Cell Coloring Rules

With Cell Coloring Rules, administrators define the criteria by which individual cells in the dispatching tables (e.g. the orders overview) are automatically highlighted in color. This way, dispatchers can recognize at a glance, for example, particularly heavy shipments, large volumes or orders with critical time windows.

Note: This feature is only available if the Cell Coloring module is activated for the tenant. Access is restricted to users with administrator rights.

1. Navigation

The cell coloring rules are accessible via the main menu in the Dispatching area. The menu item is only shown if the Cell Coloring module is activated and the logged-in user has administrator rights.

2. Rules Overview (Table)

The overview shows all existing cell coloring rules in a page-by-page loadable, sortable table. Each row represents one color range: a rule with four color ranges appears as four rows in which the rule ID, name and tables are repeated.

Columns

Note: The Tables column as well as the four audit columns (Created by, Created at, Update date and time, Update user) cannot be filtered; the audit columns can also not be sorted.

Sorting

By default, the list is sorted in descending order by Rule id. Clicking a sortable column header sorts the list in ascending or descending order by that column.

3. Color Preview in the Table

The Color column shows the actually stored color of the rule: the cell is displayed with the rule color as background. The text color (black or white) is automatically chosen so that the value always remains clearly legible. This way, you can already tell from the overview which color a rule uses.

4. Group Filter

Cell coloring rules are managed per group. This page has no group selection of its own: the group selected in the application header applies. If the group is changed there, the table is reloaded.

• Group selection: The group is chosen via the group selection in the application header.
• Current group only: This switch is also located in the header. If it is activated, only rules of the selected group are shown. If it is deactivated, the rules of superordinate or associated groups are additionally taken into account.

5. Toolbar (Actions)

The following actions are available in the overview's toolbar:

Note: The actions for creating, editing and deleting are only available to administrators.

Delete Rule

1. Mark one or more rules in the list. If a row (a color range) is marked, the whole rule with all its color ranges is automatically marked.
2. Click the Remove button.
3. Confirm the security prompt.

The marked rules are removed with all their color ranges and the table is updated. You remove individual color ranges in the editing dialog (see Section 7).

6. Create and Edit a Rule

Via Add or Edit, a dialog opens for entering or changing a rule. In both cases, the dialog has the title Cell Coloring Rules. The general information is on the left with the Colors and data ranges below it, and the Tables & columns are on the right.

General Information

The following information is entered in the General area:

• Name (mandatory field): Designation of the rule. The name can be stored multilingually so that it is shown to users in their respective login language.

• Type (mandatory field): Selection of what the range values refer to. Available are:

  Type	Meaning	Range values
  Time	Coloring based on a time of day (e.g. time window)	Times in the format HH:mm
  Weight	Coloring based on the weight	Numeric values
  Volume cubicmeters	Coloring based on the volume in cubic meters	Numeric values
  Volume liters	Coloring based on the volume in liters	Numeric values

Note: When changing the type, the range editor is automatically switched (time or numeric input) and already entered ranges as well as table and column assignments are reset without confirmation. Therefore, set the type at the beginning if possible.

Procedure

1. Click the Add button (or mark an existing rule and click Edit).
2. Enter the name and store translations if needed.
3. Choose the type of the rule.
4. Define the color ranges (see Section 7).
5. Specify the tables and columns to which the rule is applied (see Section 8).
6. Complete the dialog with «Save».

After saving, a confirmation appears and the rule is shown in the overview.

7. Color Ranges (Conditions)

In the editing dialog, you define in the Colors and data ranges area which value range is displayed in which color. Each rule can contain several color ranges.

Add Range

1. In the Colors and data ranges area, click Add. An empty row is appended.
2. In the new row, choose the Color via the color picker.
3. Enter the From and Until range:
   • For the Time type, times are entered in the format HH:mm (with a time picker).
   • For the numeric types (weight, volume), numeric values are entered.

The entered ranges are displayed as a list. Each row is edited directly in the list; a range is removed via the trash can icon. The order of the ranges cannot be changed.

If From or Until remains empty, 00:00 or 23:59 applies for the Time type, and 0 or 2147483 for the numeric types.

Validations

The following rules are checked for the color ranges:

• A Color must be selected (message Color is required). The color must be a hex color value, e.g. #f00 or #ff0000 (message Color should be hex).
• For the Time type, valid times must be entered, and the Until value must not be before the From value (message Invalid time).
• For numeric types, the From value must be less than or equal to the Until value, and no negative values are allowed (message Invalid value).
• The ranges must not overlap (message Invalid intersection).
• At least one color range must be defined for the rule to be saved (message Invalid conditions count).

8. Table and Column Assignment

Also in the editing dialog, you define in the Tables & columns area in which tables and in which columns the rule takes effect. A rule can be assigned to several tables.

Add Assignment

1. In the searchable selection field of the Tables & columns area, choose the desired table. Only tables that match the selected rule type are available for selection. The table is immediately added as a new row.
2. In this row, tick the affected columns in the Columns field (multiple selection possible) and apply the selection. Only columns that match the rule type are available.

Already assigned tables are no longer available for a further assignment. An assignment is removed via the trash can icon. The order of the assignments cannot be changed.

Note: At least one table must be assigned for the rule to be saved (message Number of invalid tables). When changing the rule type, already made assignments are reset.

9. Notes

• Cell coloring rules affect the display in dispatching; they do not change any order or tour data.
• The rules are group-specific: a rule applies to the group in which it was created (and, if applicable, associated groups, depending on the «Current group only» setting).
• To keep the coloring unambiguous, the value ranges within a rule must not overlap.
• The maintenance of the rules is reserved for administrators; dispatchers only see the result of the coloring in the tables.

10. Summary: Available Actions