2020.3

You now have the option to add the OrgType3 field to the Branch Maintenance window. This field allows you to turn off functionality that takes Time Zones into account when:

The OrgType3 field’s drop-down list shows in the Branch Maintenance window. The option you choose in this field determines whether the system selects or clears the new Use Time Zone check box. This new check box shows in the Route Response window by default.

The OrgType3 field includes these two options:

To add the OrgType3 field to the Branch Maintenance window:

The Route Book import file now uses the correct Company and Terminal ID values.

The Appian Route Book import was modified to import data into these new fields.

You can find one or more of the fields in these grids:

The Import Route Book import and export files now include an Available column for the route.

When you used the Send to Appian command in the Terminal Profile window for existing manifests with multiple legs, the Stops grid showed the terminal start and end locations. It should have shown the actual leg start and end locations.

Now you can create an XML debug file when you send a request to Appian DirectRoute™ for route optimization. The file allows you to verify that all information sent to Appian is both valid, and in the correct format. You activate the feature with these settings:
[Appian]DebugOutput
[Appian]DebugOutputDir
[Appian]AuthorizationToken
Note: You must be licensed for Appian DirectRoute™ to use it with LTL Operations. For more information, contact your Support Team.

You can now view additional import data by adding new fields to certain grids within the system. You select the fields from the Field Chooser. The fields, listed by category, include:

Terminal Companies

Terminal Schedules

The Appian Direct Route integration now uses the newer 2018.1.1.1.1 version of the DirectRoute DLL library.

The import process now accepts data for additional existing fields. One or more of the fields show in the Terminal Schedule window’s Schedules Legs grid and the Terminal Profile window’s Routes grid. You select the fields from the Field Chooser.

Notes:

Now, during the DirectRoute export process, the system creates an XML Route file. It shows a summary of information for each exported route. You access the file from the DirectRoute File menu. Click Open to select and view the file. This allows the system to export AbsStartTime (Absolute Start Time) information.

When you mapped routes, the trip’s manifest number showed on the map. Now, when you map a route, the route number shows on the map also.

The Pattern1 field values in the Route Response grid identify the days of the week in which a company is open and closed. In previous versions, it showed the days of the week based on a Monday (M) to Sunday (S) pattern (MTWRFAS). Now it shows the days of the week based on a Sunday (S) to Saturday (A) pattern (SMTWRFA).

The Import Route Book window’s Validate command now validates master orders for errors. This process tests the validation prior to performing the import.

When processing an Undo Import, you received a warning message that master orders were not deleted. The message was issued in error. There are no master orders to delete in this situation because they are created during the import process. The system no longer shows the warning message.

Now you have the ability to edit and save Send to Appian route request and response data. This means that certain fields remain editable before the export and after the import of data. You access the fields in Field Chooser. The fields show in various sections of the application. The fields include:

The new CloseTW check box allows you to indicate whether a delivery:

In previous versions, when you sent a manifest with a Unit ID of UNKNOWN, the system used the default values in the LTLAppianTruckCapacity General Info Table setting to populate the trailer capacity information. This information includes values for the Weight Cap, Pallet Cap, and Volume Cap fields.

Now the system can apply the values shown in the trailer profile for the trailer listed in the Schedule Details grid. If the trailer profile does not include trailer capacity information, the system uses the default values from the LTLAppianTruckCapacity GeneraI Info Table setting.

Send to Appian: The Route Response window now shows new dwell rate fields, when you set up a company to use a Dwell rate. You create a dwell record by specifying the Dwell ID in the Terminal Companies window and the Rate in the LTL Setup window’s Dwell grid.

The system uses these fields to calculate the dwell time at a stop. For example, if the rate is 100 pounds an hour and you deliver 50 pounds at a stop, the dwell time is 30 minutes.

If you use a Tiered Flat rate basis, the rate shows in the existing Unload Time field in the grid.

When you make changes to any of the dwell rates and click Accept Routes, the system opens a pop-up message. It asks, "Save changes to dwell data?" Selecting Yes, saves the dwell data to the LTL Setup window’s Dwell grid.

