Working with expirations

You can add, edit, and delete expirations for resources in the Edit Expirations window, or on the Expirations tab in the resource’s profile.

Working in the Expiration Edit window

You can add expirations for a resource in the Expiration Edit window.

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A

In the lookup area, you select the resource type, and enter the specific ID of the resource for which you want to record, edit, or complete an expiration.

B

Two rows of read-only fields appear below the lookup area.

  • The first row displays the resource’s ID in the first field. If the selected resource type is driver or carrier, the second field displays the resource’s name.

  • The second row of fields shows the company ID, company name, and/or city/state location where the resource will be available for assignment next.

C

The grid at the bottom of the window displays all of the resource’s expirations, both opened and closed. By default, they are listed from oldest to newest. However, you can click on the Start Date or End Date columns to display them with the newest at the top of the list.

Looking up a resource in the Expiration Edit window

Use this procedure to open a resource’s expiration records.

  1. Select Maintenance > Expiration Edit.
    The Expiration Edit window opens.

  2. The lookup area defaults to Driver as the resource type. If needed, select a different resource type.

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  3. Enter the ID of the resource for which you are adding the expiration.

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  4. Click image4 Open.
    Any existing expirations recorded for the resource are shown in the grid at the bottom of the window.

Adding an expiration

To add an expiration for a resource, use this procedure.

  1. Look up the resource in the Expiration Edit window.

  2. Click image5 Add.
    A blank row is added below the last existing expiration.

  3. Make entries in these fields.

    Field definitions

    Type

    Select the appropriate expiration type from the drop-down list.

    Note: The options are set up in the label file, accessed in System Administration.

    Description

    Clicking in the field will display the expiration type. If you want, you can enter a free-form message up to 95 characters.

    Start Date

    Enter the date the expiration goes into effect.

    Done

    Do not select this checkbox when adding a new expiration. It is used to mark the expiration as complete.

    End Date

    Enter the date the expiration is expected to be completed.

    Route to Company

    Enter the ID of the company where the resource will be located when the expiration is complete.

    Note: Dispatch type expirations have codes of 200 or greater. If you are entering a dispatch type expiration, you must make an entry in this field. The expiration cannot be saved when the field value is left as UNKNOWN.

    City

    Automatically shows the city location of the company specified in the Route to Company field.

    Note: If you are entering a non-dispatch type expiration, you can enter a city name if you want.

    Priority

    To rank the importance of the expiration, select the appropriate priority code. The default options are:

    • Required

      The resource cannot be used on a trip while the expiration is in effect.

    • Key Date

      The resource can be used on a trip while the expiration is in effect.

    Note: Priority codes are defined in the ExpPriority label in System Administration.

    LabelCode

    The numeric ID assigned to the label option that defines the expiration.

  4. Click image6 Save.

Deleting an expiration

If an unneeded expiration has been added for a resource, it can be deleted.

  1. Look up the resource in the Expiration Edit window.

  2. In the grid at the bottom of the window, select the expiration you want to delete.

  3. Click image7 Delete Item.
    The expiration is removed from the list.

  4. Click image6 Save.

Manually completing an expiration

When an expiration has been satisfied, you must mark it as done. Until you select the expiration’s Done checkbox, it is still in effect.

When a Priority 1 expiration has reached its effective date, the system will not allow the resource to be dispatched.

Use this procedure to complete an expiration manually.

  1. Look up the resource in the Expiration Edit window.

    Note: To complete a non-dispatch type expiration, you must access the Expiration Edit window through the Fuel Dispatch menu. You cannot complete non-dispatch expirations if you access the window by clicking a P1 or P2 indicator in the Planning Worksheet, Card Planner, or Edit Driver Schedule window.

  2. In the grid at the bottom of the window, locate the expiration you need to complete.

  3. If needed, change the date in the End Date field.

  4. Select the Done checkbox.

  5. Click image6 Save.

Working on the Expirations tab in the resource’s profile

You can use the Expirations tab in a resource’s profile to add, delete, and edit a record.

If your login allows you to edit resource profiles, you can add, edit, and delete expirations on the Expirations tab in the resource’s profile.

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You can enter or modify an expiration for a resource on this tab.

Column Definition

Code

Expiration recorded for the resource.

Description

Free-form message of up to 95 characters.

Priority

Expiration’s rank.

Expires

Date the expiration goes into effect.

City, State

Location where the resource will be located when the expiration is complete.

Route to Company

ID of the company where the resource will be located when the expiration is complete.

Completed

This checkbox is used to mark the expiration as complete.

Complete Date

Date the expiration was officially completed, that is, the date the Completed checkbox was selected.

Last Date

Date the expiration is supposed to end.
By default, the profile windows display in read-only mode. To have the ability to add or edit profile information, you must have access to the TMWSuite File Maintenance application and set [FuelDispatch]ProfileEditDisabled=N in your TTS50.

Adding an expiration

Use this procedure to add an expiration in the resource’s profile.

  1. Retrieve the appropriate resource’s profile.
    The profile opens as a tab within Fuel Dispatch.

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  2. Select the Expirations tab.

  3. Click Add.
    A blank row is added to the grid.

  4. Make entries in the fields.

    Field definitions
    Field Definition

    Code

    Select the appropriate expiration type from the drop-down list.

    Note: The options are set up in the label file, accessed in System Administration.

