StreetSync Basic Quick-Start

Transcription

1 RouteSolutions Inc. StreetSync Basic Quick-Start For the StreetSync Basic Route Planning System Copyright Route Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved 1.0 1

2 ABOUT STREETSYNC BASIC StreetSync Basic is an affordable, simple and flexible vehicle routing application created to help with your daily routing needs. StreetSync Basic was built with the route planning user in mind. The simple interface is easy to learn and use on a daily basis. This makes StreetSync Basic perfect for companies looking for their first route optimization tool or those looking to put route planning capabilities in the hands of their distributed office staff. Build route plans for multiple vehicles Import from Excel or Access Available for a small monthly flat rate Export to certain Garmin and TomTom units Automatically updating online maps So simple! Build routes in minutes Some of the helpful aspects of StreetSync Basic that you should know: Check back with us for compatible GPS devices! Up-to-Date Online Maps - RouteSolutions is a licensed Microsoft Virtual Earth partner which allows us to offer up-to-date premium digital maps that are constantly being updated to include new and corrected streets. It's time to move away from your wall maps, 2 year-old route books and static desktop mapping program to a new system that updates along with your environment. Install and Use on Any PC - StreetSync Basic works on any PC thereby allowing you to deploy StreetSync throughout your organization. The maps and basic data are stored safely online, so you'll not need to re-enter data or perform a lengthy install when working on different machines. As your organization grows, you can simply add users to allow simultaneous persons to perform routing tasks. A Complete Routing Tool at a Low Monthly Cost - StreetSync Basic does not require a large up-front capital expenditure like most routing applications. Therefore, you're able to improve your bottom line immediately rather than a year or longer to recover your investment. We require a low monthly payment of several dollars per day. In return you'll be able to optimize your on-the-road activity, saving real dollars on a daily basis.

3 INSTALLING STREETSYNC BASIC Installing the program is a fairly simply task with just a few straightforward steps to be followed. You can install the application from our homepage with the following link: The prerequisites that are mentioned on the homepage will automatically be downloaded if they are not yet available on your machine and are completely free. If you do not have a username and password combination, please contact us at info@routesolutions.com Once the application is installed you will be able to start the program out of your Windows Start Menu. SETUP YOUR COMPANY INFORMATION When the program loads for the first time the End User License Agreement will load. Please read carefully and accept the license terms as shown below and continue with OK once you are ready to start the application. 3

4 After you accept the license agreement the main menu will open. Click on Setup Your Company Information as shown above. Before you are able to create your route plans you will have to define your company depot locations and vehicles (routes) in the Setup Form. The first time your preferences screen opens all areas have a red background. The red background notifies you that you still need to enter information into that program area. Clicking on the blue hyperlinks for each area allows you to open the forms to enter the necessary data. 4

5 Start by clicking on Edit Preferences from this form. The Preferences & Settings Manager will open and let you define your preferences, such as your region, your default language, your default nation and your default state. You are able to choose your system of measurement (English standard or metric) and the default service minutes that you need for each stop. As soon as you add the required preferences you can click OK, you ll see that the form closes, and the Settings & Preferences section of the form turns from red to green. Green signifies that you ve correctly added your program preferences. 5

6 You ll continue by creating your company depots. Click on the Add New Depot Locations Button as marked above and the Depot Manager will open. Fill-out your first Depot (Start/End-Point) address and click on Address Quick Match ) to geocode your address. If you typed in a valid address and StreetSync Basic was able to locate it on the map it will tell you that it successfully matched your address with a green check mark on the right as shown above. If the system was not able to locate your internal address it will read Address Not Matched on the right with a red cross. This means that your address could not be located on the map the way it was entered or that there is more than one possibility for the address provided. If your address could not be automatically matched, you can use the address locator to find your correct location. Click on the Address Locator button as shown below. Your depot location didn t match? Check page 17 for more information on how to use the address locator form. 6

7 Once you match your location the software will indicate this with a green arrow and the note successfully matched on the right. (See picture below). Click OK and you can then add additional depot locations with the Add a New Depot button on the top left or you can leave the Depot Manager by clicking on the Close button. Back in the Preferences form you can click on Add New Vehicles hyperlink. The Vehicle Manager opens and you are able to name your Vehicle/Route, choose a symbol from the drop-down menu and choose the start and end location for your vehicle from the drop-down menus provided. You may also choose a start time for your driver/route. Once you have entered your data, click OK and the vehicle will be added. If you have multiple vehicles you ll want to click Add a New Vehicle button on the top left of the form and repeatedly enter vehicles until you ve modeled your fleet. 7

