MPS Web Software User December 2017 SHILLONEDRIVE

Routes – Tasks Menu

Use this
option to
create
new
routes.

There are
three
standard
route
reports –
click here
to run a
report for
any range
of dates
for this
route.

As well as
viewing a
map of
the trips
it is
possible
to
optimise
the route
to ensure
passenge
rs are
picked up
in the
optimum

sequence
to reduce
costs and
make the
route
more
efficient.

Each user
can
change
their
details at
any time.

Schedule - Diary dates in MPS

When setting up routes and venues MPS creates entries for every route, driver, passen
to it with 8 passengers per route, twice per day, 5 days per week and for a typical term
8 routes X 8 passengers X (2) twice per day x 63 days = 8064 entries for that term or 24
On this basis 200 routes would generate around 650,000 diary entries on the system fo
Here are the key areas for Venue and Route dates:
Venues

nger and escort. This means that for a venue that has, say, 8 routes travelling
m (63 days) you will have:
4192 entries per year.
or a single school year.

Venue open dates should never be deleted
if you want to report on historic journeys.
This graphic shows how a typical school
venue would appear – it shows all of the
dates that the venue was open - even if the
dates are in the past. By not deleting these

School Routes

older dates the diary system will store all
the transport dates so that reports and
analysis can be carried out.
If you want to build a history of all of your
routes - It is important when setting up new
term dates that they are added as new
entries. Do not overwriting existing entries
but use the ADD button to add new dates
each time.

When viewing a school route the Schedule & Trips
booked tab displays the dates that the route travels.
If the route is linked to the Venue dates it will look like
the graphic on the left. This means that all date entries
are controlled from the venues form (as per the
previous page). So if you delete Venue open dates you
will lose the route travel information for all routes going
to the venue.



If you want to check whether you have
diary data stored you can check the
schedule tab.

This will be the same for Passengers,
Routes, Jobs, Escorts, Drivers and
Providers.

If a route does not go “Every date the
venue is open” we call it a custom
schedule route as it only goes the specific
dates that you set it up for.

If a route is set as Custom Schedule a grid
is displayed showing the specific dates
the route travels. Once again – if you
want to keep historic information – do
not overwrite or delete these dates once
they have passed.



It is important when setting up new travel
dates that they are added as new entries.
Do not overwrite existing entries but
use the add button to add dates.

Routes - Mapping
Here is an example of a route that is currently expected to take 109.5 minutes and to t
pick up times that the first pick up will actually be on the vehicle for two hours and 25

We are now going to optimise this route to work out the best pick up sequence and th
the venue at 9:15 so will use that in its calculations:

travel 74.9 miles. This route has not been optimised and you can see from the
minutes.

he shortest possible route, the system knows that this route has to arrive at

Routes – Optimising Maps
The map appears to be the same but you can see from the trip info that the route has n
The pick up sequence has now also changed with the original first pick up being made o

Use the tasks menu to save these optimised changes.

now dropped to 44.9 miles and should only take 69.5 minutes.
over an hour later.

Route Costs

It is common to have a standard set of charges for escorts, drivers, cancellations etc an
combo. Click on Cost Categories as shown here – and you can create and manage your

When you set up your cost categories – some will be charged on a “Per day the trip run
standard rates – Attendant, Bus, Driver, Coach are all charged on the basis of Per Day B
cases the Default Charge is an hourly Rate and it is possible in the route screen to say t
trips to get the right charge – this will be explained further below.

Once these are created you can allocate them to specific time periods. This is importan
category at any time. This costing system allows both old and future dates to be calcula

nd these can be set up by choosing Admin > Lookups in the Quick Jump
r cost types.
ns” basis and some will be charged as just a flat fee. In this graphic all of the
Billing – if the route runs 18 times this fee will be charged 18 times. In some
the number of hours per trip and then have this multiplied by the number of

nt as the system needs to keep track of what was being charged for each cost
ated – as long as the system knows what the rates were for that time period.

SLA Route Costs – Cost & Time Periods

When you have created your cost categories you can allocate charges for specific time
only need one period; Sept to August the following year. If however your rates change
end of the school year – or until it changes again.
Let’s Assume that we want to set the rates for the whole school year - from Septembe
the rates are for this period in the cost and charges section on the right.
This graphic shows specific charges that run for the school year to 31/08/2012 – all rou

This is the charging period
These are the rates to be used

Where multiple rates are shown in the Start and End Date section
above, you must click on the dates to display the correct rates in the
default cost and charges on the right hand side of the screen.
You may want to Mark Up your cost by a flat 5% or 10%. In the graphic here Contracto
are marked up by 10% of whatever the cost is – but all of the other costs have a specifi

If the charge is to be made “Per day the trip runs” put a tick in the per day field.

e periods, for example if you set your costs for the whole school year – you
es you will need to cut short your year and add a new charging period until the

er 2011 to August 2012. First, add the new charging period and then say what

utes using these codes will be charged with these rates.