    Description

    If you want, you can enter a free-form message of up to 95 characters.

    Priority

    To rank the importance of the expiration, select the appropriate priority code. The default options are:

    • Required
      The resource cannot be used on a trip while the expiration is in effect.

    • Key Date
      The resource can be used on a trip while the expiration is in effect.

    Note: Priority codes are defined in the ExpPriority label in System Administration.

    Expires

    Enter the date the expiration goes into effect.

    City, State

    Enter the city/state where the resource will be located when the expiration is complete.

    Note: Dispatch type expirations have codes of 200 or greater. If you are entering a dispatch type expiration, you may make an entry in this field, or you may make an entry in the Route to Company field. The expiration cannot be saved when both fields have values of UNKNOWN.

    Route to Company

    Enter the ID of the company where the resource will be located when the expiration is complete.

    Note: Dispatch type expirations have codes of 200 or greater. If you are entering a dispatch type expiration, you may make an entry in this field, or you may make an entry in the City, State field. The expiration cannot be saved when both fields have values of UNKNOWN.

    Completed

    Do not select this checkbox when adding a new expiration. It is used to mark the expiration as complete.

    Complete Date

    This field is not applicable when adding an expiration.

    Last Date

    Enter the date the expiration is expected to end.

  5. Click image6 Save.

Deleting an expiration

If an unneeded expiration has been added for a resource, it can be deleted.

  1. Retrieve the appropriate resource’s profile.
    The profile opens as a tab within Fuel Dispatch.

  2. Select the Expirations tab.

  3. Select the expiration you want to delete.

  4. Click Remove.
    A confirmation messages appears.

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  5. Click Yes to complete the deletion.

  6. Click image6 Save.

Manually completing an expiration

When an expiration has been satisfied, you must mark it as done. Until you select the expiration’s Done checkbox, it is still in effect.

When a Priority 1 expiration has reached its effective date, the system will not allow the resource to be dispatched.

Use this procedure to complete an expiration manually.

  1. Retrieve the appropriate resource’s profile.

  2. Select the Expirations tab.

  3. Locate the expiration you need to complete.

  4. Select the Completed checkbox.
    The Complete Date field is automatically updated to the current date/time.

  5. Click image6 Save.

Viewing a resource’s completed expirations

By default, when expirations are completed the system removes them from view. If you want, you can view completed expirations. In the lower left of the Expirations tab, three radio buttons are used to identify the status of the expirations you want to see:

Show Expirations

This section allows you to select the kind of expirations the system will display.

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  • All
    Displays open expirations and those that were marked as Completed within the date range specified using the date fields.

  • Open (default)
    Displays expirations that are not marked as Completed.

  • Closed
    Displays expirations that were marked as Completed within the date range specified using the date fields.

To view completed expirations, follow these steps:

  1. Select either the All or Closed radio button.
    The date fields become active.

  2. In the date fields to enter a range of completion dates for the expirations to be listed.

    Notes:

    1. When you retrieve only closed expirations, the system will list those that have end dates in the date range you specify.

    2. If you selected All, the date range affects only the listing of closed expirations; all open expirations will be shown, regardless of their end dates.

  3. Click image12 Open. All expirations that match the restrictions you set are shown.

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Automatically completing expirations

You can set up Fuel Dispatch to complete expirations automatically.

Automatic completion is a convenient feature for any routine type of expiration that does not require user intervention. For example, because you usually know the duration of a driver vacation in advance, you typically enter a specific end date when setting up a vacation expiration. If you set up the system to complete vacation expirations automatically, the driver will become available for dispatch as soon as the vacation’s end time passes.

Setting up expiration types to complete automatically

You can set up any expiration, for any resource type, to be completed automatically.

When the end date passes for an expiration type that has its checkbox selected, the auto_complete_expirations_sp stored procedure must execute in your Fuel Dispatch database before the expiration will be marked complete.

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You can schedule this stored procedure to execute on a regular basis in SQL Server Enterprise Manager. For more information, see Setting up the recurring job to complete expirations.

Follow these steps to mark an expiration type to complete automatically.

  1. In System Administration, select Edit > Label File.
    The Edit User Definable Fields window is displayed.

  2. Click in the Field Name field, and from the drop-down list select the desired label (CarExp, DrvExp, TrcExp, or TrlExp).

  3. Identify the first label entry for an expiration type that you want to be completed automatically, and select its Auto Complete checkbox.

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  4. Save your changes.

  5. Repeat these steps for each expiration type you want to be completed automatically.

Setting up the recurring job to complete expirations

To have expirations completed automatically, you must set up a recurring job for the auto_complete_expirations_sp stored procedure. This stored procedure must execute after the expiration’s end date passes for that expiration to be completed automatically.

Use Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio or SQL Server Enterprise Manager to set up a job to run the stored procedure routinely. When creating the job:

  • Record a name for the step. The step name cannot be left blank.

  • Select Transact-SQL Script (T-SQL) as the Type.

  • Enter exec auto_complete_expirations_sp in the Command field.

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  • Set up the job schedule using auto_complete_expirations as the New Job Schedule Name, and have the job run every day.

Refer to your SQL Server Management Studio or SQL Server Enterprise Manager Help system for instructions on creating a recurring job. If you need assistance, contact your Fuel Dispatch Support representative.