8 Once you leave the Vehicle Manager all fields in the Preferences Manager will be displayed in green provided you have properly filled-out the necessary information. Please click on the Close button to save your information and exit the form. Also, please note that setting-up the initial preferences, depots and vehicles is typically only done the first time you load the program. The system will save this information for future logins, and therefore you won t need to re-type this information again. However, if at a later time you would need to add a vehicle, for instance, you d need to return to this form in order to complete that task. 8

9 BUILDING OPTIMIZED ROUTES - SAVING YOUR ORGANIZATION TIME AND MONEY You ll now be back on the main program form and you must click on the Create Route Plans button. On a daily basis, this is typically the button that you ll use because your preferences and fleet information will already be loaded for you. MPORTING STOPS StreetSync Basic makes it very easy to import data. You can either upload a file with your stop data (StreetSync Basic supports common file types such as Microsoft Excel), or you can manually type-in your stops. If you are importing, or typing-in your stops, you ll just want to click the desired type from those listed. 9

10 If you have an Excel-Sheet available with your stops, or you want to create one before you import to StreetSync Basic, you should at least have the following information in your Excel-File: 1) The first column should have column headings, such as Name, Order No, etc. 2) The file needs to have address information, so that the program can place the stops on the digital map. Those address values can be in one of two types: a) Type 1 Textual address columns. You will want columns for Street Address, City, State/Province and Postal Code. The data needs to be in unique columns, and not combined into a single column. b) Type 2 Latitude / Longitude columns. The program can import from geographic latitude and longitude values if you possess them. StreetSync Basic is able to create these values for you, so you can store and re-use them if you wish. If you want to create an Excel-File we recommend that you use the following column headings as StreetSync Basic will automatically match them for you: Required columns: 1) Stop Name 2) Address 3) City 4) State 5) Postal Code Optional: 6) Nation 7) X (Longitude) 8) Y (Latitude) 9) Service Minutes 10) Order Number 11) Customer Number 12) Phone 13) Comments 1 14) Comments 2 15) Predetermined Route (Optional Used if you prefer to pass-in your preferred route rather than having the program choose routes for you.) 10

11 IMPORT FROM A FILE Once your Excel file is ready, you can click on the Import from a File button as shown in the previous graphic. You ll then be shown this frame (see below). Is this the first time that you ll import your file? You ll need to create an import profile so that StreetSync Basic knows where to look for your file. By clicking on the Import Stops Wizard button the import wizard form opens and you can use the Import Stop Wizard to create your first import profile. You ll only have to do this once assuming that your file stays in the same location. The next time you use the software you can use the Run a Saved One-Click Import Profile button and choose your profile from the drop down on the right. Save time by creating an import profile. Now you can use the button to bring in your data with only ONE click! Note: Once you define your import preferences with the Import Stops Wizard, it will remember your settings and import your file from the same location with just one click every day. This is a great feature because on a daily basis you can potentially import your stops with just a single click and save more time every day! For the time being, we have no existing import profiles, so we ll have to use the wizard to build our own. Start this process by clicking the Import Stops Wizard button as shown above. 11

12 Click Create a New Import Profile to create your Import Profile and the wizard will advance to the next frame. Choose your file format. Available file formats are Access, Excel, CRV-Files (Comma Separated Values) and DBF / FoxPro files. Click Next. 12

13 Click the Browse to this file button and browse your computer to the location where your stops file is saved. Choose Next to navigate to the next step. Select the table/worksheet in your file that contains your data as shown above and continue by clicking on the Next button. 13

14 Make sure that your Excel File has column headings in the first row. Import with X/Y data if you have it available. The addresses will match with great accuracy. In this wizard step you will match your input column names with our column names so the system knows which columns to import for each of your stops. To match each of your columns, just click on the dropdown list for each row and choose the column/field that contains the necessary data. For instance, you can map your field named Zip Code to our column named Postal Code. You are done with the definition of your import profile and now you can name and save this import. The next time you use the application you can potentially use the one-click import button instead of stepping through the wizard again. The one-click import will function if the import file is still in its expected location. Click the Finish button to complete the wizard. 14

