Self-serve Carrier availability import
Uploading availability for connect carriers
Orders allocated to Stops. Stops creating Routes. Routes allocated to carriers...
But how do you know how many of each carrier?
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When automating a process, having accurate data to work with is really important for getting a good result
So when allocating routes to carriers its really useful to know things like the number of routes to allocate to them. There's no point letting Event get all smug allocating routes to the cheapest carrier if that carrier can only do 50% of them.
To this end, Event improves accuracy by allocating carriers based on quantity of trucks they have but also:
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by day
select a day of the week to allocate an available quantity of trucks to
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by country
select a country for the availability allocation. This will default to your address country
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by region
select the specific region for the availability allocation.
Region is only for UK.
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by quantity
the number of trucks available for the day, country, region selection
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by equipment type
select the equipment available for the day, country, region combination
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by period of day
select what part of the day the trucks are available.
Connect and allocate
Carrier availability is allocated by carrier through Carrier Vitals.
It has a user interface so that you can see each carriers contracted availability and 2 ways to add the data:
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manually
adding each item individually
This function can also be used to edit or delete specific items.
Please see the guide further down this page on how to add manually
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by import file
using the provided template to create an import file.
This is a good option when you have many variations to add.
Please see the guide further down this page on how to use the template
* There is not set requirement for naming a rate card upload file.
** You can remove the default data and replace it.
*** You can only use a postcode once.
Carrier availability template / regions
22-03-2021 - AP
How to use availability
Groupage, LTL, FTL, EXW carriers all need a rate card in Event...
This guide will step through how to build a rate card
For a carrier to be available in Event, they must have a rate for the destination. The rate can be 0.00. Use the template provided below.
Once you have made any manual change, click to save.
For a carrier to be available in Event, they must have a rate for the destination. The rate can be 0.00. Use the template provided below.
Dynamic Carrier availability
Carrier availability can be set in advance from a tender and does not change throughout the course of that tender.
As the Account owner you can allow your connected carriers to increase their availability as dynamic spot availability for a specific day.
This is then automatically added to the overall availability for that collection day to be used as required.
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Availability can only be added by a CONNECT user and by the actual collection date the truck is available to load.
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A contracted carrier cannot reduce their contracted allocation, only increase it.
This is to protect the Account
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An adhoc carrier (one with no contracted allocation) can add their availability by day.
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An adhoc carrier (one with no contracted allocation) can add their availability by day.
Once the allocation is on a route it cannot be removed by the carrier.
As the account administrator you can activate Dynamic carrier availability from the Carrier Vitals page. To do this simply edit the carriers availability section.
Activating Dynamic Spot availability does not require that any additional availability is used. It is understood that the carrier is simply 'offering' additions to its contract
Each time the carrier adds additions, AMI will inform the carrier of their current commitment so everyone is aware.
Where a carrier adds and them decides to remove additional availability, AMI will check the current routes offered to that carrier. Where the current available availability = 0, then the carrier will be directed to reject one of its current accepted routes.
Carrier availability Validation
So once you have uploaded a carrier availability file, AMI will validate the contents and notify you of the result.
The validation will include format and contents, providing information, where a failure occurs on what the failure is.
Initial validation that must be passed to proceed;
1. Correct column headers
Validation will fail if the headers are named differently to the template.
Validation error message ' Column headers are not named correctly'
2. Correct order of the columns
Validation will fail if the columns are not in the correct position.
Validation error message ' Columns are not in the required positions'
3. Carrier ID
Validation will pass if the carrier ID exists on the Account being uploaded to and will fail if the carrier does not exist in Account receiving upload.
Validation error message for notification and storing ' Carrier ID must match the carrier's code in Carrier VITALS'
Specific validation
1. Day
Is required. Format correct spelling of a day of the week
Example validation error message ' Tusday is not a valid day. Please use a valid day'
2. Country
Is required. Format can be an ISO code. Use our Country code service.
Validation error message 'XX is not a valid ISO code. Please use a valid code'
3. Region
Is required. Format region matching a region in the Account region table.
Validation error message ' North North is not a valid region. Please refer to your regions and correct'
4. Quantity
Is required. Format is upto 3 digits only
Validation error message 'Must be a number upto 3 digits'
5. Equipment
Is required. Format equipment matching an equipment in the Account equipment table.
Validation error message 'Van is not a valid equipment type. Please refer to your Equipment in Vitals'
6. Period of day
Is required. Must be one of ALL, AM, PM.
Validation error message 'MP is not a valid Day Period. Please use one of the following ALL, AM, PM'