Rate Inquiry

This page is accessed via:

Ask Oracle > Rates
Contract and Rate Management > Ask Oracle > Rate Inquiry

This page allows you to run rate inquiries. The rate query helps you find shipping rates for various transportation modes. For a rate inquiry to obtain results, at least one rate offering must be available. This page also allows you to run rate and route inquiries that will return valid itineraries along with their costs and network rate and route that returns results either by itinerary or schedule and equipment.

Note: You can also perform a rate inquiry using Integration.

Enter as much information as possible in the Rate Inquiry fields. Rates based off of specific pieces of data are only considered if you specify it on this page. For example, a rate based off of a specific piece of equipment is only displayed as a valid result here if you populate the equipment group or equipment group profile fields described below. As a result, the more information you enter, the faster and more accurate the search.

You can also search for a rate based on a saved query. Those queries are accessed from the Saved Query ID drop-down list. All saved queries generated by all users in your domain will appear in the list. The optional feature DISABLE DIRECT USE OF SAVED RIQ XML is used to convert the UOM values based on the user preferences. If the feature is opted in, the UOM values present in Rate Inquiry Saved Query are converted based on the user preference. If the feature is opted out, the UOM values present in the Rate Inquiry Saved Query are not converted based on the user preference.

Note: The Rate Cost uses the Condition "Ship Unit Weight" but Rate Inquiry does not use "Ship Unit Net Weight" when setting the weight.

The following parameters may be useful to you:

glog.riq.allowEquipmentInitialNumberToConstrainEquipGroup: Specifies whether the equipment initial and equipment number should be used to determine the equipment group.
glog.riq.allowInvalidPackagedItem: Specifies if OTM should ignore an invalid package item. Otherwise, when you upload a rate inquiry XML with an invalid package item, the rate inquiry will fail.
glog.riq.allowPackagedItemToDetermineEquipmentGroup:Specifies whether the packaged item should be used to determine the equipment group.

Filter Criteria

Note: You can set a default for the Find and Perspective drop downs using the Manager Layout.

Using the Find drop-down, indicate what information you want returned:
- Rates finds shipping rates
- Rate and Route lists the best shipping option for each valid itinerary. On the results page, below your valid results, you may find infeasible rates that do not meet your requested service time.
- Network Rate and Route returns results either by itinerary or schedule and equipment depending on the setting of the Primary Option Definition field in the Additional Constraints section below. If using Network Rate and Route and you have a lot of legs, you may need to increase the value in the property glog.cache.RateInqTOrderReleaseCache.capacity.
- Note: The parameter RERATE ALL SHIPMENTS IN RIQ provides the option for Rate and Route to re-rate shipments before OTM lists them as options, and therefore, will only select rate records that are effective for all the shipments. This is only valid for the Rate and Route option.
In the Request Type drop-down list, select how to display rates. If you select "All", OTM will return all rates found and rank the rates based on cost. If you select either "Lowest Cost" or "Fastest Transit", the best rate (only one) will display.
The Rate Group functionality has been deprecated.
Select a Perspective - either Buy or Sell, or accept the default.
Optionally, enter a Date Deliver By. If Date Deliver By is not specified, rate inquiry will use Date Available By plus the value from the parameter ORDER WINDOW TIME SPAN.

Note: If you use different currencies, Oracle Transportation Management uses the Date Available By field to find the correct currency exchange rate based on the date entered. Note that a search using a date in the past may return a rate different than doing a search with the current date, if the exchange rate has been updated in-between.

Ship From/Ship To

Note: You can use either these Port of Load/Port of Discharge fields or you can use the Ports of Load/Ports of Discharge grid below. You cannot use any combination of both.

Enter the Ship From and Ship To filter criteria:
1. Select a Location Role if you want to filter the values in the Location ID list. You can enter a location filter such as Airport and then when you check Location IDs, only airports will be listed.
2. Select a Location ID if you want to specify a specific location.
3. Enter any other filter criteria such as State/Province, County Qualifier, Zone(s), Rail SPLC and /or Rail Station Code.
4. If you select a Location Profile ID, it allows you to check multiple sourcing locations at once. This eliminates the need to perform multiple rate inquiry requests. There is a Rate Inquiry property glog.riq.maxNumberofSourceLocationsAllowed to limit how many locations are in a profile so the rate inquiry run time does not get too long.
In the Port of Load and Port of Discharge fields, enter the load and discharge locations to limit the number of alternatives evaluated.

Additional Constraints

Note: The Parameter Set field on the Rate Inquiry is applicable for Rate & Route and not for Rates. Any change in rate preference using this field has no effect.

