Rate shipment based on distance dynamically

soujanya · #1 (**permalink**) October 17th, 2007, 09:16

hi,

Can any one help me out how to rate the shipment dyanamically.
ie., i am uploading a shipment thru xml the distance between the lanes will be known only when the shipment is uploaded. Then depending on that distance the shipment should be rated.

thanks & regards,
Vidya Sowjanya

bmj_23 · #2 (**permalink**) October 17th, 2007, 11:23

If you load a shipment using the ActualShipment XML, then you can just create shipment automation agent that listens for that event and when it is triggered will run the "Assign Rate" agent action.

That action will run the rating engine and assuming you have the correct base data in place, will rate the shipment based on the rate record you have defined (which presumably is based on the shipment distance). You will obviously need to test that with your data.

soujanya · #3 (**permalink**) October 17th, 2007, 11:58

hi,
thanq very much for ur reply., but the issue what i am facing is different. while i am uploading the shipment the actual distance between source and destination will be coming into OTM .

Suppose source is A and destination is B then while uploading the shipment , the distance beteen the locations X Kms will be known.This distance will vary for each n every shipment.

then i need to rate 30$ per Km for that shipment.

this Distance is not know until the shipment info comes into OTM.

For this i have tried in the following ways:

Scenario 1:

XKms i am storing in order refnum and tried to update this distance into distance look up table directly using direct SQL Update.

This Update is happening but the same is not reflecting in the front end.

Scenario 2:

The other way tried out is In shipment stop table ,updated this distance in distance travelled filed , even here it is updating in back end.

But while assigning rates., again it is taking form lanes only. not taking the updaed value..

thanks & regards,
Vidya Sowjanya

bmj_23 · #4 (**permalink**) October 17th, 2007, 12:59

1. What version of OTM are you on ?

2. Am I correct in thinking that you want to send the distance in to OTM as part of the ActualShipment XML and to use that distance value in the calculation of the shipment cost ?

soujanya · #5 (**permalink**) October 17th, 2007, 13:37

hi,

1. I am on 5.0 version of OTM.

2. Yes, your understanding is correct.,that distance will come as a part of the ActualShipment XML and to use that distance value in the calculation of the shipment cost

thanks & regards,
Vidya Sowjanya

bmj_23 · #6 (**permalink**) October 18th, 2007, 11:27

There is (I believe) an enhancement that was delivered in 5.5 CU3 that allows you to enter the distance on an inbound ActualShipment XML and have the rating engine observe that distance rather than retrieve the distance based on the rate record that is used to rate the shipment. That sounds exactly the capability that you require.

If you are unable to move to 5.5, then my approach would be to use Direct SQL update to update the necessary distance record prior to the rating engine starting for the shipment. However, I can imagine that that may result in data cache issues / timing issues, so that will require some stringent testing.

shekharp · #7 (**permalink**) October 22nd, 2007, 23:42

Have you tried rating by refnum. We are on OTM 5.0 version and have scenarios where we have to rate by distance. The distance (x kms) is stored as shipment refnum and the rate record is set to rate by refnum.

soujanya · #8 (**permalink**) October 24th, 2007, 13:00

hi,
Thanq very much for ur response. I have tried direct sql update . As you said i are facing the cache problem. It is getting updated in the back end but not reflecting in the front end.

I checked for the shipment refnum option even but dont have rating based on refnum option in 5.0.

thanks & regards,
Vidya Sowjanya

bob_romijn · #9 (**permalink**) December 6th, 2007, 13:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmj_23

There is (I believe) an enhancement that was delivered in 5.5 CU3 that allows you to enter the distance on an inbound ActualShipment XML and have the rating engine observe that distance rather than retrieve the distance based on the rate record that is used to rate the shipment. That sounds exactly the capability that you require.

If you are unable to move to 5.5, then my approach would be to use Direct SQL update to update the necessary distance record prior to the rating engine starting for the shipment. However, I can imagine that that may result in data cache issues / timing issues, so that will require some stringent testing.

How did you come to the remark that this should be able in 5.5? I want to find out how it works (rating using the actual distance). I can;t find anything that seems to solve this in 5.5.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Bob

bob_romijn · #10 (**permalink**) December 7th, 2007, 07:42

Hi,

I give the answer myself after consulting someone else that is using CU3. I add it to this post, because it will give you a complete answer and knowledge base of this forum.

Yes, it is possible to use actual (driven) miles.
At stop level of a shipment you could already put in the distance from previous stop. This field would be recalculated once you are doing a recalculate of a shipment.
Added is now the checkbox "Fixed distance". This checkbox tells OTM to use this distance instead of going again to the distance engine or estimation.

Best regards,

Bob