Operations Tutorial

22 minutes to read

Order Entry

In this exercise, you will enter a basic one-pick, one-drop order into Order Entry.

1. Go to the Operations menu and select the Order Entry option.

2. The cursor will start out in the Order field, do not enter a number, Keypoint will assign an order number after the order is updated. Press Tab to move to the Initials field.

3. Enter your initials into the Initials field and press Tab.

4. Select the order type using the dropdown box in the Type field and press Tab.

5. Enter a bill to abbreviation into the Bill To field and press tab. If you do not know the abbreviation of the bill to, enter the first few letters of the name, press Tab and a lookup screen will display (example below).

Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll to the desired bill to and press the Select button or double-click on the record you want to use. Keypoint will return you to Order Entry screen with the bill to abbreviation populated, along with the customer name, address and contact information.

6. Select the division using the dropdown box in the Division field and press Tab.

7. Select the terms using the dropdown box in the Terms field and press Tab. (optional)

8. Select the equipment type using the dropdown box in the Equipment Type field and press Tab.

9. Enter the dollar value of the order in the Value field and press Tab. (optional)

10. Add order comments by clicking on the Comments Button or by pressing the space bar when the comments field is highlighted. The Comments screen will open, enter the desired comments and click on the Update button and press Tab.

11. Enter reference numbers in any or all of the 6 reference code fields and press Tab after each one. (these fields are optional)

12. Continue to tab through all 6 of the additional reference code fields. Additional reference numbers can be recorded in any of the additional reference code fields by pressing the space bar when the additional reference code field is highlighted. (The 6 grey buttons located under Equipment Type)

13. Add pickups and deliveries by clicking on the Add Stop-off button or by pressing the space bar when the Add Stop-off button is highlighted. The Add Stop-off screen will open. Note: You must start with a pickup and end with a delivery.

14. Select the type of Pickup using the dropdown box in the Type field and press Tab.

15. Enter the pickup date and time into the first Appointment field and press Tab.

16. If the pickup can be made in a given time frame, enter the latest time for pickup in the second field and press Tab.

17. Enter a pickup abbreviation into the Enter a code... field and press Tab. If you do not know the abbreviation of the pickup location, enter the first few letters of the name, press Tab and a lookup screen will display. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll to the desired pickup location and press the Select button or double-click on the record you want to use. Keypoint will return you to Order Entry screen with the pickup abbreviation populated, along with the customer name, address and contact information. Press Tab.

18. The cursor is now in the Contact Name field. If you had entered a primary operations contact in the customer record the primary operations contact name will display in the Name field. If desired, you can leave the name as is or enter a different contact name. Press Tab.

19. The cursor is now in the Contact Phone field. If you had entered a primary operations contact in the customer record the primary operations contact phone number will display in the Phone field. If desired, you can leave the phone number as is or enter a different contact phone number.

20. Click on the Update button (or press Alt +U) to save this pickup. (example below)

21. Add another pickup or delivery by clicking on the Add Stop-off button or by pressing the space bar when the Add Stop-off field is highlighted. The Add Stop-off screen will open.

22. Select the type of Delivery using the dropdown box in the Type field and press Tab.

23. Enter the delivery date and time into the first Appointment field and press Tab.

24. If the delivery can be made in a given time frame, enter the latest time for pickup in the second field and press Tab.

25. The cursor is now in the Delivery abbreviation field. To illustrate how a location for an order may be manually entered do not enter an abbreviation into the Delivery abbreviation field (the next few steps will outline how to enter a location for an order manually). Press Tab.

26. Enter the delivery date and time into the Earliest fields and press Tab.

27. If the delivery can be made in a given time frame, enter the latest time for delivery in the Latest field and press Tab.

28. The cursor will now be in the Name field for the Delivery location. Enter a name of a delivery location (for example, 123 Essentials) and press Tab.

