Table of Contents

Time Window

General

The time-window functionality helps users to identify orders which have specific requirements on loading or unloading in specific times-windows.

The time window feature helps users with the following tasks:

  • Automatically adjust the start and end times for both loading and unloading if different times apply in certain regions. For example, in shopping districts.
  • When different opening hours apply to different customers at the same address.
  • When the opening hours fall during the night, meaning the start time is later than the end time
  • Different opening hours apply for different periods/seasons.

Functionality

By adding function: Check Time Window to the order statustemplate , Time-Windows conditions can be added to an order automatically. Time-window condition can be usefull during the planning process or can be used to apply surcharges in contracts.

Tab: General

Time Window General

Fields
  • Code: A unique code for the time window.
  • Description: A description of the time window.
  • Application: Fixed value TMS.
  • Calculate From: A date formula (default -7D) that sets the start date of the date range shown when looking up available times, relative to today's date. The start date is never earlier than today.
  • Calculation Period Length: A date formula (default 2W) that sets how far ahead of the start date the available-times range extends.

Tab: Lines

If required multiple lines can be created so specific time-windows can apply only on loading and other time-windows on unloading.

Time Window Lines

Fields
  • Description: Load or Unload.
  • Manual Priority: Enable to set the Priority field yourself. When left disabled, the priority is calculated automatically based on how specific the line's conditions are.
  • Priority: The order in which lines are evaluated — the first line whose conditions match is used. Only editable when Manual Priority is enabled.
  • Activity Type: Create a line for both Load and Unload.
  • Customer No.: Blank. Hidden by default; add it via personalization if you need to filter by customer.
  • Address No.: Blank. Hidden by default; add it via personalization if you need to filter by address.
  • Order Type: Blank. Hidden by default; add it via personalization if you need to filter by order type.
  • Area Type: Blank. Hidden by default; add it via personalization if you need to filter by area type.
  • Area Code: Blank. Hidden by default; add it via personalization if you need to filter by Area.
  • Table Filter: An additional filter on the underlying order. Used, for example, to filter on a time field so this line only applies to orders entered before or after a specific time.
  • Base Calendar Code: Select a calendar code so that this line only applies on specific days of the week or on specific dates.
  • Starting Time / Ending Time: The default opening hours applied by this line.
  • Closing Time: The closing time used together with the date formulas below to calculate a transit-time-adjusted window.
  • Starting Point Date: Which date the date formulas below calculate from.
  • Date Formula Before / Date Formula After: Date formulas applied before/after the Closing Time.
  • Date Formula Before Leadtime / Date Formula After Leadtime: Date formulas applied before/after the Closing Time, taking transit time into account.
  • Respect Address Opening Hours: Enable to also take the opening hours set on the Address into account.
  • Region Code: Select a Region so this line automatically applies to every address in that region.
  • Item Condition Code: Blank.
  • Plan Box Code: Blank.
  • From Date: Blank.
  • To Date: Blank.
  • Blocked: Check if the line is no longer valid.

Tab: Details

For each Time Window Line, one or more detail lines describe the actual time window(s) that apply. Detail lines are grouped into two parts, shown side by side on the card:

  • Opening Hours — the default time window(s) for a line, used when no more specific Appointment applies.
  • Appointment (Different from default) — a time window that overrides the default opening hours, for example a specific appointment agreed with a customer.

Time Window Details

Fields
  • Manual Priority: Enable to set the Priority field yourself. When left disabled, the priority is calculated automatically based on how specific the detail line's conditions are.
  • Priority: The order in which detail lines are evaluated — the first one whose conditions match is used. Only editable when Manual Priority is enabled.
  • Table Filter: An additional filter on the underlying order, evaluated in addition to the line's own Table Filter.
  • Description: A description of the detail line.
  • Blocked: Check if the line is no longer valid.
  • Base Calendar Code: Select a calendar code so that this detail line only applies on specific days of the week or on specific dates.
  • Starting Time / Ending Time: The start and end time for the time window.
  • Closing Time, Starting Point Date, Date Formula Before / After, Date Formula Before / After Leadtime: Same purpose as the equivalent fields on the Lines tab — set here to override the line's own values for this specific detail line.
  • Condition Code: Select the required condition code for loading or unloading the order for the specific time window.
  • Condition Value: Enter a unique code for the line.

Best Practise Example

Time Window shipping district.

The example below demonstrates how the time windows helps automatically adjust times specified in the Order to the time windows applicable to a given address.

Time Window 2

Legend: Green: the opening hours for the shopping district. Orange: start and end times as specified in 3 orders. Blue: the start and end times in the Orders after the function: Time Window has been applied. Red: the time on which the time-filter has been set.

Results: The time window functionality will adjust the From-Time and To-Time on order A. The time window functionality will adjust the From-Time and To-Time on order B. The time window functionality will only adjust the To-Time on order B.

Time Window applicable on this example: **Time Window 1

Note
  • On the lines tab, the Field: Table filter must have a filter on a time field. By setting a filter: ..12:00:00 will ensure orders entered with a value less than 12:00 hours will be adjusted with the times set in tab: Opening Hours.
  • On the lines tab, the field: Base Calender Code must have a calender on which days/dates have been specified as non working days. Specific calenders per Country and/or region can be created.
  • On the lines tab, the field: Region must have a value so that the time window is automatically applied to all addresses in the shopping district.
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