Help for Dispatchers
Quick answers and solutions for transportation coordinators and dispatchers. For detailed guides, see our complete dispatcher documentation.
Complete Guides Available
Need step-by-step instructions? Visit our Dispatcher Guides for comprehensive documentation organized by workflow.
Getting Started
Q: How do I create my first order?
A: Navigate to Order Control and use the order creation interface. You can also bulk import orders using our CSV Import feature.
Q: What’s the minimum information needed to create an order?
A: You need at least:
- Pickup location name
- Destination location name
Everything else (customer details, timing, products) can be added later.
Q: Can I import orders from a spreadsheet?
A: Yes! Download our CSV template and follow the CSV Import Guide. You only need pickup and destination locations to get started.
Order Management
Q: How do I track order status in real-time? A: Use the Order Overview dashboard to monitor all orders. You can filter by date, status, and customer.
Q: What do the different order statuses mean? A: Common statuses include:
- Unassigned: Order created but no driver assigned
- Planned: Order scheduled with driver
- Dispatched: Driver has started the route
- In Transit: Driver is en route to pickup/delivery
- Arrived: Driver has arrived at location
- Complete: Order successfully delivered
Q: How do I handle orders that couldn’t be created? A: Check the Drafts section. Orders appear here when there are data issues like invalid addresses or missing time windows. Fix the data and try creating them again.
Customer & Location Management
Q: How do I add a new customer? A: Go to Customers and use the customer creation interface. You can set up contact details, addresses, and special requirements.
Q: What’s the difference between customers and locations? A: Customers are the businesses you serve, while Locations are the specific pickup/delivery addresses. One customer can have multiple locations.
Q: How do I manage pickup and delivery locations? A: Use the Locations section to add new addresses, update contact information, and set default time windows.
Driver Management
Q: How do I assign drivers to orders? A: In Order Control, you can manually assign drivers or let the system auto-assign based on availability and location.
Q: How do I assign orders for partner system export? A: For customers with partner system integration:
- Select orders using checkboxes in Order Control
- Use the three radio button menu → Batch Update
- Choose “Lock to Driver” and select the driver
- Select “Dispatch Order” and click “Complete”
This ensures orders are properly assigned before export to external systems.
Q: How do I track driver performance? A: The Drivers section shows driver statistics, current status, and performance metrics. Use Single Driver View to focus on one driver.
Q: What if a driver needs to be contacted? A: Use the Messages feature to send notifications directly to drivers’ mobile apps.
Vehicle & Resource Management
Q: How do I manage my fleet? A: The Vehicles section lets you add vehicles, track maintenance, and assign them to drivers.
Q: What are load carriers and how do I use them? A: Load Carriers are reusable containers (pallets, crates, etc.). Track them to ensure they’re returned and available for future orders.
Products & Inventory
Q: How do I add products to orders? A: In the Products section, you can create product catalogs and then add them to orders with quantities and weights.
Q: What’s the difference between atoms, colli, and trade items? A: These are hierarchical product structures:
- Trade Items: Individual products (e.g., “Widget Model X”)
- Colli: Packages containing trade items (e.g., “Box of 12 Widgets”)
- Atoms: Physical items being transported (the actual boxes/pallets)
Task Management
Q: How do I assign additional tasks to drivers? A: Use the Tasks section to create custom tasks like “Take photo of delivery” or “Collect signature.”
Q: Can I set up recurring orders? A: While not automated, you can duplicate existing orders and modify dates. Consider using CSV import for regular bulk orders.
Reporting & Analytics
Q: Where do I find delivery reports? A: The Reports section provides various analytics including delivery performance, driver efficiency, and customer satisfaction metrics.
Q: How do I generate daily/weekly summaries? A: Use the reporting filters to select date ranges and export data for analysis.
API & Integration
Q: Can I integrate Zendera with my ERP system? A: Yes! Check our API Documentation for:
- Orders Import API for creating orders programmatically
- Order Summary API for tracking and status updates
- Authentication guide to get started
Q: How do I get an API key? A: Contact your system administrator or support team to obtain API credentials.
Troubleshooting
Q: Orders are showing as “failed to create” - what’s wrong? A: Common issues include:
- Missing required location names
- Invalid date formats
- Unknown customer or location references
- Check Drafts for specific error messages
Q: Driver isn’t receiving notifications - what should I check? A: Verify:
- Driver’s mobile app is installed and logged in
- Phone number is correct in driver profile
- Network connectivity at driver’s location
Q: How do I handle address validation errors? A: Use the Locations management to verify and correct addresses. The system will flag addresses it cannot validate.
Q: Orders aren’t exporting to partner systems - what should I check? A: Common issues include:
- Orders not properly assigned to drivers (use batch update workflow)
- Orders not dispatched after driver assignment
- Driver capacity or skill constraints preventing assignment
- Check Order Control for assignment status and follow the partner system export workflow
Best Practices
Q: What’s the most efficient way to plan daily routes?
A:
- Review orders in Order Overview
- Group orders by geographic area
- Consider time windows and driver availability
- Use Single Driver View to optimize individual routes
Q: How should I organize my customer data?
A:
- Use consistent naming conventions
- Keep contact information updated
- Set up default time windows for regular customers
- Use customer references to match with your internal systems
Need more help?
- Browse Dispatcher Guides for complete documentation
- Check Troubleshooting for common issues
- Contact your system administrator for internal support
- Email our support team: care@zendera.no for all support needs