Appointments
Vector delivers on the digital yard promise by facilitating handoffs between facility and driver. By ingesting appointments from your source system, guards and drivers avoid unnecessary manual entry and the check-in workflow is streamlined around the expectation for when a load is to be picked up or delivered.
How It Works
Push appointments to Vector in three steps.
Export from Source System
Generate a CSV file from your WMS, TMS, or scheduling system with appointment data in the required format.
Upload via SFTP
Transmit the CSV file to the designated SFTP directory. Vector will ingest the appointments automatically.
Streamlined Check-In
Guards and drivers see pre-populated appointment data during check-in, eliminating manual entry and reducing gate time.
SFTP Connection
CSV files should be uploaded to a Vector-provided SFTP server at a regular interval, typically every 15 minutes. Successfully ingested files are moved to the archive folder. Files that fail ingestion are moved to the error folder.
Preferably use the hostname rather than the IP address. The IP is provided for whitelisting/firewall purposes only.
| Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
| files/ | Default upload directory for payload files |
| archive/ | Successfully ingested files are moved here |
| error/ | Files that failed ingestion are moved here for review |
Self-Hosted SFTP
If your organization prefers to self-host the SFTP server, Vector will accommodate. Note that uptime monitoring and exception visibility will become the responsibility of your team.
File Formatting & Naming
Accepted File Formats
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| .csv | Column headers are mandatory for correct parsing |
| .xls | Legacy Excel format |
| .xlsx | Modern Excel format |
File Naming Convention
No specific file naming convention is required. Files are ingested in the order they are received (FIFO).
Sample Data & Testing
When sending test files via the integration, please also provide copies to your Vector Deployment Strategist via email for review. This allows the Vector team to verify file formatting and execute back-end configuration to ensure correct processing.
- Use production data in test files whenever possible for the most accurate results.
- Turn the feed on for continuous testing and data review.
- If production data is unavailable, create detailed test data with all in-scope fields populated and send 3-5 files.
Appointment Definition
Required properties for every appointment.
Primary Identifier
Human-readable Primary ID. May be used in combination with source system keys as a primary key for updates.
APPT-20250601-001Appointment Type
Indicates the direction of the load.
Inbound or OutboundAppointment Window
Start datetime(s) in UTC, formatted per ISO 8601.
2025-06-01T14:00:00ZAppointment Facility
Included explicitly as its own column, or derived from Origin Source ID and Destination Source ID in combination with Appointment Type.
FAC-DFW-01Updates and Deletes
Appointments can be updated and deleted. Vector assumes the most recently transmitted version of the appointment is correct, based on the primary identifier / primary key.
Update an Appointment
Re-send the CSV row with the same Primary Identifier and updated field values. Vector will overwrite the existing record with the latest version.
Cancel an Appointment
Re-send the appointment row with the same Primary Identifier and set the Canceled field to true.
CSV Payload Format
The appointment file must be a valid CSV following RFC 1480. Pay attention to quoting and escaping rules to avoid parsing errors.
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | CSV (RFC 1480) |
| Commas in data | Values containing commas must be wrapped in double quotes. It is acceptable to wrap all values in double quotes. |
| Escaping quotes | Double quotes inside a value must be escaped by doubling them. |
| Example | "Aaa","b""bb","ccc"-->B""bb becomes b"bb |
CSV Template
Download a blank CSV with all headers pre-filled. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and start adding appointment rows.
Download Appointments CSV Template
All required and optional headers included.
Validate Your File
Check your CSV before uploading to SFTP.
Upload a CSV file to validate column headers, required fields, data types, and formatting rules. The file is processed entirely in your browser and is never sent to any server.
Field Reference
Complete field specification for appointment CSV.
All fields from the Appointments Flat File Integration Spec Sheet, grouped by category. Fields marked as
Identification
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Identifier | Required | Primary ID for the appointment. Should be a common number shared between carrier/broker and facility.All fields have a 255 character limit | APPT-20250601-001 |
| Purchase Order Numbers | Optional | PO number(s) for the appointment. Multiple values must be comma-separated and enclosed in double quotes. | "PO12345, PO54321" |
| Order Numbers | Optional | Order number(s) for the appointment. Multiple values must be comma-separated and enclosed in double quotes. | "12345, 54321" |
| Load Number | Optional | Load number associated to the appointment. | LD-11633561 |
| Shipment Number | Optional | Shipment number associated to the appointment. | SH-789012 |
| Source Identifier | Optional | Unique identifier of the appointment in the source system. Helpful for debugging. | SRC-001 |
| Source System | Optional | Name of the source system providing the appointment data. Helpful for debugging. | SAP TM |
Status & Schedule
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canceled | Optional | Set to "true" to cancel a previously ingested appointment. | true |
| Planned Date | Optional | Optional, sometimes set to appointment start date to track reschedules. ISO 8601 preferred. | 2025-06-01 |
| Appointment Start Date/Time | Required | Earliest start datetime. ISO 8601 preferred with timezone. Datetimes without timezones are interpreted as local to the facility. Past dates show as Missed.Optional if status is Draft; mandatory once Open | 2025-06-01T14:00:00Z |
| Appointment End Date/Time | Optional | Latest end datetime. Same format rules as Start Date/Time. Past dates show as Missed.Optional if status is Draft; mandatory once Open | 2025-06-01T16:00:00Z |
