Module O Operations Manifest Trailer (T-CON) & Line Dispatch Management System

Transcription

1 Module O Operations Manifest Trailer (T-CON) & Line Dispatch Management System Introduction The purpose of the Manifest Trailer and Line Dispatch Management System software is to aid in the control and management of the movement of freight, equipment, drivers, and purchased transportation in the company's LINE HAUL operation and inter-terminal freight movement system and to provide the information necessary to facilitate it. A LINE HAUL operation is defined as the movement of a unit of equipment: from one company terminal to another; from a shipper direct to a consignee; or a combination thereof. The alphatruck Manifest Trailer (T-CON) & Line Dispatch Management System provides the necessary tools to manage this operation. Some of the features of the Manifest Trailer (T-CON) software are as follows: Associates a shipment by freight bill number to a specific line haul trailer and a trailer manifest. Provides access to shipments on a trailer or manifest from the C/Charges lookup screen. Allows for the pulling of delivery receipts by an inbound terminal, using just the manifest number. Allows for the printing of a Destination Trailer Unloading Report by manifest number. Integrated with the Bill Status System (T/Trace display), which, in turn, provides better and timelier customer service information. Integrated with the EDI-214 system to provide EDI customers with current shipment status information regarding the movement of their particular shipments. Some of the specific features of the Line Dispatch Management System software are as follows: Maintains database of all Line Dispatches. Allows up to nine LEGs in each dispatch with different equipment for each LEG. Handles single trailers, doubles or triples. Adjusts all date/time stamps for proper time zone. Provides for various statuses and ETA s of all Line Dispatches. Linked with trailer manifest system (TCON) that allows update of individual freight bills and provides revenue for costing purposes. 134 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

2 Updates Payables file and General Ledger for purchased transportation costs. Creates line driver instruction form for use during line trip. Provides information for Miles by State report used for fuel tax reporting. Provides an easy lookup display feature of all line dispatches by various parameters. Updates location and status of company-owned equipment. Allows modification of line dispatch after dispatch is completed and the addition of any extra duties performed by the line driver. Prints completed Line Dispatch Instruction form for use by payroll. Multiple currency features. Security by Metropolis Security Level or the PASS system. Total control of all Line Dispatch operations can be achieved using this software. The purpose of this manual is to provide the reader with instructions regarding the setup and use of both the Manifest Trailer (T-CON) software and the Enter, Update, Dispatch & Arrive Line Drivers software. It will also examine the effect using this system has on providing customer service information and on various inbound terminal functions. Manifest Trailer (T-CON) The first step in the line dispatch process is the Manifest Trailer or T-CON operation (T-CON is an industry term that stands for Trailer Contents ). This is an optional step that, if completed, will aid in customer service and other system functions by associating a specific shipment, by freight bill number, to a trailer manifest number, trailer and to a line haul dispatch instruction number. The operational events that lead up to the T-CON process involve the loading of an outbound line haul trailer. In a typical cross dock operation, a shipment document will be used to move individual shipments from either a local city unit or a designated dock location, to the trailer being loaded. This shipment document can be a PBL (photocopy of bill of lading, sometimes called a COSO or copy of shipping order), a skeleton freight bill, a pickup driver prepared document, or some other available document. At a break bulk facility, this could be an actual copy of the freight bill. Generally, there will also be some sort of an outbound trailer loading form located near the back of the trailer being loaded. The purpose of this form ranges from listing each shipment in detail to containing a simple count of the number of shipments loaded. This and all of the above procedures vary greatly from carrier to carrier. This loading form, if prenumbered can actually serve as the source for the Manifest Number that is required when the T-CON process is begun as outlined in the below paragraphs. 135 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

3 To run the T-CON or Manifest Trailer program, enter the following selections from the Master System Menu, 4/2/4/1. For field personnel whose startup menu is the Terminal Operations Menu, enter 1. The options file Program Name for the T- CON program is ODTCON. Confirm T-CON Settings When the T-CON program is first executed, a small Confirm T-CON Settings screen is displayed on top of the main data entry screen. The purpose of this screen is to set the origin terminal and manifest number. See example below. Terminal ID: The first data required for the confirmation screen is the origin terminal s standard three (3)-character abbreviation or terminal ID. The default display will be the terminal ID of the location for the user who is doing the data entry. Use the TAB key to display all of the possible choices. Carrier SCAC Code: The default SCAC code for the carrier (i.e. your company) is also displayed at this time for informational purposes only and is not changeable by the user. Manifest Number: The last piece of data required for the header screen is the manifest number. This can be entered manually (and therefore manually assigned) or the computer can assign the next number. If you choose to assign manually and do not have pre-numbered trailer loading forms, it is recommended that each location (freight terminal) using the T-CON system have available a consecutive number stamp to help control the next number. As a batch of documents is prepared for the T-CON process, the next manifest number would be stamped on a batch header document. If computer assigned numbers are used, pressing the enter key in the Manifest Number field will display the next number. This number should then be manually placed on the batch header document. A note about computer assigned numbers. Two methods are available for the automatic assignment of the next Manifest Number and the one that is used is determined by the options file (see program ODTCON option file layout in appendix A of this document). Option #9, Use Trm Man#, if set to Y (the Y column) will cause the system to look in the Terminal/Facility Information file for 136 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

