Routing Constraint Manager

This page is accessed via Shipment Management > Itinerary Management > Routing Constraint Manager.

Routing constraints in network routing allow you to influence the network routing algorithm in choosing the best path through the network for a given order. Routing constraints allow a desired path to be specified for routing an order through an itinerary or routing network. The path is specified by indicating a location or set of locations through which the order should travel.

A single routing constraint allows the definition of the following types of constraints (the examples below are from the IL-OH network routing example):

• must use a specified throughpoint locations. Another way to define this without creating a routing constraint would be to use the Always Use This Location check box on the Show Network Routing Options action.
• cannot use a specified throughpoint locations
• must use a series of throughpoint locations (e.g., must use Indianapolis and Cuyahoga Falls cross docks)
• must use one of several possible throughpoint locations (must use Indianapolis or Louisville cross dock)
• any combination of the above (must use Indianapolis but cannot use Cuyahoga cross docks)
• must go direct (cannot use a throughpoint)

The routing constraint can be defined as one of the following types:

• Itinerary: if you use the specified itinerary, you must honor these constraints
• • The point of the routing constraint for an itinerary leg is when the itinerary leg has several possible destinations. This is generally for an itinerary leg without a network. For example, you have a two leg itinerary with no network. The first leg can end at one of the following ports: Baltimore, NYC, Phila. You can define your routing constraint for that leg and say that you want to use NYC, or that you want to use either NYC or Phila.
  • The routing constraint that is defined for an itinerary leg does not mean that you have to use that itinerary leg. It means that IF you use that itinerary leg, you have to use that location.
  • It is possible to use an Itinerary routing constraint for an itinerary leg with a network. Then, the routing constraint for a network defines what locations within the network you can/cannot use. The routing constraint for an itinerary leg defines what ending locations you can/cannot use. So if you have an itinerary leg that has a location profile for its destination, and if that itinerary leg has a routing network, a routing constraint for the itinerary leg will affect what ending location you can/cannot use.
  • • For example, I have a land-ocean-land 3-leg itinerary from US to UK, and the US land leg can end at several ports (Baltimore-port, NYC-port, Phila-port).  I have a routing network on my US land leg (via King of Prussia (KOP) crossdock or direct).
    • If I have a routing constraint on my US land leg that specifies Baltimore, then I have to end at the Baltimore port (but I can still use KOP crossdock or go direct to Baltimore).
    • If I have a routing constraint on my US network that specifies KOP, then I have to use the KOP crossdock, (but I can still go to Baltimore or NYC or Phila).
• Network: if you use the specified routing network, you must honor these constraints, but you do not need to use a network
• All: no matter which itinerary or routing network you use, you must use these routing constraints

A routing constraint may be attached to an order release or to an order movement. For a network routable order movement, the routing constraint constrains how the order movement will be routed through it's routing network.

Order releases and order movements may only have one routing constraint.

Note: Routing constraints are only considered when the Network Routing algorithm is invoked. The Must Ship Thru Cross Dock, Must Ship Thru Pools and Must Ship Direct check boxes are not honored by network routing. If an order release is planned through network routing, these check boxes will be ignored. They are only honored by non-network routing.

Creating a Routing Constraint:

1. Enter a Routing Constraint ID.
2. Enter a Routing Constraint Name.
3. Select a Routing Constraint Type. This is used to indicate if a routing constraint applies to a particular itinerary leg, a particular routing network, or to all itineraries and routing networks. The Must Ship Direct field may be populated for routing constraints of type Routing Network and All. When populated for Routing Network, the order must go direct within that routing network. When populated for All, the order must go direct from order source to order destination.

   Note: This must be set to All to use ports of load and ports of discharge as routing constraints.

4. If you selected either Itinerary or Network for the Routing Constraint type, then select either an Itinerary Leg ID or Network Leg ID.
5. The Must Ship Direct check box may be populated for routing constraints of type Routing Network and All. When populated for Routing Network, the order must go direct within that routing network. When populated for All, the order must go direct from order source to order destination.
   
   If this check box is selected, the routing constraint location grid will not appear. If you already have locations defined and try to select the check box, you will be asked to remove the locations before continuing.
6. Optionally, enter a Description for the routing constraint

Routing Constraint Locations

The Routing Constraint Locations grid is to populate location information for locations that must be on the routing path for the order. It can also indicate a location that cannot be used. No grid records are required.

This grid does not appear if the Must Ship Direct check box is selected.

1. The Location ID - The set of locations specified may represent the entire path through a routing network, or only a partial path. A disjointed path may also be represented by skipping a sequence number, or not assigning a sequence number to some locations.

   Note: A routing constraint location only influences the path for an order on the specified itinerary or routing network associated with the constraint. A routing constraint location does not explicitly specify which itinerary or routing network should be chosen for an order, it only influences the path through an itinerary or routing network once that itinerary or network is chosen.

2. The Include check box indicates if the location should be included in the routing path. If selected, the specified LOCATION ID must be included in the path. If the check box is not selected, the routing path cannot include the specified LOCATION ID.
3. The Sequence Number field has two distinctly different purposes:
   1. to indicate the sequence in which the locations should be visited. It can be associated with each of the locations specified. The following applies to the sequence:
      • If no sequence number is specified, then that location must be visited sometime during the travel through the network.
      • If the same sequence number is specified for two or more different locations, then the locations represent alternatives for travelling through the network (at least one of the locations that share the same number must be visited).
      • Within a routing constraint, a location with a sequence number must occur after any location with a lower sequence number, and before any location with a higher sequence number.
      • Consecutive sequence numbers can be used to indicate that no other locations should be visited between the two locations with consecutive numbers.
      • It is not relevant for excluded locations.

      Note: The sequence number associated with a location need not represent the actual number of that location on the path for the order. For example, a location with a sequence number of 2 could be the first throughput location provided no other locations with a sequence number less than 2 is also on the path.

   2. to allow specific ports as routing constraints. This parameter "USE ROUTING CONSTRAINT FOR PORT SELECTION" must be enabled. Define the ports of load and ports of discharge by setting the sequence number:

      1. Set to "1" to specify a port of load

         Set to "2" to specify a port of discharge

      These location entries should not be non-sequenced and should indicate that they are to be included.  

4. Click Save after every location is added.