Creating a Shipping Method covers the basic setup (such as name and type), but additional settings allow you to control when the method can be used and who can fulfill it.
This article shows you how to configure these settings, including Lateness Threshold, Availability, and Driver Restrictions.
Availability
Availability lets you define the specific time of day when a Shipping Method can be used.
You can configure daily hours during which this method is available for creating orders. For example, if set from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the method can only be selected within this time window.
Operational Benefit – This allows you to offer services only during specific hours of the day—ensuring orders are created within valid operating times and aligned with driver availability.
Note: If an order is created outside the configured time window, the method will still appear in the list but will be marked as disabled on the order creation page.
Lateness Threshold
The Lateness Threshold defines when orders under a specific Shipping Method are considered late.
You can configure a time limit in hours or minutes, after which any order exceeding this threshold will be flagged as late.
Operational Benefit – This helps you monitor service performance more accurately by setting different lateness expectations based on the type of delivery.
Note: Once exceeded, the order is flagged as late, primarily on the Routes page.
Driver Restrictions
Driver Restrictions let you control which drivers are allowed to handle orders under a specific Shipping Method. For example, you can assign express deliveries only to selected senior drivers.
Operational Benefit – This ensures that specialized or sensitive deliveries are handled by qualified drivers, improving service quality and consistency.
Note: These restrictions apply only during auto-assignment via the Planning module. Manual assignment can override them.
Additional Notes
The options and settings covered in this article can be configured either during the shipping method creation process or later when editing and updating the shipping method.
The settings and options covered in this article are optional and are not required to create a shipping method. You can create a shipping method without configuring these settings.
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