Overview
Order planning is where you match available loads (orders) with available units (drivers and trucks) to ensure efficient delivery. After an order is created, the next critical step is planning it by assigning the right driver, truck, and trailer to complete the delivery.
Understanding Order Planning
What is the Planning Screen?
The Planning screen is your command center for matching loads with drivers and equipment. It helps you:
View all unassigned orders that need drivers and trucks
See available drivers and trucks with their current locations and status
Assign assets efficiently by matching loads with nearby available units
Schedule appointments for pickup and delivery
Filter and search to find the best matches quickly
Accessing the Planning Screen
How to Get Started
Click Planning in the left navigation menu and select Planning
The screen opens with two main sections:
Available Loads (top) - Orders that need drivers
Available Units (bottom) - Drivers and trucks ready for assignments
💡 Tip: Use the view options (Single Page, Split Screen, or Separate Pages) to customize your workflow based on your planning preferences.
Available Loads Section
Understanding Load Information
When you view available loads, you'll see key details at a glance:
Primary Information:
Customer - Customer name
Order ID number - Unique identifier (e.g., Order #1213)
Leg number - If the order has multiple legs (e.g., Leg #1)
Origin and destination - Pickup and delivery locations with cities and states and appointment times
Trip - Total distance for the leg
Assigned driver, truck, trailer
Status - Current order status (Unplanned, Planned, or Preplanned)
Additional Details (click on an order to expand):
Stops count and detailed stop information
BOL (Bill of Lading) number
Trailer, truck
Current planner assigned
Leg's miles, duration
Order Status Explained
Understanding order statuses helps you prioritize your planning:
Unplanned - No driver or truck assigned yet (needs immediate attention)
Preplanned - Assets assigned for a future date
Committed - Driver has accepted the load
How to Schedule Appointments
If an order doesn't have appointment times or needs rescheduling:
For Orders Without Appointments:
Click on the order in Available Loads
Click the Schedule button next to the appointment field
Enter the appointment date and time
Click Save
To Reschedule Existing Appointments:
Click on the order
Click directly on the existing date and time
Update the information in the popup window
Click Save
Available Units Section
Understanding Unit Information
The Available Units section shows drivers and trucks ready for assignments:
Driver & Truck Details:
Driver name and code - Who can take the load
Truck number - Which vehicle they're driving
Trailer number and type - Trailer currently assigned
Location - City and state where the driver's truck is now
Location last updated - How recent the location data is
Availability Indicators:
PTA (Projected Time Available) - When the driver will be available next
APT (Appointment Time) - If driver has a scheduled appointment
ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) - When driver will reach destination
HOS (Hours of Service) - Remaining driving hours available
Time off - If driver has scheduled vacation or time off
Current activity - What the driver is doing (Delivering order)
⚠️ Important: If location information seems outdated, refresh your browser to get the latest data.
Filtering Available Loads
How to Search Available Loads
Search by order number
How to Filter Loads Efficiently
Click the Filters button in the Available Loads section to narrow down your search:
Location Filters:
Include Origin Area - Show only loads from specific areas
Exclude Origin Area - Hide loads from overlapping areas (e.g., include Illinois but exclude Chicago)
Destination Area - Filter by where loads are going
Date Filters:
Origin Date - Filter by pickup date
Destination Date - Filter by delivery date
Operational Filters:
Division - Select specific division
Planner - Filter by assigned planner
Customer - Show loads for specific customers
Specialty - Filter by required truck type (refrigerated, flatbed, etc.)
Equipment Type - Filter by trailer requirements
Order Status - Choose Unplanned, Planned, or Preplanned
Show Unscheduled Orders - Display orders without appointment times
Show Scheduled Orders - Display orders with appointment times
Only planned by me - shows orders that was planned by you
Hide #1 Legs - hides 1st orders legs
Applying Filters:
Select your desired filters
Click the blue Search button
Use Reset if you want to clear all filters
💡 Tip: Start with location and date filters to quickly find loads that match driver availability in specific areas.
Filtering Available Units
How to Filter Units for Better Matches
Click Filters in the Available Units section:
Available Filters:
Unit Area - Where the driver is currently located
Division - Division
Truck Specialty - Type of truck (dry van, reefer, flatbed, etc.)
