Carrier allocation can be influenced via a series of 'scoring rules' that are accessed by selecting Configure Allocation Rules on the Delivery Manager Setup menu.
If you wish to see the rules that are already configured for a carrier service, select that service at the top of the screen, and then click Search:
New rules are created under Add Scoring Rules(s), via a series of drop-down menus, which are dependent on the Rule type (refer to Rule Syntax).
Each rule ends up by generating a score that determines how delivery options are sorted via the Allocation Filter.
The simplest way to use the rules is on an exclusion basis, where you prevent unsuitable services from being selected - e.g. if there are 3 services in a carrier 'service group', and for all consignments over 2 kg, you always want to use carrier service A, you can write one or more rules that exclude carrier services B and C where the consignment weight is over 2 kg. Wherever a service is excluded in this way, its score is set to -1 to signify that it is unavailable for allocation. Refer to Rule Syntax and Rule Examples.
The default baseline score for a carrier service is 1.0.or each service that is not excluded as in the previous paragraph, Delivery Manager applies a score in the range 0-10, and then allocates the consignment to the service with the lowest score. You can influence the scores by setting 'advanced' rules, e.g. set a score of zero to Attempt to force service A if the consignment is going to Guernsey.
Note
Using an advanced rule to select a 'prioritised' service does not guarantee allocation. It must also be available based on the carrier service attributes, and must meet the conditions of the booking code (if applicable). Refer to Allocation Filter.
You should use carrier allocation rules to achieve some of the following recommended objectives:
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Services should be selected (or rejected) according to weight.
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Services that take a long time should be excluded.
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Services despatching today should be preferred over those despatching on a later date.
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Consignments requiring POD should be excluded from services that do not ask for proof of delivery.
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Score services in accordance with time of day delivery preferences.
Caution
You should never try and override the carrier service attributes when allocating consignments, as these are contractually defined by each carrier.