A step-by-step reference for configuring facilities, templates, partners, reason codes, and appointment rules, then booking and tracking yard appointments in Movement.

Overview

Appointment Manager is the yard scheduling product within project44’s Movement platform. It lets shippers and carriers coordinate dock and yard appointments so that loads arrive in planned slots, congestion drops, and on-time performance improves. The product supports slot discovery, booking, rescheduling, cancellation, and real-time milestone tracking across a facility’s operating day.

Appointment Manager runs inside Movement as a native module. It shares Movement’s navigation, identity, and design system, and it connects appointment data to Movement Visibility and the transportation management system (TMS). The result is a single thread from order booking to visibility to yard scheduling.

How Appointment Manager fits in Movement

Appointment Manager spans two areas of Movement:

• Appointments and Shipments are where operators work day-to-day: they view the calendar, book slots, monitor arrivals, and manage shipments in a table.
• Settings is where tenant admins configure the building blocks: facilities and facility spaces, templates, partners, reason codes, appointment rules, users, and carriers.

Configuration in Settings defines what can be booked and when. The operational views consume that configuration to show available slots, accept bookings, and report on yard activity.

Who this guide is for

The guide is for the people who set up and operate Appointment Manager. The primary roles are listed in the following table.

Note: The configuration tasks in this guide (facilities, templates, partners, reason codes, and rules) are intended for tenant admins, and the Yard/Warehouse managers. Operational tasks (calendar, booking, and table view) are available to planners, yard managers, and carriers according to their permissions.

What you will set up

The guide follows the order you use to stand up a working facility, then operate it. Each part maps to a screen in Movement.

Before you begin

Complete these prerequisites before you start.

• Movement access. You need a Movement account with the appropriate role. Configuration tasks require tenant admin permissions.
• Facility data. Have your facility details ready: address, operating days and hours, sections, and slot timing.

Important: Appointment data flows between Appointment Manager, Movement Visibility, and the TMS. Actions such as booking or cancelling a slot can generate updates across these connected systems.

Open Appointment Manager settings

Tenant admins manage Appointment Manager configuration from Movement Settings.

1. Open Movement and select Settings.
2. In the settings catalog, select Facility Management.
3. Use the top navigation to move between Facilities, Templates, Partners, Reason codes, Appointment rules, Users, and Carriers.

The Users and Carriers tabs open in their related Movement areas (User Management and the carrier directory), so you manage people and carriers with the same tools you use elsewhere in Movement.

Tip: You can also access Settings by selecting Appointments in the left pane, then select Settings.

Set up a facility and facility spaces

A facility is a yard or site where appointments take place. Each facility contains one or more facility spaces (sections such as docks or staging areas) that carry their own activity type and timing. Set up the facility first, then add its spaces.

Review the facilities list

The Facilities tab lists every facility on the tenant. Each row shows the facility name, facility code, address, slot type, and the created and last-updated dates. Use Search by facility name to find a facility, and the Slot type filter to narrow the list.

Figure 1. The Facilities tab listing each facility with its code, address, slot type, and dates.

Note: The Slot type column shows how a facility measures availability. Time facilities define slots by a fixed time length. Quantity facilities define slots by how many shipments a space can handle at once. See the reference section for details.

Add a facility

To create a facility, select Add Facility and complete the two-step form. The first step captures general information and address.

1. Select Add Facility.
2. Under Facility details, enter the Facility name and Facility code. The code is the identifier used across Movement and integrations.
3. Enter Address details, and confirm the City, State, Country, and Postal code, then enter the Latitude and Longitude for the site.
4. Optional: under Link locations, search for and select existing locations to link with this facility. You can link more than one.
5. Select Save & continue to move to the operational details step.

Figure 2. Step 1 of the Add a new facility form: general information, address details, and link locations.

Define operational details

In the operational details step, set the days and hours the facility operates, along with the timing rules that govern appointments. These settings include working days and hours per day, the default slot duration, the on-time margin, and the no-show time limit. The facility's operating hours map to its local time zone, so slots stay fixed regardless of the viewer's Movement time-zone setting.

Slot type

The Slot type field controls which additional fields appear in the form. Select one of the following options:

• Slots by time display working days with a time range, the default slot duration, the on-time margin, and the no-show time limit.
• Slots by quantity display working days with a time range, a Total Capacity field per day, the default slot duration, Variance %, the on-time margin, and the no-show time limit.

Slots by time

When you select Slots by time, configure the following fields:

• Working days and time range: The days and hours the facility accepts appointments.
• Default slot duration: The standard length of each appointment slot.
• On-time margin: The window of time within which a carrier is considered on time.
• No-show time limit: The time after which an appointment is marked as a no-show.

