Ad-Hoc Stops Overview

Not every stop fits neatly into a recurring schedule. Ad-Hoc Stops are one-time stops you create for situations that fall outside a client's normal service cadence, like a one-time dumpster drop-off at a commercial account or a recycling bin delivery for a new residential customer.

"Stops" in the C&R section of the left-hand menu is where all your stop activity lives. This includes ad hoc stops you've created, recurring stops that have already run, and recurring stops occurring today. You won't see future recurring stops here. Only stops created for the current day or earlier appear in this list.

Before You Start

Here are a few things to know before you continue:

• You'll need Admin or Office Staff-level permissions to create Ad-Hoc Stops.
• We recommend adding your client in Docket before creating a Recurring Stop. It makes the process faster, but you can also add a new client during stop creation. To learn more, please review our Add Clients Individually and Import Clients in Bulk  article.
• Ad-Hoc Stops can be assigned to a route during creation or placed onto a route later from the Route Tracker. To learn more, please review our Route Tracker Overview article.

Create an Ad Hoc Stop

1. Click "Stops" in the C&R section of the left-hand menu.
2. Click the "+ New" button in the top-left corner.

3. Select "Ad-Hoc Stop" under C&R Actions in the drop-down menu.

   
   
   
   A pop-out panel will appear on the right side of your screen.

4. Search for an existing customer (client) by name or business, then select them from the results.

   
   
    

5. Search for or select the client's service address (location) from the drop-down or enter a new address.

6. Click "Continue to Details." If you selected an existing address, this step may advance automatically. 

   
   

Add Activities to the Stop

Activities are the specific actions your driver will perform at this stop. At least one Activity must be added before you can create the stop.

1. Click the "+ Add Activities" button under Activities.

   
   
    

2. Select an "Activity Type" from the drop-down. For ad hoc stops, this will most often be:

   • Drop Off: Use this when delivering a container to a client’s Location.
   • Pick Up: Use this when retrieving a container from a client’s Location.
      

   TIP: "Empty" is also available as an Activity Type if a driver needs to empty an existing container at the location during a one-time visit. It's less common for ad hoc stops but worth using when the situation calls for it.

3. Select a "Container Type" from the drop-down (e.g., Bag, Bin).
4. Select a "Material Type" from the drop-down. Options include:
   • Bulk
   • Recycling
   • Trash
   • Yard Waste

5. Click "Confirm" to add the Activity to the stop.

   
   
    

TIP: You can add multiple Activities to a single stop if the driver needs to complete more than one action at the same location. However, if different trucks handle different materials (for example, one truck for picking up containers and a separate truck for dropping them off), create a separate Ad-Hoc Stop for each so they can be assigned to the appropriate route and driver.

Configure Scheduling Settings

1. Select a "Start Date” for when the stop should occur.
2. Select a "Desired Service Time" if you or your client have a preference. (Optional)

3. Click the "Route" drop-down and select the route you want to assign this stop to.
    

   TIP: Assigning the stop to a route during creation places it in the Route Tracker for that date automatically. If you skip this step, the stop will appear as unassigned and you can add it to a route from the Route Tracker.
    

4. Click "Create Stop."

   
   
    

Please Note: Ad hoc stops cannot be converted into Recurring Stops. If a location needs to become a permanent stop on a route, create a new Recurring Stop and add it to the appropriate route.

View and Edit a Stop

All stops generated for the day, including ad hoc stops, appear in the "Stops" section of the Commercial & Residential left-hand menu. 

You can click any row in your Stops list to open a pop-out panel with that stop's details. From there you can review information or make edits.
 

To open the full details page for a stop, click the “box-and-arrow” icon in the "Actions" column. 
 

For any section displaying, click and drag the “six dots” icon in its section header to customize what information appears where on the page.


 

Once an ad hoc stop is completed by your driver, it will appear in the Stops list with a completed status. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Support team through the chat widget on the bottom of this page or by sending an email to support@yourdocket.com!