The Backup Zones screen allows you to configure which zones will be used as backups for the main zones.
This is useful when you don't have a vehicle available in a certain zone, and can instead send the job to a vehicle in a backup zone.
To access this screen:
- Click on Backup Zones from the Dispatch > Zones dropdown menu.
Live mode
In this mode, you can view the live configuration of your backup zones.
To switch to Live Mode:
- Click on the Live Mode button in the top left.
Draft mode
In this mode, you can view and edit your backup zone configuration as a draft, and then apply this draft to live.
To switch to Draft Mode:
- Click on the Draft Mode button in the top left.
Create a new draft
To create a new draft configuration:
- Click on the New Draft button.
Note: When you create a new draft, the current draft will be overridden and any changes made will apply to all zone areas. (e.g. Zone Maker, Zone List, Backup Zones,...)
Apply a draft to live
To apply your new draft to the live configuration:
- Click on the Apply Draft to Live button.
The live backup zone configuration will now be replaced with the latest draft configuration.
Add backup zones
To add new backup zones:
- Select the Company, Day, and Hour.
- Double-click on a zone cell from the table.
- Select which zone should be the next backup zone.
- Click Confirm to add the backup zone.
- Then click Save.
In the above example, if a job is booked for the UNI zone, the system will look to dispatch the job to a driver in UNI first, and if no driver is found the system will then look in TWN.
Note: You can delete a zone from the table by selecting the Eraser button, and then clicking on a zone.
Dispatch rules
The dispatch rules will tell the system what to do when looking for another vehicle in a backup zone.
To change the dispatch rules for each zone:
- Click on a dispatch rule:
Longest Waiting: The system will look for a vehicle that has been waiting the longest time for a job.
Nearest Vehicle: The system will look for the nearest vehicle.
Shortest Waiting: The system will look for a vehicle that has been waiting the shortest time for a job.
Nearest Vehicle vs Longest Waiting: The system will look for the nearest vehicle or a vehicle that has been waiting the longest time for a job. - Click on a zone to change its rule.
- Then click Save.
Apply penalties to backup zones
To apply penalties to each backup zone:
- Select Reject penalties or Recover penalties from the dropdown.
- Click on a zone to apply a penalty.
Note: Zones with penalties applied will have a highlighted green border. - Then click Save.
Clone backup zones
To clone your new backup zones to different days and hours:
- Click on the Clone Zones button.
- Select a Day and Hour.
- Then click Confirm.
Note: You can also merge zones by dragging them together.