Slots by Quantity

When you select Slots by quantity, configure the following fields:

• Working days and time range: The days and hours the facility accepts appointments.
• Total Capacity: The maximum number of pieces the facility can handle per day.
• Default slot duration: The standard length of each appointment slot.
• Variance %: The percentage by which actual capacity can vary from the total.
• On-time margin: The window of time within which a carrier is considered on time.
• No-show time limit: The time after which an appointment is marked as a no-show.

After you save, the facility’s detail panel shows an Overview tab with the address, operational hours, and slot details, and a Facility spaces tab for managing sections.

Add facility spaces

Facility spaces are the bookable sections of a facility, such as inbound docks, outbound docks, or staging areas. Open a facility, select the Facility spaces tab, and review the existing spaces. Each space shows its name, code, activity type, and whether its timing is linked to the facility. To edit the facility details, select Actions to edit. 

Figure 3. The Facility spaces tab listing each space with its code, activity type, and link status.

To add a space, select Add a new facility space and complete the facility space details.

1. Select Add a new facility space.
2. Enter the Facility space name and Facility space code.
3. The Facility space type field is set to Section and cannot currently be changed..
4. Select the Activity type: Inbound, Outbound, or Any. This controls which appointments the space accepts.
5. Leave Link timing with facility on to reuse the facility’s working hours, or turn it off to set hours for this space.
6. Under Working days details, select the operating days and set the start and end time for each. Use Apply to all to copy one day’s hours to every selected day.
7. To update the Slot duration (min), toggle the Link timing with facility, Enter the Slot duration. Please note that the On time margin (min), and the No show time limit (min) cannot be changed.
8. Select Save.

Figure 4. The Add a new facility space form: space details, activity type, working hours, and slot timing.

Tip: Set the Activity type on each space to match how you use it. Inbound spaces accept deliveries, outbound spaces accept pickups, and Any accepts both. This keeps the calendar organized by flow.

Edit a facility

To change a facility, open it from the list, select Edit Facility and edit any field across both steps, then save. Editing core operational settings can release affected confirmed bookings for manual rebooking, so review the impact before you save.

Warning: Editing slot-defining settings (such as slot durations or operating hours) can cancel the confirmed bookings tied to the affected slots and move them to manual rebooking. Plan these changes during low-volume periods and notify affected carriers.

Create and manage templates

Templates define availability for a facility over a date range. Use a template to predefine recurring availability (for example, a standard operating week) or to override the default plan for a day. Templates build on the facility and facility-space settings you created in the previous part.

Review the templates list

Open the Templates tab and select a facility from the facility selector. The list shows each template’s name, type, status, date range, and the created and last-updated dates. Use the Template type and Status filters and the date filter to narrow the list, and Search by template name to find one.

To edit an existing template, select the three-dot menu to Edit Template Properties, Duplicate, and Delete Template.

Figure 5. The Templates tab showing operational and override templates with their status and date ranges.

Templates have a type and a status:

Create a template

1. On the Templates tab, use the page-level Facility filter to select the facility you want to create a template. 
2. Select Add template.
3. In Create new template, enter the Name.
4. Select the Facility.
5. Select the Template type: Operational or Override.
6. For Operational: Set the Select start date and Select end date for the range the template covers.
7. For Override: Set the date that you want the template to be overridden.
8. Select Next to open the template grid editor, and Select Save changes to save the template.

Edit availability in the grid

The grid editor shows facility spaces as rows and the day’s time range as columns, with a tab for each day of the week. Use it to shape availability space by space and day by day.

Please note: For Override type templates, only a single date can be selected.

Figure 6. The template grid editor: facility spaces as rows, time across the top, with slot editing in progress.

In the grid you can:

• Mark a facility space, or the whole facility, available or unavailable for a day.
• Mark individual slots available or unavailable.
• Add slots to a space, or remove them.
• Change the duration of slots using Edit slot duration, then select Apply.
• Add capacity to a space (for capacity-based facilities).
• Copy one day’s availability to other days with Copy to days.

Note: Available actions depend on the facility’s slot type. Time facilities support facility-space-level actions (edit operational hours, make all available, make all unavailable, delete slots) and individual slot-level actions (edit slot time, make unavailable, delete slot, drag-and-drop). Quantity facilities support only Edit capacity, Make available, and Delete capacity, applied at the slot level across all facility spaces.

1. Select the day tab you want to edit.
2. Select a slot or space to open its actions, then set availability, duration, or capacity.
3. To reuse a day’s pattern, select Copy to days, choose the target days, and apply.
4. Select Save changes.

Tip: Use Copy to days for Operational templates to build a full week from a single configured day. Set up Monday, then copy it to Tuesday through Friday and adjust the exceptions.

