Most Distant Point Commitment Allocation

Commitment Allocation was typically done by a lane that was one direction only.  The change is that shipments need to be credited to a carrier that provides a round trip service by combining an outbound with an inbound or returns to the source area because of a depot.  This shipment must also count in the same lane with shipments that end away from the source.   Since the lane can no longer be defined by end points, the allocation lane in this case is now defined by the most distant point from the source.

This example shows a DC in Indianapolis and 4 distinct allocation petals.  The multi-stop planning will plan with the cheapest carrier using the rate geography configured.  This creates a typical mult-stop shipment based on the rates.  When the workflow reaches Service Provider Allocation, then the carriers will be changed.  Shipments will not be re-planned nor stops re-sequenced.

Petals should NOT overlap. That is why these are done by location.

Map of All Orders for Most Distant Allocation Enhancement

The logic will always look for the most distant stop.

Example of Round Trip

Each allocation is to be configured as before.  There are no changes with this step.  The Allocation Usages are then created for the logic to use. The only caveat is that the lanes are not traditional lanes but are ones to work with the enhancement and are based on the most distant stop.

Round Trip Allocation Usage

A mouse click on the usage record brings a list of the contributing shipments.

Round Trip Contributing Shipments

The clients that will use this enhancement are ones that have carriers that perform "round trips".   Since an allocation lane from source to source does not consider outbound delivery to locations, the alternative is to configure the allocation lane by the most distant point on the shipment.   Then the lanes can be "radial" and not circular.  It also does not matter if the shipment stops are all in the same allocation lane since the logic only looks for the most distant point.  In fact, the rates are circular or global because they must support the direct shipments for the multi-stop and those need to be both outbound and inbound to a common source.  The business case where there are multiple carriers that share different percentages on adjacent lanes also precludes radial lane rates.   Multi-stop does not understand the allocation so it cannot "shape the lanes" and this leads to multi-stop shipments that are built for optimization and not allocation.   The allocation is a business operation in the workflow that happens after the multi-stop shipments are built.

Steps to Enable

There is a new parameter in Service Provider Assignment called CONSIDER MOST DISTANT STOP FROM SOURCE IN SPA. 

Allocation lanes need to be built but they are different than typical lanes.  These are from the Source to the Destination Petal.  The best way to model is to define a region of locations and that avoids issues of overlaps.  Allocation will not graciously handle adjacent regions that each have the same location. 

Tips And Considerations

Depot Configuration is also part of this logic.  This chart explains the participation of depots. 

Round Trip with Depot