The logon dialog box will appear each time the program is started. Both the User Id and Password fields must be must be answered.
The User Id will set the relevant style for that user, setting screen positions and headings.

As part of the logon routine a Project Id dialog box will appear in order to set a name to identify the automatic backup files created. This Project Name by default is set to the Study Title. This may be changed to any text of 40 characters or less. It cannot be re-set again for this session of the program.

Different activity modes and other options can be chosen using the basic menu items across the top: File, Edit, System Attributes, Klusters, Travel, Warefrom, Routes, Style, Refresh and Help.

File Menu -  For activities such as loading data, saving files, and deleting data.

Edit Menu - Used to access Kingpin Mode and to create and change study data and basic parameters.

System Attributes - Change some default parameters and facilities that affect the whole study.

Klusters - is a way of grouping very large volumes of data to make analysis easier.

Travel Menu -  has dialog entry for Road Speeds and options to calculate times and distances between locations.

Warefrom Menu - Used to access Whatinsq Mode and options to set depot boundaries using supply chain costs.

Routes Menu - used to access Egotrip Mode and set routing parameters and plan vehicle schedules.

Style Menu - has options to alter the information displayed: changing headings and mapping options.

Refresh Menu - options to refresh graphics and reset window positions

Help menu - has an on-screen display help manual.

Kingpin mode is selected from the Edit menu. The screen will change to display 3 panels - Graphics, Summary panel and Data grid on the left.
The initial display will be for depots; to change the view to see any other items, click on the appropriate tab on the Summary Panel. The details will be displayed in a spreadsheet view.
Double click with the left hand button to display a depot or call dialog as necessary. To change the information on display, use the Style menu and move to Kingpin Headings and select the option to display the dialog window.

Once the required information is displayed in Kingpin mode it may be amended by use of the edit field in the toolbar area. Clicking on the appropriate cell will display the details, which can then be amended as required. It is also possible to select a range of cells using the LHB with either the CTRL key or by holding down the LHB and selecting the appropriate range, and change values for all highlighted fields. Click on the tick box to change values or the cross to abort.  To select an entire column of data to change, click the RHB on the heading and all values for the selected data type will be highlighted. Arrow Cursor keys can also be used to move round the fields (Up, Down, Left, Right, Home , End).

Details that cannot directly be amended are displayed in grey text. These are often fields that are calculated depending upon other values. Any related values will automatically be updated where possible.

A menu option may be displayed by clicking the RHB on any cell. This menu will allow Create, Properties, Search or Delete for any data type.

Egotrip mode is selected from the Routes menu.

Open an existing route: Left click on the route number in the Summary View to display it in the top panel; double click on a route to show it in the middle route panel or triple click to display it in a pop-up box.

Create a route: Right click in either of the route panels to display a set of menus to display all the current routes. As the mouse cursor is moved over an item the next level of menu automatically appears.

Add calls to a route: Highlight any calls you have either from the deferred list or another route, hold the right mouse button down, and drag the call/s to the route and position you want.

Optimise a route: To automatically optimise a route with calls on, right click on any of the calls in the route and click Optimise Trip Sequence

View trip on map: To view the a route on a pop map, right click on any of the calls in a route and click Popup graphic ZOOMED to this trip

Highway Mode is selected from the Travel Menu. Highway Mode may be used to easily identify and then locate calls or depots without valid grid reference locations. It will display an Output Summary Panel, graphics image, and text panels for calls and depots.

This mode is selected from the Warefrom menu. When selected, it will load all the selected depots and calls and construct a scaled graphical image of the area to be examined showing the current allocation of calls to depots. (In DiPS every call must have an “owning” depot that is used as the primary source of any delivery or collection.) The current or ASIS” situation can be useful for verifying any data mistakes (incorrect postcodes) or checking depot product throughput in the Depot Resource summary tab.

A list of the calls allocated to each depot may be displayed in either of the two text panels on the left hand side. Calls may then be moved between depots either using text panels to drag calls or graphically by drawing boundaries or clicking on calls on the map display.

The Anyware menu option is also available to calculate a “best” single depot site to serve the calls in question