You can now add the new DispatchLoc and TotalRouteTime fields to the Route Response grid. They allow you to view a route’s start location and total route time calculation. These fields are read-only. You access them in the Field Chooser.

When using Send to Appian for multiple manifests, you may need to use a scroll bar to view all stops. Now, the drag action in the LTLAppianRouteResponseControl.gRoutes grid follows the movement of your pointer. This provides an added visual tool when you want to rearrange rows within the grid.

Currently by default, this functionality is not available for other grids. The reason is that many grids rely on the drag action to move rows between grids.

Send to Appian: Now, when you click Accept Routes, a Progress pop-up window opens.

Its progress bar updates you on the status of the routing process. The window’s messaging provides information on routing activities, such as:

New buttons in the Route Response window allow you to adjust earliest and latest field value dates. They include:

A severe performance issue occurred with the new Appointment Queue stored procedure. The three Left Outer Joins on the Reverence Number table caused the issue. These joins and others were converted to sub-queries, which drastically improved performance.

Now, you can use the LTLIgnoreApmtRequireContact=Y General Info Table setting to bypass the contact requirement when booking appointments.

You can now add the Company Alt ID field to various grids in the system. You select the field from the Field Chooser. The field is a user-defined code assigned to a company. You can view the field in these windows:

Logging out of a shift shuts down a driver’s shift for that day. When this occurred, you had to reopen the shift manually to assign the driver to another load in the same day.

Now, you can use the LTLShiftAutomaticReopen General Info Table setting to determine whether to reopen a driver’s shift automatically. When you assign a driver to a new load for the same day, the shift is open and available for assignment.

The new Rail ETA field lets you view updated ETA information for Rail 214 EDI trips. It is available in various grids in the system. For most grids, the data shows in this format: 01/01/1950: 00:00:00. The field is not displayed by default, but you can add it using Field Chooser. You can add the field to the Manifest tab’s Trips grid in these windows:

The Manifest Editor’s Rail Status Updates grid allows you to verify that your ETA data is correct.

When stops were processed and sent to a device through FleetConneX, stop status icons did not update correctly. The icons represent statuses such as, On its way to vendor or Successfully received by vendor unit. Updates to SystemsLink now enable it to show the correct stop status icons.

In previous versions, when a driver arrived at a stop out of sequence, updating the stops caused an exception in FleetConneX. It indicated that prior stops were not completed. Now, SystemsLink re-orders the stops automatically. This guarantees that the stop is the next stop in the sequence.

LTL Operations did not allow a driver to depart one stop and arrive at the next stop in the same minute. The timing issue could happen when stores were next door to each other. The issue was related to the way FleetConneX handled transaction sequencing. Now, for example, the system can process an arrival transaction (Stop 3) before the departure transaction (Stop 2). It does not issue an exception error.

LTL Operations did not allow a driver to depart one stop and arrive at the next stop in the same minute. The timing issue could happen when stores were next door to each other. The issue was related to the way FleetConneX handled transaction sequencing. Now, for example, the system can process a departure transaction (Stop 3) before an arrival transaction (Stop 3). It does not issue an exception error.

Changes to the FreightOrder import resolved the issue where it failed to add correct values in the unit of measure fields on a freight order. Impacted fields show in the order’s Details grid. They include:

In previous versions, the system used the freight order’s load date for the drop on dock date. This caused some issues where the drop on dock date was greater than the delivery date in the Terminal Deliveries window.

Now, the system maps the load date to the Requested Delivery Date. As a result:

Previously, you could add the Trailer Misc 1-4 fields to a Stops grid. Now you can add these user-defined fields to a Trips grid as well. You select the field from the Field Chooser. To access the grid:

New features allow you to manage a large number of child terminals, under the existing parent terminal network. It provides access to more drop yards. Many drivers can start and end their days at these child terminal facilities. You can set up their work shift under the child terminals. Typically, the child terminals will not have cross-dock facilities. Automating the manual set zone process creates a great time-savings benefit.

The functionality allows you to:

The new SystemsLink method for FleetConneX allows you to unassign assets after sending stops to the MobileComm system. It allows you to recall a manifest and reset stops to the Silver State status (not sent to MobileComm).

