Order Fulfillment Allocation

Fulfill a batch of sales orders across fulfillment networks (distribution centers + carriers) at lowest total cost: for each order, jointly choose the cheapest network/DC/carrier that has inventory and can deliver to the destination zip within the required transit time for the SKU, where cost = pick-and-pack at the DC + transportation to meet the promised window (+ network overhead). Routes deliveries under driver capacity and minimizes shipment splits.

Previewproblem type order_fulfillmentmanifest 1.0

Objectives#

What the solver optimizes. Enabled objectives are weighed together.

Objective	What it means	Direction	On by default	Weight
Minimize Cost to Fulfill `minimize_fulfillment_cost`	Primary objective: minimize total cost to fulfill the batch = DC pick-and-pack cost + carrier transportation cost to meet the delivery window + network overhead. When more than one fulfillment network can deliver an order, choose the cheapest.	minimize	Yes	1.0
Minimize Shipment Splits `minimize_shipment_splits`	Prefer plans that fulfill each delivery location from as few distribution centers/drivers as possible (each split adds handling and transportation cost).	minimize	Yes	0.8
Maximize Order Fill Rate `maximize_order_fill_rate`	Prefer plans that fully fulfill more orders from available inventory.	minimize	Yes	0.9
Maximize On-Time Delivery `maximize_on_time_delivery`	Prefer carriers whose transit time meets each order's required delivery timeframe (OTIF).	maximize	Yes	0.7
Honor Assigned Distribution Center `minimize_off_preferred_sourcing`	Prefer fulfilling an order from its pre-assigned (preferred) distribution center, mirroring the OptaPlanner single-source / assigned-DDC preference.	minimize	Yes	0.5
Minimize Drive Distance `minimize_total_distance`	Minimize total driver route distance (depot to delivery stops to depot) across the fleet.		Yes	0.3

Problem inputs#

The setup values you send with a problem. The console renders them as form fields.

Fulfillment Policy#

Input	Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
`allow_split_flag`	Allow Split Shipments	boolean	Yes	True	Whether a single sales order may be fulfilled from multiple distribution centers.
`max_splits_per_order_count`	Max Splits Per Order	integer	Yes	3	Upper bound on the number of distribution centers that may ship a single order.

Tradeoff Preference#

Input	Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
`distance_weight`	Distance Weight	number	No	0.01	Relative weight given to fulfillment distance versus split count in the objective.
`source_preference_weight`	Assigned-DC Preference Weight	number	No	1.0	Relative weight given to honoring an order's pre-assigned distribution center versus distance.
`transit_weight`	Transit Time Weight	number	No		Relative weight given to preferring faster carriers among those that meet the service level.
`split_penalty`	Split Penalty Cost	number	No		Extra cost charged per additional shipment split, on top of the handling and transportation cost a split already incurs.

Routing Fleet#

Input	Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
`vehicle_capacity`	Driver Capacity	number	No		Default case load a single driver/vehicle can carry. Per-DC overrides allowed. Unset means uncapped routing.
`vehicle_count`	Drivers Per DC	integer	No		Default number of drivers/vehicles available at each DC. Per-DC overrides allowed. Unset means unlimited.

Constraints#

A hard constraint must hold or the problem is infeasible; a soft one adds a penalty when broken.

Constraint	What it requires	Kind	On by default
Inventory Conservation `inventory_conservation`	Quantity allocated from a distribution center may not exceed its on-hand quantity for that SKU across the batch.	hard	Yes
Demand Satisfaction `demand_satisfaction`	Each order line should be fully fulfilled from allocated inventory.	soft	Yes
Split Cap `split_cap`	An order may not be fulfilled from more distribution centers than the configured maximum.	hard	Yes
Assigned Distribution Center Preference `source_assignment_preference`	Discourage fulfilling an order from a distribution center other than its pre-assigned one (OptaPlanner failedToAllocateInDifferentDDCThanAssigned).	soft	Yes
Driver Capacity `driver_capacity`	Total case load assigned to a single driver/vehicle may not exceed its capacity (OptaPlanner vehicleOverCapacity).	hard	No
Route Distance `route_distance`	Minimize total vehicle route distance (depot to stops to depot), the OptaPlanner distanceToPreviousStandstill plus return-to-depot soft constraints.	soft	No
Route Duration `route_duration`	A vehicle route may not exceed the maximum allowed driving duration. Roadmap: requires a speed/service-time model.	hard	No
Network Membership `network_membership`	A delivery must pair a distribution center with a carrier that shares a fulfillment network with it.	hard	Yes
Carrier Zip Coverage `carrier_zip_coverage`	The chosen carrier must cover the order's destination zip code.	hard	Yes
Carrier SKU Compatibility `carrier_sku_compatibility`	The chosen carrier must be able to carry every SKU in the shipment (e.g. hazmat / cold-chain restrictions).	hard	Yes
Delivery Service Level `delivery_service_level`	The carrier's transit time to the order's zip must meet the order's required delivery timeframe.	hard	No
Cost To Fulfill `cost_to_fulfill`	Total fulfillment cost (DC pick-and-pack + carrier transportation + network overhead) that the plan minimizes; drives the choice of fulfillment network when more than one can deliver.	soft	No