This guide provides a comprehensive overview of managing delivery and pickup areas within the HirePOS system by categorizing locations into zones. By associating these zones with specific cities, postcodes, and locations, you can streamline the delivery process and automate delivery charges.

Follow these steps to create zones:

1. Navigate to Setup > Delivery/Pickup.

2. Click on Zones to access the Zones list.

3. Click + New Zone to create a new delivery zone.

4. Enter a unique alphanumeric name for the zone (maximum 20 characters).

5. Click Save New to save each zone as you add them (e.g., Zone A, Zone B, etc.).

To set up cities and postcodes:

1. Navigate to Setup > Delivery/Pickup.

2. Click City / Postcode List.

3. Add new city/postcode locations as needed.

4. Assign a zone to each city/postcode using the Zone dropdown for delivery and pricing purposes.

Note:

• The Prompt field is reserved for future development to display prompts when selecting cities/postcodes.

Creating selling units for each zone that incurs a delivery charge allows for differentiated pricing. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Setup > Item Related > Selling Units.

2. Click + New Selling Unit.

3. Enter a Unit Description matching the zone name (maximum 20 characters).

4. Click the Other tab and select the corresponding zone from the Zone dropdown.

5. Click Save New.

6. Repeat the process for each zone requiring delivery fees.

Best Practice:

• Ensure zone-enabled selling units are sorted to the top of your selling units list using the Sort Order tool in the Selling Units list screen. This helps HirePOS correctly select the intended unit.

To establish the delivery charge item:

1. Navigate to Setup > Items.

2. Click + New Item.

3. Enter a description (e.g., Delivery Charge).

4. Provide a unique item code (e.g., DEL) or use the auto-generated number.

5. Choose an Item Type (e.g., Misc or a dedicated Delivery item type).

6. In the Configuration section, check the Non-Stock checkbox.

7. Click the Rates/Prices tab.

8. For each zone, select the corresponding selling unit, enter the Sell Ex or Sell Inc price, and set the Tax code.

Best Practice:

• Only add zone-enabled selling units to this item.

• Avoid adding extra normal each-based or time-based units, as this can interfere with zone selection.

9. Click Save Changes.

To differentiate between Delivery Only and Delivery & Pickup charges, you have two options:

• Create two separate items:

  • One for Delivery

  • One for Pickup

• If a job requires both delivery and pickup, add both items.

• If it is a delivery-only job, add only the delivery item to the invoice.

• If it is pickup-only, add only the pickup item.

• Create three distinct items:

  • Delivery Only

  • Pickup Only

  • Delivery & Pickup

• Set different Zone Rate/Prices for each item (e.g., Delivery & Pickup rates may be double those of Delivery Only or Pickup Only).

• Add the relevant item to the invoice based on customer requirements.

To ensure that the system correctly selects the appropriate zone-based selling unit for delivery and pickup charges, follow these best practices:

• Use Only Zone-Enabled Selling Units: When setting up the selling units for your delivery/pickup item, ensure that only selling units linked to zones are assigned. Avoid adding non-zone-based selling units to prevent incorrect selection.

• Sort Order Priority: If you must include both zone and non-zone selling units, go to Setup > Item Related > Selling Units and adjust the Sort Order so that zone-enabled selling units appear at the top of the list. This ensures that they are tested first when the system iterates through available options during item selection on the invoice screen.

When setting delivery details on the invoice screen, zones are applied based on the following logic:

• If you select a customer with a zone set as the delivery customer, that zone is used.

• If you select a location with a zone set, that zone is used.

• If the customer or location has a city set but no zone, no zone is set automatically.

  • If you want a zone to be set, you must manually select it from the Zone dropdown in the Delivery Details popup.

  • Alternatively, selecting (or reselecting) the City from the City dropdown will assign the correct zone automatically.

• Manually entering a postcode will not select a zone—you must select the City from the dropdown or use a customer or location with a predefined zone.

• If a zone is already set in the Delivery Details but you then select a customer or location with no zone, the previously selected zone will be cleared from the delivery details.

• The charge items are NOT automatically added to the invoice screen.

  • The Zone automation only determines which UNIT to select when you manually add the delivery charge(s) to the invoice.

• You must add the delivery charge item(s) manually after the zone is set in the Delivery Details on the invoice screen.

• Ensure the zone is selected first, as the selling unit selection happens at the moment of adding the item to the invoice. If the zone is changed afterward, the charge(s) will not update automatically.

When creating invoices:

1. Access Delivery/Pickup Details on the Invoice page.

2. Select a pre-set City/Postcode or Zone from the dropdown lists.

3. Click Done to finalize the selection.

• In the Booking/Invoice screen, go to Delivery/Pickup details.

• If the Zone dropdown is not visible, click + Country/Zone near the Postcode field to expand the fields.

• Select the relevant Zone for the delivery.

• Alternatively, preset a City/Postcode list in Setup > Delivery/Pickup to automate zone selection.

  • (If you select a city or postcode assigned to a zone in setup, this zone will automatically be set in the Delivery/Pickup details.)

• On a new invoice line, add the Delivery Charge item(s).

  • Important: You must have the zone selected in the Delivery/Pickup details section before adding the delivery item(s) to the invoice.

    • The selling unit selection is determined at the time of adding the item to the invoice based on all currently available information.

    • Adding or changing zone information after the item(s) have been added to the invoice will not affect the charges or selected units.

• The autocalc feature will select the appropriate selling unit for the zone, ensuring the correct charge rate is applied.

• The Qty/Units will always recalculate to 1, as the Zone rate is a total charge and not a per-km charge.

By implementing these steps, you can efficiently manage delivery charges using zones in HirePOS, ensuring a seamless invoicing process and accurate pricing.