4 the next manifest number for the origin terminal. If this option is not set to a Y, then the next manifest number will be assigned according the number in the B5 column of option #5. T-CON Header Data Entry The header portion of the main screen contains information regarding the dispatch date, equipment and destination for the trailer. These fields are discussed in detail in the following paragraphs. Refer to the following example. Dispatch Date: Once all information required for the confirmation screen is entered, the confirmation screen is removed and control returns to the header section of the main screen at the dispatch date field. The date defaults to the current date. If this is correct, press the enter key, otherwise, enter the desired date. Trailer Number: Next the trailer identification information is requested. The trailer identification is comprised of the owner SCAC code and a numeric number up to six digits long. This method of trailer numbering allows for the entry of intermodal equipment numbers such as ocean containers and piggy back trailers. For company-owned equipment, it is assumed that the SCAC code portion of the number would be the carrier s own SCAC code. Any value entered in the SCAC code portion of the trailer number other than the carrier s own SCAC code will be interpreted by the system as a foreign (non-company-owned) trailer. This impacts, based on system options, the logging of certain inventory and movement records for the equipment. If options 16 & 17 are both set to Y, both 137 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

5 company owned and foreign owned trailers will be added and updated in the equipment inventory file. Various edit checks are made on the trailer number that has been entered which, based on the results of the edit, can cause one of three system actions to take place. These actions are as follows: 1. Entry is OK, no message sent to user. In this case, the trailer number is valid and the status/location data agrees with the current operation. The system approves the entry and moves on to the next field. 2. Entry is invalid, message is sent to user, user must re-enter the trailer number. If the trailer is owned by the carrier (SCAC code entered is the same as carrier s), then the trailer number is checked against the master equipment file. Two conditions can cause this edit to fail and force the user to enter a new trailer number. The first of these is if the equipment number is not found in the master equipment file. This situation will generate the error Equipment not found in MASTER file! Re-Enter! and return control to the trailer number field (numeric portion). The second condition that will cause the entry not to be accepted is if the equipment number entered is not a trailer. This validity check is based on two fields in the master equipment file, the equipment category and the MCF Table. The equipment category must be set to either a 3 or a 4 (semi-trailer or full-trailer respectively) and the MCF Table field must be set to a 2 (trailer unit codes). If either of these two fields is not set properly, the error message: This equipment is not a TRAILER! Re-Enter! is displayed and control is returned to the trailer number field. 3. Entry will be accepted, message issued regarding status and location. In this case, a warning message is issued to advise the user that the current status/location information may not match the user s assumption. The purpose of this warning message is to indicate to the user that they should check to make sure they have not entered a wrong trailer number. This is only a warning and the system will accept the trailer number as entered. Control is passed to the next field. Final, En route and Beyond Terminals: The next group of fields provides for the entry of multiple destination terminals by the three-character terminal ID. The first of these fields is for the FINAL destination of the trailer while the remaining four can be used for en route stops or beyond terminals. En route terminals are used for situations where a trailer will stop at some intermediate point on its way to the final destination, and have some freight unloaded. Beyond terminals would apply if the final destination for this trailer is a break bulk facility and this freight will eventually be re-dispatched on it s way to it s final inbound terminal. 138 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

6 Main Freight Bill Number Entry Once all of the header information has been entered, the program is ready to accept the freight bill (PRO) numbers of all of the shipments that have been loaded on the trailer. Two fields are presented for each shipment: the sequence number and the PRO number. The sequence number automatically begins with one (1) and is incremented by one for each PRO entered. The purpose of the sequence number is to indicate the position of the shipment in the trailer, starting from the nose and moving to the rear of the trailer. If the default sequence number is not correct, pressing the up arrow key in the Pro Number field will move control back to the Seq field and the correct value can be entered. Entering the PRO number provides for various options. These options are outlined below: The first time a PRO is entered, the system will make various checks on it both for validity as a PRO number and in relationship to the dispatch date, origin terminal and destination terminals loaded on this trailer. Most warning messages issued will not prevent the shipment from being added to the trailer but serve to advise the user. The warning messages include the following: PRO Number MUST be X Characters Long. This message is only given if the Y flag is set to Y for option #3. In this case, the length of the entered PRO number is checked against the value in the B1" column of option #2. This PRO on Manifest # XXXXXXXX, dated XX/XX/XX, F1 if OK to add. This message and entry request is given if the entered PRO is found on a different trailer manifest. This situation could be OK if the shipment is being reloaded on a different trailer at a break bulk facility, or in various other situations. It could however, be an error (duplicate, wrong PRO#) that is why the program forces the user to enter the F1 key to OK the entry. Any key pressed other than the F1 will mean that the PRO was not accepted for this trailer. PRO already on THIS Manifest, F5 to DELETE, RETURN to re-enter. If a PRO is entered twice on the same trailer, this message and entry request will be displayed. If the PRO was accidentally entered twice, pressing the ENTER key will ignore the entry and return to the PRO field to request a new PRO number. If for any reason you need to remove a PRO from a trailer, this is the procedure for deleting it: Type in the PRO you wish to remove, and then press the F5 key. The PRO will be removed from the trailer. Check Digit Error Re-Enter PRO! (XX). If the check digit option is turned on (see options 11, 12, 13, and 14), an error will be generated if the PRO number 139 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

