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Route Planning

The route planning chapter explains how vendors can use customer route assignments to organize incoming orders in Mathership. In the current workflow, route planning is focused on one main function: assigning customers to routes so new orders can automatically receive the correct route information when they are created.
Mathership route planning currently supports route assignment for orders. It does not describe automatic route optimization, driver tracking, delivery sequencing, ETAs, or vehicle planning.

What vendors can manage

Customer Route Assignment

Customer route assignment connects a customer and vendor relationship to a route. When a customer places an order, Mathership checks whether a route assignment exists for that customer and vendor.
SituationResult
Route assignment existsThe route is stored on the new order
No route assignment existsThe order is created without a route
This helps vendors organize incoming orders by route, delivery area, sales region, or another internal grouping.

Routes on Orders

Routes are added during order creation. A customer does not select the route when sending the order. Mathership checks the existing route assignment automatically. This means vendors can later review orders together with their assigned route information.

Orders Without Routes

An order can still be created if no route assignment exists. In that case, the route field remains empty. The order is not blocked.
Missing route information does not prevent an order from being placed.

How route assignment works

When a customer sends an order, Mathership follows this logic:
  1. Mathership checks the customer company
  2. Mathership checks the vendor company
  3. Mathership checks the customer-vendor relationship
  4. Mathership looks for a matching customer route assignment
  5. If a route exists, Mathership adds it to the order
  6. If no route exists, the order is created without a route

Example

A vendor uses routes to group customers by delivery area.
CustomerAssigned route
Restaurant NorthNorth Route
Restaurant CenterCity Center
Restaurant SouthSouth Route
If Restaurant Center places an order, Mathership can add City Center to the order automatically.

What route planning can be used for

Delivery areas

Vendors can group customers by delivery areas. Examples:
  • North Route
  • South Route
  • City Center
  • Hotels
  • Restaurants outside town

Internal dispatch groups

Routes can also represent internal handling groups. Examples:
  • Monday delivery
  • Tuesday delivery
  • Warehouse 1
  • Key accounts
  • Regional sales area

Order organization

Route information can help vendors sort or review orders more easily. For example, a vendor can use routes to prepare orders for different delivery runs or customer groups.

Typical route workflow

  1. Vendor defines routes internally
  2. Vendor assigns customers to routes
  3. Customer sends an order
  4. Mathership creates the order
  5. Mathership checks for a matching route assignment
  6. Mathership stores the route on the order if one exists
  7. Vendor reviews the order with the assigned route

Important behavior

Route assignment is automatic

The route is added during order creation if a matching assignment exists.

Route assignment is relationship-based

A route assignment belongs to a specific customer-vendor relationship. This means the same customer could have different route logic with different vendors.

Route assignment does not optimize routes

Mathership does not currently calculate the best driving route, stop sequence, driver workload, traffic impact, or delivery ETA from this feature.

Orders can be created without route assignment

If no route is assigned, the order is still created normally.

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 created

Wrong route appears on an order

Check that:
  • The customer is assigned to the correct route
  • The customer-vendor relationship is correct
  • The route assignment has been updated
  • The order was created after the assignment was changed

Route is not added automatically

Check that:
  • The route assignment exists for the exact customer and vendor
  • The customer company and vendor company are correct
  • The order was placed through the correct relationship

Best practices

Use clear route names

Use route names that match your internal workflow. Examples:
  • North Route
  • City Center
  • Monday Route
  • Key Accounts
  • Hotel Customers

Keep customer assignments updated

Update route assignments when customer delivery areas, delivery days, or internal responsibilities change.

Review routes before processing orders

Route information helps organize orders, but vendors should still check order details, delivery location, and customer information before dispatch.

Do not use route assignment as delivery optimization

Use route assignment as an organizational tool, not as a replacement for manual dispatch planning or external route optimization.

Customer Route Assignment

Assign customers to routes so new orders can receive route information.

Orders

Review how customer orders are received and processed by vendors.

Order List

View incoming customer orders.

Order Details

View the full details of a single order.

Customer Details

View customer information, customer numbers, and delivery locations.
Last modified on May 6, 2026