THE BASICS

Sometimes, you will get specialized transport or machinery transport jobs that need to be done at a later date. When such calls are created or when they enter your TowSoft via the client Order Portal, they qualify as "Scheduled Calls"..

By clicking on "Scheduled Calls" tab in the top menu in the desktop version of TowSoft, you will be able to see all the calls that are in that status. The number in the red circle in the top right corner of it represents the number of calls that are currently in that status.

Scheduled tab in TowSoft

In that window, you will find a table with the relevant details pertaining to the calls.

THE SCHEDULED CALLS SCREEN, IN DETAIL

Here are the different items you will find in that screen and an explanation of them.

Scheduled calls filters

The default date filters to view the schedule calls can be configured. Otherwise, select in the Date 1 field the FROM date and in Date 2 field the TO date, then click on Search to see the filtered Scheduled calls in the table below.

Date filters in the Scheduled calls screen

Take new call

As you can imagine, a lot of our customer like to be able to take new calls straight from this screen, so we added the button there. It will take you to the call creation screen.

Take a new call button

Create trip (if "Trips" feature enabled)

Those of you who do trips when it comes to transportation jobs will be able to create a trip using the button below. This will allow to assign the driver & truck to multiple pickups and/or deliveries grouped on the same run.

Create trip button

Standby trips & Trips in progress (if "Trips" feature enabled)

If trips were created with scheduled calls and are either in progress or on standby, you will find them in either one of these windows:

Standby & In progress trips windows

Column details

# -> The # that was assigned to the call by the TowSoft system.

2nd column -> The base (branch of the company) as defined in the “Companies and options” settings. The colour of the label is the one that was chosen when configuring the base and the abbreviation is what was defined in “Company Short Name”.

Base label in the Scheduled calls table

Defining the base in the Companies and options settings

P.O. -> The number (if any) that confirms that the call was approved by the client and that can be referred to if needed.

Client -> Name of the customer / vehicle owner on the road (if any).

Date -> Date and time at which the call entered the TowSoft system

Type -> Will display the actual service that is required on site and, in a label, the type of intervention (if one was associated to the service when your admin configured it).

Priority -> Level of priority as defined by your system administrator in the “Companies and options” settings.

Vehicle -> The vehicle or load that will be loaded onto the truck if known at the time the call was created.

Zone -> Zone associated with the call based on its location and according to the zones that were configured by your administrator.

Origin -> Address of the site / location of intervention.

Destination -> Address of the drop off site / location

Notes -> Notes added to the call when created by the dispatcher or admin.

Actions -> Contains the dispatch information (date, driver, truck) if already dispatched, as well as the different actions that can be performed from this table.

Trip (if "Trips" feature is enabled) -> Name of the trip to which the scheduled call was added if any.

WHAT YOU CAN DO FROM THIS SCREEN

Dispatch the call in the future -> In the actions column, click on the button in yellow with an exclamation mark in it, then fill in the details to dispatch the call to a driver and make sure that it is added to his schedule on that date.

Delete the call -> In the actions column, click on the "x" button in red.

Duplicate the call -> In the actions column, click on the "+" button in blue, then select what needs to be cloned to another call.

View the complete order details -> Click on the call number in the first column.

Add / edit the priority level -> Click on the priority label that was assigned to the call, change it and click the modify button.

View the trip to which the call is associated -> Click on the name of the trip in the "Trip" column.

Sort columns -> Click on the title of any of the columns to sort the calls alphabetically according to their content in that column. Click again to sort in the opposite order.

Export table -> Export the table as a CSV (MS Excel, Google Sheet, etc.), print it out, generate a PDF for it or copy it to the clipboard in order to paste it somewhere else by using the buttons at the left of the search bar.

Toggle column visibility -> By clicking on the “Visibility” button, you’ll be able to choose to hide a few columns from the table.

Search in the table -> Type something in the search bar at the top right corner to try to find something contained in all of the listings.

Get a planning view -> Click on the “Calendar” button just above the search bar to view calls according to the driver they were dispatched to.

* Note that the table displays a maximum of 100 calls per page. To get to the next pages, scroll down to the bottom of it and click “Next”.