7 entered does not pass the check digit test. In this case, the correct check digit will be displayed in the error message in the (XX) as shown above. A correct check digit must be entered before this PRO will be accepted. PRO not in Freight Bill file - Must be added. If option #6 is turned on (Y column set to Y ), the PRO must be already billed before it can be T-CON ed. This test is skipped if option #6 is turned off with the exception that the message WARNING: Bill not in Billing File is displayed on the Helps: line. WARNING: Shipment already delivered. If a shipment is T-CON ed that has a delivery date, this message will be displayed. This is a warning only and will not prevent the PRO from being added to the trailer. WARNING: This bill already PAID. If the status of a shipment indicates that a payment has been applied (either posted or not posted) this warning message will be presented. As in the above case, this will not prevent the PRO from being added to the trailer. WARNING: This shipment is over XX days OLD! Based on the value in the B1" column of option #8, if the age of a shipment based on the ship date is older than this value, this warning message will be given. WARNING: This freight bill has been VOIDED! If the status of the shipment is V for VOID, this message will be displayed. Again, the shipment will still be added to the trailer. WARNING: Shipment inbound to terminal XXX. This message occurs when the inbound terminal for the shipment is a terminal other than one of the terminals entered in the header information as a destination terminal. This concludes the various reasonable tests that are performed on PRO number entries during the T-CON process. If any of the PROs that generated an error message need to be removed from the trailer, simply enter the PRO number again (which will trigger the above PRO already on this manifest error) and then press the F5 key to delete. Finishing the Trailer Once all PRO numbers for all of the shipments loaded on a trailer have been entered, the trailer can be closed. In the PRO number field, press the ENTER key without entering a PRO number or press the escape (ESC) key. On doing this, the message No PRO entered, are you finished? (Y or N) will be displayed on the helps line and control passed to the Y/N field on line 23. If you are not finished, entering an N will put you back in the main screen on the PRO number field you were just on. If you enter a Y, a new window will be displayed. See the example below. 140 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

8 To close the trailer, enter an X in Job 1. To perform other functions as listed on this finish options window, place an X on the corresponding Job line. To exit the program without closing a trailer, press the ESC key. The action taken by the close procedure is as follows: The status of the record in the T-CON file (TCNFIL) is set to C, closed, for each shipment and for the header record. The C/Charges lookup database file is updated with the trailer number for the shipment. This update includes deleting and adding a record in the trailer lookup method key file (CHRGKY). This means that after a trailer is closed, the charges lookup screen can be used to list all of the shipments on that trailer (a date may be required to restrict the shipments to the current shipments on the trailer). The freight bill header file (BILFIL) is updated with the dispatch date and the manifest number. The date dispatched key file (BILKKY) is also updated. Search by code number 8 in the charges lookup program (trailer manifest in load order) will now find shipments on this manifest also. A record is added into the Bill Status System that is displayed in the trace display (either via the charges lookup, display mode set to trace display, or from the T/Trace display by PRO number program. For company-owned equipment (and for foreign equipment if option #16 is turned on) the equipment inventory file (EINFIL) is updated indicating the current location, status, and source of update for the trailer. 141 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

