(r41) StartupGuideTransportCommander < Cargooffice

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---++ Start-up Guide for Transport Commander

%TOC%

---+++ General Steps
   1 *Order Entry* (enter a transport order).
   1 *Print* (labels, manifests, bill of lading, CMRs etc.)
   1 *Add Contacts* (enter drivers, transporters, expeditors etc.)
   1 *Dispatch* (assign orders to contacts, send instructions and EDI data to contacts).
   1 *EDI* (export data to partners or your own ERP systems)
   1 *Follow* (follow the progress of your orders (Track & Trace)
---+++ How to start
   * Go to *TransportCommander.com* ( <a href="TransportCommander" target="_blank">What is it? </a>).
   * Choose *Login* from the Menu at the top of the page.
   * Type your *email address* and your *password*.

&emsp; *No Login?*
   * If you already use !CargoOffice or another FC-product, recognized by the <img alt="freecargo_logo_16.png" height="16" src="%ATTACHURL%/freecargo_logo_16.png" title="freecargo_logo_16.png" width="16" /> logo, you can use the same login, you don't need to register.
   * Otherwise you need to *register*; use the Register link at the bottom of the page
| | <img alt="tc_login_register.png" height="327" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_login_register.png" title="tc_login_register.png" width="620" /> |

   * If you experience any problems, then please use the *Contact* link at the bottom of the page and ask us.

---+++ Order Entry

The next step is to enter a *transport order* and assign it to a carrier.

Click the button on the top left of the page (the button that shows your company name and logo):

| | <img alt="tc_main_orderen.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_main_orderen.png" title="tc_main_orderen.png" /> |
The *order entry form* appears.<br /><br />The form should be pretty much self explanatory. <br />Pick-up and delivery addresses will be remembered in your private storage for future use and the data for the select boxes can be changed in your *Settings* (Menu -&gt; Settings: Addresses).

Example *order entry* form:

| | <img alt="tc_order_1.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_order_1.png" title="tc_order_1.png" /> |
Use the *Submit* button at the bottom of the page to store this order in your private storage.

For a more detailed explanation of the order entry form see; <a data-wikiword="OrderentryStart" href="OrderentryStart" target="_blank">OrderentryStart</a>

If you have any questions or require changes in this form, please use the *Feedback* option in your menu (Menu -&gt; Feedback) and ask us. We have many ready to use templates for many different type of businesses.

After entering an order you will see the order back on the main page. Each line has three buttons in front of it:<br /><img alt="butedit.gif" height="12" src="%ATTACHURL%/butedit.gif" title="butedit.gif" width="12" /> Change the order<br /><img alt="butplus.gif" height="12" src="%ATTACHURL%/butplus.gif" title="butplus.gif" width="12" /> Change the status of the order<br /><img alt="butpopup.gif" height="12" src="%ATTACHURL%/butpopup.gif" title="butpopup.gif" width="12" /> Print labels, manifests, bill of lading, CMRs etc.

Now, before we can *Assign* (send) this order to a transporter or a carrier, you have to enter these carriers and transporters into your private storage using the *Contacts* section. This is explained below.
---+++ Add Contacts

The next step is to enter your *Contacts* (transporters, carriers, subcontractors and even your own drivers (if you have them).<br /><br />
   * Click the *Menu* button (upper right corner) and choose *Contacts*:
| | <img alt="tc_menu_parners.png" height="375" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_menu_contacts.png" title="tc_menu_contacts.png" width="620" /> |

---++++ Find contact

The form below appears, allowing you to add contacts and companies:

   * Type the email address, name or company name of your contact:

| | <img alt="tc_find_contact.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_find_contact.png" title="tc_find_partner.png" /> |

---++++ An Unknown Contact

If you see a message like: <strong>Email address not found </strong>and the email address you typed in is correct, then the contact is probably not a member of the <img alt="freecargo_logo_16.png" height="16" src="%ATTACHURL%/freecargo_logo_16.png" title="freecargo_logo_16.png" width="16" /> community. However, you can still add the contact:<br />You can click: *Click HERE to add it anyway* and proceed from there.

