Resource Planning

Resource planning is a planning matrix in which you assign resources such as drivers, vehicles, trailers and equipment over a time period. Each row represents a resource or a tour, each column a day. By «stamping» individual cells, dispatchers assign the desired resources to the corresponding days and keep an eye on utilization, absences and public holidays.

Note: Resource planning is only available if the corresponding module is activated for the tenant. Which resource types are visible depends on the configuration of the respective group.

1. Navigation

Resource planning is accessible via the main menu under Dispatching › Resource Planning.

In addition, a new resource planning view as a timeline (Gantt) is available as a separate menu entry under Dispatching › Resource Planning (Beta), see Resource Planning (Beta).

2. Period and Group Filter

Above the planning matrix there is a filter bar for narrowing down the planning period and the displayed group.

Selecting the Period

1. Set the start date in the «From» field.
2. Set the end date in the «To» field.

A column is displayed in the matrix for each day in the selected period.

Note: The period is limited to a maximum of 62 days. If a larger range is selected, the system automatically trims it to this maximum duration.

Current Group Only

The «Current group only» checkbox can be used to restrict the matrix to the resources of the currently selected group. If it is disabled, resources of subordinate groups are also displayed.

Note: This option is not available to subcontractors.

Switching Groups

The active group can be switched using the global group switcher. When the period or group is changed, both the planning matrix and the side resource table (see Section 10) are automatically reloaded. The selected settings are retained for your session.

3. Grid Mode (Grouping Mode) of the Matrix

Using the selector switches for the grouping mode, you define how the rows of the matrix are grouped:

When the mode is changed, the matrix is rebuilt. The selected mode is saved for your session.

Note: The tour-based modes (Vehicle (tour-based) and Driver (tour-based)) save changes directly to the associated tours. All other modes save the assignments in resource planning. This difference affects saving (see Section 7).

4. Selecting Stamp Type and Resource

Before you stamp cells in the matrix, you select which resource type is to be assigned and which specific resource is used.

Selecting the Stamp Type

Using the selector switches for the resource type, you define what is stamped:

Note: Which stamp types are offered depends on the resource types enabled in the group. The Loader type is available exclusively in the Vehicle (tour-based) mode. When the stamp type is changed, the side resource table is reloaded.

Selecting a Specific Resource

Each stamp type has an associated selection field with a search function (autocomplete). There you select the specific resource – for example a particular driver, a vehicle, a trailer, a piece of equipment, a group, a framework tour or a loader.

The selection lists for drivers and loaders take the set period into account. If you change the period, the current selection is automatically reloaded.

Driver Information Panel

When a driver is selected, the system displays an information panel with key figures about the driver, including:

• vacation hours taken and remaining vacation balance,
• flextime balance,
• part-time workload (in percent),
• target working time per day.

This way you can already tell during selection whether planning the driver is compatible with their availability and working-time model.

5. Stamping Cells in the Matrix

The matrix shows a fixed column on the left with the respective resource or tour and one column per day on the right.

1. Select the stamp type and the specific resource (see Section 4).
2. Hover the mouse over a cell – the cell shows a preview in the color of the selected stamp.
3. Click the cell to assign the resource to that day.

The assigned resource is displayed in the cell with its label and color. Several cells can be filled one after another with the same stamp.

Special Cases

• Inherited values: Adopted or inherited assignments from a higher level are marked with a preceding asterisk (*).
• Locked cells: Cells that cannot be edited are shown as disabled.
• Framework tours: When stamping a framework tour, related cells in the same row are updated together.
• Default values from the vehicle: When assigning a vehicle, stored default values (e.g. default driver and default trailer) can be adopted automatically.

6. Assigning a Cell via Right-Click (Context Menu)

As an alternative to the global stamp, you can specifically fill an individual cell without first changing the global stamp.

1. Right-click the desired cell.
2. A context menu with a search field opens.
3. Select the resource to be assigned.

The selection is applied exclusively to this single cell (this single day). The resources offered depend on the type of the clicked cell and the group of the respective row. This function is suitable for individual, differing assignments.

7. Save, Cancel, Clear Stamp and Erase

The changes made are only applied permanently when saved.

Save

1. Click the «Save» button.
2. Confirm the confirmation prompt.

Depending on the grouping mode, the changes are saved either in resource planning or directly to the affected tours (in the tour-based modes, the driver, vehicle, trailer, equipment and group of the respective tour are updated).

Note: During the saving process, the affected tours are locked so that no conflicting changes by other users can occur.

Cancel

With «Cancel», all unsaved changes are discarded and the matrix is reloaded.

Clear Stamp

With «Clear stamp», the current stamp selection is reset. All selection fields are cleared; afterwards no stamp is active anymore.

Erase (Removing Assignments)

The «Erase» checkbox (erase mode) reverses the click behavior: instead of assigning a resource, a click on a cell removes the existing assignment. This allows allocations to be deleted again quickly.

8. Generating Tours from Framework Tours

Real tours can be created from framework tours for the selected period.

1. Click the «Generate tours» button.
2. Check the parameters for the period in the dialog.
3. Confirm the generation.

After completion, the tours are created and the planning matrix is automatically reloaded.

Note: Whether the generated tours are released automatically depends on the settings of the tenant's tour calculation.

9. Public Holiday and Absence Marking

The matrix visually highlights special days and unavailable resources.

• Public holidays: If the public holiday calendar module is active, columns that fall on a public holiday are specially marked.
• Absences: Absences of drivers (e.g. vacation, illness) are displayed as cells with a red background. This way you can tell at a glance on which days a driver should not be scheduled.

Note: Absence rows are only displayed if the resource type «Absences» is set visible for the group.

10. Resource Table (Palette)

To the left of the planning matrix there is a table with the available resources of the currently selected stamp type. It serves as a palette for selecting the resource to be stamped.

The table shows – depending on the stamp type – the respective relevant resources and additional information:

• Driver / Loader: with details on absences and availability,
• Vehicle / Trailer / Equipment: the available operating resources,
• Framework tour: the existing framework tours,
• Change group: the selectable groups.

The displayed entries depend on your group permissions and the selected period (also limited to a maximum of 62 days). The table is automatically reloaded when you change the stamp type, the group or the period. The row height is aligned with the cells of the planning matrix.

11. Summary: Available Actions