9 Re-Open Trailer A provision has been made to allow for a closed trailer to be re-opened for the purpose of adding additional shipments or for removing a shipment that was previously T-CON ed to this trailer. To re-open a trailer, enter the origin terminal and manifest number as before. The system will display the Finish Options window. Enter an X on Line 6 to re-open the trailer. In RE-OPEN mode, the program works slightly different than in normal mode when deleting a previously entered PRO. In this case, the updates to the charges lookup file and the freight bill header file are immediate. As in normal mode, new PROs added to the trailer are updated when the trailer is re-closed. TCON Conclusion Closing a trailer concludes the T-CON process. However, after a trailer is closed, in addition to dispatching it using the Line Dispatch system, the information regarding the association between the shipment and this trailer/manifest is available in the following programs: Charges Lookup (C/Charges). Information can be looked up both by trailer number (search by code 5) or by manifest number (search by code 8). Trace Display (T/Trace). Information is logged in the bill status system which can be viewed by PRO number using the T/Trace program or via the charges lookup program when in trace display mode. Print Freight Bill Delivery Sets. Inbound terminal delivery receipts sets can be selected and printed via the manifest number. Both the trailer number and the manifest number are printed on the bill. Destination Trailer Unloading Report. This I/B trailer unloading report can be pulled via ship date, dispatch date or manifest number and is designed to be used by the inbound terminal to unload arrived trailers. To print via manifest number, leave the Report Date field blank. When left blank, control moves to the manifest number field. If a date is entered, control moves to the Is DATE Ship (S) or Dispatch (D) field. General Select Freight Manifest. Because both the trailer number and the manifest number are stored in the freight bill header file, it is possible to print general freight manifests based on these values using the select and sort system. Different companies have different needs as it relates to hard copy reports based on this information. If your company needs a report not listed above, please contact alphatruck Software Support regarding a custom report. 142 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

10 Line Dispatch Management System After the T-CON process is complete, the next step is to create (enter) the Line Dispatch Instructions. To run the Enter, Update, Dispatch, and Arrive Line Driver program, enter the following selections from the Master System Menu: 4/2/2/1. For field personnel whose startup menu is the Terminal Operations Menu, select: 2/1. The options file Program Name for this program is OD3LDI. Refer to appendix A for a complete list of the options for this program. Initial Dispatch Entry, Header Info Dispatch No: When the program is first run, the main Line Dispatch Instructions Update screen is displayed and the cursor is at the dispatch number field. See the following example. If the user needs to update an existing Line Dispatch Instruction (LDI) record, the number for that LDI would be entered in the Dispatch No. field. In the case of a new entry, as with the T-CON manifest number, several options exist for selecting a new LDI number. One option is to manually assign a new number and just enter it. This, as in the case above, requires some method for keeping track of the next number. Again, a consecutive number stamp helps this situation if you choose to use manually assigned LDI numbers. For a computer assigned number, press the F1 key in this field. The next number will automatically be displayed. To accept this number, press the enter key. This accepts the assigned number and moves control to the next section. As in the case of the T-CON auto-assigned numbers, two methods also exist for the automatic assignment of LDI numbers per option record settings. Option 143 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

11 #20, Use Trm Disp#, if set to Y (the Y column) will cause the system to look in the Terminal/Facility Information file for the next LDI number for the terminal of the user who is creating the LDI. If this option is not set to a Y, then the next LDI number will be assigned according to the number in the B5 column of option #19. Window F2 - Driver s Name and ID Number: After the LDI number has been entered, control moves to window F2 and the 1st driver s name field. The 1st driver or primary driver is a mandatory field while the 2nd driver is optional. Also, the human resources file must contain a record for individuals or entities that are entered in the driver fields. If you use purchased transportation, you may enter generic, non-employee, records in the human resources file to serve as drivers. Care should be exercised when using generic codes so as not to dilute the value of some of the information products that relate to the driver. Several methods exist for finding, selecting and entering the assigned driver, as follows: 1. Enter the human resources ID number for the driver (Rel. 6.01) 2. Enter the last name of the driver. 3. Press F1 for a list drivers If method 1 is used to find the driver, after the initial entry and the first driver match is displayed, the user is asked to (see help line): Press the ENTER key to accept or FUNCTION KEY as indicated. The status line (line 25 on the screen) indicates what the user s choices are for fine-tuning his driver selection. These choices are: Press ENTER to accept the driver, press ESCAPE to re-enter driver, F1 for a list of drivers, F2 for the next driver, and F3 for the previous driver. If method 2 is used, the driver s name can be selected from the list and no further function is required. Once the 1st or primary driver is selected, control moves to the 2nd driver. To return back to the 1st driver from the 2nd driver field, press the ESC key. The 2nd driver is an optional field and is provided for use in the case of a sleeper team operation. If no 2nd driver will be involved in this dispatch, leave the field blank and press the ENTER key to move to the Line Haul Carrier Information window. Window F3 - Line Haul Carrier Information: This window has been designed to capture pertinent information if the line haul services are being provided by purchased transportation. The first field in the window asks the question, Outside Line Carrier? This is a Yes/No question answered with a Y or N. The default answer is Y for Yes. If an outside carrier is providing the line haul service AND you want to setup a payable record for the service provider, complete the information as required in this window. Press the ENTER key to accept the default answer. If a Y is entered for outside services, control moves to the Pay Basis field. Enter the code for the pay basis that will be used to pay 144 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

