Context

Logistics planners were manually mapping vehicle movements using spreadsheets. This process was error-prone, time-consuming, and required constant updates to reflect weekly refurb needs and auction/wholesale priorities.

Our goal was to integrate this mapping logic directly into the Distribution Management platform, reducing reliance on spreadsheets and enabling automated planning.

Problem statement

We observed that mapping was highly dynamic and central to planning decisions. Hardcoding rules in the platform was not feasible—planners needed the ability to update mappings on demand. Without this flexibility, adoption of automation would stall.

We believed that by building mapping functionality directly into the platform, we could:

• Streamline planning workflows
• Reduce manual effort and human error
• Automatically connect vehicle movements to transport loads

We knew we were successful if:

1. Mapping updates flowed directly into planned transport loads with minimal delay
2. The inbound mapping spreadsheet was no longer needed

Mapping spreadsheet

Highlight showing current mapping scenario requirements

Problem discovery

Through workshops and interviews, we uncovered several key insights:

• The initial proposal discussed meant users would need to create separate mappings for each ORIGIN SITE + WORK REQUIRED + MOVEMENT TYPE scenarios and then mapped to a separate DESTINATION. This would effectively recreate the current spreadsheet list with the Distribution Management tooling.