View template history

Each template has an Activity log that records changes, such as when the template was created, with timestamps. Use it to confirm edits and to support audit needs.

Edit or delete a template

You can edit future templates in all the ways listed for the grid. For past templates, you can only duplicate them to a new period. You can't delete a current or future template, and you can't edit slot-defining settings either. To keep a current template's slots accurate, reduce the end date to the current date, then create a new template (or duplicate the current one) with the updated slots.

Deleting a current or future template, or editing slot-defining settings, can release confirmed bookings for manual rebooking.

Warning: Editing current and future templates (other than adding slots) can cancel the confirmed bookings for the affected slots and move them to manual rebooking. Past templates cannot be deleted.

Manage Partners and Reason codes

Partners are the customers and vendors associated with your shipments. Reason codes standardize why an appointment is canceled, rejected, or rescheduled. Set up both so that bookings carry consistent partner data and exceptions report cleanly.

Review partners

Open the Partners tab to see all partners. Each row shows the partner name, category, primary contact email, and address. Use the Category filter and Search by name to find a partner, and the edit control on a row to update it.

Figure 7. The Partners list showing partner name, category, contact email, and address.

Note: Selecting more than one value in the Category filter shows partners matching any of the selected categories, not only partners matching all of them.

Add a Partner

1. On the Partners tab, select Add partner.
2. Enter the Name.
3. Select the Category: Customer, Vendor, or both.
4. Optional: search for and select the Address, then confirm City, State, Country, and Postal code.
5. Optional: enter the Primary contact email.
6. Select Save partner.

Figure 8. The Add a new partner form: name, category, address, and primary contact email.

Review reason codes

Open the Reason codes tab to see all reason codes. Each row shows the reason code, name, the use cases it applies to, its status, and the facilities it covers. Use the Use cases and Facilities filters, the edit control on a row to update / disable it and Search by name to find a code.

Figure 9. The Reason codes list showing each code, its use cases, status, and facility scope.

Add a reason code

1. On the Reason codes tab, select Add reason code.
2. Enter the Reason code and the Name.
3. Under Use cases, select where the code applies: Cancel, Reject, Reschedule, or a combination.
4. Under Facilities, select All to apply the code everywhere, or choose specific facilities.
5. Select Save reason code.

Figure 10. The Add a new reason code form: code, name, use cases, and facility scope.

Note: Reason codes appear when users cancel, reject, or reschedule an appointment, depending on the use cases you select. Scope a code to All locations for tenant-wide reasons, or to specific facilities for site-specific ones. 

Selecting a use case (e.g., "Cancel") shows all reason codes tagged with that use case.

Configure appointment rules

Appointment rules control how bookings are handled for a facility. Open the Appointment rules tab and select a facility. Rules are grouped into three categories, each shown with a count:

• Auto-booking rules let the system assign slots automatically based on preset conditions, following a first-available preference.
• Manual booking rules govern how users book slots by hand.
• Configurations hold supporting settings for the facility’s booking behavior.

Figure 11. The Appointment rules tab showing ordered auto-booking rules with enable toggles.

Add an Appointment rule

1. On the Appointment Rules tab, select the Facility.
2. Select Manual-booking or Auto-booking based on requirement.
3. Select Create new.
4. Enter Display name and Description.
5. Select the Facility Space.
6. Select the time range: During working hours, Fixed time range for all days, or Custom time range per day.
7. For Fixed time range for all days, the time zone is pre-selected based on the Facility — enter the time range. For Custom time range per day, times are pre-filled: adjust for whichever day(s) need changes.
8. Add one or more criteria using Select Parameter (Load direction, Loading method, Carrier name, Attribute, Business partner – Customer, Business partner – Vendor) and select the corresponding values to form a condition.
9. Select Save. This creates a Manual-booking or Auto-booking rule based on the tab selected in step 2, and it will appear under that same tab.   

Update a Configuration

1. On the Appointment Rules tab, select the Facility.
2. Select Configurations.
3. From the provided list, enable the required configuration using its toggle.
4. Edit the corresponding time value, choosing between minutes and hours

Order and enable rules

Auto-booking rules apply in order. The number on each rule is its position, and you drag rules to change the order. Each rule has an enable toggle and an Edit action.

1. Select the category tab: Auto-booking, Manual booking, or Configurations.
2. To reorder auto-booking rules, drag a rule by its handle to a new position. Rules apply from the top down.
3. Use the toggle on a rule to enable or disable it.
4. Select Edit to change a rule’s conditions, or Create new to add one.

Note: Auto-booking applies only when you enable it. When it is on, the system books the first matching available slot. Keep rule order intentional, because earlier rules take precedence.

Manage the appointment calendar and book slots

The Appointments view is the operational calendar for a facility. Use it to see the day’s slots, review yard status, and book, reschedule, or cancel appointments. Switch facilities with the facility selector and move between days with the date control.

