Using routing guides
A routing guide in Sterling Order Management System Software allows specifying optimal carrier and mode of shipment (parcel, LTL or TL) based on criteria including requested service, weight, zip codes (postal codes).
In situations where multiple routing guides are used, the system can be configured to consider the Buyer's routing guide first to determine a carrier. If the Buyer's routing guide fails to determine a carrier, then the system considers the Enterprise's routing guide. If this fails, then the system considers the Hub's routing guide.
The system can also be configured to consider the Seller's routing guide first to determine a carrier. If this fails, the system considers the Hub's routing guide. However, in this case, the Buyer's routing guide is not considered.
If a parcel mode of shipment is chosen, then the shipment is marked as routed. Further processing is not required for this shipment. It is possible to consolidate new orders into a shipment, in which case re-routing is done for the shipment.
For LTL shipments, shipments are added to an existing load based on the criteria or a new load is created. A load is grouping of shipments that is shipped to the same delivery address. All LTL shipments are automatically converted to TL shipments when the shipment volume exceeds the volume specified for a TL. Each time a shipment is added to an existing LTL load, re-routing is done for the new load. The shipment is marked as routed. For shipments that are routed as TL, there is no further consolidation attempted. The shipment is marked as routed.