15 Your stops are now imported and their information, such as the imported addresses is listed for you. StreetSync Basic tells you how many stops you imported and you are able to add and delete stops on this wizard step. In order to delete certain stops, just highlight them and click on the X button as shown above. You can delete all of them with the XX button. If you are content with your imported stops you can click on Next Step to move to the address matching step. If you have typed in your data and you want to export it to Excel to save it, you can do so with the button on the right bottom highlighted above. 15

16 In this step StreetSync Basic will match your addresses to the digital map. Click the Run the Address Matching Utility button to start the address matching, as shown above. Did you have to manually match stops? Export your data to receive X/Y data and avoid address matching in the future. Stop addresses that could be matched will show that fact with green checkmarks in front of each successfully matched address. The summary on the right side tells you how many addresses were matched, not matched, or not yet attempted. If some of your stops couldn t be matched the Address Locator form will open and you will be open to fix the addresses, match a proposed address or locate your stop on the map using the cross-hair function. Now that all of your stops are matched you have the possibility to export the data to Excel. The program will export X/Y values for you now. In case you want to import the same stop again in the future you will be able to import with the X/Y value instead of the address and you ll not have to geocode the addresses again if you had to do some address repair work. 16

17 Some of the reasons why your stops might not have matched: * No Zip Codes * Directional Suffix missing (S for South) * No State information * City discrepancy * Typos * Wrong Street Type suffix ( Ave, Rd., St.) USING THE ADDRESS LOCATOR FORM If you have unmatched stops the Address Locator form will display with the stop addresses that couldn t be located automatically. StreetSync Basic will recommend address candidates or likely matches in the list on the bottom left. If you would like to choose one of the candidates provided to you, you can highlight it in the list and click the Match This Address button on the bottom left as shown below. If you see a typing mistake, for instance, you can edit the address text and click on the Update Candidates List button to regenerate the listed candidates. If StreetSync has possible address candidates it will list them for you and you can choose from the available candidates. If you candidates are available you can make changes to the address in order to find the correct match. If one of the available candidates is the one that you are looking for you can select it and click the Match this address button as shown above. 17

18 Manually matching addresses - If you are not pleased with the candidates that StreetSync Basic offers you in the list or if you want to manually pick you stop on the map (for example in a new construction area) you can click the Locate on Map tab, as shown below, to manually pick your stop on the map. Once you re in Locate on Map mode, you can center the map by dragging it and by using the crosshairs as a reference. Think of this as a bombsight of sorts. The address will be matched to the area within those crosshairs. Once you are pleased with the crosshair location, choose Match this Address to accept. 18

19 Once you ve matched each address (either by selecting a candidate, or by using the crosshairs), StreetSync Basic will display a green checkmark on the form, and a green icon on the map, so you know that this address was matched. If you have multiple addresses, you ll need to navigate to each via the next and previous buttons at the top of the form. Once you ve corrected all addresses, you ll click OK to continue. When all of your addresses are matched the totals will verify this fact. Click the Next Step button to continue and you will be shown the Select the Routes to Include step. You can move back to your previous steps without losing your stop data. You can check/uncheck the routes that you want to include for this routing scenario. If you need additional routes you can go back to the first step to add additional vehicles/routes in the Preferences Manager. Once you ve selected your desired number of routes, confirm your choice by clicking the Next Step button. StreetSync Basic will now optimize and calculate your routes. 19

20 Your routes are displayed on both on the route listing and on the map. The red/green pushpins with the black borders show your start/end locations. The stops are displayed according to their route color. The summary listing informs you of valuable statistics such as distance to be traveled, route duration, number of stops to be completed, and more. When you click to select any specific route, that route s detailed stop summary is displayed left to the map. You are able to manually edit the routes if you feel that you want to move a stop up or down in the stop listing. To move a stop you can just select it and drag-and drop it to the position that you would prefer or alternatively you can use the Move-Up and Move-Down buttons that display as soon as you highlight a stop. If you ve decided that your manual changes of moving stops up and down was a bad idea after all, you can always get back to the computer-suggested route sequence by highlighting your preferred route and then clicking on the Resequence button. 20

