select the order you want to edit
3. Next to the date, click "Repeat"
4. Set up the recurrence schedule

Set how often the order repeats by choosing a unit (day, week, month, or year) and a frequency. You can also set when the recurrence ends.

Importing recurring orders

When importing recurring orders, you will need a set of columns that will define the frequency schedule for the order: 

Editing recurring orders

You can edit one recurring order or apply your changes to that order and all later orders in the sequence.

1. Go to "Plan & Optimize"
2. Find the order you want to edit
3. Click "Edit order"
4. Make your changes
5. Click "Save"
6. Choose where to apply the changes:
   1. "This order" applies the changes only to the selected order.
   2. "This and all following orders" applies the changes to the selected order and all later orders in the sequence.

Changes made to the recurrence set up will automatically be applied to all future orders.

Bulk editing recurrence schedules

Recurrence schedules can also be modified in bulk. To do this: 

1. Go to "Plan and Optimize"
2. Select the orders you want to modify 
3. Click "Edit orders"
4. In the left menu, click "Recurring setup"
5. Choose the option for modification
6. Click "Save"

Options include: 

• Leave unchanged - No changes will be made to the recurrence schedules 
• Clear all recurrence schedules - Removes recurrence schedules and all orders in the sequence except the selected orders
• Set new (overwrite existing) - Creates a new recurrence schedule to be applied to all the orders
• End recurrences - Stops all recurrences from repeating into the future 

Adding exceptions

You can add exceptions when a recurring order needs to pause or move because of a holiday or seasonal change.

1. Go to the order you want to edit 
2. Open the recurrence set up 
3. Go to the "Exceptions" section
4. Click the "+" to add an exception
5. Click "Save" 

To edit or delete an exception, click the three-dot menu next to it.

When moving or adding orders, only dates that don’t already contain a recurring order from the same sequence will be available for selection.

Exception Types

• Pause - Remove orders from the sequence for a particular time period
• Move - Change the date of a specific order
• Add - Add an extra order 
• Delete - Remove a particular order from the sequence

Copying recurring orders

Recurrence schedules are not copied when you copy orders or routes.

You can copy individual orders or full routes in OptimoRoute. When you copy a recurring order, OptimoRoute removes its recurrence schedule. This prevents duplicate recurring orders.

Deleting recurring orders

You can delete either a single order in a recurring set, or all of them in the sequence.

1. Go to "Plan & Optimize"
2. Find the order you want to delete
3. Click "Delete order"
4. Confirm if you want to delete just the single order or all future orders. 

Weekly planning controls and flexibility

You can use recurring orders with weekly planning controls. Apply date and time limits to individual orders to control when OptimoRoute can schedule them across multiple weeks.

These restrictions can be used to:

• Allow orders to be scheduled only on specific days
• Limit scheduling to a specific date or date range
• Prevent scheduling during blackout periods 
• Restrict scheduling to specific dates and time windows

These limits can also give OptimoRoute more flexibility when scheduling a recurring order. Instead of assigning the order to one fixed day, set a date range. OptimoRoute schedules the order on the day within that range that works best for the route. Use the "Restrict Scheduling Date" control to open the scheduling window for a particular order.

Weekly planning and date/time restrictions are available upon request for accounts with a PRO plan or higher. Contact support for more information.

Restrict Scheduling Date

This constraint tells the system that an order can only be serviced on a specific date or within a date range, for example, May 14–May 18.

There are two ways to add this constraint:

• Edit an individual order in the Basic info section of the order window
• Add the information during import using the following columns:
  • Earliest date
  • Latest date
  • Only on date

This constraint gives planning flexibility to the order by allowing the system to choose valid scheduling dates within the defined range.

When you add a scheduling date range to a recurring order, you can apply it to:

• This order: Applies the date range only to the selected order.
• This and all following orders: Applies the date range to the selected order and all future orders in the sequence.

When you apply the change to all following orders, OptimoRoute automatically adjusts future date ranges to prevent overlaps within the same recurring sequence.

For example:

• If you create a 4-day date range from May 20–23 and apply it to all future orders:
  • Future recurring orders will use the same 4-day span (May 27 - May 30)
  • If another recurring order in the sequence already occupies part of that timeframe, the system automatically shortens the range to prevent conflicts and to maintain the desired recurrence pattern as closely as possible.

Allow Only on Certain Days

When used together with the “Restrict Scheduling Date” range, this constraint tells the system that an order can only be serviced on certain days of the week, for example, Saturdays and Sundays.

There are two ways to add this constraint:

• Edit an individual order in the Basic info section of the order window
• Add the information during import using the Allowed Days column and enter the allowed day(s) of the week such as M, T, Th or Mon, Tue, Thu.

When used together with “Restrict Scheduling Date”, it allows you to further refine the planning flexibility of the recurring order. 

Date and Time Restrict

Use this limit with a "Restrict Scheduling Date" range to set one or more date and time windows when the order can be scheduled.

Each window has a start date and time and an end date and time. For example, a window can start on May 19 at 6:00 p.m. and end on May 22 at 8:00 a.m.

When you add multiple windows, OptimoRoute can schedule the order within any of them. This gives OptimoRoute more flexibility while keeping the order within the allowed dates and times.

Blackout Dates

This constraint tells the system that an order cannot be serviced on a particular date or date range.

There are two ways to add this constraint:

• Edit an individual order in the Basic info section of the order window
• Add the information during import using the Blackout dates column

Blackout dates are used to exclude dates from the planning window for a particular order. 

To exclude all recurring orders in a sequence from a particular day or date range, use exceptions.

Want to try out recurring orders?

This feature is currently available under a limited beta program. Please reach out to support to get access.