Assign Carriers to Plants

Overview

The Assign Carriers to Plants feature enables you to configure which transportation carriers are available for each plant location in your concrete management system. This configuration directly impacts which carriers appear in dropdown menus when creating shipments, ensuring only relevant carriers are available for each plant location.

Prerequisites

Before using this feature, ensure you have:

• Administrative or dispatch management permissions
• At least one plant configured in the system
• At least one carrier set up in the system

Accessing the Feature

To navigate to the Assign Carriers to Plants screen:

1. Open the Configuration menu from the main navigation
2. Select "Dispatch Setup" from the dropdown options
3. Click "Assign Carriers to Plants" from the submenu

Figure 1

Understanding the Interface

Main Screen Layout

The Assign Carriers to Plants screen displays a comprehensive matrix view that shows:

• Columns: All configured plants in your system
• Rows: All available carriers
• Grid Cells: Assignment status indicators showing which carriers are assigned to which plants

Key Interface Elements

• Edit Icons (Orange box, Figure 2): Located at intersections of carrier rows and plant columns, these allow you to modify assignments
• Export Buttons: Located at the top of the screen for generating reports (Red box, Figure 2)
• Search/Filter Options: Use these to quickly locate specific carriers or plants in large datasets

Figure 2

Assigning Carriers to Plants

Step-by-Step Process

1. Locate the Assignment Cell

   • Find the intersection of the carrier (row) and plant (column) you want to modify
   • Look for the edit icon (Orange box, Figure 2)

2. Open the Assignment Modal

   • Click the edit icon for the desired carrier-plant combination
   • This opens the "Assign Plants To Concrete Vision" dialog box

3. Select Plants

   • Click the Plant List dropdown (Green box, Figure 3)
   • Choose one or more plants from the available options

4. Save Your Changes

   • Click the "Save" button (Yellow box, Figure 3) to confirm your selections
   • Click "Cancel" if you want to discard changes 

Figure 3

Assignment Rules

Multiple Assignments Supported:

• ✅ One carrier can be assigned to multiple plants
• ✅ Multiple carriers can be assigned to the same plant
• ✅ Changes take effect immediately after saving

Impact on Operations:

• Assigned carriers will appear in carrier selection dropdowns when creating shipments for the associated plant
• Unassigned carriers will not be available for selection at that plant location

Managing Assignments

Removing Assignments

To unassign a carrier from a plant:

1. Click the edit icon for the carrier-plant combination (Orange box, Figure 2)
2. In the Plant List dropdown, deselect the plant(s) you want to remove (Red box, Figure 4)
3. Click "Save" to confirm the changes (Green box, Figure 4)

Figure 4

Audit Information

Tracking Changes

Click the info icon (i) next to any assignment to view:

• Who created the record and when
• Who last modified the record and when
• Complete change history for accountability

Figure 5

Exporting Assignment Data

Export Options

PDF Export:

• Click the [Export to PDF] button (Red Box, Figure 2)
• Generates a comprehensive report showing all carriers and their assigned plants
• Ideal for printing or sharing with stakeholders who need read-only access

Excel Export:

• Click the [Export to Excel] button (Red Box, Figure 2) 
• Creates a spreadsheet with carrier-plant assignment data
• Useful for data analysis, backup purposes, or integration with other systems

Best Practices

Planning Your Assignments

1. Assess Carrier Capabilities

   • Consider vehicle types, capacity limits, and equipment compatibility
   • Match specialized carriers with plants that produce specific product types

2. Geographic Considerations

   • Assign carriers based on proximity to plant locations
   • Account for delivery radius and typical service areas

3. Operational Efficiency

   • Avoid over-assigning carriers to maintain focused operations
   • Ensure adequate carrier coverage for each plant's expected volume