Read the appointments view

Figure 12. The Appointments calendar with yard summary cards and a scheduled appointment on the timeline.

The view has two areas:

• Yard summary cards give a live snapshot of the day: Yard overview (total, booked, and available slots), Arrival status (on time, early, delayed, no show, and scheduled), and Facility milestone (not started, arrived, checked in, activity started, activity ended, and checked out).
• The calendar grid shows facility spaces as rows and the operating hours as columns. Booked appointments appear as cards with the shipment reference, flow direction, status, and milestone progress.

Use the Carrier, Activity type, Arrival status, Latest milestone, and Facility Space filters to focus the grid. Select More filters to add Booking status, Customer, Load Type, and Reference Key. Use the Card details control to switch between Summary, Default, and Detailed card layouts. Toggle Yard summary to show or hide the summary cards.

Book an appointment

Booking starts from the calendar. You can book against an existing shipment or create a new shipment during the flow.

1. On the Appointments tab, select the Facility
2. Select Book appointment.
3. On the Find unbooked shipments step, search by reference or pick from the suggested shipments for the facility, then select the shipment. 
4. On the slot picker, choose the date, then select an available slot from the Morning, Afternoon, Evening, or Night group. Slots are limited to the shipment’s appointment window.
5. Optional: Add a note for the booking.
6. Select Book slot to confirm.

Note: For an existing shipment, the booking auto-fills the shipment data and limits slot selection to the appointment window. Only admins with the right role can book outside the window. The booked shipment and its updates flow back to Movement Visibility.

Create a shipment during booking

When no shipment exists, the booking flow lets you create one. Provide the shipment references, location, activity type, and appointment window, along with carrier, customer, vendor, order, consignment, and any labels or comments. The new shipment can flow back to Movement Visibility for completeness, depending on the tenant’s product settings.

Book a load that does not exist yet, start a new shipment instead:

1. On the Booking details step, review the shipment details and confirm the pickup and delivery information.
2. Under Goods & packaging, confirm or enter the carrier, customer, and vendor, the order details, and the item details (such as SKU and quantity).
3. Select Create shipment & continue (for a new shipment) or continue to slot selection (for an existing one).

Reschedule or cancel an appointment

You can reschedule or cancel a booking from the calendar or the table view, as long as the new time is in the future. Rescheduling moves the same appointment to a new slot and keeps its identifier, and it releases the original slot. Cancelling frees the slot for others. Provide a reason code when you reschedule or cancel so that exceptions report consistently. Carrier-initiated reschedules and bookings can require shipper approval, depending on the facility’s rules.

Work with the shipment table view

The Shipments view lists shipments for the selected period in a single table, with booking actions and exports. Use it to find shipments, check booking and arrival status, and book or view bookings without opening the calendar.

Figure 13. The Shipments table with booking status, appointment windows, milestones, and per-row actions.

Find and filter shipments

• Set the period with the date control (for example, this week).
• Filter with the Facility, Booking status, Arrival status, Latest milestone, Carrier, and Activity type chips, or open More Filters.
• Search by shipment identifiers in the search box.
• Add or remove columns with Add columns, including reference keys and other fields.

Read the table

Each row summarizes a shipment. Key columns include:

Act on a shipment

• For an unbooked shipment, select Book slot to start the booking flow described in the previous part.
• For a booked shipment, select View Booking to open the booking, where tabs cover Appointment details, Goods & other details, Activity log, and Notes.
• Export the filtered list to a CSV file using the download control, for analysis outside Movement.

Tip: Filter to Unbooked and the current period to find the shipments that still need a slot, then book them in sequence from the table.

Track milestones and yard activity

Appointment Manager tracks each appointment through a sequence of milestones, from arrival to departure. Yard managers and gate operators update milestones as a trailer progresses, and the system reads and writes milestone updates with Movement Visibility so that tracking stays consistent across systems.

Milestone sequence

Milestones complete in order. To complete a milestone, the milestones before it must be completed or marked as skipped. Both a completion flag and a completion time are required to mark a milestone done. The facility milestone summary on the calendar reflects these states across the day.

Gate check-in

When you complete the arrival milestone manually, you can run a gate check-in. During check-in, you review and update the vehicle details and the consignment and additional details. After a shipment checks in, vehicle and consignment details are frozen, and shipment details can no longer change.

Real-time monitoring

The appointments view gives a live read on the yard. The arrival status card tracks on-time, early, delayed, no-show, and scheduled counts, and the facility milestone card tracks progress across the day. Use the operational template to make ad-hoc changes to a day’s plan when loads run early or late, so that loading and unloading stay efficient.

Reference

Slot types

Activity types

Glossary