This topic shows you how to allocate a newly created consignment to a carrier.
If you have just generated a consignment in accordance with Creating and Allocating a test Consignment, then you can go straight to Click on the Options tab...
However, if you are just about to start a new Delivery Manager session, having created the consignment in a previous session, then follow all the steps below.
Log into the Delivery Manager Delta environment using either the Administrator Login and Password or one of the user accounts that were created:
https://dm-delta.metapack.com/dm/ActionServlet?action=home
Click Home and then select the Unallocated status, followed by Search, to display the orders that are yet to be allocated to carriers, e.g.
Proceed as follows to allocate a consignment:
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Click on the required unallocated order, to open it under the Delivery tab.
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Click on the Options tab, to display the screen shown in the following example:
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The items listed under Carrier Selection Method allow you to filter the options that are available following verification of the carrier service attributes and carrier allocation rules:
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Delivery days by service type. This option displays a pop-out window of the available delivery days for each service type (e.g. Untimed, Economy, etc.).
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Delivery days by group. This option displays a pop-out window of the available delivery days for each carrier 'service group'.
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Advanced Allocation. This option displays a pop-out window of tabbed, advanced search options. You can filter carrier services using acceptable and unacceptable collection times, delivery times, carriers, service types, services, and carrier 'service groups', and by other miscellaneous options (e.g. scoring and PUDO radius). Once you have filtered the services using the various tabs, select the required service.
Note
The Advanced Allocation option also allows you to filter by Booking Code. This is the recommended means of filtering delivery options, as it can be done using a single entry. It is described in Using a Booking Code as an Allocation Filter.
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Show Carriers. This option is described in step 4, providing the best visual means of verifying the costs and charges that you have configured for each carrier.
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Choose Best Carrier. This option makes the selection for you, using the following hierarchy:
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Prioritised service (if one has been selected automatically via the Carrier Allocation Rules).
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Shipping cost (the system will always try and select the cheapest service where there is no prioritised service).
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Earliest despatch (if two services cost the same, the one that leaves the warehouse first will be chosen).
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Earliest delivery (if two services cost the same and leave the warehouse at the same time, the one that can deliver first is selected),
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As we wish to focus on costs and charges, click Show Carriers. A pop-out window is displayed showing the costs and charges associated with each available carrier service, as in the following example:
Select the required carrier service on the left, followed by the required delivery option on the right. The selected option is displayed on the right of the screen shown at step 2.
Caution
If any of the costs and charges are not as required, given the weight and number of parcels, then you should stop now and re-enter them in accordance with Setting up the Carrier Costs and/or Setting up the Carrier Charges. You can then resume from step 1 to re-display the modified costs and/or charges.
Tip
The Why Not? button on the bottom right of the screen shown at step 2 allows you to see why any non-displayed carrier services are not available. This feature is especially useful for flagging any services that do not have costs associated with them.
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Click Save Changes in the top right hand corner of the screen, to generate a Carrier Consignment Code, used to identify the shipment within .
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If you do not wish to proceed, click the Cancel Allocation button that now appears at the top of the screen. Otherwise, proceed to Generating an individual label.