Equipment Type - Trailer type
Company - For managing multiple companies
PTA
Using Unit Filters:
Select your filter criteria
Click the blue Search button
Use Reset to clear filters
Assigning Assets to Orders
How to Assign Driver, Truck, and Trailer
Once you've found a good match between a load and a unit:
Basic Assignment Process:
Click on the order in Available Loads
Detailed information appears on the right side
Click Assign Assets button
Select the driver from the list or search
The system automatically suggests the driver's current truck
Assign a trailer if required
Click Save
What Happens After Assignment:
The order status changes from "Unplanned" to "Preplanned"
💡 Tip: Before assigning, check the driver's PTA, HOS, and current location to ensure they can realistically make the pickup on time.
Reassigning or Changing Assets
If you made a mistake or need to change the assignment:
Click on the order
Click Reassign Assets button
Select different driver, truck, or trailer
Click Save
Split Screen Options
Choosing Your View Mode
The Planning screen offers three view options to match your workflow:
View Options (dropdown in top-right corner):
Single Page (default)
Available Loads and Available Units stack vertically
Scroll down to see units after viewing loads
Best for: Small screens or focused planning
Split Screen
Loads on top half, Units on bottom half
Both sections visible simultaneously
No scrolling needed to see both sections
Best for: Dual-monitor setups or large screens
Separate Pages
Available Units opens in a new browser window
Available Loads stay in the original window
Arrange windows side by side
Best for: Multiple monitors or complex planning sessions
Switching Views:
Click the view dropdown in the top-right
Select your preferred option
The screen adjusts immediately
💡 Tip: If you're planning multiple orders rapidly, use Split Screen or Separate Pages to avoid constant scrolling.
Understanding Leg Status Details
Complete Leg Status Guide
Understanding leg statuses helps you know what actions to take:
Unplanned - No driver assigned - Assign driver and assets
Preplanned - Assets assigned - Notify driver when ready
Notified - Driver has been sent the load details - Wait for driver to accept or use Force Commit
Rejected - Driver declined the load - Reassign to different driver or Notify Again
Committed - Driver accepted the load
At Origin - Driver arrived at pickup location - Driver will load and update status
In Transit - Load is on the truck, en route - Monitor progress, driver will update upon arrival
At Destination - Driver arrived at delivery location - Driver will unload and update status
Completed - Delivery finished, leg is done - Move to billing/payment processes
Cancelled - Order was cancelled - No further action needed on this leg
Troubleshooting Common Planning Issues
Issue 1: Can't Find Available Drivers in Area
Issue: No units show up in Available Units despite having drivers
Causes:
Filters are too restrictive
Drivers are already assigned to other loads
Area configuration doesn't match driver location
Driver status is not "Active"
Solutions:
Reset all filters and search again
Check if drivers are showing as "occupied" or have active loads
Expand your area filter to include neighboring regions
Verify driver status in Driver Management screen
Check PTA times - driver might be available later
Issue 2: Order Doesn't Appear in Available Loads
Issue: Created order isn't showing in Planning screen
Causes:
Filters are hiding the order
Order is already assigned
Order was cancelled
Solutions:
Reset filters in Available Loads
Check order status in Orders list
Verify order wasn't accidentally assigned already
If this doesn't work: Navigate directly to Orders list to verify order exists and check its current status.
Issue 3: Information Not Refreshing
Issue: Screen shows old data, doesn't update
Causes:
Planning screen doesn't auto-refresh
Browser cache needs clearing
Multiple users made changes
Solutions:
Refresh your browser to see latest data
Close and reopen the Planning screen
Clear browser cache if issue persists
Check your internet connection
Related Information for Area Configuration
Understanding Areas in Planning
What Are Areas?
Areas are geographic regions configured in your system to help filter and organize loads by location. They allow you to:
Group loads by region (e.g., "West Coast", "Midwest")
Filter drivers based on their location
Assign planners to specific territories
How Areas Affect Planning:
Origin and Destination filters use configured areas
Include/Exclude filters let you handle overlapping areas
Example: Include "Illinois" but exclude "Chicago" if they're separate areas in your system
Setting Up Areas:
Contact your system administrator.