You can limit your search to a Domain. Select a domain from the drop-down list.
Enter a Customer if you want to limit the query to a specific customer.
If you enter an equipment group profile ID in the Equipment Group Profile ID field, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates compatible with that equipment group profile.
If you record a rate service ID in the Rate Service ID field, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates that include that rate service.
To limit your search to a particular rate offering, enter a rate offering ID in the Rate Offering ID field.
To limit your search to a particular rate record, enter a rate record ID in the Rate Record ID field.
If desired, select an Incoterm from the Incoterm list.
If there is a location associated with the Incoterm, enter it in the Incoterm Location field.
Select a cost category set from the Cost Category Set drop-down list. During regular Driver Assignment (Assign Best), the primary Cost Category Set as defined by the logic parameter DRIVER ASSIGNMENT PRIMARY COST CATEGORY SET, will be passed into the rating engine (cost category set GID replaces the cost level parameter). During the rating process, only rate costs whose categories are contained in the specified set will be evaluated. The results will be sorted according to total weighted cost and the best option assigned.
Select whether you want to use force tiered rating from the Force Tiered Rating drop-down list. If you leave this field blank, then the system follows the setting of the RATING ENGINE ALWAYS CALCULATES TIERED RATES parameter. Selecting Yes or No overrides the setting in the parameter with the new value.
Enter a tier number in the Estimate Tiered Rate Using Tier # field. This field specifies the tier number of the costs in the rate. The number you enter in this field is substituted for the actual tier number when inquiring on a rate.
The Voyage ID allows you to constrain by voyage.
The Rate Preferences drop down allows you to specify preferred rates only, preferred rates if available or do not use preferred rates. Oracle Transportation Management searches for rates compatible with your Rate Preferences.
Note: Preferred rates are displayed with an indicator. A preferred rate is one which you designate as preferred.
Enter a Parameter Set ID to limit your search to a particular parameter set.
You can enter an Itinerary Profile ID. This allows you to limit the itineraries checked. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of itineraries.
If the Primary Option Centric check box is selected OTM evaluates primary leg options first then evaluates supporting options for each primary leg option. If not selected, all options in a route are evaluated in a single step.
If this check box is not selected, OTM will compare locations instead of itinerary or leg IDs when evaluating routing options. For example, two routing options are considered equal if their locations and other attributes are the same, even though they have different itinerary or leg IDs. Only one routing option is returned and displayed.
The Max Options per Route field is only available if the Primary Centric check box is not selected.
In the Primary Option Definition field, select either By Itinerary or By Schedule and Equipment Group to specify how to group primary options in order to get the top "N" options. This is only available if the Primary Centric check box is selected.
The Max Primary Options allows you to configure the number of best options to be retrieved per itinerary instead of having only the best option.
The Max Supporting Options field is the maximum number of supporting (non-primary) leg options to retrieve that are compatible with each respective primary leg option. Set this to a number greater than 1 if the non-primary leg option can determine what the best cost solution is.

Rail Constraints

If you enter an equipment initial in the Equipment Initial field, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates compatible with that equipment initial.
If you enter an equipment number in the Equipment Number field, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates compatible with that equipment number.
If you enter a carrier in the Originating Carrier or the Delivering Carrier fields, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates compatible with that information.
If you enter a code in the Route Code field, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates compatible with the selected code.

Accessorial Codes

If you enter an accessorial code, Oracle Transportation Management still searches all rates but adds the accessorial charge to those rates that include that accessorial code.

Enter an Accessorial Code ID.
Click Save.

Additional Stops

You can add as many as three interim stop locations to your inquiry.

Enter a stop location in the Stop Location ID field.
Click Save.

Equipment Groups

If you enter an equipment group ID, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates compatible with that equipment group. So, rates that are specifically defined for an equipment group in the profile and rates that are indifferent to the equipment group. Also, if the rate inquiry involves locations with an equipment group profile the same logic applies.

Enter an Equipment Group ID..
Click Save.

Service Providers

You can limit your search to one or more service providers.

Enter a Service Provider ID if desired.
Click Save.

Special Services

If you enter a special service, Oracle Transportation Management only searches for rates that include that special service. Additionally, the costs for the special services associated with each rate are added to the shipment cost.

Select a Special Service ID to search on.
Enter values in the Duration fields to indicate how long the special services charges will apply.
Click Save.

Transport Modes

You can limit your search to one or more transport modes.

Select a Transport Mode ID to include in the search.
Click Save.

Ports of Load/Ports of Discharge

This section only appears if you select the option Network Rate and Route from the Find drop down.

You may want to have Network Rate and Route check a set of ports. You can search and select single or multiple ports of load and /or ports of discharge and save them to the grid to include in the search criteria.

The Network Rate and Route logic will use these ports of load and/or ports of discharge to produce results that use at least one of the specified ports of load (if any) and one of the specified ports of discharge (if any). The results will include the port of load and/or port of discharge either as an ocean shipment source and/or destination or as via point port locations on an ocean shipment with arbitraries.

In order to enable this logic, the logic configuration - network routing parameter "USE ROUTING CONSTRAINT FOR PORT SELECTION" should be enabled.