| Priority | Optional | Set to "true" to flag as priority. Null defaults to normal priority. | true |
| Appointment Notes | Optional | Free text notes displayed on the appointment. | Dock 7 preferred |
Facility & Routing
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointment Facility | Required | Facility ID used to route appointment to the correct facility. Unmapped IDs will be ignored. | FAC-DFW-01 |
| Appointment Type | Required | Direction of the appointment. | Inbound, Outbound, Not Applicable |
| Load Type | Optional | Specifies if the appointment is Live or Drop. | Live, Drop |
| Preassigned Spot | Optional | Location to associate with the trailer upon check-in. Additional mappings may be needed. | SPOT-12 |
| Entry Gate | Optional | Preassigned entry gate for the driver. | Gate A |
| Exit Gate | Optional | Preassigned exit gate for the driver. | Gate C |
Origin Location
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Name | Optional | Origin location name displayed on the appointment. | Fort Worth DC |
| Origin Location Source Identifier | Conditional | Location ID for the origin. Required if using Appointment Type to derive Appointment Facility. | ORI-001 |
| Origin Location Street Address | Optional | Physical street address of the origin. | 123 Logistics Blvd |
| Origin Location City | Optional | City of the origin location. | Fort Worth |
| Origin Location State / Province | Optional | State or province of the origin. | TX |
| Origin Location Postal Code | Optional | Postal code of the origin. | 76177 |
| Origin Location Country | Optional | Country of the origin (ISO 3166-2). | US |
Destination Location
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destination Name | Optional | Destination location name displayed on the appointment. | Chicago Warehouse |
| Destination Location Source Identifier | Conditional | Location ID for the destination. Required if using Appointment Type to derive Appointment Facility. | DST-042 |
| Destination Location Street Address | Optional | Physical street address of the destination. | 456 Commerce Dr |
| Destination Location City | Optional | City of the destination. | Chicago |
| Destination Location State / Province | Optional | State or province of the destination. | IL |
| Destination Location Postal Code | Optional | Postal code of the destination. | 60601 |
| Destination Location Country | Optional | Country of the destination (ISO 3166-2). | US |
Carrier
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier Name | Optional | Carrier name assigned on the appointment. Should match the load tender. | US XPRESS INC |
| Carrier SCAC | Optional | Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) or Service Provider ID. Should match the load tender. | USXP |
| Carrier DOT Number | Optional | Carrier's Department of Transportation number. | 303024 |
| Carrier Source Identifier | Optional | Carrier's identifier in the source system. | CAR-001 |
Brokered Carrier
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brokered Carrier Name | Optional | Broker carrier name on the appointment. Should match the load tender. | ACME LOGISTICS |
| Brokered Carrier SCAC | Optional | Broker carrier SCAC. Should match the load tender. | ACME |
| Brokered Carrier DOT Number | Optional | Broker carrier DOT number. | 456789 |
| Brokered Carrier Source Identifier | Optional | Brokered carrier's identifier in the source system. | BRK-001 |
Equipment & Load
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reefer or Dry Load | Optional | Indicates temperature sensitivity of the load. | Reefer, Dry |
| Equipment | Optional | Equipment type of the trailer. | 53ft Dry Van |
| Trailer Numbers | Optional | Trailer number(s). Multiple values must be comma-separated and wrapped in double quotes. | "123,xyz,456" |
| Customer | Optional | Customer on the appointment, typically for outbound loads. | Retail Corp |
| Customer Source Identifier | Optional | Customer's identifier in the source system. | CUST-001 |
| Supplier | Optional | Supplier/vendor on the appointment, typically for inbound loads. | Fresh Produce Co |
Temperature
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier Source Identifier | Optional | Supplier/vendor's identifier in the source system. | SUP-001 |
| Set Temperature 1 C | Optional | Set temperature of zone 1 in Celsius. | -18 |
| Set Temperature 2 C | Optional | Set temperature of zone 2 in Celsius. | 2 |
| Set Temperature 3 C | Optional | Set temperature of zone 3 in Celsius. | 4 |
| Set Temperature 1 F | Optional | Set temperature of zone 1 in Fahrenheit. | 0 |
| Set Temperature 2 F | Optional | Set temperature of zone 2 in Fahrenheit. | 36 |
Reschedule
| Field Name | Status | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set Temperature 3 F | Optional | Set temperature of zone 3 in Fahrenheit. | 39 |
| Rescheduled | Optional | Set to "true" if appointment was rescheduled. | true |
Sample CSV Row
Below is a realistic example of a single appointment row. Only a subset of fields are shown for readability. Download the full template above for all columns.
| Field | Sample Value |
|---|---|
| Primary Identifier | APPT-20250601-001 |
| Purchase Order Numbers | "PO12345, PO54321" |
| Order Numbers | "12345, 54321" |
| Load Number | LD-11633561 |
| Canceled | empty |
| Appointment Start Date/Time | 2025-06-01T14:00:00Z |
| Appointment End Date/Time | 2025-06-01T16:00:00Z |
| Priority | empty |
| Appointment Facility | FAC-DFW-01 |
| Appointment Type | Inbound |
| Load Type | Live |
| Origin Name | Fort Worth DC |
| Origin Location Source Identifier | ORI-001 |
| Origin Location City | Fort Worth |
| Origin Location State / Province | TX |
| Destination Name | Chicago Warehouse |
| Destination Location Source Identifier | DST-042 |
| Destination Location City | Chicago |
| Destination Location State / Province | IL |
| Carrier Name | US XPRESS INC |
| Carrier SCAC | USXP |
| Carrier DOT Number | 303024 |
| Reefer or Dry Load | Dry |
| Trailer Numbers | "TRL-123, TRL-456" |
| Customer | Retail Corp |
Note: Fields with multiple values (PO Numbers, Order Numbers, Trailer Numbers) must be comma-separated and enclosed in double quotes within the CSV cell.
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