12 the line haul service provider. The TAB key can be used to see all of the choices. The choices available in the current release of the software are listed in the table below: Pay Basis Code T M R D S Explanation of Pay Basis Code By ENTERED Per TRIP Rate. The carrier will receive a fixed amount to be entered in the next field. By ROUTE Per Mile/KM Rate. The carrier will receive an amount per unit of distance as defined in the Line Dispatch Route File. By ROUTE Per Trip Rate. The carrier will receive an amount per trip as defined in the Line Dispatch Route File. By ENTERED Per Mile/KM Rate. The carrier will receive an amount per unit of distance based on the amount entered in the next field. By tariff Schedule (Roadfeeder). The carrier will receive the rate designated in the vendor file for the corresponding vendor code as shown in the vendor code field. After the Pay Basis field is entered, control moves to the Rate field. This field only has meaning for pay basis type T and D. Enter the appropriate amount if the pay basis is one of these two. Pressing the ENTER key from this field moves control to the Vendor Code field. Enter the standard alpha/numeric code for the vendor (carrier who is providing the line haul service) or press the F1 key for a list of vendors. A note regarding vendor codes a vendor cannot be added from this function but must be added via the accounts payable system. This feature is designed to add a security level to the system so that unauthorized carriers cannot be used for line haul purposes. Window F4 - Dispatch Driver: The purpose of this window is to enter the initial dispatch date for this LDI. The current system date will be displayed as the default dispatch date. To accept this date, press the enter key or type in the 145 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

13 correct dispatch date. Care should be taken when dispatching drivers close to 12:00 midnight. If the current date is used and the driver is not actually dispatched until after midnight, this field will need to be corrected to ensure accurate ETA calculations for the driver s arrival. Initial Dispatch Entry, Leg Info After the dispatch date has been entered, control moves to the creation of the individual legs for this LDI and the Leg Detail Data Entry screen is displayed. For the purposes of the LDI, a leg is defined as the movement of the driver and assigned equipment over a defined route from one point to another. A LDI can consist of up to nine (9) individual legs. The next paragraphs will outline in detail the process of entering specific LDI leg information. See the following example. ROUTE Number: Various options exist for entering the route. The user can just enter the number of the route they want to assign, they can press the F1 to list the available routes, they can add a new route, or they can enter a route and, by pressing the F3 key, edit the route information. Each of these options will be explored in the following text. If the desired route number is known, simply enter the route number and press the enter key. The validity of the route will be checked by the system and if found to be good, control will move to the Power Unit field. If, however, the route number entered is not found in the Line Dispatch Routes file (Standard File Maintenance Program for this file can be reached by entering 4/2/2/4/3 from the Master System Menu) the following error message will be displayed: Route not found, please re-enter new# or add! 146 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

14 The next option is for the user to list the available routes by pressing the F1 key. This will cause a list to be displayed that instead of immediately listing routes will ask the user to define in which order to list the routes. The choices are C for customer, R for route number and S for origin/destination state order. After making this selection, the user will then be prompted to enter a beginning value, that is a customer code, route number or origin/destination state combination (i.e. TXOK). After this entry, any routes matching the entered criteria will be listed. The user can then select a route by selecting the letter in the far left column. Options exist for scrolling forward and backward for lists that require multiple pages. Once the desired route is selected, the route number is displayed in the route number field and control is moved to the Power Unit field. The third option for the user is to add a new route. This option is selected by pressing the F2 key. However, if the user wants to control the assignment of the new route number, the desired route number should be entered into the Route Number field first before the F2 key is pressed. If not, the system will automatically assign the number for the new route based in the Next Route # found in the B5 column of option #13. Once the new route number has been selected, the Line Dispatch Route data entry screen will appear. Enter the required information for each field on the screen. If you wish to abort the entry, press the F4 key. After the new route is entered, the Leg detail screen is redisplayed and control moves to the Power Unit field. Before getting into the equipment entry, it should be noted that each of the equipment fields (power, trailer & converter gear) can have the validation check turned on or off via the options file. There are actually two levels of equipment checks. The first checks the equipment against the Master Equipment File (EQPFIL). This check can be disabled by setting the Y column for options # 1, 2, and 3 to N. In the case of trailers, even if this option is turned on, this edit will be skipped for foreign-owned trailers. The second check is performed on power units and trailers only. This level checks the equipment against the Equipment Inventory File (EINFIL) for proper status and location. This check can also be disabled by setting the Y column value for option #6 to an N. The following is a list of equipment errors that cannot be by-passed (assumes options 1, 2, 3, and 6 are on): This unit is not a POWER unit! Re-Enter. If a gear or trailer number is entered in the power unit field, this error is generated. Equipment Number not in MASTER file. This error is only impassable for gears and trailers. Power units that are not in the Master Equipment file will generate a warning message but the entry will be accepted. The reason for this is to allow the use of power unit numbers from purchased transportation providers. 147 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

