Introduction: Consolidated Master Maint (21-90-20)

Overview

This selection is used to set up consolidated schedules, which are used to group two or more similar routes. If you are using consolidated schedules, when the order is initially scheduled (through POS Entry, Work Order Entry, etc.) it will be assigned to a consolidated schedule instead of a specific route.

At a later time, the order will be manually scheduled to a specific route (which is assigned to the consolidated schedule) using the Finalize Consolidates Schedules selection (21-24) or through a third party routing company like RouteSmith or RouteView. For many companies, this helps create a more efficient driving schedule.

For example, we have a consolidated schedule ‘RT’ that contains three refrigeration techs. We are entering a work order that requires a refrigeration tech, but at the time of Work Order Entry, we don’t want our salesperson to schedule a specific tech (route) for the job. We will schedule the order to the ‘RT’ consolidated schedule and at a later time, our dispatcher will schedule the work order to one of the three techs in that consolidated schedule.

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Special Notes

• To use consolidated schedules, the ‘Allow Consolidated Schedules’ box must be checked on the Consolidated tab of Centralized Delivery Preferences (21-90-01).
• Routes are assigned to a consolidated schedule using Field 5 of Route Master Maint (21-90-21).
• All routes assigned to a consolidated schedule should be identical. They should have the same zones and the same skills, if skills are being used.
• Qualifying consolidated schedules always appear at the top of the Scheduler list of available routes.
• The number of Minutes/Stops do not need to be identical because the time and volume available on the consolidated schedule is the total of all time and volume available on the routes assigned to the consolidated schedule.
• Consolidated schedules cannot be used if you promise a set delivery/service time (e.g. 8am, or 8-10am). However, you can use these schedules if you only promise by date or by First AM, First PM, and Late in the day stops.
• The Finalize Consolidated Schedule selection (21-24) is used to assign orders in the consolidated schedule to individual routes. With this selection you can also download all orders for a day to your computer, where you can manually route them with a spreadsheet or send them to a third party routing service.
• The Routing Manifest (21-03) cannot be printed until orders on the consolidated schedule are assigned to a route using the Finalize Consolidated Schedule selection.