> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.mathership.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Customer Route Assignment
> Assign customers to vendor routes so incoming orders can be linked to the correct route
# Customer Route Assignment
Customer route assignment helps vendors connect customers to internal routes.
A route can represent a delivery route, sales area, service area, warehouse route, or another internal grouping used by the vendor.
When a customer places an order, Mathership checks whether that customer has a route assignment for the selected vendor. If a route assignment exists, the route is added to the order.
Route assignment helps classify orders. It does not calculate or optimize delivery routes.
## What customer route assignment is used for
Vendors can use route assignments to organize customers by operational responsibility.
Examples:
* Delivery route
* Driver area
* Sales region
* Delivery day
* Warehouse or dispatch group
* Internal customer group
## How it works
When an order is created, Mathership checks the customer-vendor relationship and looks for a matching route assignment.
| Situation | Result |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| Customer has an assigned route | The route is stored on the order |
| Customer has no assigned route | The order is created without a route |
This allows vendors to review orders together with route information.
## Example
A vendor groups customers by delivery route.
| Customer | Assigned route |
| ------------ | -------------- |
| Restaurant A | North Route |
| Restaurant B | City Center |
| Restaurant C | South Route |
If **Restaurant B** sends an order, Mathership can add **City Center** to that order.
## When route assignment is useful
### Sorting incoming orders
Routes help vendors group incoming orders by delivery area or internal workflow.
### Preparing dispatch
Route information can help the team prepare orders for the correct delivery group.
### Supporting internal workflows
Routes can also be used for non-delivery workflows, such as sales areas, warehouse groups, or customer service responsibility.
## Typical workflow
1. Vendor creates or defines routes
2. Vendor assigns customers to routes
3. Customer sends an order
4. Mathership checks the customer route assignment
5. Mathership adds the route to the order if one exists
6. Vendor reviews the order with the assigned route
## Important behavior
### Route assignment is automatic during order creation
The vendor does not need to select the route manually when the order is created.
### Orders can exist without routes
If no route assignment exists, the order is still created.
### Route assignment belongs to one customer-vendor connection
A customer can have different route assignments depending on the vendor relationship.
### Route assignment is not route optimization
Mathership does not automatically calculate the fastest route, driver order, distance, or travel time from this assignment.
## Common problems
### Order has no route
Check that:
* The customer has a route assignment
* The route assignment belongs to the correct vendor
* The customer ordered from the correct vendor
* The assignment existed before the order was placed
### Wrong route appears on an order
Check that:
* The customer is assigned to the correct route
* The customer-vendor relationship is correct
* The old route assignment was updated
### Customer cannot be assigned
Check that:
* The customer has been added to the vendor account
* The customer relationship is active
* You are using the correct vendor company
## Best practices
### Use clear route names
Use names that match your internal workflow.
Examples:
* North Route
* City Center
* Monday Route
* Hotels
* Key Accounts
### Keep assignments updated
Update route assignments when customers move, delivery days change, or responsibilities change.
### Check route information before dispatch
Route information helps prepare orders, but vendors should still confirm the final delivery plan before dispatch.
## Related pages
Review how vendor orders are received and processed.
View incoming customer orders.
View the full details of a single order.
View customer information and delivery locations.