Examples of the use of the planned date determiner options

The following data are used to show in greater detail how each of the planned date determiner options work:

Stops are created during load building. The creation of stops is an intermediate stage of the load building process. The creation of shipments is based on stop data.

The minimum and maximum load dates of the stops (time windows) are derived from the earliest and latest load dates of all the order lines in the stop. The calendars of the carrier and the addresses are also taken into account.

In this example, the loading, unloading, and waiting times are included in the travel times.

Earliest and latest possible date

The earliest possible dates and latest possible dates are equal to the time window borders. The time window borders are the minimum and maximum load and unload dates of the stops. No further date calculation is required.

If you select the Earliest of Possible Dates option, planned shipment dates are equal to the minimum load and unload dates of a stop.

If you select the Latest of Possible Dates option, the planned shipment dates are equal to the maximum load and unload dates of a stop.

Minimum of planned unload dates

To determine the minimum of planned unload dates, the planned unload dates of all order lines in the route are taken into account. Freight takes the following steps to determine the minimum of planned unload dates:

1. Determine the minimum of the planned unload dates of the order lines of the last unload stop. This will be the optimal unload date for this stop. In this example, the last unload stop is stop C. If the optimal date is not inside the time window, the optimal date is equal to the nearest window border. The optimal unload date at stop C is the minimum of 17:10 and 17:35 = 17:10.
2. Calculate back the optimal load date for the preceding stop. In this example, the preceding stop is stop B. Note that an actual load stop is not present if no goods are loaded at that stop. The optimal load date at stop B is 17:10 – 5:00 travel time = 12:10.
3. Calculate the next minimum of planned unload dates of the order lines in the stop. Now, the optimal load dates of order lines that must be loaded (or that are already loaded) are included in the calculation to determine the minimum of planned unload dates. In this stop, order line B's planned unload date is 12:05. The optimal unload date at stop B is the minimum of 12:10 and 12:05 = 12:05.
4. Calculate back the optimal load date for the preceding stop. The optimal load date at stop A is 12:05 – 4:00 travel time = 08:05.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the first stop is reached.
6. At the first stop, the optimal load date is the planned load date for the shipment. The planned load date of the shipment is the optimal date = 08:05.
7. Starting from the first planned load date, calculate the optimal dates for all stops. These dates will be the planned load and unload dates for the shipments. The remaining shipment dates are calculated using the travel times = 12:05, 17:05.

Average of planned unload dates

To determine the average of planned unload dates, the planned unload dates of all order lines in the route are taken into account. Freight carries out the following steps to calculate the average of planned unload dates:

1. Determine the average of the planned unload dates of the order lines of the last unload stop. This will be the optimal unload date for that stop. (If the optimal date is not inside the time window, the optimal date is equal to the nearest window border). The optimal unload date at stop C is the average of 17:10 and 17:35 = 17:22.
2. Calculate back the optimal load date for the preceding stop. Note that an actual load stop is not present if no goods are loaded at that stop. The optimal load date at stop B is 17:22 (the optimal unload date at stop C) – 5:00 travel time = 12:22.
3. Calculate the next average of planned unload dates of the order lines in the stop to determine the optimal unload date. In this calculation, the following data are included:
   • The planned unload dates of the stop.
   • The optimal load date of the stop (calculated in step 2).
   • The order lines in the same load that are loaded at a previous stop and unloaded at a later stop. These stops obtain the value of the optimal load date calculated in step 2. In this example, order line 1 is not loaded or unloaded at stop B and receives the optimal load date value of 12:22. The reason for this is because, to match the unload date at the next stop, order line 1 must start at the same load date. The optimal unload date of stop B is the average of 2 * 12.22 and 12.05 = 12.16.
4. Calculate back the optimal load date for the preceding stop. The optimal load date at stop A is 12:16 – 4:00 Travel time = 08:16.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the first stop is reached.
6. At the first stop, stop A, the optimal load date is the planned load date for the shipment.
7. Starting from the first planned load date, 08:16, calculate the optimal dates for all stops. These dates will be the planned load and unload dates for the shipments. The remaining shipment dates are calculated using the travel times = 12:16 and 17:16.

Overview of the planned shipment dates for each planned date determiner option