Logistics — User Guide

Recommended roles:

• Logistics Admin
• Configures workflow rules, statuses, service modes, and governance.
• Dispatcher / Coordinator
• Creates shipments, assigns owners/drivers (if used), updates statuses.
• Warehouse / Operations
• Converts pre-alerts to packages, verifies package details, supports handover.
• Driver / Delivery staff (if used)
• Updates delivery status and completion evidence (if enabled).
• Customer Service
• Looks up tracking history and communicates delivery status to customers.
• Manager / Viewer
• Reviews throughput and performance reporting.

Best practice:

• Restrict who can mark “Delivered” and who can edit recipient/master address details.

### 1) Recipients & address book standards

• Decide how recipient records are created:
• linked to customers (if used), or standalone recipients
• Standardize:
• address formatting
• phone format
• city/region fields
• Train the team to reuse existing recipients to reduce duplicates.

### 2) Status workflow
Define a simple workflow first, then expand:

• Pre-alert: Draft → Confirmed
• Package: Ready → In processing
• Shipment: Pending → Approved → Out for delivery → Delivered (example)

Decide who can:

• approve shipments
• assign drivers/owners
• mark delivered

### 3) Service modes (optional)
If you use service modes:

• standard vs express
• pickup vs delivery
• COD vs prepaid (if applicable to your business)

### 4) Consolidation rules (optional)
Decide when you consolidate:

• by destination region
• by customer
• by route/driver
• by time window (daily consolidation)

### 5) Delivery confirmation evidence (optional)
Decide what evidence is required:

• delivery date/time
• receiver name
• signature capture (if used)
• photo/attachment (if used)

### 6) Integrations (optional)

• If Fleet is used: align driver/vehicle assignment process.
• If customers are used: ensure customer records have correct delivery contact info.

### Workflow 1: Pre-alert → package → shipment

1. Create a pre-alert and attach documents if needed (invoice, notes).
2. Confirm details are complete (recipient, address, contents).
3. Convert the pre-alert into a package.
4. Create a shipment from the package (or group packages).
5. Assign owner/driver if your workflow uses assignment.
6. Update statuses as the shipment progresses.
7. Confirm delivery and preserve tracking history.

### Workflow 2: Pickup handling

1. Create a pickup request (or shipment type “pickup”).
2. Assign an owner/driver (if used).
3. Update status when pickup is completed.
4. Convert into normal shipment flow if required.

### Workflow 3: Consolidate multiple packages

1. Select at least two packages eligible for consolidation.
2. Create a consolidation record (route/batch reference).
3. Verify recipient and delivery rules are consistent.
4. Move consolidation through statuses (prepared → in transit → delivered).
5. Close consolidation and preserve history.

### Workflow 4: Delivery confirmation

1. Open the shipment or package record.
2. Update to Delivered (or equivalent final status).
3. Record:

• delivery date/time
• receiver/handover details
• attachments/signature evidence (if used)

1. Confirm tracking history shows the final update.

### Workflow 5: Exception handling (recommended)
Use consistent exception statuses:

• Failed delivery
• Returned
• Damaged
• Missing info

Steps:

1. Mark shipment with exception status.
2. Add notes + evidence (photo, call log).
3. Decide next action:

• reschedule
• return to sender
• escalate to manager

1. Close with final outcome status.

Common logistics views:

• Packages by status
• Shipping by status
• Consolidation summaries
• Pickup summary
• Monthly volume trends

Recommended cadence:

• Daily: backlog by status + overdue deliveries
• Weekly: exception root causes (failed delivery, missing info)
• Monthly: throughput and trend review

### I can’t convert a pre-alert to a package

• Ensure required fields are filled (recipient/address).
• Ensure status allows conversion (must be confirmed/ready).
• Check permissions for the user performing the conversion.

### Shipments are missing recipient details

• Standardize recipient creation rules.
• Prevent free-text addresses if your deployment supports structured fields.
• Train users to reuse the address book.

### Status history looks inconsistent

• Limit who can set final statuses.
• Use a single status flow and train the team.
• Require a note for exception statuses.

### Consolidation doesn’t include expected packages

• Confirm packages meet consolidation criteria (status/route rules).
• Check if packages are already assigned to another consolidation.
• Verify user permissions to create/edit consolidation.