Import stop-off points or orders

You can import stop-off points or orders from any text file with either a .csv or .txt extension. Please note that the import file must fulfil certain conventions.

Tip: You can also import stop-off point lists that you have saved in TLNplanner internet or a desktop product. The files have the extension .bcr. With desktop products the files are stored in the program's installation directory at \data\prog.mov\.

 

  • Click on Import at the top of the list of stop-off points.

  • Select the path to the import file using Search.

Tip: Alternatively, you can drag and drop the import file directly into the list of stop-off points.

Conventions of the import file

Please note that the file has to fulfil the following conventions:

  • The .txt file must be UTF-8 encoded. This is the only way to ensure that special characters, such as umlauts, are correctly imported and displayed.

    Tip: For example, you can convert a .txt file in ASCII format into UTF-8 using the freeware program Notepad ++.

  • One stop-off point corresponds to one row in the import file.

  • An order is composed of a pickup point and a delivery point

  • In an order, the pickup point and delivery point must have the same order ID.

  • The individual columns of a stop-off point must be separated by semi-colons.

  • The stay duration must always be specified in minutes (min).

  • Pickup and delivery must be specified in kilograms.

  • If the stop-off point is a via point, you can specify the radius in metres.

 

Note: If you are using coordinates during imports, these are primarily used for geocoding. The coordinates are not compared against any addresses that you have entered. As such, you should make sure that the coordinates are correct.

 

A stop-off point includes the following columns:

Column Meaning Example
Column A Country NL
Column B Postcode

1036

Note: For in the Netherlands we advice to use the 4 digit zip code for a better gecoding result with street and housenumber inserted in column D.
Column C Location Amsterdam
Column D Street/Number Frambozenstraat 7
Column E Stay duration in minutes 20
Column F Time slot 1 – from 08:00
Column G Time slot 1 – till 09:00
Column H Time slot 2 – from 10:00
Column I Time slot 2 – till 12:00
Column J Time slot 3 – from 14:00
Column K Time slot 3 – to 16:00
Column L Comment No delivery on Fridays
Column M X coordinate (longitude)
Compatible with all standard coordinate formats, e.g. WGS 84 (decimal)		 4.89367
Column N

Y coordinate (latitude)

Compatible with all standard coordinate formats, e.g. WGS 84 (decimal)

 52.40934
Column O Pickup in kilograms 500
Column P Delivery in kilograms 100
Column Q Via point with radius in metres 10000
Column R Name of database (layer) fhotel
Column S Database ID 256

Note: The import format was expanded to include columns T to AC, so that orders (pickup and delivery points) can also be imported.
Please note that you will need a pickup and delivery point with the same order ID to import orders. If the order ID is missing, pickup and delivery points are not linked, and are imported as normal stop-off points.
Column T Order ID Consignment1
Column U Customer PTV Planung Transport Verkehr GmbH
Column V Description Contains all items from order 1
Column W Phone number +49 721 555 1234
Column X Sale price is (amount) 499,95
Column Y Sale price is (currency) EUR

Column Z

Stop-off point costs (amount)

Note: If you enter an amount in column Z, you must enter the corresponding currency in column AA. Only then the route can be calculated.

12,50

 

Column AA

Stop-off point costs (currency)

Note: Mandatory field if an amount was entered in column Z.

EUR

 
Column AB TBC load code C
Column AC Comment on stop-off point costs Cleaning

 

 

Example of an import file with two stop-off points

NL;1033;Amsterdam;Frambozenstraat 7;20;08:00;09:00;10:00;12:00;14:00;16:00;No delivery on Fridays;4.89367;52.40934;500;100;10000;;;;;;;;;;;

NL;2014;Haarlem;Van Oosten de Bruijnstraat 2;40;09:00;18:00;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

The first stop-off point has a stay time of 20 minutes, three time slots, longitude and latitude, pickup and delivery, and the radius of the via point.

A 40-minute length of stay and a time slot have been entered at the second stop-off point.

Note: If stop-off points could not be geocoded from the import file, they have a pink background in the stop-off points list.
If several possible locations have been found, from which the best match was selected, the stop-off point has a yellow background in the stop-off points list.

Example of an import file with one order

DE;1****;Berlin;;60;;;;;;;;1487447;6886259;3000;0;0;town;;Auftrag1;Krämer;;;80;EUR;;;;
DE;2****;Hamburg;;60;;;;;;;;1111042;7078160;0;3000;0;town;;Auftrag1;Krämer;;;80;EUR;;;;

Tip: Only import location data

If you only wish to import location data, you can use a simplified import format.

Location postcode, street, house number

Example:

28022 Madrid, Calle de Rejas 44
06057 Bucharest, Strada Agnita 6
64878 Monterrey, El Fresno

Import is also possible if either a postcode or a location is specified.

 

Example:

28022, Calle de Rejas 44
Bucharest, Strada Agnita 6