Import fixed-date work orders in AntsRoute – Help center

To add fixed-date work orders in bulk, you can import XLS, XLSX or CSV files into AntsRoute. Download our template file here.

💡 Before you start, configure your import files and check that you have filled in all the necessary fields.

Advice on formatting your file

Your import file should contain just one spreadsheet.
Delete the formulas in your spreadsheet.
Your spreadsheet can contain a maximum of 500 rows. If you need to import more than 500 customers or orders, you will need to divide your data into several import files.
Your file must be in .csv, .xlsx or .xls format.

Mandatory and optional fields

When configuring your import file, check that the mandatory fields are included in your spreadsheet. Each mandatory field must correspond to a column header in your file. If these fields are missing, you will not be able to import your data into AntsRoute.

If you have a list of work orders to be scheduled for a fixed date, you can retrieve it from your ERP or another system and import it into AntsRoute.

Below are the mandatory fields:

Last name	If your customer is a company, you can enter the company name here.
Address	For example, 71 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RN.
Planned duration	The duration is in minutes and corresponds to the time required to carry out a task (excluding travel time). For example, 120.
Visit-date	The date of delivery in YYYY-MM-DD or DD/MM/YYYY format. For example, 2018-01-01. This date must not be in the past.

💡 If you use the pickup and delivery functions, you must also add the following mandatory field:

Type

Pickup / Delivery / Unload / Load.
A delivery row must be preceded by a load row (associated with this delivery). A pickup row must be followed by an unload row (associated with this pickup).
The file must therefore include a succession of pickup-unload and/or load-delivery rows.
If the load (or unload) location is always the same, you can define it directly in “Settings” > “Default values”. This way, you won't need to add a load (or unload) row.

Below are the optional fields:

Id	The Id is the unique external identifier of an imported delivery. It can correspond to the reference number of a delivery, batch, or purchase order, etc. For example, 20180101-1.
Customer External Id	This identifier is your ERP customer code (if you have one). For example, C01001001.
First name	If your customer is a company, you can enter the name of your contact here.
Phone number	For example, +447600123456.
Mobile	For example, +447600123456. Phone numbers must be in international format. For example, +44 for a phone number in the UK.
E-mail	For example, email@antsroute.com
Postal code	For example, SW17 0RN
City	For example, London
Customer comments	For example, "The customer's flat is on the 2nd floor".
Time slot	The time slot corresponds to one of the slots defined in your site settings in the format HH:MM-HH:MM. For example, 08:00-10:00.
Comments	For example, “Ask the caretaker for the key” or “Access code: 3445”.
Preferred agent	The preferred driver to be assigned for the appointment. For example, agent1@antsroute.com
Order type	It refers to a type of service defined in the settings.
Comp_XXX	XXX corresponds to one of the skills defined in the settings. You only need to indicate whether the constraint applies by YES or NO. For example, YES.
Cap_XXX	XXX corresponds to one of the capacities defined in the settings. You only need to indicate the quantity to be transported. This number is an integer. For example, 18. This field is mandatory if you set a mandatory validation mode when creating this capacity.

☝️ Good to know: The skills and capacities fields must be created beforehand in your AntsRoute account settings.

The custom fields

If you are using custom fields, you can also add separate columns for each item in your spreadsheet. The headers of these columns should contain the names of the custom fields you have added to AntsRoute.

For example, if you want to add “Order number” information to your import file, start by creating this field from Settings > Custom fields. You can then add a column with the heading “Order number” to your spreadsheet.

If you want to import data that corresponds to a list custom field with multiple selection, you need to use this format in your spreadsheet: ['option 1', 'option 2']. To use the ' character, simply add the \ character in front of it. For example, to put option'3 you should write ['option'3'].

Start importing your file

Step 1: Upload a file

Click on the "Plan" module.
Click on the "Import work order" tab.
Click on the "Upload a file" button.
Select the file you want to import.

Step 2: Map data

In this step, you need to match the data in your file with the fields in AntsRoute. We have automatically mapped the fields in your file whose column headings match the AntsRoute fields. If any fields are still displayed on the right, you need to drag the columns in your file from the right to the fields in AntsRoute on the left. Once you have done this, click on the “Validate” button.

☝️ Good to know: If you have not added the “Visit-date” and “Planned duration” columns to your import file, you can directly define a visit date and duration for all the imported orders. To do this, click on the pen icon and select a date from the calendar and/or enter a duration in minutes.

Step 3 & 4: Validate data and import results

In this step, you can view a summary table of the imported data.

If you encounter an import issue, you can view a message indicating the number of errors and the fields concerned. Errors are highlighted in red in the summary table. You can edit the incorrect information directly on AntsRoute by double-clicking on it. Once you have corrected the errors, you can validate the changes by clicking on the “Re-import” button.