---
title: "Optimization preferences"
description: "Balance routes by time or orders, and decide how strict Routific is with shift times, capacities, and time windows"
url: https://help.routific.com/en/articles/48-optimization-preferences
collection: "Route planning"
updated: 2026-11-02
language: en
---

# Optimization preferences

Balance routes by time or orders, and decide how strict Routific is with shift times, capacities, and time windows

Your optimization preferences tell Routific how to build your routes: how to split the work, how strict to be with your limits, and which roads to avoid. They apply to every route in your workspace.

## Open your optimization preferences

Click the **Route preferences** icon (the sliders) in the left-hand navigation.

![Routes screen for Sun, Nov 15 shows numbered delivery routes around Vancouver; a red circle highlights the Route preferences control in the left sidebar. Visible: Routes, Sun, Nov 15, Route preferences, West Vancouver, Outer Vancouver Harbour, Vancouver.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/VsFFdiZdvHpkpSA5kGQZsTfmPvDII8NJS2YrNFaWgKhV7aSXpxIZ9lJrwkOPzwPgUOkVAwWABDz.png)

Then choose **Optimization preferences**. Changes apply the next time you optimize or re-optimize, so routes you've already scheduled won't change on their own. Click **Done** when you're finished.

## Balance routes by time or by orders

Choose how Routific shares the work between your drivers:

-   **Off:** the most efficient routes overall. Some drivers may end up with more work than others, and you'll use as few routes as possible.
    
-   **Time:** each driver spends about the same amount of time on the road. Good if you pay drivers by the hour, or some orders take much longer than others.
    
-   **Orders:** each route gets about the same number of orders. Good if you pay drivers per delivery.
    

![The Test route preferences modal is open on Optimization preferences, with a red outline highlighting the Balance routes dropdown set to Time. Visible: Test route preferences, Route templates, Optimization preferences, Scheduling flexibility, Balance routes, Balance workload across routes.](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/sCTSUaJwsiTvuXsSLJcsKx8U9zQfuBtylBXNafl0KWcMeZkBBHtxjJKoGv8ItwXlfElxIy8Tsm6.png)

## Scheduling flexibility

**Flexible start time**

On: drivers leave only when they need to, so they don't sit waiting for a time window to open. Off: drivers leave as soon as their shift starts. [How flexible start times work](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/63-how-do-flexible-start-times-work.md)

**Allow flexible route capacity**

On: routes can go over their capacity so every order gets scheduled. Off: Routific sticks to the capacity in your [route templates](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/9-what-are-route-templates.md), and orders that don't fit stay unscheduled.

**Allow route overtime**

On: routes can run past the end of the shift so every order gets scheduled. Off: Routific sticks to your shift times, and orders that don't fit stay unscheduled.

**Allow late delivery**

On: some orders can be delivered outside their [time window](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/62-what-are-time-windows.md) so every order gets scheduled. Off: time windows are strict, and orders that can't make theirs stay unscheduled.

**Finish within time window**

On: drivers must finish each stop before its time window ends. Off: they only need to arrive within the window.

> **Info:** When Routific bends a rule, we flag it on your routes so you know. See how in rules and constraints.

## Route restrictions

**Exclude toll roads**

On: routes avoid toll roads.

**Exclude ferry routes**

On: routes avoid ferries.

## Order & traffic estimation

> **Warning:** SCREENSHOT: Route restrictions and Order & traffic estimation sections (9.41.17 AM, from this morning)

**Default order duration (minutes)**

How long a driver spends at each stop, unless the order has its own duration. The default is 10 minutes. To set durations order by order, add a **Duration** column to your [spreadsheet](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/6-how-to-add-orders.md).

**Predicted traffic (experimental)**

Uses historic traffic data to estimate travel times by time of day and day of week, and steers routes away from busy areas where it can. We're testing it with a small group of customers.

Next: [see how rule-breaks are flagged on your routes](https://help.routific.com/en/articles/47-how-to-set-up-rules-and-constraints.md).