This is the Use this to add
charge to us 10% mark-up to

or Costs any charge
ic charge that is to be applied.
This can be used as a
charge per hour or per trip

This means do not multiply
hours by charge – the

charge shown here is the
total for the day

To create a new charging period

Choose Copy to new and then enter the new charging period
dates from and date to.

Then enter all of the new rates that will apply in this period.

Even if some of the rates haven’t changed you will have to create
them again as if the rates aren’t created they won’t show against
the route.

For example – let’s assume the rates have been changed from
January to August 2012. You will have to change the end date of
the current charging period and then add a new period – it will
then look like this:

Accounts – Standard Per Day Charging
This section is for the full analysis of each item of the trip – your standard charges, rech

In the Route Form – click on the Costs and charges tab and the costs subform will be sh
the client) for the contractor cost of the bus, a driver and an escort. The route has an a
selected – 4.5 x £12, 4.5 x £9.5 and 4.5 x £28.5 = £225. As there is also a 10% mark up t
This route is also going to be charged on a “Per day the route runs” basis so if the route

harges and/or any specific mark-ups that need to be applied:

hown – as above. This is a standard route where we are charged (and charge
agreed time of 4.5 hours per trip. The system will charge based on the codes
this will also be added to give a new per day total of £247.50.
e runs 18 times in a month – the charge would be 18 * £247.50

SLA – Monthly Spreadsheet
The Monthly spreadsheet is a detailed list of all routes during a month showing route c
For the coding to work correctly you must ensure that each route has a Category and S

To view the spreadsheet go to the quick jump combo and choose Accounts > Spreadsh

costs and the recharge amount.
Sub Category Code. This is in the Routes Form, Accounts Tab:

heet

Monthly Spreadsheet – Viewing Data

You can sort the data by clicking any column heading – columns can also be moved left
To view a different month’s data simply choose the date to view and then click the Gen
analysis using the formats shown below the export label.

t and right to change the way the data is grouped and sorted.
nerate Report button. Any data that is displayed can be exported for further

Sla Monthly Spreadsheet Reports
A report can be run which shows the information you have selected above by clicking t

Accounts - Billing

MPS has a sophisticated billing and accounts system for recharging routes.

the reports STATEMENT button.

Accounts – Sales Invoices

MPS operates a full diary based schedule system for all routes – this means that as soo
per month and can “Pre-Create” the recharge/sales invoices accordingly. These invoice
can be processed into full sales invoices.

Sales invoicing is split between invoices that have yet to be invoiced to the customer a
allows you to plan all of your sales invoicing for a route well in advance.
It also allows you to change or delete invoices should things change between order and
basis. By entering the dates that an invoice should be raised and the amounts the syste

on as the route is created, the system knows how many days the route runs
es go into the section called “Unprocessed Invoices” and at the right time they

and invoices that have already been invoiced to the customer. This system
d completion of the booking. A route might be billed on a monthly or other
em will automatically raise the invoice on the scheduled dates.

Processing & Printing Sales Invoices
After creating your invoice schedules in either the SLA or Non SLA forms, you can autom
On the Accounts Menu, select Transfer Scheduled Invoices. The following screen will b

Select a date from the drop down list or type another date in to combo box, then click
Process to transfer the invoices from the Scheduled list to the Process list.
Once the invoices have been processed they can be printed. There are several options
for printing sales invoices:

matically process your invoices.
be displayed:





Accounts – Providers Invoices

Providers invoices for sub contract services can be recorded against each route

Accounts – Purchase Orders

When a sub contract provider is allocated the contract to supply services for a route –

a purchase order can be raised to cover this:

Accounts – Purchase Order Variations

If changes occur to the route, amendments & variations can be recorded for the purch

hase order:

List Forms

Agencies
Agencies are used in the system to cross reference drivers and escorts and also to prod

Clients

duce weekly timesheets.

Depots
Vehicles can start jobs from different depots – it is important to enter this information

Drivers

n for mileage analysis, staff wages, billing & stats analysis.

Jobs



Other Addresses
These entries are very important as they will save time when creating jobs if you have
points.

Passengers
This graphic shows the passenger list form and also how to filter/find everyone that ha

created specific locations that you commonly use for pick-up and drop-off
as “John” in their name





Routes