How to import stops
When you log in, you will automatically land on the Stops list view. Here, you can bulk upload, edit, and move stops.
A stop can be uploaded directly to the Stops list or moved from a route it was previously assigned to back to the Stops list.
You can upload stops by:
Importing them in a spreadsheet
Importing them from your Shopify store
Moving them from a previous route to the Stops list
Adding them manually
Importing them via integration with Spoke's API
Your Clients can import unassigned stops via Spoke Connect
Once you have imported your stops, they will appear as a list that displays information on the stop address, assigned depot, how it was added, the date when it was added, and more.
How to add custom stop properties
If you would like to add and import a custom property for a stop that is not already included in the available spreadsheet fields above, you can create a custom property.
Go to > Controls > Route and stops
Under Custom properties, click > Add custom property
Name your custom property eg Order Number
Select if you want this custom property to be visible to Recipients on their tracking page and/or to Drivers in their stop details on the driver app
If you are importing data using a spreadsheet, add your custom properties in a new row when you next upload your delivery data.
If you are importing data using Spoke’s Public API, you will now be able to include custom stop properties in your API integration. Click here for API documentation.
How to create and assign delivery services to stops
Services help you create reusable delivery service types (eg same day delivery, next day delivery) which you can then apply to a stop.
Services are available on all plans, with the following limits:
Starter: 1 service
Premium: 3 services
Expert: unlimited services
Step 1. Create a delivery service
To create a service, go to Controls > Services and click > Create service
Fill out the service details:
Service name
Service identifier
Price per stop that you will charge for this service
Next, you need to complete the service level agreement for that service and set the:
Service completion deadline
Service cutoff time
Service days
Service availability by depot
Service operating area
Finally, set up your service preferences and features by selecting:
The stop type this service is available for eg pickup/delivery/both
What POD is required for this service
What recipient notifications are required for this service
If cash on delivery is possible for this service
Your service has now been created and is ready to be assigned to stops.
Step 2. Assign a delivery service to a stop
You can manually assign a delivery service to a single stop by clicking on a stop and editing its details.
To assign a service to multiple stops, you can:
Go to > Stops
Select the stops you want to update
Use the bulk edit option to assign a service to that selection of stops
To import stops with assigned services, add service details to your spreadsheet when importing into Dispatch, or add them to your API integration.
How to make changes to unassigned stops
To make changes to an unassigned stop, you can:
Click on an individual stop, and the stop details will appear.
Edit any of the stop details and your changes will be automatically saved
OR
Select multiple stops from the list and the bulk edit bar will appear.
Click edit to make and apply a change to all the stops you have selected
How to filter, search, and sort the Stops list
At the top of the Stops page, select the depot you want to see stops from, and the status of stops you want to see in the list.
You can select all/any of the following stop statuses:
All stops
Unassigned
Scheduled
In progress
Completed
Failed
Unattempted
At the top of the Stops list, click > Filter by route to see stops from a specific route.
You can add more filters to narrow down the list by stop:
Status - unassigned/scheduled/in progress/completed/failed/unattempted
Type - pickup or delivery
Place in route - Start, Anywhere, End
Driver
Added from - The method used to add the stop to the list eg spreadsheet
Client
Warning
Custom properties
To search the stops list enter information about the stop you want to find into the search box at the top of the page.
To specify a date range click the date range drop down in the top right of the list and select a date range or create a custom date range
To sort the stops list, click the sort icon at the top right of the list.
You can sort the stops list by time or alphabetically using :
Address
Recipient
Creation time
Earliest first
Latest first
How to link a pickup and delivery
You can link a pickup and a delivery so that the pickup stop is placed before the delivery stop on a route.
You can link pickups and deliveries manually, or when importing a spreadsheet.
When importing a spreadsheet, add your stop type to the Type column
Add a new column called Linked Pickup
Mark the stop type as Pickup for the collection stop
Enter the pickup's row number in the Linked Pickup column for all the relevant deliveries
A single pickup can link to multiple deliveries
(In this example, the delivery in row 2 is linked to the pickup stop in row 1)
You can link pickups and deliveries manually:
Click on the stop details to edit it
Go to > Linked pickup
Click > Set linked pickup
Select one of the pickup stops from the drop down
On the driver app and dispatcher dashboard, pickups are marked with an arrow.
