General information
What is OptimoRoute™?
OptimoRoute™ is an online route optimization and planning solution for delivery, logistics, and field service companies. With OptimoRoute™, you can efficiently optimize and plan your daily or weekly routes and create accurate schedules for virtually an unlimited amount of orders, and for all of your drivers or technicians simultaneously. These routes can be seamlessly sent to drivers or technicians using our native mobile app for iOS and Android. Our app allows your team members to send orders and any order changes, gather Proof of Delivery, receive Customer Feedback, and provide end-customers with real-time information on arrival through our Realtime Order Tracking feature. For businesses that have mixed fleets including larger vehicles and hazardous materials, Commercial Routing feature is available to ensure on-time deliveries and compliance with road and travel restrictions.
Who is OptimoRoute™ for?
OptimoRoute is a versatile and robust solution that delivers efficiency, and a wealth of features for large multinational corporations, while also providing a streamlined, user-friendly, and budget-conscious option for small-scale organizations.
OptimoRoute’s versatility makes it a valuable tool across a wide range of industries and business types, including:
- Home, commercial, and small business delivery services that require effective optimization, vehicle utilization, and order tracking.
- Repair and service technicians who need a multi-route, multi-week planners for different job types, with appointments, deadlines, and customer messaging.
- Waste and recycling collectors seeking to optimize large pickup routes.
- Sales representatives who want to optimize their routes.
- Inspection and installation companies covering large territories with routes lasting several days or weeks.
- Medical professionals aiming to reach more patients with improved efficiency.
- Seasonal businesses such as landscaping, snow removal, and pest control, who require a solution that accounts for seasonality.
How does it work?
After entering or importing orders into OptimoRoute™, you can plan them into efficient routes for all drivers simultaneously. The routing process takes into account various constraints such as travel durations, driver work times, delivery/service time windows, vehicle load capacity, driver skills, vehicle features, deadlines, and date range. If desired, you have the flexibility to manually modify with our Drag & Drop feature the routes before sending them to the driver app, emailing them to drivers, or exporting them to Excel or GPS devices.
What are the benefits of using OptimoRoute™?
OptimoRoute simplifies operations and improves efficiency for businesses. It optimizes routes, reduces costs, and enhances customer satisfaction. With user-friendly features and scalability, OptimoRoute is a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes.
What do I need to use it?
OptimoRoute™ is a web-based service so you only need a web browser. No installation on your computer is needed.
In which countries is OptimoRoute available?
OptimoRoute is available worldwide.
What languages is OptimoRoute available in?
Web App Languages
The web app is available in 6 languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Thai, and Croatian.
Driver App Languages
The web app is available in 20 languages: English, French, Spanish, Croatian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Chinese (Simplified), Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, and Slovak.
Order Tracking Languages
The web app is available in 24 languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Greek, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, and Swedish.
Why don’t I just use my GPS?
The GPS device alone is not able to plan and optimize a route plan with multiple destinations and it does not support constraints like driver work times, delivery/service time windows, vehicle load capacity, driver skills, and vehicle features. The GPS also cannot plan for multiple drivers at once.
Why don’t I just use Google Maps or Bing Maps?
Google Maps or Bing Maps alone are not able to plan and optimize a route plan with multiple destinations and it does not support constraints like driver work times, delivery/service time windows, vehicle load capacity, driver skills and vehicle features.
Can OptimoRoute be used with Google Maps or other navigation apps?
The great thing about OptimoRoute is that it allows drivers or technicians to use any navigation app that they prefer. OptimoRoute simply optimizes the best possible route and once exported to the Mobile App drivers are directed to use any navigation app they want. Common choices include: Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze.
Where do I find the activation key for the OptimoRoute™ Driver app?
You can find the activation key for the OptimoRoute™ Driver app in a few places. First you can go to Administration -> Mobile Apps, where you can add your drivers’ emails to their respective profiles and click Activate. This will send an email to your driver with a link to download the app as well as the activation key. From that same Mobile Apps window, you will be able see the Activation key yourself, as well as whether or not they have activated their device.
The other location you can find the Activation key is Administration -> Drivers, open Edit driver window by double clicking on a driver, select the Mobile App tab, and click Activate.
