CRO Software recently changed the process necessary to add newly delivered assets to route. Previously, you could attach a new delivery to a route on the job itself, but since it wasn't actually deployed yet it lead to a lot of issues with route stop orders. You could use the old route finder, but the actual final stop position was not dependable.

Due to this, we've updated the process so that when you place an asset on a route, at a particular position you can rest assured that it's set in stone! That stop is guaranteed to be in the place you put it when you go back and check.

That said, it is a slightly different process because the assets need to be deployed before they're routed. Fortunately, we've made some additional changes to make this process as easy as possible to schedule.

The first step is the same as before: just schedule the drop off like normal.

Notice anything different, though? That's right, it's the "Create Stop" button. If you check this box, it tells CRO that this is a new asset that will need to be routed. This automatically makes it a route stop once the drop off job is complete.

However, that route stop is not associated with a route just yet. To remedy that, we'll need to jump over to the Route Stops report.

You can find this report in CRO Dispatching by going to Reports, and then Route Stops. You may have seen this report before, but with our new route finder process we've added a new feature. Now when you go to the Route Stops report and open the top section (called "Unassigned Route Stops") it will show you all the stops that still need to be routed. These will be the stops that you clicked, "Create Stop" on, mentioned above.

When you see one of the new deliveries, you'll want to click the Route Finder button just beside it.

As soon as you click on that the Route Finder will pop up. This is very simple to use, but does require a couple of steps to find the ideal route for your new asset.

There on the map, you'll see the red pin point in the middle. That's where your new asset is sitting. From here you'll want to search for any other route stops nearby. That's done by setting the "Show all stops within [x] mi" to however far away you want to look, and then clicking Search. Once you do that, all the local route stops will appear on the map.

Just like so! There are a lot of routes near this new asset, you'll notice. Fortunately, there at the top left (where it reads, "All Routes") you can now narrow down which route seems most appropriate. Once you select a particular route it will only show stops from THAT route.

When you're happy with the route you've chosen, you simply need to click on a route stop that's near your new asset delivery.

In this case, we selected "After" on the first stop of the route. This will immediately make this new asset delivery be the second stop on the route (i.e. "After" stop number 1). All you have to do, now, is click, "Add Stop to Route".

The proof is in the pudding! Sure enough, this new asset is the second stop of the CRO University Route.

For those of our providers who remember the old route finder, you'll be very relieved to see that the stop is hard set to be where you set it. You won't have to go back into the route and re-optimize anymore! And, that about does it. Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns about the new Route Finder. We're very proud of it!