Distribution from Start to Finish
Our distribution module makes it easy to manage your distribution locations and routes. Like any part of the system, there is some set up required before you can fully utilize the distribution module. Follow these steps to make creating your locations and routes a breeze.
Create a Distributor
A distributor is a vendor contact type that is needed to use the distribution module. Distributors are the individuals who travel on your routes and drop off your publications. Once created, a distributor can be assigned to a location, and you can search for the location by distributor. The system will require at least one distributor before you can create a location and start setting up your route sheets. To create a distributor, follow the steps below.
Navigate to Contacts > Vendor Contacts, then click Add Vendor Contact. In the popup, choose ‘Distributor’ for the Type field.
You will need to fill out all of the required fields to create your distributor, including vendor, first and last names, and email. You can also add an address, phone number, a copy of their W9, and an application, if you wish.
You can find all of your distributors by using the type filter on the Vendor Contacts search page.
Set Up Distribution Displays
The system requires you to select a distribution display when creating a location. Your system is initially set up with some default options, but you can create additional distribution displays to the system, or disable the defaults. To edit distribution displays, follow the steps below.
Navigate to Settings > Distribution > Distribution Display. Click Add to create a new display, or use the ellipsis icon to edit or disable an existing display.
In the add/edit popup, you are required to have a name for the display and set a color. This color shows up as the flag color when viewing a map of your locations’ drop-offs.
If you disable a display option that is in use, you will need to choose a new display to assign to its locations. The system will automatically prompt you to reassign the display.
Set Up Categories
Every distribution location requires a category. Categories for your locations are used to determine the business type, for instance a Café or a School/Campus. There are two options for how to set up categories for your locations: location categories and distribution categories. Location categories only apply to your locations. On the other hand, distribution categories are your company categories repurposed to be used for your locations.
Location Categories
Go to Settings > Distribution > Location Categories. The system has pre-populated location categories, but you can add new options or remove existing ones. Click Add to create a new location category, or use the ellipsis icon to edit or disable an existing category.
In the add/edit popup, simply enter a name for your location category, and click save.
All location categories will be available when creating a new location.
Distribution Categories
You can use your company categories as categories for your locations. To assign a company category as a ‘distribution category’, navigate to Settings > Distribution > Distribution Categories.
On this page, you will see a multi-select dropdown with a list of all your company categories, and your existing location categories in a list on the right side of the page. In this dropdown, select which of your company categories you want to become location categories.
Note
To review or manage your company categories, go to Settings > Contacts > Company Categories.
When you click Update Categories, you will be able to use the company categories you selected when creating a new location.
The categories can be used for reporting purposes. In the Distribution Report you can see what percentage of your publication is in a certain category location.
Add a Distribution Center to a Publication
Any publications that you want to use the distribution module for will need to have a zip code entered in the publication’s Distribution Center field. If a publication does not have information in its Distribution Center field, you will be unable to add that publication to your locations.
Navigate to Settings > Products > Publication & Issue Setup.
Use the edit icon to get to the edit page for your publication, and add a zip code in the Distribution Center field.
Adding a zip code here allows you to add this publication to your locations.
Now that you are done with the required set up, you can create your locations, routes, and route sheets. The easiest workflow is to first review and set up your routes, create a location, then create a route sheet.
Manage Routes
The system allows you to set up multiple distribution routes. You can simply edit one of the many options that are standard with the initial setup of your site, or you can add more options to the site. To manage distribution routes, navigate to Distribution > Routes.
To edit an existing route name, click on the pencil next to the item you would like to change.
To add a new route, click Add Route.
You can also enable and disable each route or delete the route completely from the system.
The locations column on the Routes page displays the number of locations that use the route.
Create a Location
The system allows you to add multiple locations for distribution. Once the locations are created, you can add them to a route. Follow the steps below to add a location.
Navigate to Distribution > Locations. Click Add Location.
Use the radio buttons at the top of the page to choose whether the location is associated with a company within the system or not.
