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User Defined Fields in OnTime 360

OnTime 360 subscriptions offer a unique array of customizable features, such as an included set of User Defined Fields. With our User Defined Fields, you can input custom information about orders that will appear to all of your customers and users across OnTime. Each field can be named and used in the way that you desire.

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User Defined Fields in OnTime Management Suite

While most courier software systems offer between zero and ten User Defined Fields, each OnTime subscription includes the ability to define up to 50 Custom Fields. The fields can hold four types of data: alphanumeric strings, numbers, dates, or Boolean values (true/false). OnTime's Custom Fields offer the flexibility to preserve the data that you truly need, at any moment.

These fields are not only available through the OnTime applications. In a recent update, we have integrated Custom Fields with our API, allowing you to make other software post information to or from your OnTime User Defined Fields. OnTime is the only courier software that offers API calls for Custom User Defined Fields.

Using OnTime's Custom Fields will allow our software to work even better with your delivery business. Our services scale with you, future-proofing your company and freeing you from software limitations. No other delivery software is as customizable as OnTime 360.

Learn more about the OnTime API or download OnTime now.

OnTime 360: The First Courier Software Available in a Pure 64-Bit Version

In July of 2013, OnTime 360 became the first delivery management software of its kind and caliber available in a pure 64-bit version. At OnTime, we are always working to keep our services and clients up-to-date with the best available technologies. Of course, we also work to make our services available to our clients using their existing equipment, so OnTime is still available and fully functional in a 32-bit version.

About 64-bit processing

  • Standard in most new computers
  • Perform best with 64-bit software
  • Will run 32-bit software
  • Improved, efficient handling of RAM
  • Improved, efficient handling of large data
  • Improved, efficient multitasking

About OnTime 360 64-bit Version

We are the only courier software with a pure 64-bit connection to QuickBooks, which allows for more data to be sent faster between QuickBooks and OnTime applications. Data can be sent faster between Excel and OnTime, as well. 

Multitasking is vastly improved with 64-bit processors. Multiple programs may be run and switched between quickly and seamlessly, allowing you to simultaneously use OnTime Management Suite, OnTime Dispatch, QuickBooks, Excel, and whatever other programs you need, without issue.

Your move to the 64-bit version will be seamless. Our installer will auto-detect and choose the optimal version for your computer, so you don’t need to select between 64-bit or 32-bit.  All 64-bit improvements will automatically become available if your computer runs the 64-bit version.

Try, buy, or download OnTime 360 to see the 64-bit version for yourself.

OnTime 360: Available Internationally; Supported Internationally

People are often curious about OnTime’s international capabilities. With our subscribers spread across six continents, we’ve implemented a number of automatic functions within OnTime to ensure that the system always works for every region.

International Language Support

OnTime 360 smart delivery management software is available across the globe, and our integrated Unicode support allows any language to be entered into the system.

Although OnTime’s UI will appear in English, you may use any language to input information. From Customer Names and Notes to User Defined Fields, all of that information will be displayed in the entered language, even if the text uses non-Latin based characters or runs left-to-right.

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International Date and Time Representation

OnTime is considered the smart courier software because it automatically works with delivery businesses. One way the system does that is by detecting and using the regional settings found in Windows, then displaying date and time formats accordingly.

OnTime’s applications will automatically adjust date and time settings based on local settings, so if you create an invoice on a computer that uses a 12-hour clock, but print that invoice on a computer that uses a 24-hour clock, the printed invoice will use the 24-hour clock.

International Time Zone Support

In other courier management programs, if you enter information at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, that information will be time stamped as 12:00 PM, even in other time zones. OnTime 360 addresses time zones differently, allowing you to offer your customers a more personal experience.

Our applications each render everything locally for the viewer, based on their regional settings in Windows. For example, when your employees in Eastern Time see a 12:00PM time stamp, OnTime will automatically show 9:00AM to your customers who use Pacific Time.

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International Currency Support

Again, OnTime intelligently detects and uses your local Windows regional settings to display the appropriate currency for your business. OnTime supports all major currencies.

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We recommend consistency with the currency-type that you use across your OnTime account.

International Measurement Support

OnTime supports the use of any unit of length. As with currency, we recommend that you are consistent with whatever unit you choose.

Free Price Estimate Applets for Your Web Page

When we introduced our free website applet that allows shippers to track their orders from your website, we promised that we had similar additions planned. We are pleased to announce OnTime's second free applet that can be used on any web page. The new applet allows your website visitors to enter two postal or zip codes and receive an automatic cost estimate for shipping with your company.

The Price Estimate applet is available to every user of OnTime delivery software, with any subscription plan.

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To create this applet and add it to your web page, first set which pricing you want the estimator to use. Enter OnTime Management Suite and go to Tools > Web Site Applets. A window appear will appear:

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Select the price set and type of pricing you want to use. You may also include a disclaimer that customers see with the price.

To generate the code for your website, click on the link labeled Generate price estimate form. Paste the code where you would like the price estimate applet to appear on your website. 

If you have any questions about this tool, feel free to contact technical support.

Calculating Percentages for Tax, Fuel Surcharges, and More

OnTime offers flexible pricing capabilities across the system. Starting in release 2.4.133, more powerful features have been implemented to further improve OnTime’s already capable pricing architecture.

