Upload a list of transports

Save time by importing several transports at the same time.

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Written by Support Dashdoc
Updated over a week ago

The standard import allows you to create multiple transports at once from a flat file in Excel or csv format.

The transports you can create this way are only so-called "simple" transports between a loading point and a delivery point. Using the import feature, you will have as many transports created in your Dashdoc portal as there are lines (excluding header) in the imported file.

Find below :

  • the prerequisites to use it

  • the description of the expected format

  • how to launch the import

  • the main errors you can meet

Prerequisite:

For the import to work, it is necessary that:

  • your account has an active API key : go to Settings, Extension, then check that you have an API key. Otherwise, click on the button to create one.

  • your shippers are already created in your Dashdoc address book. They have at least a company name, and possibly an internal identifier (from your transport software: TMS, billing tool...)

  • your drivers are already created in Dashdoc with an internal identifier that allows you to designate them, if you want to assign a driver to the shipment at import time. If you don't have a driver code from another tool, you can set a code based on their name for example. This code is unique for each driver.

The file to be imported must be in the standard format, with the columns in the right order. Here is a downloadable file template:

Your file can have several tabs, but the one to import must be the first one from the left.

Description of the file format

The file should have 26 columns, each with its own header.

Here is the description of the expected data for each column:

  • column 1: "TO number (transport order)

    • Mandatory, shipment number in your system. must be all different. You will not be able to create transports if a transport number already exists in your Dashdoc account

  • column 2: "shipper code

    • recommended, an internal ID filled in your address book on the shipper page, allows you to find all the information relating to the shipper

  • column 3: "shipper name

    • Mandatory if the shipper code is not filled in, company name filled in the Dashdoc principal record, allows finding all information related to the shipper for the consignment note

  • column 4: "loading site name

    • Mandatory, name of loading location. must not include "," inside the address

  • column 5: "loading address

    • optional, complete address excluding zip code and city (no. + lane + place, PO Box, etc.)

  • column 6: "loading zip code

    • Mandatory, zip code

  • column 7: "loading city

    • Mandatory, city

  • column 8: "loading country (ISO code)

    • optional, 2-character country code according to ISO classification (e.g. "FR" for France and "BE" for Belgium), if empty then the default applied country is "France". If the value is not correct, the transport will not be created.

  • column 9: "loading date

    • Mandatory, date requested for upload, in "DD/MM/YYYY" format.

  • column 10: "loading time

    • optional, time requested for loading, in "HH:mm" format.

  • column 11: "delivery site name

    • Mandatory, name of delivery location

  • column 12: "delivery address. must not include "," inside the address

    • optional, complete address excluding zip code and city (no. + lane + place, PO Box, etc.)

  • column 13: "delivery zip code

    • Mandatory, zip code

  • column 14: "delivery city

    • Mandatory, city

  • column 15: "delivery country (ISO code)".

    • optional, 2-character country code according to ISO classification (e.g. "FR" for France and "BE" for Belgium), if empty then the default applied country is "France". If the value is not correct, the transport will not be created.

  • column 16: "delivery date

    • Mandatory, date requested for delivery, in "DD/MM/YYYY" format.

  • column 17: "delivery time

    • optional, requested time of delivery, in "HH:mm" format.

  • column 18: "tractor plate

    • optional, tractor registration to be assigned to transport

  • column 19: "trailer plate

    • optional, trailer registration to be assigned to transport

  • column 20: "driver code (internal code in Dashdoc)".

    • optional, internal code to your system filled in the Dashdoc driver record. If you don't have a driver code, you can define a code based on their name, for example. Fill in this code in the driver record and use it in the import file. If the trucker is unknown, the transport will not be created

  • column 21: "carried good category

    • Mandatory, indicates the category of good being carried, which determines the information displayed and to be achieved by the driver

    • the "bulk" values will be taken as "Bulk" in your Dashdoc transports

    • the values "bulk IDTF", "IDTF", "bulk_IDTF" will be taken as "bulk IDTF" in your Dashdoc transports

    • any other value will be taken as such, for example "Big Bag" will display "Big Bag" in your Dashdoc transports

    • if you wish to use a pre-existing category in Dashdoc, other than "Bulk" or "Bulk IDTF", contact your Dashdoc project manager

  • column 22: "good description

    • optional, good description, e.g. "10/12 gravel," "rubble."

  • column 23: "weight

    • optional, weight expressed in tons which will then be converted and displayed in kg in your Dashdoc transports

  • column 24: "quantity

    • optional, expected quantity if category is other than "Bulk" or "Bulk IDTF"

  • column 25: "additional information

    • optional, additional information

  • column 26: "driver instructions

    • optional, private instructions displayed only to the driver, loading and unloading

Launch the import of a file

To import a list of shipments, click on the arrow to the right of "New shipment" then "Excel Import

The pop-up below appears.

Click on the dotted box to select the file to be imported from your computer, or drag it directly into the box. Click on the "Import" button.

The pop-up closes and a green banner indicates that the file is being imported.

The import may take a few minutes. You will then find the imported transports in the "My transports" view.

Most frequent errors

You launched the import. It may happen that some or all the transports are not created. In case of an error during import, you will receive an email indicating which transports from the list could not be imported, with an indication for each one on the probable cause of the error.

You can then modify the file and try to import these transports again by repeating the procedure.

Most frequent errors :

  • your account doesn't have a valide API key (see 1st point of this article)

  • your file has several tabs and the one to import is not the first one from the left

  • one of the mandatory fields is empty

  • there are comas in some fields (replace them by "." or "-", coma are not compatible with csv files)

  • a country code is not correct

  • a date or hour is not in the correct shape

  • a trucker or a client is not known in your Dashdoc account

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