How to Configure Shipment Depot Stops

There are several steps involved with properly configuring shipment depot stops. These steps involve different functions, located in different sections of Oracle Transportation Management. These steps include:

• Creating/Editing a Depot Profile
• Creating/Editing an Itinerary
• Editing Rate Offerings
• Setting Up Rate Basis Options

Creating/Editing a Depot Profile

Creating a Depot Profile enables you to plan depot stops on a shipment. The Depot Profile specifies the lane and source and/or destination locations that are added as stops on a shipment. The Depot Profile set up here is used in the Itinerary Manager to properly route shipments.

Creating/Editing an Itinerary

Itineraries determine the routing for shipments. Itineraries can also specify other attributes that shipments must follow. During shipment planning, the system evaluates which itineraries can be used to build shipments for an order based on matching criteria such as source and destination location, weight and volume restrictions, service provider, rate, transportation mode, or commodity. When Oracle Transportation Management chooses an itinerary for a shipment, it selects the least expensive alternative.

One of the steps in creating/editing an itinerary is assigning a Depot Profile in the Depot Profile ID field. This plans depot stops on a shipment. The Depot Profile defines the Lane and Source and/or Destination Locations that are added as stops on a shipment.

Editing a Rate Offering

A Rate Offering is a general contract with a service provider. It may include multiple charges that provide for a variety of possible requirements. A single service provider may have several different rate offerings.

Creating a rate offering consists of many steps, one of which involves Rate Header information. This includes basic information such as the Offering ID, type, currency, and transport mode. Part of this step also includes defining whether a depot is applicable to this rate offering. In the Rate Offering Header, there is a check box labeled Depot Applicable. This must be checked in order for the depot stops (source and/or destination locations) to be saved to the shipment. If it is not checked, then the depot stops will not be saved to the shipment, but they will be charged and saved to the shipment financials.

Setting Up Rate Basis Options

Rate records are associated with rate offerings. While the rate offering provides general contract information from a service provider, the rate record provides specific cost and rating details.

In order for shipments to and from depots to be properly charged, cost information must be defined for the rate records associated with the rate offering that you marked as Depot Applicable in the previous section.

To do this, you must specify a rate cost amount and a rate basis for shipments to and from depots. In the Rate Cost, define an Amount, which will be the actual cost per unit for the basis option. In the Basis drop-down box, select the Depot related options to properly charge the amount you just defined. There are three Depot related Basis Options available.

When the same charge is applicable for the complete trip including depot stops, the SHIPMENT.DISTANCE_WITH_DEPOT_STOPS (Shipment Total Distance (Including Depot Stops)) RBI can be used.

When the charge is different, you can use the following RBIs to calculate the charges for the distance traveled between the pickup and delivery stops and the distance from the depot stop to the first stop on a shipment, and the distance from the last stop on a shipment to the depot stop:

• SHIPMENT.DSTDEPOT_DISTANCE (Shipment Distance from the Last Stop to the Destination Depot): this is for charges from the last stop on a shipment to the Depot.
• SHIPMENT.SRCDEPOT_DISTANCE (Shipment Distance from the Source Depot to the First Stop): this is for charges from the Depot to the first stop on a shipment.

After selecting the basis, specify the Units that the cost is based on. Since the Depot Basis options are based on distance, enter a value such as 1 mile. This charges the dollar amount in the Amount field per one mile traveled between the Source Depot and the first stop.

Note: You will have one cost line if you use the first rate basis above. Additionally, you'll have a line to calculate normal freight in addition to the depot-source or destination mileage if you use the later rate basis items. This results in two cost lines.