Available with Network Analyst license.
- Start ArcMap.
- Enable the Network Analyst extension.
- Click the Catalog window button
on the Standard toolbar.
The dockable Catalog window opens.
- Using the Catalog window, navigate to the location of the network dataset and drag it into the map display or the table of contents.
If a connection to the folder that contains the network dataset doesn't already exist, you can create one by clicking the Connect To Folder button
or by typing the folder path in the Location text box.The Adding Network Layer dialog box opens.
- Click No to only add the network dataset to the map. Optionally, click Yes to add the network dataset and all its source feature classes to the map.
The network dataset is added to ArcMap as a network layer.
- If the Network Analyst toolbar is not already present, click Customize > Toolbars > Network Analyst.
The Network Analyst toolbar is added to ArcMap.
- If the Network Analyst window is not already present, click the Network Analyst window button
on the Network Analyst toolbar.
The dockable Network Analyst window opens.
- Ensure that the correct network dataset is active.
The active network dataset is specified in the Network Dataset drop-down list on the Network Analyst toolbar.
- On the Network Analyst toolbar, click Network Analyst > New Vehicle Routing Problem.
The network analysis layer is created and appears in Table Of Contents and Network Analyst windows.
The vehicle routing problem analysis layer is made up of the following network analysis classes: Orders, Depots, Routes, Depot Visits, Breaks, Route Zones, Route Seed Points, Route Renewals, Specialties, Order Pairs, Point Barriers, Line Barriers, and Polygon Barriers. The classes are empty. You will need to create network analysis objects so the solver will have enough information to generate a solution.
- Add at least one order and one depot to the analysis.
There are several ways to add network analysis objects to an analysis layer. The most common ways are creating them using the Create Network Locations Tool
or loading them from a feature class. There are two ways to load network analysis objects from a feature class: from ArcMap using Load Locations, or through geoprocessing using the Add Locations tool. - Set or change any properties for the network analysis objects you added in the last step.
- Add at least one route to the analysis.
Routes in the vehicle routing problem don't require a geometry as input.
There are several ways to create network analysis objects that don't require a geometry as input. The most common ways are using the Add Item command or loading locations from a table or feature class. If you load features and their geometry type doesn't match that of the network analysis class they are being loaded into, the geometry is not carried over.
- Learn how to create network analysis objects with the Add Item command
- Learn how to load network analysis objects in ArcMap
- Learn how to load network analysis objects using a geoprocessing tool
If you use the Add Item command, the object's Properties dialog box opens.
- Set or change any properties for the network analysis objects you added in the last step.
Learn about the properties of routes
Most route properties that are required for a vehicle routing problem analysis to be solved successfully are given default values. However, StartDepotName and EndDepotName are not assigned default values since they are dependent on the name you assign your depots. Therefore, you must assign valid depot names to StartDepotName or EndDepotName. (Optionally, leave one of the two properties blank to use virtual depots.) Note that the depot must exist before it can be set as a start or end depot using the Properties window.
- Optionally, add breaks to the analysis.
Breaks are nonspatial network analysis objects.
- Set or change any properties for the network analysis objects you added in the last step.
- Optionally, add route zones or route seed points to the analysis.
- Set or change any properties for the network analysis objects you added in the last step.
- Optionally, add route renewals, specialties, and order pairs to the analysis.
These three classes contain nonspatial network analysis objects.
There are several ways to create network analysis objects that are strictly nonspatial. The most common ways are using the Add Item command or loading locations from a table or a feature class. (Shape fields of feature classes are not carried over during the load process.) There are two ways to load records from a table: from ArcMap using Load Locations, or through geoprocessing using the Add Locations tool.
- Set or change any properties for the network analysis objects you added in the last step.
- Optionally, add any point, line, or polygon barriers.
- Open the Layer Properties dialog box for the network analysis layer.
Learn about opening the network analysis Layer Properties dialog box
- Click the Analysis Settings tab.
- Set the properties for the vehicle routing problem analysis layer.
Learn about the properties of a vehicle routing problem analysis layer
- Click the Advanced Settings tab.
- Set the importance of meeting time windows and minimizing excess travel time for order pairs.
- Click OK.
- Click the Solve button
on the Network Analyst toolbar.
When network analysis layers are created from the Network Analyst toolbar, they are automatically associated with the active network dataset.
The Solve button works on the network analysis layer that is active in the Network Analyst window. Ensure that the analysis layer you want to solve on is selected in the drop-down list in the Network Analyst window.
If the analysis is solved successfully, the output fields of network analysis objects are updated to show results.