How to set up a facility
Before a company can start scheduling and managing appointments they need to set up their facility and configure the location's appointment rules. This is done from My Facilities under Scheduling. For a list of user permissions needed to access My Facilities click here
To create a new facility select the Add Facility icon from the Facilities Dashboard or alternatively select the facility name of any existing facility to view details.
Adding a new facility
A user will need to follow a five-step workflow to create a facility:
Step | Name | Description |
1 | Link facility address to a location address book record, list the services at a facility, upload maps, outline carrier instructions and disclaimers | |
2 | Add dock worker users needing access to the Shipwell Dock Scheduling tool | |
3 | Define hours of operation, facility holidays, generic appointment rules such as how far in advance you can book an appointment, the late appointment threshold, appointment start and end times | |
4 | Create load types that group shipments together based on the attributes of a shipment. The load type will determine the length of the appointment. | |
5 | List out all facility docks and define the type of appointments and shipments that can be handled by each dock. |
Facility Information
Each facility will need to be linked to a single address. The same address cannot be used to support multiple facilities, it must be unique. Neither can the system combine or pool facilities together, meaning having one facility linked to multiple locations.
When entering a facility address, a corresponding address book record will be created. If the address already exists as a location the system will link the two records. A user will know when an address already exists based on the icon.
When a facility is created the Facility icon will replace the address book icon. This will appear on the Address Book dashboard and in any address search bar throughout the platform.
When an address book record is linked with a facility the address book’s attributes (Company Name, External Reference) will be updated with the attributes entered in My Facilities. For customers using the Shipwell API, they will need to pass the facility_id for any stop address linked to a facility.
To maintain data integrity and ownership of the facility address only a user with Dock Scheduling permissions will be able to edit a facility linked address. The user will be unable to edit the facility address from the Address Book and will need to go to My Facilities. This also applies to contacts.
In addition to configuring the facility address, the Facility Information step allows a company to define any information they want shared with the Carrier prior to their appointment.
A company can outline details about the services offered at the facility, such as restrooms, wifi or overnight parking as well as define any instructions or disclaimers. These will be shared with the carrier in the appointment confirmation email sent when the carrier schedules an appointment. The email will also include any facility images uploaded to assist a driver in navigating the facility. Up to 5 images are allowed.
Facility Contacts
A user will be able to grant Shipwell TMS access to their facility workforce from Contacts. One primary contact is needed for each facility. The primary contact will be the a) default recipient of all facility related emails such as New Appointments and/or Cancelled Appointments AND b) will appear as the facility contact on the shipment stop.
The facility role will determine the set of permission to be assigned to the user. The facility user will roll up under the shipper tenant. They will be sent a welcome email once the facility is created.
User Group | What by default they will be allowed to do: |
Dock Worker | · A dock worker will have access to Calendar and Supplier Appointments · A dock worker will only have access to facilities they are linked as a contact. · A dock worker can schedule and managing appointments. · A dock worker cannot run any facility reports · A dock worker cannot cancel an appointment scheduled by a carrier or shipper · A dock worker can check in/out and reject an appointment · A dock worker can override facility rules during appointment scheduling |
Dock Worker Supervisor | · A dock worker supervisor will have access to Facilities, Calendar, Supplier Appointments and Reports · A dock worker supervisor will only have access to facilities they are linked as a contact. · A dock worker supervisor can update facility rules o A dock worker supervisor can schedule and manage appointments · A dock worker supervisor can run facility reports · A dock worker supervisor can cancel an appointment scheduled by a carrier or shipper · A dock worker supervisor can check in/out and reject an appointment · A dock worker supervisor can override facility rules during appointment scheduling |
Admin Office | · An admin will have access to Calendar and Supplier Appointments · An admin will only have access to facilities they are linked as a contact. · An admin can only reschedule appointments · An admin cannot run any facility reports · An admin cannot cancel an appointment · An admin can check in/out and reject an appointment · An admin cannot override a facilities rules when rescheduling an appointment |
Security Gate | · A security officer will have access to Calendar and Supplier Appointments · A security officer will only have access to facilities they are linked as a contact · A security officer cannot reschedule appointments · A security officer cannot run any facility reports · A security officer cannot cancel an appointment · A security officer can check in/out an appointment, they cannot reject |
Facility Attributes
A facility's hours of operation will be configured under Facility Attributes by selecting open and close times. The hours outlined will be used as the default times for when a facility is open. They will take precedence over any appointment start and end time.
