| The load building processThe load building process
entails the creation of load plans from a range of freight order lines selected
by the user. You can start up the load building process in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session. The procedure to create load plans, and which
planning options to use, is described in To create load plans. The current topic
describes the process that takes place after you click Generate in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session. The load building engine takes the following steps to create
load plans: Combine freight order lines The freight order lines for which you create your load plan are
grouped by various attributes, such as load/unload addresses and time windows.
Each group of matching freight order lines becomes a combined freight order. Perform planning method-specific steps Create stops and trips Loading and unloading stops are created from the load/unload addresses of the
combined freight orders. Carriers and transport means groups or transport means combinations are selected to
visit the stops, and the stops are grouped by trip. A trip is a group of stops
that is travelled by a specific transport means group or transport means
combination of one specific carrier. Combining Stops by Route Plan / Standard
Route After the stops are created in the previous step Create stops and trips, LN combines the stops
that use the same route plan / standard route. After the stops are combined
based on same route plan / standard route, the load building process of LN determines the ideal
transport means group / transport means combination for these combined stops
within a specific time frame/freight plan. If the transport means group (TMG)/ transport means
combination (TMC) selected by the LN in the previous step Create stops and trips is different than the TMG/TMC that is selected by the LN after the stops are
combined based on same route plan / standard route, and the execution of the
combined stops is cheaper, the stops created in the previous step Create stops and trips are removed, and LN creates new stops
based on the data of the combined stops. When the TMG/TMC selected in the previous step Create stops and trips, and the TMG/TMC selected by LN after the stops are
combined based on same route plan / standard route are identical, no changes
are made to the stops. Create loads and shipments
Combined freight orders, stops, and trips are intermediate data
that are only used to analyze the eventual results of the planning process, the
loads and shipments. Note Freight cost calculation takes place during the creation of
stops and trips, and the creation of loads and shipments. For more information, refer to Freight cost calculation in this
topic. To combine freight order lines The freight order lines
that you selected in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session to create your load plan are grouped into
combined freight orders. A combined freight order includes all freight order lines that
go to or go from the same addresses within the same time period, and that share
the same values of the following attributes: - Ship-from address,
ship-from type, and ship-from code
- Ship-to address, ship-to
type, and ship-to code
- Carrier
- Carrier binding check
box selected/cleared
- Transport means group
Transport means combination For planning purposes, either a transport means group or a
transport means combination is attached to a freight order line. For further
information, see Multiple means of transport by load. - Means of transport
- Transport type
- Combination code
- Route
- Route plan
- Standard route
- Service level
- Additional rate units of
the piece type
- Additional rate units of
the volume, length, or area type
- Single shipment
Various combined freight orders can be created on which to base
a load plan, depending on how many of the freight order lines have matching
attribute values. Carrier/carrier binding When freight order
lines have identical carriers, freight order lines with preferred carriers are
not combined with freight order lines with binding carriers. A preferred carrier is a carrier that is selected on the
freight order line, and a binding carrier is selected on the freight order line
with the Carrier/LSPBinding option selected. If freight order lines with preferred carriers and binding
carriers were combined, and the loading capacity of the carriers would be
insufficient to accommodate the freight order lines with binding carriers and
those with preferred carriers, the load building engine would be unable to
create shipments. To avoid this, freight order lines with preferred carriers
and binding carriers are not combined. In this way, the loading capacity is
more likely to be sufficient for freight order lines with binding carriers. For
freight order lines with preferred carriers, another carrier can be searched if
the loading capacity is insufficient. Freight order lines for which no carrier
is selected are combined separately.
Time windows For freight order
lines to be combined, their time windows must match, or
at least overlap. When freight order lines are combined, the time windows are
adjusted to suite all freight order lines of the combined freight order. As a
result, however, there is a chance that freight orders with large time windows
cannot be planned if these orders are grouped into a combined order with a
narrow time window, for which no carrier is available.
Single shipment Order lines of single
shipment freight orders cannot be combined with freight order lines for which
the SingleShipment option is not selected. Freight order lines
of single shipment freight orders are only combined with freight order lines
that belong to the same freight order header. If the other freight order
attributes do not match, new combined freight orders are created, but again
only with freight order lines from the same freight order header.
Specific steps per planning method After the combined freight orders are created, the load building
engine performs one or more specific steps for each planning
method: Direct Shipping If the direct shipping planning algorithm is used to create
the load plan, the load building engine carries out the following steps before
creating stops and trips: - Select carrier.
- Select transport means group or transport means
combination.
