Route optimization process
Shortcuts
> Preparation of the optimization
> Options for the optimization process
Basic principles
The optimization process starts when an optimization is started and ends when the optimized result is displayed. During this phase, the user can:
- Follow in real time the progress and the steps of the optimization via indicators
- Read tips for use
- Rename the name of the simulation
- Interrupt the optimization
- View the final results
The duration of the process is by default 2 minutes, but can be set via the optimization options.
Utilisation
Starting the optimization
The optimization is triggered in two places, from:
- the visit page via the address location page: the Optimize my rounds button allows you to launch the optimization process
- the optimization page: the optimize button located in the "visits" menu (the terminology may vary depending on your settings)
When the tour optimization is launched, a window of patience is automatically displayed and informs you of the different phases prior to starting the tour optimization.
Preparation of the optimization
Before starting, TourSolver prepares the optimization by:
- Records data needed for tour optimization
- Sends data to the optimization servers
- Queues the tour optimization if necessary
- Calculates a time/distance matrix. Calculates routes between all locations involved in the optimization (visits, localized resources, sites if necessary)
- Starts the optimization engine
Routes optimization
When the optimization starts, TourSolver:
- Calculates a first solution (or the existing situation submitted to the calculation in the case of a calculation in evaluation mode)
- Iteratively improves the first solution found by the optimization engine.
The follow-up of the optimization can be done via:
- A simplified view composed of an image, a detailed view button, a stop button, and hints.
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A detailed view, where the user can follow his optimization more precisely. This screen is composed of a:
- Graph representing the progress of the indicators in the optimization,
- A countdown of the elapsed time,
- Button to stop the optimization,
- Simulation name (editable),
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List of optimization indicators:
- the initial cost calculated at the start of the optimization (this can be the cost of the first solution or the solution submitted when using the evaluation mode)
- the total carbon footprint of the routes, via the volume of carbon dioxide (CO2)
- the total driving time of the tours expressed in HH:MM:SS format
- the total working time expressed in HH:MM:SS format
- the cumulative waiting time before visits expressed in HH:MM:SS format
- the number of visits carried out, showing the current value (in blue) of the number of visits placed in rounds in relation to the total number of visits subject to assignment
- the number of vehicles corresponding to the resources requested
- the number of real rounds
At any time, the button below the time elapsed since the optimization was started allows you to stop the route optimization process and show the best results obtained during the process. The automatic stop can also occur at the end of the customizable maximum optimization time set in the optimization preferences on the My Activity page.
Tips
Once the optimization process has started, TourSolver displays tips for use in all the steps from preparation to optimization. They refer to explanations, documentation articles or even external links. They scroll every 30 seconds. The user can click on the next or previous buttons to read new articles or to come back to an article he didn't have time to read.
Optimization result
By default, TourSolver displays some indicators at the end of the results. But not all of these indicators may be the most appropriate for your business. It is possible to change them. At the top right of the screen, you will find a button to activate the Edit mode. This allows you to load different indicators and also to position them in the optimization result table. For more information, we invite you to watch the video below.
Note: the indicators displayed correspond to the raw results of your optimization, unless you have imported the evaluation mode fields (Day of visit, Name of the resource, Order number), in which case the table displays the variation between your existing organization described in the Excel file and the optimum that TourSolver has found.
Displaying all the indicators on the table would not make the information very readable! Therefore, we have added the More Results button that allows you to see the indicators of all the results of your simulation. This view is a table with an accordion. Note that when you use evaluation mode data, the table displays variations between the existing simulation and the optimized simulation.
Options for the optimization process
The duration of the optimization can be set from the Activity page.
Thus, in the Optimization tab, TourSolver proposes to define a maximum duration for the optimization of tours. It can be set between 1 and 30 minutes.
Tip: the computation time of some vehicle profiles are faster than others during the preparation phase of the optimization. These profiles use so-called "accelerated" graphs. So if your vehicles have the profiles "light delivery vehicle" and "truck", the preparation time will be much faster. We invite you to use this trick, in case of large volumes of visits to be optimized and when you have a significant preparation time.
Happy TourSolving!