# Overnight and multi-day route planning

A preparation mini-guide. Examples are conceptual, not solved routes or legal advice.

## 1. Separate the horizon from working time

A two-day planning horizon does not make the team available continuously for two days.
Provide dated work periods, service durations, appointment windows, breaks and downtime.
State the time zone and validate transitions between periods.

## 2. Choose the actual overnight scenario

### Required depot return

If the vehicle must return every evening, make the required visits and timing explicit.
A final depot destination at the end of the overall tour does not create daily returns.
Include any required unloading or preparation work rather than modelling it as zero time.

### A specified hotel or accommodation stop

Agree the location and the operational requirement outside the route result, then model the
required stop and timing explicitly. The solver does not select, book or verify accommodation.
Confirm how this stop is represented in the available product workflow.

### Continuation between working periods

Do not assume that a pause between periods means a depot return or a hotel visit.
Review where work/travel pauses and resumes, what remains on board and which overnight
arrangements are outside the model. Required visits still need to be supplied.

## 3. Review the whole round and each working day

- Inspect the tasks assigned to each dated period.
- Check travel plus on-site service, not only distance.
- Verify the start, any required intermediate visits and the overall final destination.
- Inspect unassigned work and reported reasons.
- Keep accommodation, rest obligations, travel policy and legal compliance checks separate
  unless they have been explicitly modelled and independently verified.

## 4. Keep a controlled comparison

Preserve the original scenario. Change only an input or requirement that can genuinely change,
and record who authorized it. A bounded search that finds no solution is not proof of impossibility.
Optional AI planning advice must not override hard constraints.

This guide and the sample CSV are preparation aids, not an app import specification. The sample
CSV lacks actual locations, resource schedules, starting load and travel data; it is not solvable as-is.
Confirm enabled generation functions and integrations with Flowtlas before operational use.

Source: https://flowtlas.com/features/multi-day-routing/
Further reading: https://flowtlas.com/resources/journal/multi-day-route-planning/
Discuss your scenario: https://flowtlas.com/start/