Overview
A package is an individually trackable item that typically has its own properties like size or weight, comes with a scannable label and can be added onto a stop as a pickup or drop-off task.
While bookings are basically requests from customers to go to one or multiple stops to complete a pickup or drop-off task, a package is the actual item that can be transported from one to another stop. MotionTools can help you to track these individual items. This improves operational efficiency e.g. by supporting the easy identification of items by scanning labels. It also allows to track the journey of such package across multiple locations and across multiple tours that are performed on different days by different drivers and/or organizations.
In this article we will explore the following topics:
- Typical package journey
- Creating a package
- Package properties
- Package pricing
- Package labels
- Dispatching a package
- Delivering a package
Details
Typical package journey
The package journey starts with a package being created. Once it's created, an dispatcher can decide how to deal with it. Multiple types of journeys are supported, such as direct deliveries or also through hubs deviding the journey into separate pickup and drop-off tours. Even tours from hub to hub are supported and the whole journey will be trackable on a per package level.
Besides the journey of a package, MotionTools also as a clear status model for packages, which ensure that all users easily understands whats going on and how to proceed. Learn more about Package statuses.
Creating a package
A customer can create a package on the dashboard by Bulk creating packages with a CSV file via the Packages importer or by Creating a package via API. Dispatchers can also create a package on behalf of customers.
Package properties
Package properties define the size of packages and additional services offered related to packages. By default, MotionTools supports four package properties:
- Size category
- Insurance
- Refrigeration
- Return
An arbitrary number of options can be defined for each property. For example, for the Size category property, options such as Small Box, Medium Box, and Large Box can be defined.
Package properties don't impact the delivery flows and they don't get taken into account when the system optimizes the driver routes. However, package properties impact the delivery prices.
Package pricing
Package deliveries are priced according to the package properties and the service area where the delivery will happen. Delivery prices are defined in an account for each combination of a property option and a service area.
A account can define customer delivery discounts per service area. For example, giving a certain customer 30% discount on delivering packages in Hamburg while keeping the rates intact in Berlin.
Package labels
Once a package is created, a customer can print a label containing the package and recipient information. The label size is 99 x 67 mm and eight labels fit on a DIN A4 paper. The label also includes a QR-code to speed up the work of drivers on stops.
We additionally support 100 x 150 mm labels to be printed up to two labels on a DIN A4 paper, or one label on a thermal roll sticker.
Dispatching a package
A dispatcher plans package deliveries in the Packages section of the dashboard. Essentially, the dispatching work boils down to creating pickup and drop-off tours for drivers.
From the driver's perspective, a tour is just another booking with the addition of packages to be collected or distributed on stops. Find out more about creating pickup and drop-off tours for packages here.
Additionally, MotionTools also offers a fully automated planning mode, where all tours needed to deliver all packages will be created automatically while the total time of delivery will be minimized.
Delivering a package
A package gets delivered by a driver by executing the pickup and drop-off tours via the MotionTools app. Read how drivers Deliver packages via the driver app for more information.
