Basic data entry instructions

In TMWSuite, a date/time field consists of ten digits. The first six are for the date; the remaining four are for the time (mmddyyhhmm).

Many TMWSuite screens have data entry fields which allow you to identify a:

In a company, driver, tractor, trailer, carrier, or commodity field, you must enter the ID code assigned to the specific entity. Names rather than codes are used to identify city and state/province combinations. As you begin to type an ID or name, note that the system tries to match your entry with the IDs or names on file. It automatically displays an ID or name that begins with the letter or combination of letters you have typed. This automatic search for the proper code or name is what is known as TMWSuite’s instant best match feature.

For example, suppose you want to identify Richmond, Indiana as the location for one of your customers. As you begin to type, TMWSuite will check the characters you enter with all city names within its city file that begin with the letter 'R'. It automatically displays the first city name on file that begins with the letter or combination of letters you enter. Each time you type a character, TMWSuite continues to search its city file to locate a match. In most cases, you will not need to type an entire city name and state/province abbreviation. When TMWSuite displays the entry you want, exit the field.

There may be times when you are not sure that the code or name that you have entered is correct. This is especially true with codes since many of them may start with the same characters. To see other codes or names that begin with the character(s) you have typed, click on the down arrow that displays at the right of the field. If other codes/names begin with the character(s) you have entered, they display in a drop-down list. This illustration shows an example of how such a list looks for a field which requires entry of a company ID:

If all selections cannot be shown at one time in the list, a scrollbar displays on the right. To scroll additional selections into view, click on the scrollbar, or use the DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW key. To replace the current entry in a field with one of the other selections shown in the drop-down list, select the desired option.

For many fields within TMWSuite, only certain pre-defined values are valid. For such fields, TMWSuite displays drop-down lists of acceptable entries. This illustration shows an example of a field for which a drop-down list is provided:

When you position the cursor in a field that provides a drop-down list, a scroll bar displays at the right of the field. Click on it to see a list of valid entries. Highlight the desired selection.

To scroll through a drop-down list, do one of the following:

If you know the first character of the selection you want, type that character to have the system jump to the first entry that begins with that character. If the first entry is not the one you want, continue to type the character until the system highlights the desired selection.