If the location is attached to a company, the form will show a Company field where you can choose from the companies in your site. The system will then autofill the location information such as address and phone number based on the contact that is chosen for the location. You will not be able to edit this information on the create location page; if you need to change the address information, it will need to be edited on the contact.
For each location, you are required to enter contact and address information, as well as select the display, priority, distributor, category, and add notes or directions.
The categories that show up as option to choose from are based on both your location categories and distribution categories.
Use the notes/directions field to add important information about the location, such as that the distributor should go to the back door of the building, or that they should call the contact when they arrive, etc.
Once an address is added to the form, the user can simply click on Show GPS Coordinates to fill in the LAT/LNG field.
After all of the required information has been entered, click Save Location. You will be automatically redirected to the Location Overview page.
To view locations once they have been created, go to the Distribution > Locations search page. From this page, you can edit or view your existing locations.
Create a Route Sheet
The next step after creating your location is to generate a route sheet. To do this, go to the Location Overview page, and click on the Publications tab. Click the Add to Publication button.
Select the publication, route, and stop number along the route.
Note
If the publication you want is not showing up as an option, it means you need to add a zip code to the publication’s Distribution Center field. Go to Settings > Products > Publication & Issue Setup, and edit your publication to add this information.
Once you click Save Location Info, you will see your Route Sheet where you can enter drop off information. There are a few ways to do this – on the calendar tab, which lets you add drop off information for individual dates, by using the bulk creation tab, or by copying distribution dates.
Calendar
When using the calendar tab, you can set the draw (number of copies planned to drop off), returned quantity, the route, stop number, and any relevant notes for individual dates.
The returned quantity is how much of the last issue was returned.
By default, you will see the current month’s dates, but you can scroll between months to change other months’ drop off information.
Bulk Creation
To set bulk drop off information, enter the year, day of the month (1-31), and the draw (number of copies planned to drop off) into the Master Values row. You can also set the returned quantity, route, stop number, and relevant notes if you wish. Click Apply.
Once applied, the values set in the Master Values fields will show up for each month under the Import Values fields. Check the boxes next to the month you wish the information to apply to, and click Save Dates at the bottom of the page. The master values will only be applied to the months you checked off.
Copy Distribution Data from Month-to-Month
You can copy your previous month’s distribution data to a future month in bulk. Use this feature to quickly update your routes from month-to-month without having to go into each individual record.
Go to Distribution > Locations and select Copy Distribution Dates.
Select the year and month you want to copy, and then select the month and year you want to copy the dates into.
Before copying the information, you can unmark any routes you don’t want to be copied.
Click on Copy Dates to complete the process.
Important
You can’t undo the copy action once it is done.
After your locations, routes, and route sheets have all been created, there are a few things you can do to manage your distribution.
Manage Route Sheets
There are a few ways to get to your route sheets once they have been created to view and manage them. You can either navigate to Distribution > Route Sheets, run the search, and use the ellipsis icon to click View Route Sheet, or you can go back to the Publications tab on your Location Overview page, and click the edit icon next to a publication.
On the Route Sheets search page, you can run the search by publication, route, distributor, and/or the start date and end date range. Or you can simply click on the search button to view all your route sheets.
Use the ellipsis icon to edit or view a route sheet.
Viewing a route sheet lets you enter the drop off information (calendar or bulk creation).
The edit action is a great tool for updating your route sheet’s information after your drivers perform their drop-offs.
Tip
You can give the distributor access to MagHub so they can enter in return quantity, notes, etc. From the mobile app as they are making stops on their route.
In the popup you can enter the amount picked up by the driver in the returned quantity field.
You can also enter notes about the delivery along with the condition of the package that was picked up.
The edit action can also be used to change the number of draws for upcoming drop-offs.
Distribution Report
The Distribution Report provides a breakdown of your distribution data in multiple formats for easy to read and interpret statistics. You can use the search fields to narrow down the data you see.
The top of the report displays a graph that shows the draw and returned quantity for each drop off date. At the bottom of the chart, you will see various totals including the number of copies, drop-offs, and locations.
Underneath the chart, there are multiple tables that break down your distribution data based on various fields, including display, zip code, city, category, and priority.
Updated 2/26/2025