Learn More About Multi-Leg Shipment Tracking Settings
Plans: Enterprise Platforms: All platforms
AfterShip Tracking enables you to customize how you want to track and display updates of your multi-leg shipments. A multi-leg shipment refers to a shipment that is handled by multiple carriers during its journey—usually one carrier for the initial part of the journey (the first mile) and another for the final part (the last mile).
AfterShip currently uses basic rules to detect the last-mile carrier. Once AfterShip identifies a shipment as multi-leg and determines the last-mile carrier, it:
Retrieves tracking checkpoints from the last-mile carrier and combines them with the first-mile carrier's data.
Stops updating first-mile carrier checkpoints as soon as the first “In Transit” checkpoint from the last-mile carrier is received.
With the introduction of the multi-leg shipment checkpoint rules functionality, AfterShip allows users to customize the tracking behavior of their multi-leg shipments based on their specific business needs.
Log in to your AfterShip Tracking admin dashboard.
Go to Settings > Shipment Tracking.
The feature offers three main capabilities for Multi-leg shipments tracking.
AfterShip can automatically detect which carrier is handling the last mile and retrieve the most up-to-date tracking updates for you. This is done using a set of pre-defined detection rules. This feature is enabled by default, so you don't have to worry about manually setting it up.
AfterShip has upgraded its detection engine for improved performance, especially for USPS. This means you can now track USPS shipments with more detailed and accurate status updates. If you are an Enterprise user, you can manually update the engine to access the latest improvements, just click Update for free appearing on the blue box. You can always go back to the old engine by simply clicking downgrade to the old engine.
If you cannot see the update banner, it means your system is already using the latest engine.
This feature lets you control how the shipment tracking data is displayed, specifically regarding the updates from the first-mile and last-mile carriers. There are two main options:
Prioritize last-mile carrier updates(default): This option is enabled by default. AfterShip will first track the shipment with the first-mile carrier. However, once it detects that the last-mile carrier has updated the status (for example, In Transit), the system will stop showing updates from the first-mile carrier and will continue tracking the shipment using the last-mile carrier until it's delivered.
If you believe that updates from the last-mile carrier are more accurate or detailed, you can keep this default setting.
Show both first and last-mile carrier updates (beta): This option will show updates from both the first-mile and last-mile carriers. The system will display the checkpoint update from the fastest carrier, ensuring that the most timely information is always shown. If both carriers update the same checkpoint (for example, Out for delivery), only the faster update will be updated and displayed in the shipment route.
If the timeliness of tracking updates is crucial, and you want to ensure that no important status updates are missed, you can choose this option to get the fastest, most up-to-date checkpoint information.
Overview
AfterShip Tracking enables you to customize how you want to track and display updates of your multi-leg shipments. A multi-leg shipment refers to a shipment that is handled by multiple carriers during its journey—usually one carrier for the initial part of the journey (the first mile) and another for the final part (the last mile).
How AfterShip currently handles last-mile shipment tracking
AfterShip currently uses basic rules to detect the last-mile carrier. Once AfterShip identifies a shipment as multi-leg and determines the last-mile carrier, it:
Retrieves tracking checkpoints from the last-mile carrier and combines them with the first-mile carrier's data.
Stops updating first-mile carrier checkpoints as soon as the first “In Transit” checkpoint from the last-mile carrier is received.
With the introduction of the multi-leg shipment checkpoint rules functionality, AfterShip allows users to customize the tracking behavior of their multi-leg shipments based on their specific business needs.
How to configure the rules of your multi-leg shipments
Log in to your AfterShip Tracking admin dashboard.
Go to Settings > Shipment Tracking.
The feature offers three main capabilities for Multi-leg shipments tracking.
1. Auto-detect last-mile carriers
AfterShip can automatically detect which carrier is handling the last mile and retrieve the most up-to-date tracking updates for you. This is done using a set of pre-defined detection rules. This feature is enabled by default, so you don't have to worry about manually setting it up.
2. Update detection engine
AfterShip has upgraded its detection engine for improved performance, especially for USPS. This means you can now track USPS shipments with more detailed and accurate status updates. If you are an Enterprise user, you can manually update the engine to access the latest improvements, just click Update for free appearing on the blue box. You can always go back to the old engine by simply clicking downgrade to the old engine.
If you cannot see the update banner, it means your system is already using the latest engine.
3. Customize multi-leg shipments' checkpoint update preferences
This feature lets you control how the shipment tracking data is displayed, specifically regarding the updates from the first-mile and last-mile carriers. There are two main options:
Prioritize last-mile carrier updates(default): This option is enabled by default. AfterShip will first track the shipment with the first-mile carrier. However, once it detects that the last-mile carrier has updated the status (for example, In Transit), the system will stop showing updates from the first-mile carrier and will continue tracking the shipment using the last-mile carrier until it's delivered.
If you believe that updates from the last-mile carrier are more accurate or detailed, you can keep this default setting.
Show both first and last-mile carrier updates (beta): This option will show updates from both the first-mile and last-mile carriers. The system will display the checkpoint update from the fastest carrier, ensuring that the most timely information is always shown. If both carriers update the same checkpoint (for example, Out for delivery), only the faster update will be updated and displayed in the shipment route.
If the timeliness of tracking updates is crucial, and you want to ensure that no important status updates are missed, you can choose this option to get the fastest, most up-to-date checkpoint information.
Updated on: 19/11/2024
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