Overview
I. What is Dock Management?
Dock Management is a system for managing and coordinating vehicle flow at warehouse docks on the OnWheel platform. Instead of vehicles queuing spontaneously at the gate, the system allows pre-scheduled appointments by time slot, real-time vehicle flow control, and synchronized coordination across all stakeholders.
The system serves 5 user roles with distinct functions: Transport Coordinator · Driver · Warehouse Coordinator · Security Guard · Admin
II. Problems Solved
Before Dock Management, warehouses commonly faced:
| Problem | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Multiple vehicles arriving simultaneously without appointments | Gate congestion, long wait times |
| Security guards recording vehicles manually | Error-prone, no searchable history |
| Warehouse Coordinator unaware of waiting vs. loading vehicles | Difficult to dispatch docks by actual capacity |
| Transport Coordinator unable to track appointment status | Hard to coordinate with customers and drivers |
III. End-to-End Workflow
[Admin grants permissions]
↓
[Warehouse Coordinator configures warehouse: docks + time slots + check-in settings]
↓
[Transport Coordinator books a dock appointment for an order]
↓
[Driver receives notification → views appointment → arrives on time]
↓
[Security Guard registers vehicle (QR/code) → confirms Gate In]
↓
[Warehouse Coordinator dispatches vehicle to correct dock → Calls vehicle → At dock]
↓
[Security Guard confirms Gate Out]
IV. Roles and Corresponding Functions
| Role | Main Function | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse Coordinator (WC) | Create docks, set working days, time slots, configure check-in | Warehouse Configuration |
| Transport Coordinator (TC) | Book dock appointments for orders | Dock Registration |
| Driver (App Driver) | View appointments, receive notifications, show QR code at gate | Appointment Tracking & Check-in |
| Security Guard | Register vehicle, confirm gate in / gate out | Gate Management |
| Warehouse Coordinator (WC) | Dispatch vehicles to docks via real-time queue | Dock Dispatch |
| TC & WC | Monitor, edit, cancel appointments | Appointment List |
| Super Admin / Admin | Grant feature access to staff | Permissions |
V. Appointment Lifecycle
After the Transport Coordinator creates an appointment, it progresses through the following statuses:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| REGISTERED | Appointment just created, pending warehouse confirmation |
| PENDING_ARRIVAL | Warehouse has accepted; driver has been notified |
| In Progress | Vehicle has entered the gate or is currently at a dock |
| CHECKED_OUT | Vehicle has left the warehouse; appointment complete |
| CANCELED | Canceled by TC, WC, or auto-canceled by the system when overdue |
VI. Prerequisites Before Going Live
- Admin grants permissions to staff with the appropriate roles → Permissions
- Warehouse Coordinator configures the warehouse: create at least 1 dock, set working days and time slots, toggle Registration ON → Warehouse Configuration
- Transport Coordinator can only book once the warehouse has an active dock
VII. Frequently Asked Questions
Can one employee hold multiple roles?
Yes. Admin can assign multiple permissions simultaneously (e.g., both TC and WC) to the same employee_id.
What does the driver need to do before arriving at the warehouse? Nothing extra — the driver automatically receives an appointment notification via App Driver and only needs to show the QR code at the gate.
Can a TC book a dock if the warehouse has not been configured? No. A warehouse only appears in the booking list if it has at least 1 dock configured and toggled ON.
Security guard cannot see the Register / Gate In / Gate Out buttons? Check whether Admin has ticked the correct Gate In and/or Gate Out permissions. See Permissions for details.