[slimjim30215]

I have an unusual challenge. I'm trying to bulk plan some orders and the desired outcome is a single multi-stop shipment. There are no time constraints to speak of. I can choose "Create Buy Shipment / Multistop" and get the desired outcome. If I choose to bulk plan I get nothing but direct shipments.

I believe the main reason that I'm getting this result is that the rating would be exactly the same, or possibly a tad higher due to out-of-route miles, whether I choose bulk planning or choose multistop. That's just the way the rate structure is, and there's no changing it.

Any ideas on how I can "fool" OTM into believing that a multi-stop (that is really more expensive) is a better outcome than building direct shipments?

[arunk]

Check out "Rate Quality Factors" in OTM. You can increase/decrease your rates by a certain percentage or flat fee and assign that to your multistop rate offfering and rate record, so that when planning OTM can give preference to your multistop rates than the others.

PS Rate quality factors do not affect the actual cost to ship and are only used in qualifying a shipment.

[joecallan]

You may want to try setting up a Container Opt Configuration where the Maximize Container Utilization box is not checked (only the Minimize Number of Containers is checked within the Objectives Section).

See the attached.