15 This unit is not a CON-GEAR! Re-Enter. If a power unit or a trailer number is entered in the converter gear field, this error is generated. This unit is not a TRAILER! Re-Enter. If a power unit or a converter gear is entered in the trailer field, this error is generated. The following is a list of equipment errors that can be by-passed (assumes options 1, 2, 3, and 6 are on): WARNING: Equipment Number not in master file. This warning message is only generated for power units that are not found in the Master Equipment File. WARNING: This unit not found in inventory file. This warning message can be generated for both trailer and power units that are not found in the Equipment Inventory File. After the first dispatch for either piece of equipment, this message should not return. Trailer in LOADED status at WRONG location! This warning message advises the user that the trailer is in the correct status (loaded for line dispatch) but that it is not at the correct terminal. This situation will again auto-correct when the dispatch is completed. WARNING: (equipment type) status is (status) at WRONG term (current location). For power units that have records in the Equipment Inventory file and for trailers that are not in a loaded status, this message will be displayed. It is both for informational purposes and to serve as a warning to the user. This completes the list of fatal and non-fatal equipment validation errors generated by this program. Power Unit: Enter the power unit that is assigned to the driver for this dispatch. If purchased transportation is being used, the numeric portion of their power unit number may be used provided it does not conflict with an existing companyowned piece of equipment. Trailers/Gears: The next set of fields is set up to provide for the entry of up to three trailers and two converter gears. Trailer Column: In the case of trailer equipment, both the SCAC code of the trailer owner and the numeric component of the unit ID can be entered. If a SCAC code other than the dispatching carrier s is entered, foreign-owned equipment is assumed. 148 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

16 Seal No s: For each trailer being dispatched, a seal number can be entered. This is an optional entry but it does print on the driver s instructions and its use is highly recommended for security reasons. PRO Numbers: For single shipment trailers, instead of a manifest number, the PRO number of the shipment loaded on the trailer can be entered. This is an optional entry and should not be used if a manifest number is to be entered in the next field. Manifest Numbers: Enter the manifest number for the manifest that was created for this trailer. If no PRO number or Manifest number is entered for a trailer (as you would expect in the case of an empty trailer) the system will generate a warning message as follows: WARNING: No PRO or MANIFEST entered! Shipments/Weight: If either a PRO number or a manifest number is entered, the number of shipments and the amount of weight should default to the amount specified on those documents. The user, at their discretion, may change the values displayed. Gear Column: Enter the number of the converter gear that will be used for this dispatch. If this dispatch contains more than one trailer, this is a mandatory entry. If no entry is made in the first gear column, it will be assumed by the program that the dispatch is for one trailer. If no entry is made in the second gear column, it will be assumed by the program that the dispatch is for two trailers. If a gear number is entered in the second column, then the assumption is the dispatch is for triples. Load: After the above items have been entered for all of the trailers, control moves to the Load field. This field provides information to the line driver on the type of load he is hauling. Use the TAB key to select the desired value for this code. Mail: This field is a simple Yes or No flag to indicate to the driver on his instruction sheet that he will or will not have an inter-company truck mail responsibility. Action: The action field stores a single character code that can provide instructions for the line driver regarding the action to be taken at the end of this leg. Use the TAB key to display all of the possible choices. Used in conjunction with the canned hot key special instructions, free form special instructions, and the F8 unlimited remarks capability, all possible driver instruction requirements should be able to be met. (See below fields). Special Instructions: Enter a single line of free form instructions for the driver or, use the canned messages by pressing the appropriate function key (see the status line). Canned messages include: 149 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

17 F1 - Call Central Dispatch on Arrival F2 - Call Origin Terminal on Arrival F3 - Call Destination Terminal on Arrival F4 - See Terminal Manager on Arrival F5 - Call Customer on (XXX)XXX-XXXX The F5 canned instruction is designed to be used when a line driver is required to make a delivery directly to a customer s location. This canned instruction should be edited with the correct telephone number for that customer. If more room is needed for additional driver instructions, pressing the F8 key will open a message window where unlimited free form instructions can be entered. Remember, these are instructions for this leg of the dispatch only. Once this last field, Special Instructions, is completed and the ENTER key is pressed, the leg entry screen is cleared, the leg number is incremented by 1 and control returns to the Route Number field. This leg entry process then can be repeated for the number of legs on this dispatch, up to a maximum of nine (9). When all legs have been entered, pressing the ESC key from the Route Number field returns control to the main screen. All legs that have been entered are now listed on this screen and the program enters the Update, Dispatch, Arrive mode. At this point, we are ready to dispatch the line driver. Update, Dispatch, Arrive Entry, Header and Leg Info In a perfect world, the next step would be to simply dispatch the line driver on his first leg. However, as happens in most trucking companies, before the final lineup is on its way down the highway, some things invariably change. For this reason, one of the goals of the Line Dispatch Management System was to make it easy to make changes and corrections to the LDI, even after all data had been entered. Towards that end, the main screen was divided into various windows, some visible and some not visible. Each window represents a certain subset of information that is used to make up the entire LDI. Access to each of these windows is controlled by an assigned function key. Lines 24 and 25 on the screen are labeled with these assignments, which are listed below: F2 - Assigned Driver Information F3 - Line Haul Carrier Information (purchased transportation) F4 - Dispatch a Leg F5 - Arrive a Leg F6 - Enter Extra Driver Duties F7 - Redisplay Leg Summary Screen (this provides access to edit leg info) F8 - Add general remarks regarding the whole LDI (not just a single leg) F10 - Create a payable (purchased transportation only) 150 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