Often, users of OnTime need to calculate a percentage of an order to determine charges, such as fuel surcharges and taxes. OnTime has always allowed these percentages to be determined in relation to the order’s base price; however, some users have requested more flexibility. OnTime accommodates this need by allowing one or more price modifiers to be chosen to make up the base price that the percentage will be calculated from.

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To use this feature, follow these steps:

  1. Create price modifiers as necessary to describe the percentage charges. Set the modifiers Action type to Flat Percentage.
  2. Add the price modifiers to a price set by ticking the left column checkboxes in the Price Modifiers list, as illustrated here:
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  3. A price modifier based on a percentage will display a Set % button when selected, as shown here:
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  4. Click the Set % button to display a list of all price modifiers that are included in the price set. Place a checkmark next to each entry that you would like to be included in the total from which the percentage of this price modifier will be derived.
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  5. Click OK to save these settings and then save the price set.

Enabling OnTime GPS Transmission on a Blackberry

OnTime can work with Blackberry devices to transmit GPS locations. Because OnTime Mobile Web operates primarily through web browsers, some configuration may be necessary to ensure that a Blackberry successfully transmits location information.

How to configure the Blackberry web browser to allow GPS tracking:

  1. Open the Browser.
  2. Open the browser's main menu.
  3. Choose Options > General Properties.
  4. Ensure that the Enable JavaScript Location support option is checked. Save changes and return to the browser home page.
  5. Log in to the OnTime Mobile Web application in the browser and you will be prompted with a message box asking permission. Check the box labeled Remember my decision for this site and then click the Allow button. OnTime will automatically transmit the device’s current location once every 60 seconds.

The Blackberry device may have settings that cause it to power down automatically if the user is not interacting with the device for a certain period of time. To work around this power saving feature, try the following:

  • Adjust the power settings to prevent the device from turning off automatically.
  • Load a third party application to control the prevention of certain applications turning off. Leave It On is an example of an app that may help.

File Attachments for Orders

OnTime offers a convenient way of managing documents and other files. Your customers can access these files via the OnTime Customer Web Portal

Organize Files

Go to the tracking view in either OnTime Management Suite or OnTime Dispatch, open the desired order, and select the attachments tab:

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You can attach files to the order using any of the following methods:

  1. Click the Attach File button
  2. Right click within the list and choose Attach File
  3. Drag and drop a file onto the list

Each file is limited to 100 KB in size. A PDF scanned in black-and-white (not grayscale) will be around 50 to 80 KB.

From the OnTime Customer Web Portal, customers will see something that looks like this when viewing order details with attached files:

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Customers can click on files to download and view.

Sliding Commissions for Drivers

Companies that pay drivers and other employees commission require the ability to modify pricing structures to include commission when appropriate. They require more than an on/off switch to indicate when a charge is eligible for commission — they need a sliding scale that is applicable on a per charge basis. OnTime has taken these needs into account and has features that allow commission-based rates to be calculated with optimal efficiency.

To apply an adjustment to a service level’s base price, open the corresponding price set and set the percent of base price eligible for commission.

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To make an adjustment to an individual charge, such as a fuel surcharge, open the corresponding price modifier and set the percent eligible for commission.

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The Time and Activity reports will show the commission earned by a user, both summary and detailed by order. If you have questions about how this feature might work in your company, feel free to contact technical support for more information.

Required Fields for Order Entry

During order entry, dispatchers may unintentionally leave important fields blank. OnTime offers an option to set order entry requirements on global and customer levels, issuing an alert if a required field is not filled on a particular type of order. OnTime's required fields feature offers multiple levels of customization. This feature will ensure that orders are filled out completely from the very start.

To set required fields at the global level (apply to every order, regardless of the customer)

  1. Start OnTime Management Suite.
  2. Go to the Home tab and choose General Options.
  3. Select the Order Entry tab and click the button labeled Configure Required Fields to choose the fields that should be required.

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To set required fields at the customer level (apply when creating an order for specific users)

  1. Start OnTime Management Suite.
  2. Navigate to the Customers list.
  3. Open the customer whose required fields you want to set.
  4. Select the General tab and click the button labeled Configure Required Fields to choose the fields that should be required.

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If you have required fields set at both the global and customer level, the requirements are combined and both apply.

Free Tracking Applets for Your Web Page

While OnTime already offers Enterprise subscribers robust and feature-rich tracking via the OnTime Customer Web Portal, this does require shippers to be set-up with an account and then log into the web portal to access these tracking features. If you need a simplified why to provide your customers with tracking and tracing, using OnTime’s web site tracking applet may be a great option. This makes it possible for your customers to enter a tracking number and get back immediate, real-time results of their order. The tracking applet is available, free of charge, for all subscription levels.

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This small form may be inserted into any of your web pages. OnTime generates the necessary code that is then inserted into your web page by you or your website developer. This tracking applet will allow a shipper to enter their tracking number and receive real-time status information about their shipment. Even proof of delivery, including signatures at both collection and delivery points, will be displayed.

To integrate the tracking applet into your website, follow these steps:

  1. Open OnTime Management Suite.
  2. Select the Tools tab and choose Web Site Applets.
  3. Click on the Generate order tracking form link.
  4. Copy the generated code to the desired location on your web page. The code inserted by you or your website developer will automatically generate the form needed by shippers to track their orders.

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If you have any questions about how to integrate this tool into your web site, feel free to contact technical support.