Before getting started, we recommend reading the article 📘 How to create and optimize your route, to ensure you fully understand the concepts that follow.
Recurring routes are used to create runs that you will execute multiple times, across many addresses, and for activities of a similar nature (e.g.: lawn mowing, periodic service, inspection visits, etc.).
Creating a recurring route is done in four steps:
1️⃣ Create and define your route's parameters
2️⃣ Assign the starting address of the route
3️⃣ Add addresses to your route
4️⃣ Schedule and optimize your route’s path
Create and define your route's parameters
From the main Routes menu, click on the + Route button and then click on the Informations tab.
⚙️ In the Route Settings section:
Name the route so you can easily recognize it (e.g.: Sector A Route, Spring Opening, etc.)
Optional – Assign the route to one or more resources who will perform it (this can be changed later).
Select the Default service (e.g.: Shovelling, Quote, Lawn Mowing, etc.)
Enable the option Play sound when entering a zone or selecting it to receive an audible alert upon GPS zone entry.
⚙️ In the Geofencing Settings section:
Enable Set visits as Started automatically so visits begin automatically when entering the GPS zone of a service address.
Enable Complete visits automatically so visits and automatically when exiting the GPS zone of a service address.
The Distance (m) value, in meters, determines the sensitivity of movement required to trigger the mobile device to send a GPS location. The lower the value, the more frequently Plannit receives location updates.
The Radius (m) value, in meters, represents the GPS radius for a service address. Note that this value is ignored if you use custom zones with perimeters for your service addresses.
The Delay (s) value, in seconds, sets the minimum time interval before the mobile device sends a new GPS position to Plannit. In other words, if the Distance is set to 1 meter and you move 6 meters in 4 seconds, Plannit will only register one location.
❗ Important Notes:
The more often your mobile device sends GPS locations to Plannit, the more mobile data you'll consume.
A high frequency of GPS updates may slow down the display and interaction with the run's trace.
Some mobile device versions limit excessive GPS updates. Plannit cannot receive more positions than the device manufacturer allows.
⚙️ In the Communication Settings section:
Choose how communications should be sent:
Send all communications simultaneously to all addresses of the route.
ℹ️ Communications can also be sent manually during a run via the Actions / Send Communications button of the run.
Send communications in real-time, defining a specific number of address(es) to contact in advance when they become next on the itinerary, example 2,3,4 or more address(es) in advance.
ℹ️ You still need to send communications manually to start automatically sending of the next addresses using the Actions / Send Communications button.
Choose Text and/or Voice message (optional) to be sent.
⚠️ Don’t forget to click Save to store your route!
Assign the starting address of the route
By default, the starting address is the one defined in your Company settings.
To start the route from another address - such as a garage - click on the first address, then:
Enter the new address in the search field and select the one suggested by Google to ensure proper geolocation.
Click Save Address, and then click Save in the route to save the route itself.
Add addresses to your route
Routes are usually created from the main Routes menu. When creating or editing a route, you can add or remove service addresses from this section of the app.
However, the best way to add addresses to a route is not always by manually editing it in the route editor! Plannit offers several methods for adding addresses to a route, depending on your needs.
📍 Methods to add addresses to a route:
From the Routes tab within a Job
From the Jobs grid
From the Quotes grid
From the Invoices grid
From manual editing in the route editor
Plannit is designed to create a smooth workflow starting from Jobs, Quotes, or Invoices. Of course, you can create routes without using those, but we highly recommend using one of these approaches for optimal management.
From the Routes tab in a Job
Example scenario: your client has just accepted your quote.
You’ll receive a notification - click on the bell and select the Quote accepted notification.
You’ll be automatically redirected to the accepted quote (#S00002 in the example below) for this Job (#0054 in the example below). Review the quote items if needed, validate the invoices, etc., for this Job, then click on the Routes tab.
Link all the routes you’ll need to deliver the service for this Job. In other words, if you have a route for spring opening, one for lawn mowing, one for fertilizer application, etc.: add them all here.
📝 Don’t plan or optimize your route just yet — wait until all quotes are accepted or rejected.
Each time you add a route, you can also select one or more service addresses, based on your needs.
And that’s it! Now, to optimize your workflow, you'll need to know if the job is scheduled and the stage it is currently under. This is where the concept of Job status becomes very relevant!
In the example below, the job status is under the To schedule stage. The next step for this job is therefore to schedule the runs for the routes.
From the Jobs, Quotes, or Invoices grids
In all three cases, you’ll follow the same methodology.
Search and filter your data to find accepted quotes, paid invoices, etc. You can also filter by service linked to the quote or invoice.
💡 Have you used tags on your contacts, quotes, or invoices? You can also use those to identify addresses to associate with a route.Select the items in the grid, then use the More actions button in the action bar and click on Associate to a route.
Link all the routes you’ll need to deliver the service for this Job. In other words, if you have a route for spring opening, one for lawn mowing, one for fertilizer application, etc.: add them all here.
📝 Don’t plan or optimize your route just yet — wait until all your quotes are accepted or rejected.Each time you add a route, you can also select one or more service addresses, based on your needs.
And that’s it!
Schedule and optimize your route’s path
See the article 📘 Optimize and Calculate a Route
📚 See also
📘 Customize the address fence for your routes
📘 Edit the starting address of a route or run
📘 Add an internal note, audio or written, to an address on a route
📘 Start a route from a computer or the mobile app