The shipper administrator can configure Dock Scheduling to performthese tasks:

• Remain open earlier and close later than the normal front officeoperating hours to facilitate shipping operations.
• Direct traffic for a specific carrier to a dock reserved for itsuse only. Similarly you can set up a dock with Owner-Only visibilityto reserve that dock for your organization's use only.
• Restrict equipment types (refrigerated trucks for example) toa specific dock.
• Direct shipping and receiving activities to separate docks (orallow both activities at a specific dock).
• Control the carriers and suppliers that can make appointmentsat this location. You control access using partner appointment schedulingprofiles.
• Define the maximum number of pickups and deliveries your supplierscan make at the location through load/unload profiles.
• Display the time frames you use in dock schedules (for exampleallowing appointments every 30 minutes 60 minutes or 90 minutes)while blocking out break times (such as lunch).
• Require pickup or delivery appointments at the dock location.
• Require that appointments be scheduled within the pickup or deliverywindow or allow appointments to be made before or after the window.For example some shippers might allow a carrier to make a pickupappointment at 10:30 a.m. even though the planned departure windowbegins at 11 a.m.
• Select default appointment durations and loading/unloading ratesfor common shipment types.
• Quickly set up multiple docks that all use the same settings.
• Copy an existing dock profile to quickly create a new dock.
• Control when users can create and update dock appointments. Forexample you might allow carriers to make an appointment 8 hours beforearrival and update it with changes until 4 hours before arrival.

After configuration shippers and carriers can use Dock Schedulingto perform the following tasks:

• Create update and cancel dock appointments.
• Search for scheduled and unscheduled orders and shipments.
• Find specific orders in a pickup or delivery shipment for scheduling.
• View shipment details directly from appointments and update statusas needed.
• Subscribe to alerts and have Sterling TMS send an emailwhen appointments are made changed or are late.

In addition shippers can view daily dock schedules for all docksto determine availability. Carriers can only view scheduled and unscheduledshipment listings. Carriers cannot access daily dock schedules.