At OnTime, we are constantly searching for new features that will help our users save time and money. Some customers have expressed a desire for quick access to ZIP Codes. OnTime has always allowed users to enter zones in by hand or import them in bulk from Excel spreadsheet files; however, these methods were not always helpful to couriers without such spreadsheets to import from. With OnTime, you can quickly download zones from our web service, free of charge to OnTime Standard or higher level subscribers. Note: This service works for the ZIP Code system within the United States and does not work for other countries.
Download Zip Codes as Zones
Open OnTime Management Suite and enter the Locations area. Click on the link labeled Download ZIP Codes:
The resulting window allows you to search for ZIP Codes by State, City, or telephone Area Code. Type in the desired search term and click Search (Note: For state searches, use the two letter state abbreviation). Results will display in a list. Here is an example of a search for all of the ZIP Codes in New York state:
Tip: Click on the column headers in the list to re-sort the columns.
At this point, if you click the OK button all of the items in the list will be imported as zones. The city name will be used as the name of the zone.
To import specific zip codes, select only the ones desired for import:
The items highlighted in blue will be imported as zones. Remember: To select individual items from this type of list, hold down the control key (CTRL) on the keyboard while clicking the desired items.
Once the desired items are selected, click OK. The new zones will imported and a message box should appear.
Merging Zones
If you create a large number of zones, merging them together may make your database more manageable. OnTime makes this process easy with its function to merge zones together. To learn how to use this feature, click here.