Note The selection of the best carrier is controlled by the carrier
selection criterion selected in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session. When replanning is carried out, the carrier
selection criterion of the load plan controls the selection of the
carrier. Consolidation If the consolidation planning algorithm is used to create the
load plan, the load building engine takes the following steps before creating
stops and trips: Select standard route The load building engine selects a standard route that
includes the addresses of the combined freight orders, but if the load building
engine cannot find a matching standard route, the load plan is planned using
the direct shipping planning method. If a standard route was selected on the freight orders from
which the combined freight orders were derived, the load building engine uses
this standard route. If this standard route cannot be used, no other standard
route is selected and the combined freight order is planned using the direct
shipping planning algorithm. In addition, if a standard route is linked to the route of the freight order lines included in the
combined orders, the load building engine uses this standard route. If this
standard route cannot be used, no other standard route is selected and the
combined freight order is planned using the direct shipping planning algorithm.
A route attached to a freight order line is derived from
the originating order. For more information, refer to The use of standard routes. Select carrier and transport means group/transport means
combination If no carrier or transport means group/transport means
combination is linked to the standard route, the load building engine selects a
carrier and a transport means group or transport means combination. The
selection of the best carrier and standard route is controlled by the carrier
selection criterion defined in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session.
Pooling If the pooling planning algorithm is used to create the load
plan, the load building engine takes the following steps before creating stops
and trips: - Select route plan
- Select carrier
- Select transport means group
Select a route plan, carrier, and transport means group or
transport means combination for the combined freight orders. To be selected, a
route plan must match the addresses of the freight orders for which the load
plan is created. The selection of a route plan, a carrier, and a transport
means group or transport means combination is controlled by the carrier
selection criterion defined in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session. If a route plan is defined for the freight
orders included in a combined freight order, or if a route plan is attached to
the route of the freight orders of the combined order, this
route plan is used. Create stops and trips Stops and trips are created from the
combined freight orders created in the first step. A stop includes the addresses and time windows for loading and
unloading. A stop line includes the items
that must be transported, and the identification of the freight order line from
which the stop line originates. A trip is a combination
of loading and unloading stops in a route that are travelled by a specific
carrier and transport means group or transport means combination. If no binding
carrier or preferred carrier was specified on the freight orders or order
lines, the carrier is selected from the carriers attached to the shipping
office and the planning group of the freight orders and freight order lines for
which the load plan is created. The selected planning method determines whether multiple trips and
stops can be created for a combined freight order. Direct Shipping If the direct shipping planning algorithm is used to create
the load plan, the load building engine carries out the following procedure to
create stops and trips: The load building engine creates a loading stop and an
unloading stop in one trip for each combined freight order. If the combined
freight order has a route plan or a standard route, the route plan or standard
route is used to create the trips and stops, which can result in multiple stops
and trips being created for the combined order. The load building engine first tries to add stop lines to
existing stops. If the load building engine finds no matching stops, the load
building engine creates new stops. However, single-shipment combined orders are
not added to existing stops, but for such orders the load building engine
creates new trips.
Note If a route plan is specified on any of the freight orders,
or a route plan and/or a standard route is specified on any of the freight
order lines, the load building engine will use the specified route plan and/or
standard route. The selected route plan and standard routes of the route plan
legs are used to create direct shipments for all the route plan
legs. Consolidation If the consolidation planning algorithm is used to create
the load plan, the load building engine takes the following steps to create
stops and trips: Add stop lines to stops with matching addresses and
load/unload dates To create stops and trips for the combined freight orders,
the load building engine first tries to add stop lines to existing stops in the
standard route if the addresses and the loading and unloading dates
match. Add stop lines to stops within time windows If no stop lines are found that meet this criteria, the load
building engine tries to add the stop lines to existing trips if the loading
and unloading dates fit in the time windows of the existing trips. Create new stops and trip New stops and a new trip are created if no matching trip is
found.
Note Single-shipment combined orders are planned using the direct
shipment planning algorithm. If a combined freight order has a route plan, the
load building engine uses this route plan to create stops and trips, and thus
applies the pooling algorithm. Pooling If the pooling planning algorithm is used to create the
load plan, the load building engine takes the following steps to create stops
and trips: The load building engine creates stops and trips for each
leg of the route plan. Route plan legs can include standard routes. In such
cases, the standard route is used to create the trips. If a route plan leg has
no standard route, the load building engine adds the stops and stop lines to
existing stops and trips. If no matching stops and trips are found, the load
building engine creates new stops and a new trip. For this route plan leg, the
combined freight order is then planned using the direct shipment planning
method. For more information, refer to The use of route plans. If the load building engine cannot find a suitable route
plan, the load building engine looks for a standard route. If a standard route
is defined for the freight orders from which the combined freight order is
derived, the load building engine uses this standard route, and the combined
freight order is planned using the consolidation planning method. If the
standard route cannot be used, or if no standard route is found, the combined
freight order is planned using the direct shipping planning algorithm.
