Item Level Routing

Item Level Routing & Independent Bumping

Phase 1: Device Type Enhancements/Functionalities

In TRAY we have six device types:

• KDS
• Expo
• POS
• Handheld
• Kiosk
• Kiosk - Waiver

We have restructured the existing device types to allow for them to be more representative of the devices functions for our clients. In future releases, these device types will correlate to additional functionalities and features.

We have introduced the ‘Master Expo’ functionality as part of this phase, wherein an Expo device type can function as an observer for a particular routing rule. In this way, the Expo does not need to be explicitly mapped into the routing rules, but rather will have visibility of all orders routed to the KDS Device Types. The Routing Rule itself will have a new dropdown to select the Master Expo accordingly. 

If an Expo is mapped in the routing rules (for the specific case of handling certain categories, revenue centers etc) then the Expo dropdown will be NULLED and disabled.

Please note - if a location has only one Expo device per routing rule, then using the ‘Master Expo’ functionality will be operationally beneficial. 

Auto Print Checkbox:

• Purpose: Allows users to toggle whether the Master Expo will automatically print orders as they are fired, if that device has a configured Order Printer
• When checked, the Master Expo will automatically print orders as they are fired. When unchecked, it will not)

Error Messages

Scenario 1: Attempting to Map an Expo with a Master Expo Configured

• Error Message: "Cannot map an Expo while a Master Expo is configured."

Scenario 2: Attempting to Configure Master Expo with Existing Expo Mapping

• Error Message: "Cannot configure a Master Expo since an Expo is already mapped."

Scenario 3: Changing Device Type of a Master Expo

• Error Message: "Expo is a primary expo device setting. Changes to the Expo device type configuration may affect all associated routing rules."

Info Bubble Text

• Master Expo : "The Master Expo will automatically display any orders routing to only “KDS” device types configured in this routing rule."

Phase 2: Independent Bumping

As part of Phase 2: Independent Bump, we now support the ability for a product to appear on multiple KDS stations and be bumped independently while ensuring the Expo can properly track the status accurately. The Expo device will trigger the ‘In Progress’ status as soon as an order has been bumped from any device. However, the Expo will not mark the order as ‘Ready’ until the order has been bumped to ‘Ready’ from all of its respective KDS:

KDS 1
NEW
KDS 2
IN PROGRESS
Expo:
IN PROGRESS

KDS 1
READY
KDS 2
IN PROGRESS
Expo:
IN PROGRESS

KDS 1
READY
KDS 2
NEW
Expo:
IN PROGRESS

KDS 1
READY
KDS 2
READY
Expo:
READY

Statuses will be shown similarly for Expo devices independent of whether that device is a Master Expo or a mapped Expo.

Routing Rules occasionally are configured in such a way so that all orders can be routed to all screens and bumped from any screen. A site will be able to maintain the existing functionality of ‘Master Bump’ while also configuring support for ‘Independent Bump’, should they so choose. 

 Please note: 

1. Routing rules can be configured as “Independent Bump” or “Master Bump”
2. All non-KDS device types will always retain Master Bump behavior, which can be limited via the “Expo Bumping” configuration in the KDS Settings
3. When independent bumping is enabled, the order status will now be independent if an item/category is routed to multiple KDS.
4. If an item is shown as “New” on KDS 1 and “Accepted” on KDS 2, the Expo will show it as “Accepted”
5. If an item is shown as “Accepted” on KDS 1 and “Ready” on KDS 2, the Expo will show it as “Accepted”
6. The Expo will not show an item as “Ready” until all other KDS station are marked as “Ready”
7. If an item is bumped to “Done” from any device it will be done on every other device regardless of its status
8. Independent Bump Themes cannot be edited while active.

9. If two routing rules have a shared device, they cannot be active simultaneously if the two themes have conflicting bump types. 

Copy Mappings

You can now copy an existing device mapping within a routing rule. This will allow you to more quickly configure your routings.

Max Active Routing Rules

You now have the ability to configure the maximum number of active routing rules for a site. This is intended to prevent a site from having conflicting configurations enabled when unnecessary.

Please note - a site can only have a maximum of 2 max routing rules configured, but the default will be 1.

Phase 3 - Item Level Routing

Routing Rules in TRAY have historically been driven by the Product Category. This can cause complications when some items within a category need to be routed to different devices, thus necessitating the need to create additional sub categories, or add additional menu items. Category based routing will still be the primary routing configuration for a site with the development of Item Level Routing. 

Now, you will be able to configure an item to route based on its “Routing Category”. Routing categories are intended to correlate to the device's function or role in the kitchen. Some sites may have different kitchen layouts across a brand, and therefore the routing categories can be assigned to different device profiles across multiple locations that suit a similar need. Additionally, if your site operates multiple routing rules simultaneously, and you are using TRAY’s load balancing features, the routing categories can group like devices together at the same site. 

The Hardware tab will display the configured routing category, along with it’s EID next to each device and within the device edit dialog. You can not modify the routing category from the device.

While adding or editing a product the user will now have the option to enable item level routing for that product. This dropdown will list the routing categories configured for that site. Any Routing Category configured with “Expo” device types will be pre-selected in the dropdown once the dropdown is selected.

This configuration will also exist at the node: 

Enterprise users will be able to add the routing categories to the products at the node level and push the products down to the sites. The products will then receive that routing category which will correspond to the mapped devices at the site level. The configured item routing will not get overwritten by successive product/menu pushes unless the ‘Overwrite at Store' flag is used for this field at the node level and then pushed. Sites will be able to override and customize the routing of products if they have the 'Edit Item Routing’ HQ permission. Please note - products can have more than one Routing Category.

If a product has a Routing Category, then it will be routed to the corresponding station instead of following its configured category routing. Other products within the same category will not be affected.

For “One Cook Themes” or any other applicable theme, you will also be able to “Disable Item Level Routing” for that routing rule, for example, if you wanted to route all categories to all stations.
 

In the new UI for routing rule configurations you will see some of the headers and columns have changed as well as some of the labels. Additionally you will see the ability to configure failover devices, however, failover is not functional in the 7.07 release. In the screenshot above, you will note that the Master Expo failover is not visible in 7.07, as this will be available in a future release.

Additionally, the list for routing rules in HQ will now have a column to display the Bump Type, which will be Master for all themes by default.

The new UI for routing rule configurations will be visible whether or not the independent bumping or item level routing feature flags are enabled or disabled save for two options:

 

1. Bump Type - Requires Independent Bumping flag to be enabled
2. Disable Item level Routing - Requires Item Level Routing to be enabled

All other fields will still be visible even if the feature flags are disabled

Permissions

• View Routing Rules
• Add Routing Rules
• Edit Routing Rules
• Delete Routing Rules
• Activate Routing Rules - Ability to toggle routing rules active / inactive from HQ
• View Routing Category
• Add Routing Category
• Edit Routing Category
• Delete Routing Category
• Edit Product Routing Tab - Ability to view / modify the item level routing configurations for a product
• ExpoBump - Client permission to bump a ‘New’ or ‘In Progress’ order from a device, only applicable if the ExpoBumping configuration is disabled