Modifications to the mass manifest status update routine related to the update_manifest_postprocessing procedure increased the application’s ease of use. This allows you to:

Now, you can view route descriptions specifically for pickups and deliveries in the Terminal Pickups and Terminal Deliveries windows. The descriptions show in the Pickup Route and Delivery Route fields. You access the fields in the Manifest tab’s Orders grid. Add them using Field Chooser.

Validation now ensures that a driver’s shifts cannot overlap. When a conflict occurs, the system generates a message that describes the issue.

System updates allow the ltl_manifeststops procedure to view the correct note type for the cust_ref value. This change affects the Key? check box in the Manifest Stops grid in the Terminal Deliveries window.

There may be times when you need to change the tractor on a manifest. A new option in the Manifest Editor window lets you make the change without recalling the manifest or setting it back to empty. You can make changes on manifests that have a status TBL-(To Be Loaded), LDG – (Loading), or LTG - (Loaded to Go).

You can change the tractor on a single-leg manifest or on a multi-leg manifest.

You cannot change the tractor on a completed leg.

The new tractor you assign must be at the terminal and available. It cannot have an expiration.

The existing LTL operational data purge for SQL was modified. It allows purging of operational data for a specific terminal. The operational data includes legs, stops, orders, and invoices.

An updated stored procedure stores the manifest route description as a reference number in the first stop of a manifest. This allows the driver to view the route description on the load information form.

An updated stored procedure enables customer trip extract data to show for a manifest status change. These changes include:

In addition to the LTLEDIService, recalculation of the ETA logic is now available in the LTLBackGround Service.

Hotel and Diversion stops used the same dwell calculation as regular stops. Now, these stops use the appropriate dwell calculation.

The LTL Recall API returns the mobile Manifest Recall confirmation message only once when processing a manifest recall.

When the system calls the UpdateLTLStop API during the trip status update, it sends the odometer value to the API by way of the existing LTLStop model. This allows the API to update the evt_hubmiles column on the primary event for the stop with the value, evt_sequence = 1.

The Terminal Route History SQL table now shows Add, Update, and Delete activity type changes for master schedules.

MobileComm’s trip checksum routine used a heavy order header business object. That object referred to sub collections, such as paperwork, that were not relevant for this method. Now, the routine uses a lighter object. The new object obtains only the information required for the checksum. This change provides an overall performance benefit.

When stops are set to the Golden State status (stops sent to MobileComm) on a manifest, a dispatcher can communicate to a driver that the trip’s stop(s) were either canceled or postponed. There comes a point during this process where it is no longer practical to allow a dispatcher to recall a manifest.

Now you can use the LTLAllowManRecallUpTo General Info Table setting to specify the terms under which a dispatcher can recall a manifest. The options are:

The shift schedules checksum recalculates data integrity when you click the Send Stop button on a manifest. If you used a custom, update procedure to set stops to the Golden State status, the checksum did not recalculate.

When the driver arrived at the first stop, the checksum did recalculate. FleetConneX recognized the checksum change as a dispatch change and re-dispatched the trip. Now, the mass manifest update process recalculates the checksum.

A new API sends manifest route numbers to the MobileComm device. This allows the driver to view a route number from the Trip Assignment. In LTL, the route number shows in the Manifest tab’s Routes grid. You access the grid from the Terminal Profile window.

The LTL Driver Logout API tried to log out a driver based on a leg number. When a driver logged in and had no trip assignment, a leg number was not available. The API method now logs out a driver based on a driver’s ID.

You can now add these fields to various order grids in the system. You select a field from the Field Chooser.

When a delivery window’s time started and ended within an hour, the system did not find a delivery route. For example, if the delivery time was between 11:15 and 11:45 AM. The system could only schedule delivery times in increments of one hour.

Now, you can set up the system to allow the increments to occur in less than 60 minutes. You use the LTLHoursOfOperationIncrement General Info Table setting to do this.

When a stop’s Scheduled Arrival Early or Scheduled Arrival Latest date was modified, the MobileComm solution sent the update to the driver’s handheld unit as a re-dispatch. Typically, a driver does not need this information. The change was made by the integration between TruETA and LTL Operations, not a dispatcher.