29. Enter in a street address into the first address line field (for example, 128 Granite Way) and press Tab.

30. Leave the second address line field blank and press Tab.

31. Enter a city name into the City field (for example, DOVER) and press Tab.

32. Enter a state abbreviation into the State field (for example, DE) and press Tab.

33. Enter in a zip code into the Zip Code field (for example, 19901) and press Tab.

34. Select the country using the dropdown box in the Country field and press Tab.

35. Enter the contact name into the Name field (for example, Bob Smith) and press Tab.

36. Enter the contact phone number into the Phone field (for example, 800-728-7305) and press Tab.

37. Click on the Update button (or press Alt +U) to save this pickup. (example below)

38. Press Tab and your cursor will be in the Charges section of the screen. The Charges section is used to enter information for the charges (line items) that will be billed to the customer.

For this example we will be entering 50 pallets of energy drinks for a flat rate of $2500 with a weight of 40000, use the following instructions to enter this charge to the customer:

• Enter the number of pieces in the Pieces field and press Tab.
• Select the piece type using the dropdown box in the Piece Type field and press Tab.
• Enter the description in the Description field and press Tab.
• Select the multiplier of Flat using the dropdown box in the Identifier field and press Tab.
• Enter 2500 in the Rate field and press Tab. You will see that the Charges field populates with $2,500.00. No entry is needed, just press tab.
• Enter 40000 in the Weight field and press Tab.

39. At this point your screen should look similar to this:

40. Click on the Update button at the top of the screen (or press Alt + U). Note that an order number is now assigned. Your screen should look similar to this:

41. Click on the Clear button at the top of the screen to clear the screen.

42. Click on the Exit button at the top of the screen to Exit the screen. You have now entered a basic order into Order Entry.

Order Entry Full

In this exercise you will enter a multi pick, multi drop order into Order Entry Full.

Access the Order Entry Full screen by going to Operations and choosing the Order Entry Full option. Your screen should look similar to this:

1. Your cursor will be in the Order Number field. Keypoint will assign an order number after you update the order. Press Tab

2. Enter your initials into the Initials field and press Tab.

3. Enter the customer abbreviation into the Customer field. A Customer in order entry is the company that gave you the business. If you do not know the abbreviation enter in the first few letters and then press Tab to bring up a lookup screen and select the desired customer. Press Tab.

4. Select the order type using the dropdown box in the Type field and press Tab.

5. Often the Bill To customer is the same as the Customer for the order so the Bill To field may already be populated. If you need to add/edit the bill to customer enter in the desired bill to abbreviation into the Bill To field.

6. Select the division using the dropdown box in the Division field and press Tab.

7. Select the terms using the dropdown box in the Terms field and press Tab. (optional)

8. Enter reference numbers in any or all of the 6 reference code fields and press Tab after each one. (these fields are optional)

9. Tab until your cursor reaches the Equip Type field. Enter a V into the Equip Type field.

10. You can either keep pressing Tab or you can hold down the Alt key and press the P key to get to the Pickup tab of order entry or you can click on the Pickup Tab with your mouse. Tab down until your cursor is in the field directly under the words Name/Address. This is the Pickup abbreviation field. Enter a pickup abbreviation into this field

11. Tab into the Earliest date field and enter in a pickup date. (Use the Latest date and time fields if you desire to enter in a pickup time range). Your screen should now look similar to this:

12. You will now add another pickup to this order. To add another pickup, tab down to the Add Pickup field and press Enter, or you may hold the Alt key down and press the A key, or use your mouse to click on the Add Pickup button. A blank pickup tab will now display:

13. Add in another pickup abbreviation and pickup date and time information. Using the Add Pickup button you can add as many pickups as desired. Remember that if you do not have an abbreviation you may tab out of the Abbreviation field and manually enter in the name, address, city and state information for a specific pickup location for this order (described in a previous exercise).

