Understanding Loads & Load Types

A Load is a physical unit of cargo — a pallet, a box, a container — that a shipment carries and a tour hauls. A load type is a reusable template that fills in its typical dimensions for you.

What a load is

A Load is one physical thing to be moved. It records:

What it is — a pallet, box, container, or loose item.
Dimensions — length, width, and height.
Weight.
Quantity — how many identical units this line represents.
Handling rules — whether it is stackable, and flags such as dangerous goods or waste.

A load always belongs to a Shipment, and rides along on the Tour that carries that shipment. You add and edit loads while entering a shipment's freight — they appear under the shipment's Loads section in Orbit MissionControl.

One line can be many units

A single load line can stand for several identical units. Two pallets of the same goods are usually one load with a quantity of two, not two separate entries. When you want a total, read the quantity — shown as Total Load Count and Total Weight on the shipment — rather than counting the lines.

Load types: reusable templates

Most freight comes in standard formats — a Euro pallet, an industrial pallet, a standard box. Rather than re-typing dimensions each time, Orbit lets you define reusable templates. In Orbit MissionControl these are managed under Settings → Load Carriers, and each one carries a name, such as "Euro Pallet", and default dimensions.

When you pick a load carrier while entering freight, its preset dimensions fill in automatically — and you can still overwrite them for a particular load when that shipment is different. Load carriers are available across your organisation, and a template can be restricted so it is only offered to certain shippers.

Loads on shipments and tours

The same cargo appears wherever it is relevant. On a Shipment you see what is being carried and its history. On a Tour you see that same cargo as part of the run, tied to the stops where it is picked up and dropped off, along with its current loading status. You don't enter it twice — it is one load, shown in the place that matters.

A load's dimensions, weight, and stacking rules are also what Orbit uses to check whether the cargo fits inside the assigned vehicle. That fit check is shown as a 3D load plan.

LoadPlan 3D — how Orbit visualises whether the loads fit inside a vehicle.
Load Status Tracking — how a load's loaded and unloaded status is recorded during a tour.
Shipments — the shipment that carries the loads.

FAQ

What's the difference between a load and a load carrier?
A load is the actual cargo on a shipment, with its own dimensions and weight. A load carrier, managed in Settings, is a reusable template that fills in typical dimensions — for example a "Euro Pallet" preset. The template is not cargo itself; it just saves you typing.

Can I change the dimensions the template filled in?
Yes. Presets are a starting point. Overwrite the length, width, height, weight, or stackability on any individual load whenever a shipment differs from the standard.

How do I record two identical pallets?
Enter one load and set its quantity to two. The shipment totals reflect the count automatically, so there is no need to add a separate line per pallet.

Where do I see whether the cargo fits in the vehicle?
On the 3D load plan, which uses each load's dimensions, weight, and stacking rules. See LoadPlan 3D.

Understanding Loads & Load Types