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Job Overview

Introduction​

In a transportation management system, a Job represents a high-level grouping of orders or shipments that are related to a specific project, customer, or operational requirement. Jobs provide a way to organize and manage multiple orders collectively, offering a broader view of logistics operations.

Key Concepts​

Job Structure​

A Job typically consists of:

  • Basic information (Job ID, description, status)
  • Associated orders or shipments
  • Commodities or cargo details
  • Customer information
  • Timeline and deadlines
  • Related documents and notes

Job vs. Order​

While an Order represents a specific shipment or transportation request, a Job can encompass multiple orders. This hierarchy allows for better organization and management of complex logistics projects.

Use Cases​

Jobs are particularly useful in the following scenarios:

  1. Project-based Logistics: When managing the transportation needs for a large project (e.g., construction, event planning), a Job can group all related shipments.

  2. Customer-specific Campaigns: For recurring shipments or a series of deliveries for a single customer, a Job can provide an overview of the entire operation.

  3. Multi-leg Shipments: In cases where cargo needs to be transported through various modes (e.g., ocean to ground to air), a Job can track the entire journey.

  4. Consolidated Shipping: When multiple orders are consolidated for efficiency, a Job can represent the entire consolidated shipment process.

Job Overview

What is a Job?​

A Job in CargoXplorer is a way to group related shipments and tasks under one umbrella. It helps you manage complex logistics projects that involve multiple shipments, services, and steps.

Key Benefits​

  • Organize multiple shipments and tasks
  • Track overall progress of a logistics project
  • Manage costs and profitability across related shipments
  • Coordinate team members working on the same project

Creating a New Job​

How to Create a Job​

  1. Go to the Jobs module
  2. Click "New Job"
  3. Fill in the required information:
    • Job Number (auto-generated)
    • Job Name
    • Job Type
    • Customer
    • Start Date
    • Expected Completion Date
    • Job Description

Using Jobs in Transportation Scenarios​

Air Shipment Example​

  1. Create a job called "Trade Show Equipment to Paris"
  2. Add multiple air shipments under this job:
    • Booth materials from New York
    • Product samples from Chicago
    • Marketing materials from Los Angeles
  3. Track all shipments and ensure they arrive in Paris on time

Ocean Shipment Example​

  1. Set up a job named "Q4 Inventory Restocking"
  2. Include several ocean shipments:
    • Container from Shanghai to Los Angeles
    • Container from Ho Chi Minh City to Seattle
    • LCL shipment from Mumbai to New York
  3. Monitor progress of all incoming inventory in one place

Ground Transportation Example​

  1. Create a job for "Nationwide Product Launch Distribution"
  2. Add multiple ground shipments:
    • Truckloads from central warehouse to regional hubs
    • Last-mile deliveries to individual stores
  3. Coordinate timing and track costs across the entire distribution network

Managing Job Progress​

Adding Shipments to a Job​

  1. When creating a new shipment, select the related job from the dropdown
  2. Or, go to an existing job and use "Add Shipment" to link it

Tracking Job Status​

  • View the Jobs dashboard to see progress of all active jobs
  • Check individual job pages for detailed status of linked shipments and tasks

Job Costing​

  • See rolled-up costs from all shipments and tasks in the job
  • Compare actual costs to estimates
  • Track profitability of the overall job

By using Jobs in CargoXplorer, you can better organize complex logistics projects, improve coordination among team members, and gain better visibility into the progress and profitability of your operations.