14. Once all pickups have been added, click on the Delivery tab with your mouse, or hold the Alt key down while typing the D key. Tab until your cursor is in the field directly under the words Name/Address. This is the Delivery abbreviation field. Enter a delivery abbreviation into this field

15. Tab into the Earliest date field and enter in a delivery date. (Use the Latest date and time fields if you desire to enter in a delivery time range). Your screen should now look similar to this:

16. You will now add another delivery to this order. To add another delivery, tab down to the Add Delivery field and press Enter, or you may hold the Alt key down and press the A key, or use your mouse to click on the Add Delivery button. A blank delivery tab will now display:

17. Add in another delivery abbreviation and delivery date and time information. Using the Add Delivery button you can add as many deliveries as desired. Remember that if you do not have an abbreviation you may tab out of the Abbreviation field and manually enter in the name, address, city and state information for a specific delivery location for this order (described in a previous exercise).

18. Once you have entered at least two deliveries, click on the Update button at the top of the screen. Note that an order number is now assigned. Your screen should look similar to this:

19. On the Main tab screen, click on the Line Items tab (located on 2nd row of tabs next to the Name/Address tab). Your screen should look similar to this:

20. Tab down into the Line Items section of the order entry screen (The field Pieces is the beginning of the Line Items section if looking at the above graphic).

21. The Line Items section is used to enter in information about the order and is also where the charges that will be billed to the customer are entered. To enter in a flat charge amount tab into the Description field and type in a Description of the freight (for example, ELECTRONICS). Tab over to the Charges field and enter 2500 and press Tab.

22. Now click on the Update button at the top of the screen to save the line item entered. You have now entered a multi-pick and multi-drop order into Order Entry Full. Your screen should look similar to this:

Dispatching Orders

In the following exercise you are going to dispatch an available order onto a load with a carrier.

1. In your Operations menu bring up the Order Entry screen and enter the order number that was just created in the previous exercise (or you can create a new order if you'd like).

2. Click on the Select button at the top of the Order Entry screen, or press the Alt and T keys. The Match/Dispatch Truck screen will display. Your screen should look similar to this:

3. Enter a carrier abbreviation into the Carrier field. If you do not know a carrier abbreviation type in the first few letters of a carrier name and then press Tab. A look up screen will display from which you can choose a carrier.

4. Once a carrier has been chosen press Tab to move into the Unit # field. Ideally the Unit # field should be populated with the carrier’s unit number (truck number). However, for training purposes, enter the order number (displayed at the top of the screen) into the Unit # field. A Unit # is required for Dispatch.

5. Enter a driver name and driver phone into the appropriate fields, pressing Tab to move to the next field.

6. Enter the rate and method into the appropriate fields (This is the amount of line haul you will pay to the carrier). Your screen should now look similar to this:

Note: Adding in multiple types of Carrier Pay is covered in a separate exercise.

7. Press the Dispatch button at the top of the screen, or press the Alt and T keys. Note that a load number is now displaying in the Load # field, located in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. In Keypoint the order number is associated with the receivable, and the load number is associated with the payable. Your screen should now look similar to this:

8. Continue on to the following exercise to print a Rate Confirmation for this load.

Printing a Rate Confirmation

In this exercise you will print a Rate Confirmation from the Match/Dispatch truck screen.

1. With the Match/Dispatch screen still up from the previous exercise, click the Rate Conf. button (displayed towards the bottom of the screen), or press the Alt and R keys.

2. Your screen should now look similar to this:

3. Your cursor will be in the Report Name field. Use the drop down box to choose a rate confirmation file name. Your screen should now look similar to this:

4. To print the rate confirmation, click on the Print button at the top of your screen, or press the Alt and P keys. The Print screen will display. Your screen should look similar to this:

5. Using the dropdown select the printer name that you want to print your rate confirmation and then click on the OK button. Your rate confirmation will now be sent to that printer. Printing to “Screen” will open a preview window.

6. Click on the Exit button until you have closed out of the previewed rate confirmation screen. Click on the Clear button twice to close out the Rate Confirmations screen. You have now printed the rate confirmation so that it can be sent to the carrier.