Now, you can use the LTLShiftCheckSumStopApmts General Info Table setting to determine whether a change to a stop’s scheduled appointment time should cause a re-dispatch on MobileComm.

Updates to the Rail Drayage functionality now allow the system to expand dispatch processing to include cross-border rail. These changes address customs clearance requirements associated with moving intermodal freight between the USA and Canada.

Two new fields have been added to the Rail Reservation window:

You use these fields to specify a Customs broker stops and stop type when you create a Rail Reservation. When a manifest is assigned to a Rail Reservation, the system inserts a stop based on your entries in these fields. The stop is inserted on the rail leg when it is created.

For Manifests/Orders that cross borders, Customs clearance/Broker validation checks now occur:

The LTLOrderClearedCustoms General Info Table setting has been added for this enhancement. To use the feature, the String2 field must be set to Y.

The Rail Reservations Import feature allows you to import reservations from multiple terminals in one file. Previously, all records had to be uploaded together. If the file contained records with errors, you had to fix or delete them and then repeat the import process.

Now you have the option to upload one or more individual records at a time from the file. This removes the requirement to address errors before importing. You use the new Import Selected command in the Import IM Reservations From File window to select individual records. To select multiple records, hold the SHIFT key while selecting.

The import feature does no import duplicate records. When this occurs, you receive a notification that the records are duplicates.

When creating a rail schedule, the normal transit time extended to just less than seven days. Now, you can use the Add Weeks field in the Rail Schedule Maintenance window to extend the transit time. Make your entry as a whole number. The default value is 0 (zero) and the maximum value is 99. Typically, you would not add a number greater than 2 because it takes just over a week for a train to travel between the east and west coasts of Canada and the U.S.

There may be times when you need to reverse changes you have made in the Appian Route Response window. The window header now includes the Undo command.

There may be times when you need to reverse changes you have made in the Appian Route Response window. The window header now includes the Undo command.``

image:RouteResponseUndo.png [,598,88 ]

The command is inactive by default. You use the LTLAppianRouteResponseMaxUndo General Info Table setting to activate it and set the number of changes you can reverse in a single session. When you first access the window, the command is inactive. It becomes active when you make changes to the route. When all of your changes are reversed, it becomes inactive again.

System updates now allow order slotting to occur for a manifest with a Committed or Hold status.

Updates made to SystemsLink Master Route now allow it to populate information in these fields.

You can access the fields in the Terminal profile window. The Routes tab’s grids show the fields.

The new LTL SystemsLink method for driver shift log out and shut down provides new functionality. When a driver log off comes into SystemsLink, the system:

Updates to the LTLUpdateLTLStopLogic now support multi-threading.

The LTL Mobile Comm and SystemsLink integration now allows team drivers to work as expected in a variety of scenarios.

The new Active field’s check box allows you to identify whether a terminal company is active or inactive. Use the Field Chooser to add the field to the grid in the Terminal Companies window.

Several new order-based filter options are available in the Terminal Deliveries and Terminal Crossdock windows. These options allow you to have more control over what orders are visible in the windows, which helps to improve performance. You add the filters in the Terminal Profile window. Select the Filters tab and then the Order Entry tab.

The filters include:

Before, when drivers returned to their home terminal as their last stop on a trip, they had to manually Depart the stop to complete the trip. Now, the last terminal stop on the last manifest leg is auto-departed right after the arrival. This functionality requires SystemsLink V. 2020.3.1.178.

In earlier versions, you could not split a leg at a non-terminal location. For example, you could not designate a truck stop as a location. Now you can specify a non-terminal location as the origin or destination for scheduled legs. This functionality is available in the Terminal Schedules window’s Schedules Legs grid.

TruETA calculates a driver’s Scheduled Early Arrival and Scheduled Late Arrival dates and times. System updates now increase the visibility of TruETA’s calculated stop statuses for arrival and departure events. These new ETA fields are available to add to various grids in the system. You add the fields from the Field Chooser.

The grids are available in these locations:

Now, you can add these TruETA fields to the Stops grid in the Terminal Deliveries and Manifest Editor windows:

You select these fields from the Field Chooser.