*Note1:* You can also use https://www.transportguide.info to find and add contacts (mainly transport providers). Login there with the same email address (= your user ID) and password.

<b>Note2: </b>The <img alt="freecargo_logo_16.png" height="16" src="%ATTACHURL%/freecargo_logo_16.png" title="freecargo_logo_16.png" width="16" /> community includes more than 1.5 million users and over 17.000 company members.

---++++ A Known Contact

If your contact or his company is known in the community, you will see the name appear in the search results.<br /><br />
   * Use the *Add Contact* button to add someone to your contacts.
   * You can also create a *Group* and add your contact there, see: <a data-wikiword="NetworkContacts" href="NetworkContacts" target="_blank">Network Contacts</a>.
   * Below is an example page to add a contact to a group named *Scandinavia* for specializedcarriers in that region<b>.<br /></b>

| | <img alt="tc_find_result.png" height="464" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_find_result.png" title="tc_find_result.png" width="620" /> |

---+++ Dispatch

Now you have entered your *Contacts* we can Assign (send) orders to these contacts (transporters, expeditors, subcontractors or whatever contact you entered). The assignment of transport orders is called *Dispatch*.

Choose *Dispatch* from the menu:

| | <img alt="tc_menu_dispatch.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_menu_dispatch.png" title="tc_menu_dispatch.png" /> |
The *Dispatch / Planning* page appears:

| | <img alt="tc_dispatch1.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_dispatch1.png" title="tc_dispatch1.png" /> |
&emsp; *Explanation*
   * The main page shows a *split screen*, as you can see in the example above.
   * The *Left* side shows your *Contacts* (drivers, transporters etc.)
   * The *Right* side shows the *jobs-to-do* (orders).
   * The order you entered earlier should visible be on the right side, otherwise go back to *Order Entry* or click the *New* button (red arrow in the example page above) to enter a new order.
   * The general idea is to select one or more orders on the *right* and a contact on the *left* and then click the *[p+d]* button (blue arrow). *[p+d]* means pick-up and delivery.
   * If you did it right, the left side of the page now shows two symbols, like in the example above. The symbol pointing up means a *pick-up* action and a symbol pointing down a *delivery* action.

&emsp; *The output*
   * You might have noticed that you received an email by now, probably two emails.
   * These are the result of the status change of the order, the status of the order is now *assigned*.
   * You can forward these emails to your carrier, driver or subcontractor.
   * You can change the layout and content of these emails (*Statuses & actions* in [[SettingsTransportCommander][Menu -&gt; Settings: Addresses]].
   * If you look at this setting you will see two actions behind status *assigned*.
   * Click on the action to change it, here are some examples (try them):
   * Example email <a href="TransportOrderEmail1" target="_blank">here</a>.
   * Example email in html format <a href="TransportOrderEmail2" target="_blank">here</a>.

&emsp; *More info*
   * At this stage you might have a lot of questions, please do not hesitate asking. The best way to do this is by using the *Feedback* link from the main menu (Menu -&gt; Feedback).
   * If you want to know more about *Dispatch* and its possibilities then see the <a href="DispatchDocumentation" target="_blank">Dispatch & Planning</a> page.
---+++ Follow (Track & Trace)

You can receive status updates from your contractors and drivers which will be shown on the main page. Different colors indicate whether everything is going alright or if there are problems with a specific order.

*Status updates* from contractors can be reported by email or by sending EDI files to you. <br />More about this <a href="EdiHowto" target="_blank">here</a>.

Contractors can also send you <b>POD</b>s (Proof of Delivery) documents or signatures which will be attached to your orders. <br />Depending on how these contractors send you these PODs they need an email address or an FTP account into your Transport Commander account. <br />Use the Feedback button in the menu (top-right corner) and tell us what you need.

Drivers can use their *mobile phone* to send status updates. <br />More about this <a href="PdaDescription" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />Again, use the Feedback menu item and let us know if you want to use this and we will set things up for you.<br /><br />There are numerous options to inform the recipient about the status of the shipment. <br />Messages can be sent automatically with a link to a screen which is updated with the latest status information.<br />See some examples of these screens <a href="TracktraceCustomerTemplates" target="_blank">here</a>.