21 Please note how your route information states not calculated after you make a change to that route. You will have to click the Calculate button as shown above to recalculate your route once you ve made manual changes. StreetSync Basic doesn t automatically calculate routes because you may want to make backto-back changes quickly and the pause to wait for the calculation would be counter-productive. Once you ve made all your desired edits, you can click Calculate and then the system will calculate the route, meaning that all the calculations such as time and distance will be made available to you. If you would like to move a certain stop from one route to another you can highlight the stop and choose Move to New Route as shown above. StreetSync Basic will list the other available routes for you and you can choose one or tell StreetSync Basic to assign this stop to the Next Best route. Click OK to confirm your choice. 21

22 If you see that you have too many stops on each route, and you need additional routes to handle the workload, you can choose the Add Routes button. You ll need to define those vehicles first in your preferences to use them here. All available routes will be listed, and you can choose the routes you d like to add. If you like a particular route s stops, but you just want to reverse their activity for that day (a mirror image of the current stop sequence) you can click the Reverse Route Contents Button in the More Tools Menu (marked above). Many users want to do this to avoid traffic patterns, or perhaps to offload materials in a certain neighborhood first. You can reverse your route by clicking on the More Tools Menu and choosing Reverse Route Contents. This helps you to achieve a certain morning delivery for example or can assist you to avoid traffic in the morning if you just turn the route around. Once your stops are routed and modified to your liking you can create turn-byturn directions for your drivers. To do so, click on the Turn-By-Turn Directions button in the More Tools menu. You can copy to clipboard and use the directions together with the map that you can copy to clipboard. You can also create a report with driving directions in the next step. Click on Next Step at the bottom right of the routing overview to see your exporting options. 22

23 PUBLISH AND EXPORT YOUR ROUTES You are now in the Publish Routes step and will be presented with several means of publishing and reporting your built route plans. You can choose to export your file to Excel for example. We recommend doing this especially if you have typed-in your stops manually and you do not have a digital file for safekeeping. StreetSync Basic does not store your stop data, the tool is intended to import your desired stops from a file each time it is run. If you export to Excel you will be able to import your file into the program the next time you desire to route this information. Best of all, the exported file contains latitude and longitude values, so you will not have to address match these items a second time. You can also create and print reports. For example, you can print driver reports such as stop manifests and turn-by-turn directions. These reports are designed to assist the driver to more easily perform their daily routing activities. You can also print manager reports that list an overview of route activity created. Also, you can of course print route overview maps that show where each route will be working during the course of their planned route. 23

24 DIFFERENT REPORTING OPTIONS You can choose the report that you would like to create from the options shown below and click on Generate Report in order to create it. Driver Manifest Simple Driver Manifest Complete This report provides a one-lineper-stop listing of each driver s planned stops. It is designed to provide essential information, but to be very brief and offer each stop s information on a single line. This report provides complete stop information for each stop on a driver s current manifest. Essential information such as stop sequence and address information is of course included. Also, comments, phone numbers, etc. are included. Driving Directions This report provides your driver with detailed turn-by-turn driving directions for each of the route s stops. The report also features distance measurements for their benefit. 24

25 Route Overview Maps This report allows you to view a map image of each route. This helps drivers and dispatchers to communicate the route activity in a graphical way. You can choose whether you want to include the start and end depots and the route paths travelled. Route Summary This report allows you to view totals for each route such as distance traveled, hours of service, etc. You can also see grand totals for all routes generated. 25