Can I adjust the number of drivers I have subscribed?
Yes, you can change the number of your drivers in your account at your convenience.
Can two drivers share the Driver App?
No, each driver has a dedicated account activation code for their Driver App.
How is driving time calculated?
The calculation of driving times is based on average speeds which are computed on up-to-date map data. These average speeds vary depending on road categories.
What are the inputs that OptimoRoute takes into consideration while optimizing a route?
Some of the constraints that you can enter into OptimoRoute are: travel durations, driver work times, delivery/service time windows, vehicle load capacity, vehicle size, driver skills and vehicle features.
How long does it take for a route to be planned?
OptimoRoute is the fastest optimization software on the market, it only takes up to a minute for it to plan routes with thousands of orders.
Can I integrate my application with OptimoRoute™?
OptimoRoute offers an integration API that allows customers to seamlessly integrate their app with our system. With the API, you can automate order pushing, retrieve scheduling results into the ERP, and more. You can find the latest API specification and get support from our team for a smooth integration process.
Is my information safe with OptimoRoute?
Yes, we take our customers’ privacy very seriously and are SOC 2 Type 1 certified.
Pricing information
How long is the trial?
The OptimoRoute trial lasts for 30 days from your initial signup. The trial version gives you full access to Pro features but has an order limit of 250 orders.
Do I need a credit card for billing?
No, you can pay by credit card, wire transfer, or PayPal.
When will I be billed?
As soon as you opt for a plan and purchase it, the billing starts for the future period (month or year). Depending on your subscription, you will get billed monthly or annually. Note that for annual subscription, you get a 10% discount.
How does pricing work?
Our pricing is transparent and based on the number of drivers or technicians you need to plan for. For example, if a business delivers prepared food and uses 10 drivers to get the deliveries done, they would subscribe for 10 drivers. When their business expands in 4 months and they hire two more drivers, they would be able to easily and instantly upgrade to 12 drivers at that time.
Choose from three plan levels, each offering different order limits and features. The Custom Plan provides the most extensive features, including planning over 1000 orders, Proof of Delivery, Analytics, Customer Notifications and Feedback, Weekly Planning, and more. Save 10% on an annual subscription.
Is there a limit to the number of orders that can be planned at once?
Depending on your plan, the limit is 700, 1000, or more. This means that you can import 700, 1000 or thousands of orders at once, as well as have that same number of orders being taken into consideration for planning during your planning timeframe.
Is there a limit to the number of drivers?
You can plan with up to 100 of drivers. If you need more than 100 drivers, contact our Support team.
How many routes can I create?
There is no limit on the number of routes you can create in our software. However, the number of orders you can import or plan at once depends on your subscription plan. For example, the Lite Plan allows up to 700 orders at a time. You can perform multiple planning sessions with those 700 orders throughout the day or import another batch of 700 orders for a different date, as long as you stay within the limit for each session.
Can I plan for more than just one day at a time?
With OptimoRoute you can plan as far into the future as you need to. If you have multiple days you want to plan for, we also have a Weekly Planning feature that will plan up to 5 weeks of orders with one click.
Using OptimoRoute
What is an order?
Order is a specific unique action – a task, delivery or pickup at a certain location.
Each subscription has a limit (700/1000/1001+) on how many orders can be planned at one point in time. However, there are no limitations on the daily or monthly order volume.
How do I import orders, is bulk import possible?
To import orders click on the blue Import Orders button. You can then select or drag and drop your CSV, TXT or Excel file in the window. You can also import orders via copy / paste. In the next window you can check how OptimoRoute mapped your columns, or make changes to the mapping.
Can I download Planned Routes?
Yes, you can download the planned routes as MS Excel files of files ready to be uploaded to Garmin, TomTom or Navigon GPS devices.
What route export file formats are supported?
Routes can be emailed, sent directly to the Driver app, or exported in following formats: Excel (.xlsx),Garmin (.gpx), TomTom (.itn), and Navigon (.freshroute).
Can I manually change Planned Routes?
Yes, check out this guide on how to modify and rearrange Planned Routes. To simplify manual editing, we have added a drag and drop feature in the timeline and on the map. You can use it to add unscheduled orders as well.
Where can I see the total route distance?