Transport Commander has a lot more functionality than we can describe here. <br />Please let us know what you require. We probably have it and can implement it in minutes. <br />Please use the *Feedback* menu item and tell us what you need.
---+++ Credentials

Apart from contractors sending you status updates, you can also automatically pull status data directly from your contactors TMS system. Provided that you have a log-in at that contractor.

If you want to do that, you need to add your *credentials* to the respective contacts, as follows:

   * Go to the <b>Menu-&gt;</b><b>Contacts</b> page, click on the small menu bar<img align="bottom" alt="clickbars.gif" src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/clickbars.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" /> (three bars) next to your contact and choose <b>Info+login.<br /></b>For example:

| | <img alt="contacts2.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/contacts2.png" title="contacts2.png" /> |
The *details* of the contact appear on screen.

   * Enter the *User ID* and *password* that contact gave to you. Example:

| | <img alt="tc_credentials_addPW.png" height="625" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_credentials_addPW.png" title="tc_credentials_addPW.png" width="474" /> |

   * If your credentials are correct then you will see the active shipments on your main page.

---+++ Active Shipments

After adding your credentials at each contact, the system retrieves latest status from your shipments at these contacts.<br />Now you have a main page showing and tracking all your shipments at all your contacts.

Below is an example page. <br />The companies and their logo's are at the top of the page, followed by the shipments you assigned to them as well as the current status of those shipments.

| | <img alt="tc_shipments.png" src="%ATTACHURL%/tc_shipments.png" title="tc_shipments.png" /> |
*Note:* A red line around a logo means your credentials are not longer valid (or you didn't enter them). Shipments from these contacts can no longer be retrieved and can not be displayed here.

Use the small *documents* button <img alt="button_actions_1001.png" height="16" src="%ATTACHURL%/button_actions_1001.png" title="button_actions_1001.png" width="16" /> in front of each shipment to print documents like Manifests, Labels, CMR's, !BoL's, etc.

---+++ Settings

[[SettingsTransportCommander][Click here for all Transport Commander settings]]

---+++ More information or feedback

Use the Feedback button in the menu (top-right corner) of the !TransportCommander.com (Login -&gt; Feedback)

We wish you a lot of *good business* with !<b>TransportCommander.</b>

- 000 -

Attachments

Topic attachments
I	Attachment	History	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
png	button_actions_1000.png	r1	manage	0.6 K	2021-09-22 - 15:08	HenkRoelofs
png	button_actions_1001.png	r1	manage	0.6 K	2021-09-22 - 15:08	HenkRoelofs
gif	clickbars.gif	r1	manage	0.1 K	2021-03-22 - 14:04	HenkRoelofs
png	contacts2.png	r3 r2 r1	manage	27.4 K	2021-03-22 - 15:29	HenkRoelofs
png	freecargo_logo_16.png	r1	manage	0.6 K	2021-09-21 - 12:22	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_click_company.png	r1	manage	5.9 K	2016-11-11 - 15:27	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_company_details.png	r1	manage	27.2 K	2016-11-11 - 16:15	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_credentials_addPW.png	r1	manage	63.6 K	2021-03-23 - 14:20	RutgerRutgers	add pw credentials
png	tc_dispatch1.png	r2 r1	manage	49.2 K	2021-10-05 - 13:07	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_find_contact.png	r3 r2 r1	manage	9.9 K	2021-03-15 - 15:54	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_find_result.png	r2 r1	manage	17.1 K	2021-09-23 - 14:32	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_main_orderen.png	r1	manage	11.2 K	2021-09-24 - 13:36	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_menu_contacts.png	r1	manage	69.4 K	2021-03-15 - 15:17	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_menu_dispatch.png	r1	manage	18.4 K	2021-10-04 - 10:26	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_order_1.png	r2 r1	manage	25.9 K	2021-09-24 - 13:56	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_shipments.png	r2 r1	manage	54.4 K	2016-11-11 - 16:36	HenkRoelofs
png	tc_shipments_1.png	r2 r1	manage	30.4 K	2021-09-22 - 12:50	HenkRoelofs

Topic revision: r41 - 2021-10-14 - RutgerRutgers

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