26 HOW TO EXPORT TO GARMIN PERSONAL NAVIGATION DEVICES Example of compatible Garmin devices: Nuvi 775 Nuvi 465T StreetSync Basic allows you to automatically transfer built route plans to certain Garmin personal navigation devices. On a typical day you could build routes for all of your drivers and then the driver could hand you his/her device and by following the steps below the route plan can be transferred to their device. You could also the navigation files to the drivers when they re off-site. Regardless of your preferred arrangement, StreetSync Basic will allow all stops to be transferred directly to the device, with no additional typing, and will even uphold the sequence of the stops that you ve created. Note: Not all Garmin models are supported. For instance, some models are older and do not support this type of functionality. Also, other models may be focused towards hikers, boaters, etc. These models also likely aren't able to utilize this functionality. We recommend that you check with the Garmin device matrix website for compatibility. RouteSolutions staff members utilize and test with 7xx series Nuvi models. RouteSolutions does not guarantee that our export will work with any or all Garmin devices. The export to Garmin is simply offered as a value-add with our program. Steps Required to complete the Export to Garmin: 1) Routes can be published to the device on the final program frame of StreetSync Basic. You ll select the option to 'Distribute Route Plans to Navigation Devices'. 2) When asked which type of export you'll be performing, choose 'Garmin' from the list and click 'Next'. 3) Select the routes that you'd like to create Garmin export files for and click 'Next'. 4) You'll be prompted to save the created files to a folder of your choosing or to a default system folder. You will likely want to keep the default of the system folder on a typical basis and the system will manage the storage of files for you. However, if you'd like to place the files in your desired location, you can do so by choosing your own destination folder. (You may wish to save to your own folder in cases such as where you want to build-up a library of files based on your own particular needs.) Choose the option you prefer and click 'Next'. 26

27 5) At this point, you'll need to have the device present and connected to the computer via USB if you'd like to transfer the file onto the device. If you're transferring 3 files onto 3 different devices, you'll need all devices present and will simply want to plug-in one at a time (and likely choose a single route to be created from step #3). If you've just connected the device, you'll want to ensure that the device has entered 'USB Mode (blank device screen with Garmin logo)' and then you may need to click 'Refresh' to have the device appear within the list. It may take several seconds for the device to be recognized by your computer. Once your device is chosen, you can click 'Next'. If you do NOT have the device physically present, then you can choose the option stating that you'll not be connecting a device at this time. In this situation, you may wish to choose to 'Show Created Files' and then you'll be presented with the files in a Windows Explorer so that you can manually manage your library of files at a later time. You may click 'Finish' once you've done so. 6) Next you'll be able to manage the files on the device. Note that the files you've created are now on the personal navigation device. You can perform actions such as renaming files, deleting existing files, etc. You may wish to clear all 'old' files daily to prevent any possible mistakes such as a driver driving an improper historical route. Once you're satisfied, you can physically unplug the device by disconnecting the USB cable. Click 'Finish' to close the wizard. 7) It is recommended that you shut down and restart the Garmin device to ensure that the files will be displayed for you. The Garmin device should now be in 'User Mode' meaning that you can access the touch menus, etc. 8) You are now done with the StreetSync Basic portion of the process. You'll now be using the touch screen menus on the Garmin device itself. Within the Garmin menu you'll want to click on the 'Tools' option. 27

28 9) Next, click on the 'My Data' folder icon. There should be an option available to you to 'Import Route from File'. This option is available to you only if you've successfully transferred files to the device in the steps above. Once you click on this option, you'll be shown a list of routes that are on the device. If you've named your routes logically within StreetSync Basic, then you should be able to differentiate them easily and choose the route that you'd like to drive by selecting it from the list. Select your preferred route, and choose 'Import'. The route will now be loaded & calculated and this may take up to a few minutes. 10) Next, from the Garmin 'Tools' menu you'll want to select the 'Custom Routes' option. Your route will be listed and once you select it you'll have the option to 'Go!' Selecting 'Go!' will load the route and you can then begin your drive. 28

29 HOW TO EXPORT TO TOMTOM PERSONAL NAVIGATION DEVICES Example of compatible TomTom devices: One XL XL 330S StreetSync Basic allows you to automatically transfer built route plans to certain TomTom personal navigation devices. On a typical day you could build routes for all of your drivers and then the driver could hand you his/her device and by following the steps below the route plan can be transferred to their device. You could also the navigation files to the drivers when they re off-site. Regardless of your preferred arrangement, StreetSync Basic will allow all stops to be transferred directly to the device, with no additional typing, and will even uphold the sequence of the stops that you ve created. Note: Not all TomTom models are supported. For instance, some models are older and do not support this type of functionality. Also, other models may be focused towards hikers, boaters, etc. These models also likely aren't able to utilize this functionality. RouteSolutions staff members utilize and test with TomTom One XL models. RouteSolutions does not guarantee that our export will work with any or all TomTom devices. The export to TomTom is simply offered as a value-add with our program. Steps Required to Complete the Export to TomTom: 1) Routes can be published to the device on the final program frame of StreetSync Basic. You ll select the option to 'Distribute Route Plans to Navigation Devices'. 2) When asked which type of export you'll be performing, choose 'TomTom' from the list and click 'Next'. 3) Select the routes that you'd like to create TomTom export files for and click 'Next'. 4) You'll be prompted to save the created files to a folder of your choosing or to a default system folder. You will likely want to keep the default of the system folder on a typical basis and the system will manage the storage of files for you. However, if you'd like to place the files in your desired location, you can do so by choosing your own destination folder. (You may wish to save to your own folder in cases such as where you want to build-up a library of files based on your own particular needs.) Choose the option you prefer and click 'Next'. 5) At this point, you'll need to have the device present and connected to the computer via USB if you'd like to transfer the file onto the device. If you're transferring 3 files onto 3 different devices, you'll need all devices present and will simply want to plug-in one at a time. 29

