Create recurring orders [beta]

Recurring orders is a way for you to set up orders that repeat automatically on a set schedule. In this article, we will explain how it works. 

Who can use this feature
	All plans  can participate in early release
	All users that have early release access
	All regions

Getting access to this feature

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

Creating recurring orders

There are two ways to create recurring orders in OptimoRoute: 

• When manually adding an order, you can set a recurrence schedule as part of that process
• When importing orders, you can include recurrence details in the file

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

Manually adding recurring orders

You can set up order recurrence when creating a new order in OptimoRoute. To do this: 

1. Go to "Plan & Optimize"
2. Click "Add order"
3. Next to the date, click "Repeat"

Here you will be able to set up your recurrence schedule by clicking on the dropdown next to "Repeat order" to change the frequency. 

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 recurring orders and apply those changes to either all existing orders in that sequence or only to a single order. 

1. Go to "Plan & Optimize"
2. Find the order you want to edit
3. Click "Edit order"
4. Make your changes
5. Click "Save"

You will be asked if you want to apply these changes to "This order" or "This and all following orders". This also works when editing orders in bulk.

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

Bulk editing 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 - Remove recurrence schedules and all orders in the sequence except the selected orders
• Set new (overwrite existing) - Create a new recurrence schedule to be applied to all the orders

Adding exceptions

Sometimes you may have a recurring order that needs to be paused or moved because of a holiday or seasonal change. To do this: 

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 modify or delete any exceptions, click on the three dots. 

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

Recurrences will not be copied when copying orders or routes.

In OptimoRoute, orders can be copied either by copying individual orders, or by copying routes. When copying recurring orders, the recurrence will be eliminated from the order. This prevents duplicated recurrences. 

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 restrictions and flexibility

Recurring orders can also be used with weekly planning capabilities. When using recurring orders with weekly planning, date and time restrictions can be applied to individual orders to control when an order can or cannot be scheduled over a series of 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

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 restrict scheduling date range to a recurring order, you can choose to either apply these changes to an individual order, or to all future orders in the recurrence. If you apply the change to all future orders, the system automatically adjusts future date ranges to avoid overlaps with other recurring orders in the same 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 attempt to use the same 4-day span.
  • 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 (for example: M, T, Th or Mon, Tue, Thu)

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

Date and Time Restrict

When used together with the “Restrict Scheduling Date” range, this constraint lets you define one or more date/time windows during which an order can be scheduled.

Each restriction has a start date and time and an end date and time. For example: May 19 from 6pm until May 22 at 8am.

When multiple windows are added, the order can be scheduled in any one of them.

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

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.