Note: You can use either this Ports of Load/Ports of Discharge grid or you can use the Port of Load/Port of Discharge fields above. You cannot use any combination of both.

Reference Numbers

If you selected a Find option of Rates at the top of the page, you can enter Shipment Reference Numbers. If you selected a Find option of Rates and Route, you can enter Order Release Reference Numbers. This enables you to use reference numbers stored on either the order release or the shipment as input into shipment rating.

Enter the Release Number Qualifier ID.
Enter the Reference Number.
Click Save.

Commodities

If you record a flexible commodity qualifier in the Flexible Commodity Qualifier field, Oracle Transportation Management only searches rates that include that type of commodity.
You can enter a Commodity Code to specify exactly what is being shipped. If you do not specify a flexible commodity qualifier, then you cannot specify a commodity code.
You can select the type of Transport Handling Unit that must be used to ship the items. If you specify a transport handling unit, Oracle Transportation Management only searches those rates that meet the ship unit requirements in the grid.
Note: If you set the glog.webserver.riq_mode=trim, this page behaves somewhat differently. Especially when you have many ship unit specifications defined in your system, the rate wizard is faster. The rate wizard also has some added features.

After you have chosen a transport handling unit (specification), you can click the i-button next to it. Oracle Transportation Management then displays the weight, volume, and so on for that ship unit, as long as the Number of Ship Unit(s) field is empty. Note that the i-button deletes data for all other ship units with a Number Ship Units of 0. To avoid this, enter a number, other than zero, in the Number Ship Unit(s) field.

Also, you can leave weight, volume, and so on blank, in other words, you do not have to click the i-button. If you leave these fields blank, Oracle Transportation Management will use the default values even though it does not display them.

Note: You must enter data in this grid to find both routes and rates.
If you select a transportation handling unit, you need to specify how many ship units are required in the Ship Unit Count field.
If the item is Hazardous, select yes in the corresponding field.
Note: Packaged Item ID is required to be populated whenever querying for hazardous materials rates via rate inquiry.
Enter the Packaged Item ID for the ship unit.
If the item is hazardous, you can enter the Hazmat Item ID.
Enter the Weight per ship unit.
OR
Enter the Volume.
Note: Volume calculations round up the calculated volume values based on the precision of the Volume field.
Select the Splittable check box if the shipment can be split to use multiple pieces of equipment.
Optionally, enter the Length, Width, and Height of each ship unit.
Note: When the volume isn't provided on the Rate Inquiry screen, you can use the property glog.riq.calcVolumeUsingSUDimensions to compute volume based on length, width, height, and number of ship units.
Enter the Value of the goods per ship unit. For example, if you are shipping standard pallets, and the value of the goods on each pallet is $20, you enter 20.
Click Search to locate the rates or rate and route that matched your criteria after entering your criteria. The Results page opens.

Note: If you frequently query using the same information, click Save to save your criteria for later use.

Rate Inquiry Saved Query

Rate Inquiry Saved Query enables you to populate dates according to the following options:

Set the Date Available/Date Deliver By fields to the date that you specify
Set the Date Available/Date Deliver By fields to the current date plus additional number of days
Set the Date Available/Date Deliver By fields to the current date minus number of days

To create a new Rate Inquiry saved query:

Note: When you modify an existing saved query, you can enter a new query name or use the same query name. If the Query name is blank, OTM considers the existing saved query name as the default query name.

Note: To execute the Rate Inquiry search on a future date, select Current Date + then type additional number of days from the current date. To execute the Rate Inquiry search on a past date, select Current Date - then type number of days.

On the Rate Inquiry search page, enter the required values in the fields that you want to search.
Click Save at the bottom of the Search page. The Finder-Save Query page appears.
Enter a unique Query Name.
Click the Set Date Available By and Set Date Deliver By drop-down list and select the date option.
Enter plus or minus number of Days from the current date.

Configuration of Rail and Ocean Rate Inquiry

To add the rail and ocean rate inquiry links to a menu item:

Go to the Configuration and Administration > User Configuration > Menu Manager.
Click New.
Enter the User Menu ID and click Top.
Select the link you want and click Create.
Enter the menu name you require and the following external link information:
- for Rail Rate Inquiry: glog.webserver.util.QueryResponseServlet?action_name=RAIL_RATE_INQUIRY
- for Ocean Rate Inquiry: glog.webserver.util.QueryResponseServlet?action_name=OCEAN_RATE_INQUIRY
Click Finished.

After you create a new menu, you must assign user access to the menu in order for it to be used. Learn more about configuring the user interface.

The Logic Configuration - Network Routing parameter ALLOW MIXED EQUIPMENT GROUP ROUTING OPTIONS affects the "Show Network Routing Options - Ocean" action and the Rate Inquiry "Network Rate and Route" option results.