Custom optimization is available through the planning screen, allowing users to fine-tune the optimization results by using the Advanced engine optimization balancing modes.
Custom optimization can be performed for:
All available Tasks and Drivers.
For selected Tasks and Drivers (this includes specific Tasks and all available Drivers, all Tasks and specific available Drivers, and for specific Tasks and specific available Drivers).
On a Team level.
To access Custom optimization, click on the blue arrow next to the Optimize/Reoptimize button.
Custom Optimization Options
The available Balancing modes are:
Most Efficient Route - This mode operates similarly to the Base engine, aiming to use the fewest possible resources to generate highly efficient routes. However, it can lead to uneven Task distribution - some Drivers might receive significantly more Tasks than others, and their schedules and Vehicles may be more heavily utilized. This mode is ideal when the goal is to maximize overall efficiency and resource usage.
Balance the Minimum Number of Routes - This mode also prioritizes efficient Route creation but introduces the ability to balance Routes based on a selected parameter. Users can choose to balance by Load (Vehicle capacity usage), Time (Driver schedule utilization), Distance (Route travel distance), or Number of Jobs (Task count).
For example, if evenly utilizing Driver schedules is more important than the number of Tasks assigned, you would balance by Time. The engine will then generate Routes where Driver schedules are more evenly used, avoiding noticeable discrepancies such as one Driver being scheduled at 90% capacity and another at only 30%.
Use All Resources / Finish as Soon as Possible - Unlike the previous modes, this option aims to allocate Tasks across all available Drivers. You can still choose a balancing parameter - Load, Time, Distance, or Number of Jobs - to guide Task distribution.
For instance, if your priority is to assign an equal number of Tasks to each Driver without focusing on schedule or Vehicle utilization, you would balance by Number of Jobs. This ensures a more even distribution of Tasks among Drivers with minimal variation.
If no parameter is selected (None), the system will distribute Tasks across all Drivers without trying to balance them based on any specific criteria.
When running a custom optimization, users may opt to disable or enable Single-Segment Optimization mode.
It's also possible to set Limits and Tolerances:
Max route distance - This option puts caps on the maximum length of the route based on the desired input.
Max route duration - Puts a time limit on the route duration. This includes the travel time + service duration.
Max Tasks per Driver - This option limits the number of Tasks/Jobs a Driver can be assigned per Route. Because this limit takes into account pickups and deliveries together, a different setup is required when having Single-Segment Optimization mode on and off. For example, if you want all your Drivers to have up to 10 Tasks for Single-Segment Optimization, you'd put 10, but for regular optimization, you would put 20. This is because pickups and deliveries are counted separately, hence, the number is doubled.
ETA scaling factor - Adjusts the ETAs to account for heavier or lighter traffic (e.g., 0.9 to decrease system-calculated time by 10% or 1.2 to increase it by 20%).
Earliness tolerance - How early the Drivers can be to the Task location. If the eariliness tolerance is set to 15 minutes, this means that the Driver can be at the location 15 minutes before the Time window Start time.
Lateness tolerance - Determines how late the Driver can be to the Task location. If the lateness tolerance is set to 15 minutes, this means that the Driver can be at the location 15 minutes after the Time window End time.
Overtime tolerance - By enabling overtime tolerance, you can give Drivers extra scheduling flexibility, allowing a few more Tasks to be added during peak times by adding more time to their schedule
Vehicle max capacity utilization - Limits how much of the Vehicle can be occupied per run.
These options will override the values set in the general Configuration Settings but will not override any individual Limits and Tolerances defined at the Driver level.
For example, if a Driver has a Maximum Task limit of 20 set individually, and you set a limit of 15 in Custom Optimization for all Drivers included in the optimization (including the aforementioned Driver), the individual limit of 20 will still apply for that Driver instead of 15.
Custom Optimization Presets
Presets for Custom optimization can be created and saved in the Custom Optimization dialog. Adjust how you wish the optimization to behave, select the arrow next to the preset selection bar, and click the option to create a preset.
A popup window will appear where you can name your preset and save it.
Existing presets can also be renamed, deleted, or updated. To do this, select the preset you wish to alter or delete and click on the arrow to get access to these options.
User-level presets
Presets can also be set on a User level. This means that the settings configured in the preset (from the Custom Optimization dialog) will be applied automatically to optimizations and reoptimizations by default. Changing this setting does not affect the organization level optimization configuration below.
This option can be found in Configuration ⇒ Optimization ⇒ Optimization parameters.