18 When Update, Dispatch, and Arrive mode is entered, the system displays a prompt as follows: Press F? For Window to correct, P to PRINT, press ENTER to finish This prompt becomes the main launching point from which all update and print functions take place after the initial entry of an LDI. The print function is a critical component of the system and will be discussed following the function key definitions below. The action of each of the above listed function keys will be examined in detail in the following paragraphs: F2 - Assigned Driver Information: To change the assigned drivers on an LDI, press the F2 key while in update mode. Control moves to the 1st field in the [F2] Driver s Name and ID Number. Enter driver information in the same way as outlined in the initial header entry section above. Use the Control-Y combination to clear from cursor to end of field. F3 - Line Haul Carrier Information: If a change is made as to the name of the outside carrier that will provide the line haul service for this dispatch, press the F3 key to edit the information. Make entries in the same manner as outlined in the initial header entry section above. F4 - Dispatch A Leg: This is a new action that was not required during the initial leg entry. Pressing the F4 key displays a screen that shows all the legs for this LDI, numbered 1 through 9, (see the following example). The dispatch and arrive date/time information is also displayed. For leg 1, the dispatch date has already been entered. This was picked up from the entry that was made when the LDI was originally entered. The program requires that legs be dispatched and arrived in sequential order, just like in the real world. Once this screen has been displayed, control is moved to the field Select number of LEG to UPDATE or ESC to EXIT. Enter a 1 to update leg 1. The first field that can be modified is the date of dispatch. It defaults to the date mentioned earlier. If this is correct, press the ENTER key, otherwise, type over the date with the correct date. After entering the date, the cursor moves the time field. Enter the time of the dispatch in 24-hour format. The next field is a single digit code that represents the time zone. The default comes from the Line Dispatch Routes file and should be correct. Press the ENTER key to accept the default or enter the correct time zone code. The time zones for the continental United States are shown on the bottom line of this Dispatch/Arrive screen. After the dispatch information for this leg is entered, control returns to the Select number of LEG to UPDATE field. Press the ESC key to return to the main LDI update screen. No other legs can be dispatched until the leg just dispatched is arrived. 151 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

19 F5 - Arrive a Leg: When information becomes available to a responsible party that a line driver has arrived at the destination of an LDI leg, the arrival information must be entered. Who this responsible party is varies from company to company. It can be one or a combination of the following persons or group of persons: Central Line Dispatch, the individual destination terminals involved in each leg of a LDI, the final destination terminal on a LDI, the origin terminal, or a clerk in the general office. Who actually does this update is a business decision that must be made by each individual company using the system. The important thing to remember is that the closer to real time these updates are made, the more useful the information gathered by the system will be for freight movement, equipment inventory and customer service purposes. To arrive a leg, press the F5 key. It displays the same screen that was displayed for the F4-Dispatch feature above, and shows all of the legs for this LDI, numbered 1 through 9. See the example above (the difference in the dispatch screen and the arrive screen is that the screen title is different, one says Dispatch Driver, the other Arrive Driver). The dispatch and arrive date/time information is also displayed. Before a leg can be arrived, it must first be dispatched and all legs before it must be dispatched and arrived. That is, leg 4 cannot be arrived before leg 3 has been arrived. As with the dispatch function, once this screen has been displayed, control is moved to the field Select number of LEG to UPDATE or ESC to EXIT. Enter a 1 to update leg 1. The first field in arrive mode that can be modified is the date of arrival. Both the date of arrival and the time of arrival will default to the ETA date/time based on the transit time specified in the Line Dispatch Route file for the route used on this leg. If the date is correct, press the ENTER key; otherwise, type over the date with the correct date. After entering the date, the cursor moves to the time field. Enter the arrival time in 24-hour format. The next field is a single digit code that represents the time zone. The default comes from the Line Dispatch Routes file and should be correct. Press ENTER to accept the default or enter the correct time zone code. 152 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

