Quick Start Guide

The Rotations and Handlings dashboards

The ‘Rotations’ dashboard

In the ‘Rotations’ dashboard, you have 24/7 real-time insight into your train rotations and terminal visits. Clearly organised, with the scheduled rotations that you are working on at the top. Below are the rotations that are currently in operation, your completed rotations and, in conclusion, your cancelled rotations.

The ‘Handlings’ dashboard

Are you responsible for the cargo aspects? Then click on the Handlings dashboard. Here too, we have organised your workflow in a clear manner. At the top, you will find the containers that still need to be attached to a train (detached handlings). Next, you will find the pre-notified and already attached containers, the containers in operation and the containers already handled.

• Click on the containers for more details. This overview allows you to see, add and edit all containers

An important difference compared to the ‘Rotations’ overview is that ‘Handlings’ also offers insight into the ‘Detached Handlings’. Detached Handlings are STATUS REQUESTS for containers that have not yet been linked to a train visit, but for which you would like to know the container status (link to existing visit = No).

You can upgrade a STATUS REQUEST to a PRE-NOTIFICATION and link this to a train visit.

 Adding a new train rotation

• Click on the ‘+ New Rotation’ button
• Fill in the required fields such as ‘Train number’ and next click ‘Save Rotation’
• You can see the rotation you have created in the ‘Rotations’ dashboard
• Continue adding terminal visits

Creating a new visit/terminal call

• Click on the ‘Add visit’ button and fill in the required fields
• Save the visit by clicking on ‘Save visit’
• If necessary, you can also cancel your terminal visit (click on ‘Cancel visit’)
• You can see the created rotation and terminal visits in the ‘Rotations’ dashboard
• Click on ‘Add visit’ again to add other terminal visits

Insight into changes to a visit

Every change that a terminal makes to a visit will immediately be displayed on the overview screen, indicated by a blue dot.
Open the terminal visit and view the changes in the fields marked with this dot.

To accept the change or mark it as having been read, click on ‘Acknowledge update’. The blue dot will disappear.

Click here to read what the blue orb means in the rotation overview.

Detailed overview train

• Click on the rotation, visit or handlings for more information
• Within a rotation, click on the ‘Visit Details and History’ tab for more information
• You can use the ‘Handlings’ tab to add containers to your visit

Adding handlings (containers)

There are several ways to enter your containers via the HCN web screens:

 Through the ‘Handlings’ dashboard

• Click on the ‘Handlings’ tab

Click on ‘Add handling’

• Fill in the fields and click on ‘Submit status request’
• You will find the containers in the ‘Handlings’ dashboard
• You can link the detached handlings to a train visit at a later time. For this, read the info under the heading ‘Attaching, detaching and changing handlings (containers) on a train visit

Do you know what visit/Call-ID you wish to link the handling too? You can submit both a status request and a pre-notification.

• Select ‘Yes’ at ‘Link to existing visit’
• Enter the Call-ID of the train visit
• Make a status request by selecting ‘No’ at ‘Pre-notification’
• Or immediately submit a pre-notification by selecting ‘Yes’ at ‘Pre-notification’
•  Fill in the fields and click on ‘Submit a status request’ or Submit pre-notification

Through the ‘Rotations’ dashboard

• Click on the ‘Rotations’ tab
• Select the rotation
• Select the visit
• Select the ‘Handlings’ tab. You can submit both a status request and a pre-notification here
• Click on ‘Add handling’
  • Submit a status request by selecting ‘No’ at ‘Pre-notification’
  • Or immediately submit a pre-notification by selecting ‘Yes’ at ‘Pre-notification’
  • Fill in the fields and click on ‘Submit a status request’ or Submit pre-notification

Through Excel upload

• Click ‘download XLS Template’ under the ‘Add handling’ button
• Carefully read the instructions
• Fill in the ‘Pickup and/or Delivery” tabs and save the Excel file
• Click on the ‘Upload Handlings’ button in HCN Rail
• Choose whether you want to upload it as a status request or as a pre-notification
• Select the saved Excel sheet and you are done

Attaching, detaching and changing handlings (containers) for a train visit.

Through the ‘Handlings’ and ‘Rotations’ dashboards, you can detach, attach and change the container to a different Call-ID.

Attaching and changing

• Select the container
• Click on ‘Attach container’
• Enter the desired Call-ID of the train visit
• Click on ‘Attach’
• The container can be found under the train visit in both the ‘Rotations’ and ‘Handlings’ dashboards

 Detaching

• Select the container
• Click on ‘Detach container’ to detach the container from the Call-ID
• The container can be found in the ‘Handlings’ overview under Detached Handlings

Shipments

You can use the Shipments feature to see which containers have been assigned to you by way of nomination for pre-notification and collection. You can also nominate another haulier for pre-notification and collection of the container. This is a new way of working to share data securely, also known as the Secure Chain.

Features

On the MCA Road service page, go to the Shipments tab.  This is where you will see an overview of all containers which you have been nominated for via the Secure Chain and which may require further action.      

Under the Arrivals tab, you will see the containers listed per seagoing vessel.   

Under the Shipments tab, you will see the containers grouped per commissioning party or freight manager.     

By using the filter located above the containers, you can quickly find your container(s).     

Please note: Make sure the date range is set to the ETA of the seagoing vessel.

Actions to take

There are a number of actions you can take at container level.

Select one or more containers and at the bottom of the screen, you will see three buttons with actions:

• Forward: nominate another haulier
• Cancel forward: cancel a nomination
• Download: download container data

Forward

• Click on the Forward button to nominate a haulier for handling the transport and the pre-notification.
• Then type in the name of the organisation you want to nominate.  As you type, the eligible organisations will appear on the screen.
• Select the applicable organisation and it will instantly be linked.

You have now outsourced the pre-notification and transport of the container to another haulier. The selected haulier can now be seen in the container details. The container will remain visible to you and you can continue to track the container status, scheduled and actual pick-up times. Only your own status request and/or pre-notification is cancelled at the time of the handover.

Cancel Forward

Do you want to cancel the nomination you have made for one or more containers?

• After selecting a container, click on Cancel Forward. This container will then be removed from your overview.
• You then nominate another haulier.

Download

Use the Download button to download an Excel file with the data of the selected containers for your own TMS.     

Container status

Rotation level

At rotation level, the number of containers to be unloaded and/or loaded is shown. If any containers require attention, a red triangle with an exclamation mark and the number of containers will appear.

Visit level

By clicking on the rotation, the terminal visits within the rotation are shown.

The number of containers to be unloaded and/or loaded is also shown at the visit level, whereby a red triangle with an exclamation mark is displayed (and the number of containers) if any container require attention. By opening the visit, the containers that require attention are shown at the top of the list by default.

Container level/handling level

The statuses below (green = OK, red = action required) are displayed for each container. This is also visible via the ‘Handlings’ dashboard.

Container delivery:

• Padlock icon = blocked
• Document icon = customs document known to the terminal
• Clock icon = cargo opening started at the terminal
• Key icon = acceptance reference known to the terminal

Container pick-up:

• Padlock icon = blocked
• Document icon = customs document known to the terminal
• Square with checkmark = container available at the terminal
• Euro icon = commercial clearance known to the terminal

History

All actions and timestamps can be viewed under Rotation, Visit and Handlings. A record of all actions and updates performed. For example, click on the ‘History’ tab via Rotation, Visit or Handlings to see all updates. This always gives you insight into all the changes that have taken place. Hover your mouse over an update and click on the pop-up icon to view your rotation at that point in time.

Report Issue Button

Click ‘Report issue’ to directly inform our Customer Service about your problem in working with MCA Rail.