ASAP & Scheduled
Choose between immediate dispatch and future-scheduled deliveries.
Dispatch Modes
When creating a task in Deliverty Hub, you choose one of two dispatch modes that control when the task enters the assignment queue:
ASAP Tasks
ASAP is the default dispatch mode. When you create an ASAP task, the following happens in rapid succession:
Task Created
The task is created with status NEW. All task details (customer, locations, packages, payment) are validated and saved.
Enters Assignment Queue
Within seconds, the task transitions to AWAITING_ASSIGNMENT and is placed in the assignment queue for the configured algorithm to process.
Agent Assigned
The assignment engine evaluates available agents and assigns the best match. The task moves to ASSIGNED and the agent is notified.
ASAP tasks are ideal for on-demand delivery scenarios where customers expect their package to be picked up and delivered as quickly as possible — food delivery, urgent documents, same-hour courier services, and similar real-time use cases.
ASAP is the default behavior. If you do not provide a scheduled date/time when creating a task, it is treated as ASAP automatically.
Scheduled Tasks
Scheduled tasks let you plan deliveries ahead of time. When you create a scheduled task, you specify a future date and time for when the task should be dispatched.
How Scheduling Works
The lifecycle of a scheduled task differs from ASAP in the waiting period between creation and dispatch:
Task Created with Schedule
The task is created with status NEW and a scheduled date/time is recorded. The task is visible in the dashboard but is not yet in the assignment queue.
Waiting Period
The task remains in NEW status until the scheduled time. During this period, dispatchers can view, edit, or cancel the task from the dashboard. No agent is notified yet.
Scheduled Time Arrives
When the clock reaches the scheduled date/time, the system automatically transitions the task to AWAITING_ASSIGNMENT and places it in the assignment queue.
Normal Flow Continues
From this point, the task follows the standard assignment and delivery flow, identical to an ASAP task: assignment, acceptance, transit, and completion.
Setting the Schedule
When creating a task from the dashboard, the task creation form includes a dispatch mode selector:
- Select ASAP to dispatch immediately (no date picker shown).
- Select Scheduled to reveal a date and time picker where you specify exactly when the task should be dispatched.
For tasks created via the API (through channels), the scheduled time is provided as an ISO 8601 datetime field in the request body. If the field is omitted or null, the task is treated as ASAP.
Comparison
| Aspect | ASAP | Scheduled |
|---|---|---|
| When it enters assignment queue | Immediately after creation | At the specified date/time |
| Initial status duration | NEW for seconds | NEW until scheduled time |
| Agent notification | Almost immediately | Only after scheduled time |
| Editable before dispatch | Very brief window | Full editing until scheduled time |
| Best for | On-demand, real-time delivery | Planned routes, next-day delivery, recurring schedules |
Use Cases for Scheduling
Managing Driver Workloads
Scheduling lets dispatchers spread deliveries across time windows to avoid overloading agents during peak hours. Instead of dispatching 50 tasks at 9:00 AM, you can stagger them across the morning to keep workloads manageable.
Next-Day and Future Delivery
E-commerce orders placed in the evening can be scheduled for the next morning. The tasks are created immediately (preserving the order data) but only enter the assignment queue when the delivery window opens.
Recurring Pickups
Merchants with daily or weekly pickup schedules can have tasks created in advance and scheduled for their regular pickup times. This ensures agents are assigned and ready at the expected times.
Batch Route Planning
Dispatchers can create an entire day's worth of deliveries in advance, review and optimize the schedule, and then let the system dispatch them automatically at the planned times throughout the day.
Scheduled tasks can be freely edited before their dispatch time — you can change the customer, locations, packages, payment details, or even the scheduled time itself. Once the task transitions to AWAITING_ASSIGNMENT, it enters the normal flow and edits become more restricted.
Scheduled times are stored in UTC on the server. The dashboard displays times in the organization's configured time zone. Make sure your organization's time zone setting is correct to avoid tasks being dispatched at unexpected times.