Generic Appointment Rules
Field | Description |
Appointment Lead Time | How far in advance can a carrier schedule an appointment e.g. 24 hours in advance |
Late Appointment Threshold | When an appointment is considered late and assigned an Arrived Late status |
First Appointment Start Time | The earliest time appointments can start being booked by a carrier or supplier. For example a facility can be open at 7 am but wont start taking appointments until 8 am |
Last Appointment End Time | The latest time an appointments can end being booked by a carrier or supplier. For example a facility will close at 5 pm but the last must end by 4 pm |
Holiday Rules
A facility can set dates where the facility is closed in observation of a company or national holiday. The facility can either be closed for the whole day or for part of the day. When a facility is closed carriers will see no appointment availability. A facility can create custom appointments by selecting Other and entering in a custom holiday name.
Load Types
Shipments that share attributes can be grouped together into load types. A load type is essentially a way for a shipper to define how their shipments will be grouped. Shipments can be grouped together by a combination of either mode, equipment, product, type of packaging or even delivery type, shipping versus receiving.
Shipments belonging to the same load type will need to share the same appointment window. The appointment window is how long an appointment will take to unload or load at the facility. If shipments linking to a load type cannot share the same appointment window a second more granular load type will be needed to split shipments accordingly.
Load Type Examples
Load Type Name | Shared Shipment Attributes | Appointment Window |
Dried Cranberries | FTL, Receiving, Stackable, Dried Cranberries | 45 mins |
Fresh Cranberries | FTL, Receiving, Fresh Cranberries | 1 hour |
Raisins | LTL | 15 mins |
Prunes | LTL, Shipping | 30 mins |
Load Type Matching
Determining a shipment's load and unload time is the most important part of a load type. Shipments are best matched to a load type by the system. The most granular match will win. If a shipment matches more than one load type and there is no tiebreaker attribute the system will select a load type at random.
When a shipment cannot be matched to a load type a “No Load Type” error will be shown on the stop as a stop event flag. An error will also be shown at the top of the shipment details page. Until the load type mismatch is resolved by modifying the load type a user will be unable to schedule an appointment.
Dock Rules
A facility can have one dock with one rule or multiple docks with many rules. Dock rules are meant to be flexible. A user can make the rules generic by leaving the fields blank or they can narrow the rule by stipulating attributes of a shipment the dock can handle.
The dock will also determine the shipment appointment type. An appointment type can either be first come first serve (FCFS) or By Appointment. Some docks can only handle one appointment type whilst others both either at the same time or consecutively.
Docks that are large enough to handle more than one truck at a time can use the Max Consecutive Loads field. This indicates how many loads can be handled at the same time. For example, if 3 is entered this indicates to the appointment algorithm that 3 appointments can be scheduled at the same time for this dock.
A dock can also be set as being Private or Public. If a dock is private that means only a Shipper or Dock Worker can schedule appointments to this dock whilst if a dock is public that means a carrier can schedule appointments to the dock. Private docks are usually used by shippers as spill-over docks.
As with load types and shipments, load types and docks are matched on a best-case basis. If a dock cannot be selected the system will choose at random any dock that has an Appointment Type of By Appointment. If a tiebreaker occurs the system will select a dock at random.
Example Rule 1
Dock A only supports shipments that are inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon. The dock has a 1-hour break built in between 12 pm and 1 pm.
Dock Rule | Start / End | Dock Configuration |
Dock A - Rule 1 | 8 am to 12 pm | Receiving, FTL, Dry Van, Fresh Cranberries |
Dock A - Rule 2 | 1 pm to 4 pm | Shipping, FTL, Dry Van, Cranberries, Stackable |
Example Rule 2
Dock D is open from 9 am until 4 pm and the dock can handle a combination of shipments.
Dock Rule | Start / End | Details |
Dock D - Rule 1 | 9 am to 4 pm | By Appointment, FTL |
Dock D - Rule 2 | 9 am to 4 pm | FCFS, LTL |
Example Rule 3
Dock B can handle both inbound and outbound in the morning and afternoon. Between 10 am and 12 pm the dock is set as private so it wont allow external parties to schedule appointments during this time.
Dock Rule | Start / End | Details |
Dock B - Rule 1 | 8 am to 10 am | FCFS, Public |
Dock B - Rule 2 | 10 am to 12 pm | FCFS, Private |
Dock B - Rule 3 | 12 pm to 4 pm | FCFS, Public |
Example Rule 4
Dock C only supports shipments that are matched with Load Type X. Since the dock has no appointment start and end time the system will default to the facility appointment start and end times.
Dock Rule | Start / End | Details |
Dock C - Rule 1 | - | By Appointment, Load Type 'X' |