Drivers can see which pickup is associated with each delivery by clicking on a stop.
How linked pickups and deliveries behave
Reordering stops won't break the link. A pickup will always be placed before its delivery.
If the packages from one pickup exceed the vehicle's capacity, the pickup stop is repeated on the route, so the driver can return for more items.
Package count is visible in the driver app stop details. You can edit the number of packages on the delivery, and the pickup number will automatically update.
How to unassign linked pickups
Unassign only the pickup | linked deliveries stay in the route, but no longer linked to a pickup |
Unassign the whole group | Moves deliveries and pickup together to unassigned, with link intact |
Unassign part of the group | Link breaks for each unassigned stop |
How to set a depot as the default pickup point
You can set a depot as the default pickup point, making it the first stop on every route.
Go to > Controls > Depots
Select a depot, turn on > Use this depot as a default pickup location
Set Estimated time at depot (minutes)
Once enabled, the depot pickup stop is added automatically to any route with assigned deliveries.
How to use barcode/QR code scanning with stops
If you use barcode or QR codes on your shipping labels, you can import this information into Spoke Dispatch by adding it to the stop details field > Barcode ID.
If you have clients that import their own stops via Spoke Connect then barcode shipping labels will automatically be generated for them and will appear in the stop details field as > Spoke Barcode ID.
Read more about how your clients can generate barcode shipping labels.
Enable barcode scanning in your account, and you can choose which delivery milestones in a route will require the driver to scan a package's barcode/QR code.
Go to > Controls > Barcode scanning
Enable barcode scanning
Choose to enable barcode scanning when:
Drivers scan package barcodes to add that stop to their route
Drivers scan package barcodes when they load that package into their vehicle
Drivers scan package barcode when they attempt a delivery
How drivers can scan barcodes/QR codes to add stops to their route
Unassigned stops with a Barcode/QR code ID can be automatically moved from the stops list to a route created by a Driver.
Go to > Controls > Barcode scanning
Enable barcode scanning
Choose to enable Scan to import stops
The Dispatcher uploads stop data containing Barcode/QR code IDs via spreadsheet or via an API integration
The Barcode/QR code ID label is attached to the physical package
The Driver creates a route on their driver app, and they have the option to add a stop by scanning the barcode label on the package
The Driver scans the barcode/QR code label on the package. That stop is then automatically moved from the stops list and added to their route
How drivers can scan barcodes/QR codes when loading their vehicle
Stops with a barcode/QR code ID attached can be scanned by a driver when they are loading their vehicle to record proof of custody.
Go to > Controls > Barcode scanning
Enable barcode scanning
Choose to enable Scan to load vehicle
Tick the box to allow barcode scanning for Scan to load vehicle
Inform drivers that this barcode/QR code scanning option is now turned on
On the driver app, after optimizing their route, drivers can tap > Load vehicle
The barcode scanning viewfinder will appear
Drivers can scan the barcodes/QR codes on the packages as they load them into their vehicles
How drivers can scan barcodes/QR codes when attempting delivery
Stops with a barcode/QR code ID attached can be scanned at the point of delivery by a driver to mark that delivery as completed.
Go to > Controls > Barcode scanning
Enable barcode scanning
Choose to enable Scan to confirm delivery attempt
The Driver arrives at the stop and taps > Delivered
The barcode scanner is automatically triggered
It displays the stop address and barcode ID to scan
Scan the barcode/QR code on the package
Collect proof of delivery if required
How to move stops between routes
On the Dispatcher dashboard to move stops to a route:
Select the stops you want to add to a route from the list
Click > Assign to route
Select a route from the calendar or create a new route to add them to
To move stops from a route back to the stops list:
Click on the map view
Top right on the map click the dotted square 'select area' icon
A hexagonal grid pattern will be overlaid on the map view
Click to select the hexagon sections which contain the stop or stops you want to move
Using the toolbar at the top of the stops list click > Move
This will open a Move Stops pop-up, where you can move stops to any route or back to the Stops list
Use the options on the Move Stops pop-up if you want to:
Choose which stop properties to include
Keep a copy of the stops in the original route
Select where you want to move those stops to: an existing route, a new route, or the Stops list
Click the blue Move Stops button
The stops you selected have now been moved
Click here to read more about how to use Spoke's Move Stops feature.
Read next...
Click here to find out how to create a route.
Got a question?
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