In the OptimoRoute web app, after you’ve planned your routes, you can see the total route distance per driver on the top left, in the Plan and Optimize tab. You can also access that information in the grid at the bottom of the screen, under Routes.
What is the driver speed option?
OptimoRoute™ allows the average driving speed of each driver to be adjusted based on driver speed and capabilities. If you’ve noticed that one driver completes his route consistently a little faster than expected, you can adjust his speed so that OptimoRoute™ will then consider this and further optimize for that specific driver. To access this, simply go to the Administration menu -> Drivers -> double click on a driver to open Edit Drivers window and then select the Speed tab. Learn more about adding and editing Drivers here.
Can I assign certain orders to certain drivers?
Yes, using the Assigned to field. If you want orders assigned when you import, make sure the driver info in your spreadsheet matches the driver serial number in OptimoRoute. Learn more about how orders are defined here.
Why can’t I delete orders?
If a route has already been sent to the driver’s mobile app, there are limitations on modifying the route. To delete orders, simply deactivate the live route, which will remove the routes from the drivers’ phones. Once you have deleted the desired orders, you can send the updated routes back to the drivers’ phones.
If you prefer not to deactivate the route, you can also contact the driver and request them to locate the specific order you want to remove and “reject” it.
I’ve imported my orders but nothing happened. Where are they?
There are a few possibilities to consider. After importing your orders, it is important to check if all addresses were successfully found. Each order will be marked with a color: green for Geocoded, orange for Partial Match, or red for Not Found. Before proceeding, remember to click ‘Save’ at the bottom right of the Order Review tab.
If you skipped this step, you may need to re-import the orders and ensure you click ‘Save’ at the bottom. Alternatively, your orders might still be in the Order Review tab, accessible at the top of the screen after navigating through Plan and Optimize, Live, and Analytics. If you find your orders there, simply click ‘Save’ at the bottom right of the screen. In case you have any orders marked as ‘Not Found,’ make sure to correct them before proceeding.
If you have completed these steps and still cannot see your orders on the map, it’s possible they are on a different date. Check your spreadsheet for any imported dates and adjust the calendar in OptimoRoute accordingly to find your orders. Additionally, you might have accidentally hidden them. To reveal the pins on the map, click on the ‘show/hide unscheduled orders’ button located on the right side above the order list.
My routes don’t look optimal. Am I doing something wrong?
OptimoRoute is designed to generate optimal routes for your drivers, considering all pre-defined constraints. These routes may occasionally appear counterintuitive, especially to users who have extensive knowledge of the area where the routes are being planned. If the routes seem counterintuitive, you can record the total distance traveled and working time planned for each driver, and then recreate previously used routes. This will allow you to compare and see the distance and time saved.
If the routes are still suboptimal, it’s possible that orders were manually inserted without re-optimization or consideration of how their placement would affect overall time and distance. In such cases, the best option is to select the driver, go to Plan Routes, choose Allowed Changes, and click on ‘Keep Drivers’ to fit planned orders into new ones and re-optimize the route.
If you are still not getting satisfactory routes, please contact our support team, and we will be happy to assist you further.
Why aren’t all the orders that I imported on a planned route?
OptimoRoute optimizes routes based on the constraints you have defined, such as skills, vehicle features, and time windows. However, the most common constraints are duration (order completion time) and your drivers’ working hours. If there are any unscheduled orders, it is likely because these orders cannot be accommodated within the designated working hours of your drivers.
To resolve this, you may need to adjust certain constraints, such as providing accurate durations for orders, extending the working hours of your drivers, or increasing the number of drivers available. If you would like to plan orders over the course of a week, please contact our support team to enable Weekly Planning for your account.
The software gave all the orders to a few drivers. I want orders given to all the drivers.
If you want to utilize all of your drivers, you can choose the option “Balance routes and use all drivers” within the Planning Settings window. When you select this option during route planning, it enables you to balance the routes based on either Working Time or Number of orders per driver.
Why are the routes in straight lines instead of following the roads?
OptimoRoute offers a simplified view of routes, displaying stops connected by a straight line. If you prefer to see the actual roads that your driver would follow to complete the route, you can deactivate the “simplified routes button” located in the bottom right of the app.
Can I have more than one depot?