7. Click on the Exit to close out of the Match/Dispatch screen.

8. Click on the Clear button and then the Exit button to close out of the Order Entry screen.

Check Calls

Once an order is dispatched on a carrier the status is changed to Planned and a load is created. Check Calls must be entered to move the order into the next status of Pickup-Actual and then Delivered, so the load can be finished. Other Check Calls can be entered such as Estimated to Arrive, Arrival, and Comments, but they are not required entries for finishing a load. In this exercise you will Check Call a load.

1. You can access Check Calls from Order Entry, Dispatch Control or the Operations Menu. Make note of the order and load number that you have created, as you will use these numbers for this exercise.

2. Go to the Operations menu and select the Check Calls option. Your screen should look like this:

3. Enter the load number you created when you dispatched the order onto a truck into the Load field and then press Tab. (Or you can enter the order number in the Order field and press Tab.) Load information should now populate your screen:

4. In the Transit Details section, you will see a grid that has all the Pickup and Delivery appointments on the order listed. To make a Pickup check call, please do the following steps:

   1. Double click on the first Pickup line and you will see that the line goes bold and the information fills into the Entry fields located above the grid. (Or click on the Check Box in the grid to bring the Pickup check call information into the Entry fields.)
   2. If you need to change the Date or the Time for the check call, please do so in the respective fields.
   3. If you need to enter Comments or more information on the Internal Comments notepad, please do so.
   4. Click the Add button or the Update button (or press your Alt and U keys) to submit the entry for the check call.
   5. Repeat steps “a” through “d” for any additional Pickup check calls.

5. The Pickup-Actual check call has now been recorded and the line for the check call is now grayed out in the grid portion of the Transit Details section.

6. To enter a check call that isn't a Pickup or Delivery appointment, go to the Entry portion of the Transit Details section. In this example we will enter a Comment check call.

   1. In the Type field enter C and press Tab twice (C type is for Comment).
   2. In the Date field you may change the date if needed and press Tab.
   3. In the Time field you can change the time if needed and press Tab three times.
   4. In the Location field you can enter an abbreviation in the Abbr field if there is a customer record set up for the desired location, if no record is set up for the location please proceed to step “e”. After entering the abbreviation press Tab and you will see the City, State, Country fields auto-fill for the location entered. If you entered an abbreviation, please proceed to step “f”.
   5. You are required enter in a City, State and Country in order to make a check call that isn’t a Pickup or Delivery appointment on the order. Enter a valid City, State and Country into the appropriate fields, press Tab to move to the next field. (for example: Kansas City, MO, US)
   6. In the Comment line and enter in a brief comment (for example, Stuck in traffic) and press Tab.
   7. Press Enter if you would like to enter additional Internal Comments on the notepad and the screen will open. Click Update to save the comments and close the screen. (optional)
   8. Click the Add button or the Update button (or press your Alt and U keys) to submit the entry for the check call.
   9. Repeat steps “a” through “h” for any additional other check calls that aren’t for a Pickup or Delivery appointment.

7. To make a Delivery check call, please do the following steps:

   1. Double click on the first Delivery line and you will see that the line goes bold and the information fills into the Entry fields. (Or click on the Check Box in the grid to bring the Delivery check call information into the Entry fields.)
   2. If you need to change the Date or the Time for the check call, please do so in the respective fields.
   3. If you need to enter Comments or more information on the Internal Comments notepad, please do so.
   4. Click the Add button or the Update button (or press your Alt and U keys) to submit the entry for the check call.
   5. Repeat steps “a” through “d” for any additional Delivery check calls.

8. The Delivery check call has now been recorded and the line for the check call is now grayed out in the grid portion of the Transit Details section.

9. Once you have made all the required check calls associated with a load, you need to finish the load. You do this by clicking on the Finish button located right above the Transit Details section towards the right-hand side of the screen.

10. Upon finishing the load, an Equipment Status Confirmation box will appear. Click Yes to purge the equipment and remove the record from the available equipment list. Click No to retain the available truck at the final location on the available equipment list.

11. The load is now in a Finished status and can be settled and paid.