20 The time zones for the continental United States are shown on the bottom line of this Dispatch/Arrive screen. After the arrival information for this leg is entered, control returns to the Select number of LEG to UPDATE field. Press the ESC key to return to the main LDI update screen. After leg 1 has been arrived, leg 2 can be dispatched, and so on, until all legs on a LDI have been dispatch and arrived. F6 - Enter Extra Driver Duties: This feature provides for the recording of extra duties that may have been completed by the driver during his trip. These extra duties may include such things as: Drop & Pick, Switch, Unload, Load, Other Hourly, Special off route trip, or Other mileage based work. A description line is provided so the extra work can be explained in detail, plus fields for Action Code, Terminal ID (for assignment of cost), units, units code, OK d by, and rates are provided. See the example below. During the printing of a driver fill-in form, blank spaces are provided for entering this extra work performed. When the completed form is printed, the actual data entered using this F6 feature is printed (see more on printing below). F7 - Redisplay Leg Summary Screen (this provides access to edit leg info): If prior to the initial dispatch or if at some point during the middle of a complicated LDI, leg information needs to be changed, this can be accomplished by pressing the F7 key. Pressing this key moves control to the following prompt: Enter Line Dispatch LEG to Update or Modify. Entering a number between 1 and the maximum leg number for this LDI will cause the leg detail screen to be displayed with all of the detail for the selected leg. Control will move to the route number field and all of the information in this leg can now be edited. In order for any changes to be effective, the user must move all the way through the screen. Pressing the ESC key in the middle of the screen returns control to the Route Number. Pressing ESC at the Route Number cancels all of the changes. 153 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

21 F8 - Add general remarks regarding the whole LDI (not just a single leg): As mentioned earlier, during the individual leg entry, it is possible to enter free form remarks for each leg using the F8 remarks feature that is frequently used throughout alphatruck. At this point, the F8 remarks that can be added relate to the entire LDI and are separate from those for the individual legs. Both the leg-related remarks and these general remarks will print on both the driver fill-in form and the complete form. Press the F8 key to enter the remarks window. When finished, press the ESC key to exit. F10 - Create a payable (purchased transportation only): The creation of a payable record is only available on those LDI s that were handled by purchased transportation. Also, before the payable record can be created, the LDI must be arrived at its final destination. Once this criterion is met, pressing the F10 key causes the Voucher Payable/Invoice information screen to be displayed. See the example below. The cursor is on the description field, which defaults to a description for the trip based on information from the LDI record. The next field is the currency field. This field will always default to the system currency code (generally U for US Dollars). The cursor then moves to the Total Invoice Amount field. In most cases the default amount will be correct. If the default amount is incorrect, type over the default with the new amount. The fields for GST, LST and Early Pay Discount will probably not require any entry; press the ENTER key to move through these fields. When the payable record is completed, the system will display the following prompt: Invoice Complete, press ENTER to continue, F4 to Correct. If everything is correct, press the ENTER key. If you want to make a correction, press the F4 key. Pressing the F4 key moves you back to the Description field. 154 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA

22 Printing Driver Fill-In and Completed Forms The forms printed by this system are an essential part of the data collection and line driver management feature of the system. On the initial dispatch, by providing drivers with a fill-in form that contains all instructions for the dispatch, miscommunication problems should be minimized. As the line driver makes his run, items on the fill-in form are to be completed. This includes arrival dates and times plus any extra duty information. When the line driver arrives at the final destination per the LDI, this fill-in form can be used as the source for updating the arrival and other information in the system for this LDI. Once this is done, a complete form can be printed which serves as a permanent record of the completed line dispatch. To print these LDI forms, from the prompt: Press F? for windows to correct, P to Print, press ENTER to finish. On the first print request, the following prompt will be displayed: Select Printer to use (use TAB)... X (X will be your default printer number). Enter the number of the printer you will use or, if the default is correct, press the ENTER key. The TAB key will display all of the available printers. After the printer choice has been made, a prompt regarding the type of form to print is displayed as follows: Select Dispatch FORM to print, Complete (C), Fill-In Form (F) or Bill-of-Lading (B). Enter a C, F, or B. The print request is then passed to the background process for printing. Conclusions, Line Dispatch Management System This concludes the instructions for Entering, Updating, Dispatching, and Arriving a Line Driver. When a leg of an LDI is arrived, the location and status of each shipment moving on the leg are also updated. In this way, a complete log of the events of the life of the freight bill is maintained and can easily be viewed from either the charges lookup screen or the trace display screen. In addition to this, the Equipment Inventory file is updated on all moves as drivers are dispatched and arrived. Example Dispatch Scenarios To facilitate the implementation of the above instructions, various scenarios of line dispatch problems will be presented below to provide insight on how best to use the system. If there is a situation that occurs in your organization that is not covered by the below possibilities, FAX a detailed description to alphatruck Software Support, and we will provide an explanation of the proper procedure to follow for your particular situation. 155 Copyright 2000, DPS Software Systems, Inc. 924 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA