At PortPro, our goal is to help you maximize your success, and ROI, and to keep your appointment scheduling process running smoothly. This document outlines key best practices to help your team get the most out of PortPro’s appointment system, reduce errors, and save time. 

#1 - Ensure Driver and Truck Details Match Terminal Systems

For APM Terminals (“TermPoint”) and GCT Bayonne (“eModal”), both driver names and truck license plate details in PortPro must match exactly with the terminal systems.

Driver Names: Even small mismatches, such as using “Bob” instead of “Robert,” will cause appointments to remain in a tentative status and fail to confirm.

Truck License Plates: Ensure all license plates entered in PortPro are valid. GCT Bayonne and other terminals will reject invalid or placeholder plates like “11111.”

?PortPro Tips:

• Use unique terminal credentials for PortPro to avoid disruptions caused by shared logins, which can prevent successful appointment scheduling (APM).

• Regularly export and compare driver and truck lists between PortPro and terminal systems to ensure all details are accurate and up-to-date.

#2 - Adjust Automated and Manual Appointment Settings to Fit Your Workflow

PortPro gives you 2 options to set up appointments based on your operations →

Option 1 - Current System Settings:

Inbound Returns: Automatically schedule empty returns as soon as they are marked “ready to return” to avoid delays.

Outbound Pickups: You have two options →

• Automated: The system books appointments as soon as containers are available.

• Manual: Turn off automated booking and manually schedule pickups based on your delivery appointments to stay in control.

Time Slot Limits: Set a maximum number of appointments per time slot to match your available drivers (e.g., 4 pickups and 4 returns).

Missed Appointment Handling: If enabled, PortPro can automatically reschedule missed appointments based on terminal policies.

Option 2 - Manual Scheduling on the Dispatch Board:

• Click into the Pickup Appointment column.

• Use Manual Booking to view and book slots currently available at the terminal.

• Use Schedule Appointment to pick a specific time range (e.g., 6–9 AM) or prioritize slots (e.g., 10 AM first, then 8 AM, then 9 AM).

• Hybrid Approach: Turn off automated outbound scheduling when aligning pickups with customer delivery windows. Instead, manually trigger appointments to better fit your schedule.

?PortPro Tip: Review and adjust these settings regularly in PortPro’s Appointment Settings page to ensure they match your team’s needs.

#3 - Avoid Overbooking Drivers

Configure PortPro to limit the number of appointments per time slot to prevent overloading drivers. For example, if you have 5 drivers available between 6–9 AM, set the limit to 5 appointments.

?PortPro Tip: Regularly review manual and automated bookings on the Dispatch Board to ensure they align with these limits and adjust as needed.

#4 - Create Custom Views to Track Appointments

Save custom views in PortPro to quickly spot orders that need action:

• Use filters to identify:

  • Terminals (e.g., APM Terminals, GCT Bayonne).

  • Appointment Status (e.g., “Pending,” “Confirmed,” “Tentative”).

    • Ex. Orders with delivery appointments but missing pickup appointments.

• Save views with clear names like “APM Pending Pickups” for quick access.

• Check these views daily to prioritize your work and fix any scheduling gaps.

?PortPro Tip: By following these best practices and using PortPro’s appointment settings, you can simplify scheduling, avoid costly mistakes, and keep your operations running smoothly and efficiently.