Managing Pickup Locations

Pickup locations are the physical locations where drivers pick up packages for delivery. Managing these locations is crucial for efficient delivery operations.

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What Is a Pickup Location?

Definition:

A pickup location is any physical address where:

• You store inventory
• Drivers pick up packages
• Orders are shipped from

Examples:

• Main warehouse
• Retail store
• Office location
• Distribution center
• Partner pickup location

Why It Matters:

• Drivers need to know where to pick up packages
• Rate calculation based on distance from center to customer
• Multiple centers allow broader coverage

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Accessing Pickup Locations Page

Navigation:

• Click "Pickup Locations" in sidebar
• Or go to: portal.shaloz.com/pickup-locations

Page Shows:

• Table of all your pickup locations
• Search and filter options
• Add new center button
• Edit/delete actions per center

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Viewing Your Pickup Locations

Table Columns:

• Center Name - Descriptive name you gave it
• Address - Full street address
• City - City name
• State - State abbreviation
• ZIP Code - 5-digit ZIP
• Coordinates - Latitude and longitude
• Actions - Edit and delete buttons

Features:

• Search - Filter by name, address, or city
• Pagination - Navigate through large lists
• Sort - Click column headers to sort

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Adding a New Pickup Location

When to Add:

• Opening new warehouse or store
• Expanding to new geographic area
• Adding partner pickup locations
• Improving delivery coverage

Step-by-Step:

1. Click "Add Pickup Location" Button

• Located at top of page
• Opens creation form/modal

2. Enter Center Details

Center Name:

• Descriptive, memorable name
• Examples:
• "Main Warehouse"
• "Downtown Store"
• "North Distribution Center"
• "LA Fulfillment Hub"

Address Information:

• Address Line 1 - Street address
• Address Line 2 - Suite/unit (optional)
• City - City name
• State - Select from dropdown (all 50 US states)
• ZIP Code - 5-digit ZIP code

3. Coordinates Auto-Populate

What Happens:

• System uses Google Maps geocoding API
• Latitude and longitude fill automatically
• Based on address you entered
• No manual entry needed

Why It's Important:

• Accurate location for rate calculation
• Driver navigation
• Distance measurements

4. Review and Save

• Review all details for accuracy
• Click "Save" or "Create Pickup Location"
• Center added to your list
• Immediately available for use

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Editing a Pickup Location

When to Edit:

• Address changed (moved locations)
• Center name needs updating
• Correcting errors

Step-by-Step:

1. Find Center in List

• Use search if needed
• Scroll through table

2. Click "Edit" Icon

• Pencil/edit icon in Actions column
• Opens edit form

3. Modify Details

Can Change:

• Center name
• Address (all fields)
• City, state, ZIP code

Auto-Updates:

• Coordinates recalculate if address changes
• Rate calculations adjust automatically

4. Save Changes

• Click "Save" button
• Changes applied immediately
• All pending orders use updated location

Important:

• Editing a center affects all future orders
• Pending orders still reference old address until fulfilled

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Deleting a Pickup Location

When to Delete:

• Closed location permanently
• No longer using that pickup point
• Duplicate entries

Caution:

• Cannot delete if center has active orders
• Cannot delete if it's your only center (must have at least one)

Step-by-Step:

1. Click "Delete" Icon

• Trash can icon in Actions column
• Opens confirmation dialog

2. Confirm Deletion

• Warning: "This action cannot be undone"
• Click "Confirm" or "Delete"

3. Center Removed

• Disappears from list immediately
• Historical orders still reference this center
• New orders cannot use this center

What Happens to Orders:

• Completed orders - Historical data preserved
• Pending orders - Remain assigned to deleted center (fulfill before deleting)
• Future orders - Cannot be created for deleted center

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Best Practices

Naming Conventions:

Good Names:

• "Main Warehouse - Seattle"
• "Downtown Store #1"
• "North Distribution Center"
• "Partner Location - Chicago"

Avoid:

• Vague names like "Location 1", "Center A"
• Names without geographic context
• Duplicate names

Address Accuracy:

Tips:

• Use exact address from Google Maps
• Include suite/unit for multi-tenant buildings
• Verify ZIP code matches address
• Test coordinates on map if visible

Why Accuracy Matters:

• Incorrect address = drivers can't find pickup location
• Wrong coordinates = inaccurate rate calculations
• Customer complaints and delivery delays

Coverage Planning:

Strategic Center Placement:

• Urban areas - One center may cover entire city
• Suburban areas - Multiple centers for better coverage
• Large territories - Centers every 20-30 miles
• High-volume zones - Dedicated centers

Coverage Radius:

• Typical: 20-50 miles from center
• Depends on shipment zone configuration
• Use Rate Calculator to test coverage

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Working with Multiple Pickup Locations

Benefits:

• Broader geographic coverage
• Faster delivery times (shorter distances)
• Lower shipping costs for customers
• Redundancy if one center is unavailable

Management Tips:

1. Organize by Region

• Name centers with geographic identifiers
• Example: "East Coast Warehouse", "West Coast Hub"

2. Assign Team Members by Center

• Go to Team Members page
• Map team members to specific centers
• They only see orders from their centers

3. Configure Shipment Zones

• Define which ZIP codes each center serves
• Avoid overlap (or prioritize specific center)
• System routes orders to nearest center

4. Monitor Performance

• Use Dashboard to view pending by center
• Identify bottlenecks
• Balance workload

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Pickup Location Selector (Business Owners)

Located: Header dropdown (when you have multiple centers)

Purpose:

• Filter dashboard and order views by center
• Quick switching between locations

How to Use:

1. Click dropdown in header
2. Select center or "All Centers"
3. Page updates to show selected center's data

Team Members:

• Don't see this selector
• Automatically limited to assigned centers

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Shipment Zones Integration

Connection to Shipment Zones:

• Each pickup location can have its own shipment zones
• Zones define which ZIP codes the center serves
• Configured on Shipment Zones page

Example Setup:

• Main Warehouse serves ZIP codes: 90001-90099
• North Center serves ZIP codes: 91001-91099
• South Center serves ZIP codes: 92001-92099

See Article 2.7 for Shipment Zones setup

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Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: Address Won't Geocode

Symptoms:

• Coordinates don't populate
• Error message: "Unable to geocode address"

Solutions:

• Verify address is complete and valid
• Try without suite/unit number
• Use standard USPS format
• Contact support for manual coordinate entry

Issue: Can't Delete Center

Symptoms:

• Delete button disabled or error on deletion

Reasons:

• Center has active orders
• Center is your only center (must have at least one)

Solutions:

• Fulfill or cancel active orders first
• Add another center before deleting
• Contact support if stuck

Issue: Drivers Can't Find Pickup Location

Symptoms:

• Drivers call saying they can't locate center
• Delivery delays

Solutions:

• Verify address is exact and accurate
• Add special instructions (if feature available)
• Include suite/unit number
• Update coordinates if needed
• Contact driver support to update navigation

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API Integration

For Developers:

Pickup locations are used in API calls for rate lookup and fulfillment creation. Ensure centers are configured in portal before API integration.

API Endpoints:

• /fulfilment-centers - List all centers
• System automatically selects nearest center for rate calculation

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Need Help?

Can't Add Pickup Location?

• Verify all required fields are filled
• Check address is valid US address
• Try different browser if form not submitting
• Contact support: help.shaloz.com

Questions About Coverage?

• Use Rate Calculator to test ZIP codes
• Check Shipment Zones configuration
• Contact support for coverage planning assistance