There are multiple ways to create more than one depot in OptimoRoute. You can have as many depots as needed by setting different starting locations for your drivers. By default, all drivers start and end at the address initially provided when creating your account. If you have another depot where drivers operate from, you can go to Administration → Drivers, select the drivers who work from that depot, and open their Edit Driver window. From there, you can specify the new depot’s address as the “start location.” By default, the drivers will end their route where it began. If you wish to change the end location, you can select “end location” and input a new address. For more information on adding drivers and setting driver details, please refer to our documentation.
Do I need to download the map of the city in my default navigation before starting the route?
If you’ll be working in areas with limited cell service, consider downloading your working area on Google Maps for offline access. Otherwise, there’s no need to download the map.
Some of my new orders are not being planned, what do I do?
If you add new orders to your schedule that require your driver to return to the depot, it’s important to have the “return to depot function” activated. This allows the software to plan the necessary return trip for your driver.
The software isn’t planning all my orders, even though I have less than 700 (or 1000). How do I get it to plan everything I give it in the routes for the day?
The software optimizes routes based on the constraints you set, such as time windows, service areas, required skills, vehicle capacities, required vehicle features, and more. If some orders are left out, it’s usually because they cannot fit within the given constraints. To include more orders, you can adjust driver working hours, reduce order durations, expand time windows, or manually schedule the orders. The ‘Not Scheduled’ tab provides insights on what changes may be needed to accommodate all orders on a route. Take advantage of our Drag & Drop feature for seamless manual modifications and adding unscheduled orders.
Does your software consider traffic?
Our mobile app uses the default navigation on the driver’s device, such as Google Maps, Waze, or Apple Maps, which consider live traffic when providing routes between locations. The same applies when downloading our routes to a GPS device. However, during planning, OptimoRoute does not consider traffic to determine the best sequence for deliveries.
I created a new account by mistake and now I cannot get into my old account
If you have accidentally created two accounts with the same email address, accessing your old account is a straightforward process. On the login page, your most recent account will be automatically selected in a dropdown menu. To access your old account, simply open the dropdown menu and select that account. If necessary, you can also reach out to us at support@optimoroute.com to deactivate the unintended account.
Who do I turn to if something isn’t functioning properly?
You can contact our Support team at support@optimoroute.com or +1 (855) 338-2838, we’re here to help!
Features
Is live tracking available?
Live ETA and Breadcrumbs both let you see in more detail how the day is going in real-time. Thanks to Live ETA, your route planners and customer service team will have a detailed and real-time insight into exactly what is happening out on the roads – and will be able to respond quickly if things aren’t quite going according to plan.
Can I see where my drivers are when they are on the move / standing still?
Yes, with live tracking, you can get insight into your driver’s progress at all times.
Can I send delivery or service notifications to my customers?
Yes, with Realtime Order Tracking via email or text message, it’s easy to keep your customers in the loop. Send notifications ahead of time, and on the day of the service or delivery, customers can access their order tracking link for live updates of their technician’s arrival time.
Do you offer proof of delivery or service?
Yes, we offer Proof of Delivery or Service with 3 functions: notes, signature, and photos. Learn how to set up Proof of Delivery feature here.
Can my customers give my drivers or technicians feedback?
OptimoRoute users can collect feedback from their customers after a task or delivery is completed by activating the Customer Feedback feature. Learn how to enable it here.
Can my drivers or technicians collect signatures / take photos / notes after my order?
Yes, we have a feature called Proof of Delivery or Service. It has all 3 functions: notes, signature, and photos. Learn how to set up Proof of Delivery feature here.
Am I able to drag and drop orders to different stops on the timeline?
Yes, we offer an Intelligent Drag & Drop Timeline feature that allows users to make manual changes efficiently and swiftly to handle unexpected or urgent situations. You can find more information about this feature here.
Do you take into account vehicle size restrictions for larger vehicles?
Yes, our Commercial Routing features takes size restrictions into consideration when planning, insuring that your large vehicle’s route uses only allowed roads.
Do you take into account hazardous material restrictions when planning?
Yes, our Commercial Routing features takes hazardous material restrictions into consideration when planning, insuring that your hazmat vehicle’s route uses only allowed roads.