30 Once your TomTom device is connected to your computer and switched on you will see the following screen on your GPS: Click Yes to connect your TomTom to your computer. Once you click on Refresh StreetSync Basic will show your GPS device as shown above. You can click 'Next'. If you do NOT have the device physically present, then you can choose the option stating that you'll not be connecting a device at this time. In this situation, you may wish to choose to 'Show Created Files' and then you'll be presented with the files in a Windows Explorer so that you can manually manage your library of files at a later time. You may click 'Finish' once you've done so. 6) Next you'll be able to manage the files on the device. Note that the files you've created are now on the personal navigation device. You can perform actions such as renaming files, deleting existing files, etc. You may wish to clear all 'old' files daily to prevent any possible mistakes such as a driver driving an improper historical route. Once you're satisfied, you can physically unplug the device by disconnecting the USB cable. Click 'Finish' to close the wizard. 30

31 7) Once the TomTom is disconnected from your computer it will restart. You can also restart your device if it doesn t restart automatically. 8) You are now done with the StreetSync Basic portion of the process. Use the touch screen menu on your TomTom device to get to the Main Menu. 9) Click on the right arrow until you see the Itinerary Planning button. 10) Click Itinerary Planning. 31

32 11) If you are using the Itinerary Menu for the first time the message shown above will appear. You want to click on Options. If you are using this functionality already your last route will be shown. You then also want to proceed by clicking Options in order to load your new route for the day. 12) Click on Load Itinerary. TomTom will ask you whether you are sure that you want to delete all locations in the current itinerary, if you previously imported a file. You can click Yes if you no longer need the last route plan on your device. 13) The menu will show you the available route plans that were exported from StreetSync Basic. You can highlight the route that you want to load on this GPS device and TomTom will display your stops. 14) Click on Options and hit the Start Navigation button to start your route. Your device will show your first destination and ask you whether you want to navigate there now. Click Yes to start your navigation. TomTom shows an overview of your route. You might want to tab the map in order to see the driving view. 15) Once you arrive at your first stop you can highlight the stop and click on Mark visited as shown below. In this way, the device lets you mark off your stops as completed. 32

33 16) TomTom shows you the route overview again with the visited stops grayed out. You can click on Options again and choose Start navigation to navigate to the next stop on your route. HOW TO USE YOUR OPTIMIZED GPS ROUTE FILE FROM A DIFFERENT LOCATION If you don t always have your GPS device available or if you would like to send your file to a different location or to your drivers directly you can do this. You can always save the file to a USB-drive or you can your file. Choose the option highlighted below in order to save your file instead of exporting it directly to your device. Confirm by clicking the Finish button. 33

34 Your exported GPS file will open out of your StreetSyncBasic/Navigation Folder: You can now copy and paste this file to a preferred location, you can save it to a flash-drive or you can attach the file to an and distribute it to each of your drivers. Once your driver receives the they can connect their GPS to the computer and then save the attachment into the corresponding routing folder of their GPS device. (ITN Folder for TomTom device and GPX folder for Garmin devices). They might have to restart the device in order to load the new file. See instructions on how to use the file on your GPS in the chapter above. 34

35 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & LINKS The resources listed below will provide additional information to you: Main StreetSync Basic online help page: How do you like StreetSync Basic? We would like to hear your feedback: Questions? Contact us: Phone: (858) Live-Chat: 35