Hello Ficos Merchants! You’ve confirmed an online order, and it’s ready to be delivered to a customer’s doorstep. Now it’s time to manage the logistics. Ficos transforms your Fulfillment Center into a powerful Dispatch Dashboard, giving you a complete overview of your delivery operations.
This guide will walk you through the daily workflow of using this dashboard to assign orders to your drivers, track their progress in real-time, and ensure a smooth journey from your store to your customer.
Why Use the Integrated Dispatch System? #
Managing your deliveries directly within Ficos provides four key advantages over using external tools:
- See Everything at a Glance: The “Dispatch” and “Delivering” tabs give you an instant, organized view of what needs to be assigned and what’s already on the road.
- Save Time with Bulk Assignments: Don’t assign orders one by one. Use the select mode to assign multiple deliveries to a single driver in one go, perfect for planning efficient routes.
- Track Every Order in Real-Time: As your drivers update the status on their end (e.g., “In Transit,” “Delivered”), you see those changes instantly on your dashboard.
- Keep Everyone Informed, Automatically: When you assign a driver, Ficos automatically sends a notification to both the customer and the driver, keeping everyone in the loop without any extra work from you.
A Closer Look at Your Dispatch Tools #
Your entire delivery workflow is managed from the Fulfillment Center.
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- The “Dispatch” Tab:
- What it is: This is your to-do list for deliveries. It shows all confirmed orders that are ready for delivery but are waiting to be assigned to a driver.
- The “Dispatch” Tab:
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- The “Delivering” Tab:
- What it is: This is your real-time tracking screen. It shows all orders that have already been assigned to a driver and are currently in progress.
- The “Delivering” Tab:
- Select Mode (Checkbox Icon):
- What it is: A powerful feature that allows you to select multiple orders at once to perform bulk actions, like assigning several deliveries to one driver.
Step 1: Navigate to the Fulfillment Center #
All your delivery management starts here.
- From your main Dashboard, tap on Online Store.
- On the Online Store Dashboard, tap the shortcut for Manage All Orders (this will open the Fulfillment Center).
Step 2: View Orders That Need a Driver #
Tap on the Dispatch tab. You will see a list of all confirmed orders that are packaged and waiting for a driver. Now, you have two ways to assign them.
Step 3: Assign a Driver to an Order #
You can assign orders one by one or in bulk for maximum efficiency.
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- Method A: Assigning a Single Order
- Tap on any order in the “Dispatch” list to open its View Web Order detail screen.
- At the bottom of the screen, tap the “Assign Driver” button.
- A panel will appear with a list of your available drivers. Select a driver to assign them the job.
- Method A: Assigning a Single Order
- Method B: Assigning Multiple Orders in Bulk (Recommended for efficiency)
- In the header of the “Dispatch” screen, tap the checkbox icon to enter Select Mode.
- Tap on all the orders you want to assign to a single driver.
- An action bar will appear at the bottom. Tap the “Assign Driver” button.
- Select a driver from the list. All the selected orders will be assigned to them in one go.
Step 4: Track Ongoing and Completed Deliveries #
Once an order is assigned, it automatically moves from the “Dispatch” tab to the Delivering tab.
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- “Delivering” Tab: This tab shows all orders that are currently out for delivery. You can see which driver is handling which order. As the driver updates the status to “In Transit” or “Delivered” from their Driver Mode app, you will see those changes reflected here.
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- “Completed” Tab: Once a driver marks an order as “Delivered,” it will move here, giving you a clear history of all successful deliveries.
- “Failed” Tab: If a driver is unable to complete a delivery, it will appear in this tab along with the reason they provided.
What Happens Next? The Automated Email & Notification Flow #
The moment you assign a driver, Ficos works for you in the background.
Notification Type | Who Gets It & Why? |
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Push Notification & Email to Driver | Your driver is instantly notified that they have a new job. The email includes the customer’s name, address, and a link to get directions. |
“Out for Delivery” Email to Customer | The customer automatically receives an email letting them know their order is on its way, including the driver’s name for a personal touch. |
Conclusion #
The Dispatch Dashboard is your command center for creating a professional and efficient delivery service. By using the tabs to stay organized and leveraging bulk actions to save time, you can manage your entire fleet with confidence and keep your customers informed every step of the way. For more helpful tips, visit the Ficos Documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions #
What's the difference between the 'Dispatch' and 'Delivering' tabs? #
The Dispatch tab is for orders that need a driver. The Delivering tab is for orders that already have a driver and are currently in progress. An order automatically moves from “Dispatch” to “Delivering” the moment you assign a driver to it.
Why can't I see a confirmed order in my 'Dispatch' tab? #
There are two likely reasons. First, check if the order’s fulfillment type is “In-Store Pickup” instead of “Delivery.” Only delivery orders appear in the dispatch queue. Second, the order might have already been assigned a driver, in which case it would have moved to the “Delivering” tab.
Do my drivers get a notification when I assign them an order? #
Yes! The moment you assign an order, Ficos automatically sends a push notification and an email to that driver, alerting them to the new job. You don’t need to call or message them separately.
Can I re-assign an order to a different driver? #
Currently, once an order is assigned to a driver, it cannot be reassigned through the app. This feature is planned for a future update. For now, if a change is needed, you may need to coordinate with your drivers directly.
What happens if a driver marks a delivery as 'Failed'? #
If a driver is unable to complete a delivery, they can mark it as “Failed” in their Driver Mode app and provide a reason. The order will then move to the Failed tab in your Fulfillment Center, so you can review the reason and decide on the next steps.