Load Planning Process
- DATASCOPE WMS
Load Planning / Load Planning Board [LPN010]
The Load Planning module, a crucial component of DATASCOPE WMS, empowers Dispatch Controllers to efficiently manage routes and truck loads for their company's delivery vehicles. This module, a separate purchase, plays a pivotal role in optimizing delivery operations and requires activation post-purchase.
 This User Guide will focus on the Load Planning Board and managing the delivery of the orders.
How the Load Planning Board works.
How to Truck Load the orders.
Dealing with problem pick slips (orders).
How to Truck Unload returned orders.
If you don’t like reading, you can watch the video.
Try it!
Load Planning Board
The Load Planning Board is used throughout the picking process to review the status of the pick slips assigned to each route. It can be used to pre-plan truck loads based on the masses of the pick slips.
From the Main Menu, browse to Load Planning / Load Planning Board.
A Load Planning run-time filter screen will appear. Select the Route(s) you wish to plan.
The various checkboxes on the filter screen determine which pick slip statuses will print on the suggested Load Schedule document, which is used to load the truck. Default statuses will be selected, but you can also select some of the other statuses.
The default statuses selected reduce the number of records on the suggested Load Planning report. Typically, Dispatch Controllers are only interested in tracking and planning pick slips from a particular status (e.g., CHECKED status).
Select Continue once your selections have been made.
The Load Planning Board will appear, displaying pick slips in each route window.
See below the meaning of each color code:
o  Blue – indicates all pick slips that are unfinished and in progress. These pick slips can be in a CREATED status with Today’s Date or in a PRINTED, ASSIGNED, PICKED or CHECKED status. They can also be in a STARTED status where the pick duration time in minutes is less than the specified MAX DURATION.
o  Red – Indicated that the pick slip has STARTED, but their pick duration is greater than the MAX DURATION setting. These pick slips are running behind schedule and must be followed up on.
o  Purple – Indicates the pick slip was created before Today’s Date, and picking hasn’t started.
o  White (red text) – Indicated that the pick slip was unloaded.
o  Green – Indicate that the pick slip has been invoiced.
o  White (black text) – Indicate that the pick slip has been LOADED.
The primary purpose of these color codes is to assist the Dispatch Controller to quickly see which pick slips are ready for loading and which are running behind.
The Dispatch Controller must have this Load Planning Board open throughout the day to monitor the progress of the picks.
Tracking progress and planning the first load
The Dispatch Controller must select the Driver, Co-Driver, and Truck from the Route window header.
The Load Planning Board is still open.
Select the Driver from the Driver drop-down.
Select the Co-Driver from the Co-Driver drop-down.
Select the truck from the VRN drop-down.
The default Truck Mass / Volume will display.
The screen will automatically calculate the Total Mass and Total Volume of all the pick slips in a LOADED status. This can then be compared with the Truck Mass / Volume to see when the truck is near capacity.
The Accumulative Totals section displays the total orders, volume, and mass of all pick slips assigned to the route, not just those in a LOADED status.
o  Total Orders refers to the total pick slips still open and in progress for the Route.
o  Total Volume and Total Mass – refer to the Total Volume and Mass for all the pick slips on the Route. Not just those that are in a LOADED status.
o  Mass Tolerance refers to the mass tolerance allowed for the Route. This can be adjusted by updating a system setting.
o  Actual Mass is a calculated value, the Total Mass plus the Mass Tolerance percentage.
o  The TrackID Mass field is edible and inserts the total mass of any pallets on the load. This value is saved into the PalletMass field in the tblLoadPlanningPalletMass database table. When a Suggested Load Sheet or an Actual Trip Sheet is printed, it can be pulled into these printed reports.
A few right-click options exist on the Route Window’s data grid:
o  The route applied for a specific pick slip can be changed at any time. Right-click on the line and select Change Route.
o  A pop-up will appear where you can select the new Route and add a Reason for the change.
o  Select Update. The pick slip will then automatically move over to the new Route Window data grid.
o  The user can also add a Comment against any pick slips. Just right-click and select Add Comment. The comment will also be printed on the suggested Load Plan Report. The comment will remain saved against the pick slip until manually removed.
o  Typically, this can add specific delivery times or requests.
o  To remove the comment. Right-click on the line and select the Add Comment option. Delete the comment and save the change.
o  The View Detail option, when right-clicking, will open the View Reservations window. Here, you can view the Reserved, picked, and checked QTYs per stock code on the pick slip.
o  The View Customer option will display the Ship To Address used for the particular customer.
o  The View Map option will open a new window displaying the Ship To Address on the Google Maps application.
o  The View Picker(s) option will display the picker or pickers assigned to the selected pick slip. This will assist the Dispatch Controller in following up with the picker regarding the pick's progress.
o  The Suggested Load Plan report prints the orders in reverse from the delivery sequence list. The sequence number is visible in the Seq column in the Route window data grid. The first pick slip listed on the Suggested Load Plan report will be truck-loaded first, as it is the last to be offloaded on the route.
o  To change the sequence number of a pick slip, right-click and select the Move Up or Move Down options. This will change the sequence number of the selected pick slip one step up or one step down.
o  Changing the sequence of the pick slips allows the user to reorder the position of the pick slips on the Suggested Load Plan report the next time it prints.
o  The Copy option copies the pick slip number to the clipboard.
o  The VB Scripting option will open the VB Scripting screen for this module. For more information on VBScripting, refer to the VBScripting User Guide.
The Dispatch Controller must monitor this Load Planning Board to track the progress of pick slips and/or chase up on slow pickers. All pick slips created on a current day will populate the Route window’s data grid.
There is a Print button should a pick slip not successfully print and, therefore, remain in a CREATED status.
Select the Print button to force a pick slip printout.
At the bottom of each Route window’s data grid, a Print Suggested button is visible.
Select the Print Suggested button.
A printer pop-up will appear. Hovering over the Company Printer(s) text will display the System Action for this specific screen.
A report will print with every pick slip on the route with the statuses selected when the Load Planning Board was opened.
This report must be given to the Truck Loaders handling the packing of the truck in the Dispatch area.
These reports can be printed as often as required for the same route, as no transactions happen during printing.
After the pick slips are picked, checked, and invoiced, DATASCOPE PREMIUM WMS allows for an optional process of putting the picked orders into a Dispatch Bin.
Using Dispatch Bins is not mandatory but can be helpful to group pick slips (orders) for the same route when using this Load Planning module. For more information, refer to Putting picked stock into a Dispatch Bin (not mandatory process)
Next, start loading the trucks - Truck Loading