If you’ve been using Frontline’s Q7 Dispatch Board, you’re already ahead of the game. But even the best tools have some hidden gems that can make your day to day operations a little bit smoother. In this Q7 Tips post, we’re sharing a few techniques that can save you time, reduce mistakes, and streamline your entire trucking dispatch process. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started, these tips will help you unlock the full potential of the trucking Dispatch Board.
If you like these tips, check out part 2 of this series here.
Color Coding Trucking Dispatch Resources
The Dispatch Board is like the command center for your operations, and it’s possible for details to get lost in the mix. That’s where color coding can come to the rescue. By assigning colors to your drivers, tractors, trailers, or carriers, you can instantly spot them like flash cards. If making your trucking software unique by giving it your own themes and colors interests you, check out our Tips on Q7 System Colors.
While there are already many options for categorizing resources on the Dispatch Board, such as terminals or equipment classes, color coding can help for several other reasons.
You can assign a color to a resource by right-clicking on any of their Trips on the Dispatch Board.
Here’s the fun part: Pick from a variety of colors or use the custom color wheel to create your own. Some of our users like to set the same color on all resources to make the resource column stand out and give the Dispatch Board some extra pizazz. We like using this style here at Frontline because it gives everything a nice, clear look.
Some of the Q7 trucking dispatch users have reasons to assign unique colors to individual resources or groups of resources. For example, they may not be using the terminal, equipment class, or assigned dispatcher features to filter resources, and they prefer to color code drivers based on the dispatcher who is responsible for them. Regardless of the reason, coloring each driver a unique color still provides an added productivity boost.
Assigning a color to a resource doesn’t have to be done from the Dispatch Board. If the compliance or billing department is setting up a new resource, the color can be set at any time from the Setup list. This gives everyone multiple access points.
Use the Preview Pane
When you’re working on the Dispatch Board, get a quick glimpse of Trips by using the preview pane. This pane is optional, so it can be opened and closed whenever you need to use it. Furthermore, it’s interactive! You can take care of several tasks in this pane including:
- Review stop, resource, or load pay details.
- Manually update arrival and departure dates and times.
- Manually send 214 EDI updates.
- Re-position resources if Trips are out of sync with reality.
- Open current GPS details.
- Open mobile communication history.
Look for the thick bar on the right of your Dispatch Board. Click on it to drag it left or right, showing or hiding the preview pane. The pane displays information for the Trip you have highlighted on the left. Review information, and even confirm and edit Stop arrival and departure dates and times.
Live Trucking Dispatch Notes
These notes are intended for internal use for dispatchers, rather than messaging the driver. Use ELD, driver app, or load text or email communication for that. Optimizing dispatch routes using driver and availability features has its own place on the Dispatch Board, along with an up to date view of where your resources are.
These notes allow you to create comments, reminders, or feedback internally without interfering with other features on the trucking Dispatch Board that you are using. Use these notes sparingly and only for the most important and up front information, if possible.
To get to the notes, right-click on a Trip and open the View Notes option. When a dispatch note exists for a resource, all dispatchers will see it flagged on their board.
Organization and making things easy on our users is what we’re all about. Many of the features we add to the Dispatch Board are requests from existing Frontline Q7 users. When something makes their lives simpler, we listen. If you’d like to master your trucking dispatch operations, reach out to us today for a free demonstration.