Overview
Chariot can automatically set arrival windows on your estimates based on the job's start time, so your team doesn't have to manually adjust the window on every job. This is useful because most moving companies have a consistent default logic—for example, tighter windows for early morning jobs (when you can predict arrival more reliably) and wider windows for later in the day (when crews running over from prior jobs makes timing harder to predict).
You can configure:
A default arrival window applied to every job
Time-based rules that override the default depending on the job's start time (e.g., jobs before 10 AM use one window, jobs after 10 AM use another)
Arrival windows can always be manually overridden on any individual estimate.
Where to Find the Setting
Go to Settings > Estimate Configuration
Click the Check for the Arrival Window setting
From here, you can configure both the default arrival window and any time-based rules.
Setting a Default Arrival Window
The default arrival window applies to any job that doesn't match a time-based rule. Use this if you have a single window that fits most of your jobs.
The window is defined as an offset from the start time:
Negative numbers = before the start time
Positive numbers = after the start time
Examples:
Start: 0, End: 30 → start time to start time + 30 minutes (e.g., 9:00–9:30 AM for a 9:00 AM job)
Start: -60, End: 60 → start time minus 1 hour to start time plus 1 hour (e.g., 11:00 AM–1:00 PM for a 12:00 PM job)
Start: 0, End: 0 → no arrival window (the start time itself is the arrival time)
Adding Time-Based Rules
Time-based rules let you apply different arrival windows depending on what time the job starts. This is the most common setup for moving companies—for example, tight windows for morning jobs and wider windows for afternoon jobs.
To add a time-based rule:
In the Arrival Window settings, click to add a time-based rule
Set the cutoff time (e.g., "Before 10 AM")
Choose Use offset and enter your start and end values in minutes (negative numbers will set an arrival window before the start time in Chariot; positive offset numbers will set an arrival window after the start time)
Click Update to save the rule
Add additional rules as needed (e.g., a separate rule for "Before 9 AM" and another for "Before 2 PM")
Click Save
How rules stack: Chariot evaluates time-based rules in order. Any job that doesn't match a time-based rule falls back to the default arrival window. So you can set up a rule like "Before 10 AM = start + 30 min" and let your default handle everything else.
Example Setup
Here's a common configuration:
Time-based rule: Before 10 AM → start time to start time + 30 minutes (a tight 30-minute window for early jobs)
Default arrival window: -60 to +60 minutes (a 2-hour window centered on the start time, applied to all jobs at or after 10 AM)
With this setup:
A 9:00 AM job gets a 9:00–9:30 AM arrival window
A 12:00 PM job gets an 11:00 AM–1:00 PM arrival window
Overriding the Arrival Window on a Job
Even with rules in place, you can always manually adjust the arrival window on any individual estimate:
Open the estimate and go to the Work Date section
Click on the arrival window field
Enter the custom start and end times for that specific job
Manual edits only apply to that estimate—your global settings stay intact.
For assistance setting up Arrival Window rules, don't hesitate to use the red chat bubble to contact Chariot Support.