Note Single-shipment combined orders are planned using the direct
shipment planning algorithm. The selected route plan and standard routes of the
route plan legs are used to create direct shipments for all the route plan
legs. Trips created from combined orders of the single shipment type are not
combined with other trips, regardless of the planning algorithm used. Create loads and shipments The load building engine
creates loads and shipments from stops and trips. If the Check TMG and TMC Availability check box in the Freight Planning Parameters (fmlbd0100m000) session is selected, the capacity of the
transport means groups of the carriers is taken into account at this stage. If
transport means combinations are used, the capacity of the transport means
groups of the vehicle types of the transport means groups is
considered. Shipment lines are
created from stop lines. First, the load building engine tries to add shipment
lines to existing shipments and loads in the same trip. If the loading capacity
of the transport means group of the carrier is insufficient, the load building
engine tries to add shipment lines to loads and shipments in other matching
trips. If no matching trips exist, new loads and shipments must be created. For a newly created
shipment, the load building engine determines the required loading capacity.
The available loading capacity is derived from the available number of vehicles
of the transport means groups or transport means combinations linked to the
carrier of the stop. If the carrier has
insufficient capacity and the carrier is binding, the shipment, and the
underlying freight order lines, cannot be planned. If a freight order
line cannot be transported in one means of transport and the shipment is not
allowed to be split up, the freight order line cannot be planned. The Split Shipments during planning field in the Freight Planning Parameters (fmlbd0100m000) session controls shipment splitting. If the carrier is
not binding and the carrier has insufficient capacity, the load building engine
selects another transport means group or transport means combination and/or
carrier. This process is repeated until all the goods of the freight order line
are planned. For each means of
transport, or for the means of transport of each transport means combination,
the load building engine creates a new load, shipment, and shipment line if the
goods of the freight order line cannot be included in an existing shipment. If
a freight order line does not fit entirely in a means of transport of a
transport means group or transport means combination, the freight order line is
divided over several loads, shipments, and shipment lines. If a trip is part of
a route plan and a specific carrier is defined for the route plan legs, no
other carrier is selected if the carrier has insufficient capacity. In such
cases, the carrier is regarded as binding and the freight order lines of the
trip cannot be planned.
Single shipment trips Single shipment trips, created from combined freight orders
with single shipment freight orders or freight order lines, are not combined
with other loads and shipments. Binding carriers Shipments and loads are first created from trips with binding
carriers. If load and shipments were created first for trips with preferred
carriers and trips without specified carriers, the carrier capacity can be used
up before the trips with binding carriers are planned. Next, shipments and
loads are created from trips with preferred carriers, and finally, shipments
and loads are created from trips without specified carriers. Freight cost calculation Freight costs are
calculated twice during the load building process. The first time, freight
costs are calculated for the combined freight orders using various carrier and
transport means combination or carrier and transport means group combinations.
To calculate the freight costs, freight rates are retrieved from Pricing. The additional costs are
also calculated if the user selects this option in the Generate Plan (fmlbd0280m000) session. Freight order lines with different service
levels and additional rate units are not inserted in the same combined freight
order. Additional rate units of
the volume, length, or area type are converted to the units defined in the Freight master
data units and combined. The freight rates are then retrieved for the master
data units. Freight order lines with additional rate units of the piece type
are not combined, and freight rates are retrieved separately for each unit of
this type. The reason for this is because conversion between units and unit
sets of different items is not always possible. For example, if one item is
ordered in boxes and another item is ordered in pallets, and both items have
different inventory units. As a result, a rate based on a single unit cannot be
retrieved. When shipments and loads
are created, the freight costs are calculated again for the loads and
shipments. The reason is, that when combined freight orders can be put together
in loads and shipments, the larger quantities for each transport can lead to
even greater cost-effectiveness of the load plan. For more information, refer to Calculation of estimated freight costs. To enable freight cost calculation, you must select the Transport Costing check box in the Freight Rates and Costs Parameters (fmfrc0100m000) session. Using the default transport means group or transport means
combination When combining freight orders and calculating freight costs for
a given number of freight order lines, the load building engine first looks for
a transport means group (unless a transport means combination is specified for
the freight order lines). If the load building engine finds no transport means
group, the default transport means group defined for the carrier is taken. If
no default transport means group is defined, the load building engine looks for
a transport means combination. If not found, the default transport means
combination defined for the carrier is taken. | |