Radical Tools 4.1 takes full advantage of the new 4.X architecture and introduces a long list of enhancements:
Radical Database Enhancement
- Custom tables are now stored in a single Radical database. A database can be created, saved, and saved with a new name, from within the Radical Tools menus and forms. It is now much easier to switch between contract files. The new format is much more intuitive and makes it easy to maintain multiple rate databases. It also allows easy distribution of sample spreadsheet applications. Finally, the new format will make it easy to enhance Radical Tools with new functionality in the future.
Rate Contract Functionality
- You can now import and create origin-destination contracts with weight ranges. Both standard (L5C, M5C etc.) and custom weight ranges are supported. Combined with Freight class mapping, Freight Class blocking and composite contracts, almost any LTL contract can be recreated.
- You can now create simple contracts and composite contracts directly without having to import data. “Simple” LTL contracts include a separate discount for inter-state and intra-state shipments, while simple Small Package Discount contracts allow you to set a discount and a minimum. These contract discounts/rates can be edited directly, making maintenance much easier.
- Service Areas can be easily defined by importing lists of states, 3 digit zip codes and/or 5 digit zip codes. The function rlInServiceArea can then determine if a particular location is in a defined area or not.
- A Rate Contract can be limited to an origin and/or a destination service area using the Service Areas listed above. This makes it easy to define contracts for local carriers.
- Rate Contract now supports fuel scales so fuel surcharges can be added automatically. This is especially useful when comparing carriers with different fuel scales using tools like rlCarrierSelect.
- A Special Area Constraint makes it easy to limit a contract to the continental 48 states, inter-state only, or intra state only. This is especially useful when combined with the ability to create composite LTL contracts.
- A Rate Contract can now be limited to a specified weight range. This allows using special rate structures for small or large shipments, and again useful when combined with composite contracts.
- LTL Contracts can now do Freight Class mapping. For example, a contract can map all freight classes below 100 to class 65, and map all freight classes 100 and above to 150. The mapping is done using our new FC mapping editor. Each freight class can be set independently.
- An LTL contract can be set to only accept specific freight classes, and block others. This makes it possible to define different discounts for different groups of classes and combine contracts into a composite contract.
Other New Functionality
- A new function rlLTLMultiRate supports LTL rating of shipments with multiple freight classes, including support for full deficit rating. Weights and classes can be arranged horizontally, vertically and interspersed.
- New rlState function returns the state abbreviation for a zip code.
- UPS and FedEx tariffs now include built-in fuel surcharge scales and will add the fuel surcharge for a given fuel price. The fuel price can be passed as a parameter or a default fuel price can be used.
- Rating functions now support an optional Piece Count option (PC=nnn). Package tariffs will use this to compute average package costs and multiple with number of packages. This makes it much easier to do mode selections with shipments that can be shipped either as LTL or as multiple packages.
Miscellaneous
- New menus, especially in Excel 2007, provide direct access to often used configuration items such as fuel settings and error settings.
- Enhanbed Database Edit form with ability to arrange contracts individually or in groups though right click menu or dragging. Multiple contracts can be selected and deleted at once. Contracts can be included or excluded directly by right clicking. The form remembers its size and position.
- New Rate Contract forms
- New Configuration form includes the ability to manage fuel surcharges and more
- Shared Configuration File: Radical Tools can now load settings from a shared configuration file on a network. This makes it easy to assure that multiple instances of Radical Tools all use the same contract files and settings.
- Improved Help file
- Improved sample spreadsheets, including a new Import Contract spreadsheet
- Direct access to sample spreadsheets from the menu
- Many other minor fixes and improvements
You can sign up for a free 14-day trial of Radical Tools. For information, including how to get a demo license of Radical Tools 4.1, please contact us.