Working with Time Windows

Time windows are strict constraints that tell the optimization engine when a delivery must be completed. Mastering time windows is essential for B2B deliveries and premium B2C experiences.

Setting Time Windows

When importing orders or creating them manually, you can set two specific parameters: - Earliest Arrival Time: The driver will not be routed to arrive before this time. - Latest Arrival Time: The absolute deadline for the delivery.

If a customer requests delivery between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, Viaoga will build the route such that the driver arrives within this exact window, actively factoring in live traffic predictions and previous stop durations.

Strict vs. Soft Constraints

By default, time windows in Viaoga are strict. If a delivery cannot be made within the window without violating other constraints (like vehicle capacity or driver shift times), the optimizer will leave the order as "Unassigned".

Enabling Soft Windows

If you prefer the engine to assign the stop anyway but flag it visually as "Late" on the dispatcher map, you can adjust this setting:

1. Go to Settings > Optimization Preferences.
2. Toggle Allow Soft Time Windows.
3. Adjust the "Lateness Penalty" slider to tell the AI how aggressively it should try to avoid late stops.