10 tips to master Wialon and simplify your life

At Gurtam, we are used to the fact that each client takes a different approach to our monitoring platform. 

Indeed, Wialon is a complex multi-layer solution, which adapts to a client’s particular request and provides a set of necessary tools. As a result, there is no universal scenario of work on the platform, as all settings are configured individually. Our partners definitely appreciate this as everything works exactly how it is expected! However, such diversity causes miscomprehension and prevents our clients from leveraging Wialon to the maximum. 

“When learning Wialon, focus on the tool as a whole and not just its specific aspects”, Oleg Zharkovsky, Wialon Trainers Team Lead, always repeats. Once our partners learn how to use a Wialon feature, they get to tackle many problems on their own.

In addition to Oleg’s webinar on the platform’s functionality, we would like to provide a list of 10 Wialon tips, which may seriously simplify the work of your technical support, managers, and end-users.

Shortcuts 

Wialon features a variety of menus, sub-menus, and tools, and it is not always easy to navigate through them. To streamline the process, we have added shortcut keys. 

Shortcuts are divided into three groups: 

• Shortcuts for the panel navigation: allow users to quickly locate the menu items, for example, the Message menu or the Monitoring menu.
• Shortcuts for tools activation, like Routing.
• Other shortcuts.

To start using the keyboard shortcuts, go to User Settings, check the box, and the feature is activated.

Shortcuts in User Settings

Some examples of the keyboard shortcuts:

• F – Search on map: enables a search for objects by elements like addresses (city N, street Х), zones (airport Y), drivers (name, code, phone number), VIN (Vehicle identification number).
• 2 – Distance: helps measure the distance and analyze local mileage problems.
• L – Log: displays new messages, changes, and errors. 

Notifications for dynamic unit groups 

Wialon notification system is based on a single principle: each notification is triggered by a single event (driver’s behavior, refill, etc.). But what to do when a more complex control system is needed? For example, a user wants not only to track a vehicle but to check if transportation is performed in line with certain conditions. 

To achieve this, a user can set up notifications for dynamic unit groups, using two features:

• Setting notifications for a unit group. 
• Relocating the unit between groups: notifications provide for transferring a selected unit from one group to another. 

How does it work in practice?

As an example, we take a vehicle that transports temperature-sensitive cargo. If the unit moves from the Warehouse geofence to the Shop geofence, it belongs to Unit group 2 Delivery and exercises additional idling control and temperature sensor control.  

When the unit has reached the Shop geofence, it would belong to Unit group 1 Not working, i.e. it doesn’t need additional temperature sensor control. 

To configure notifications: 

• Temperature sensor control: to ensure cargo temperature monitoring.
• Idling control for more than 15 consecutive minutes: to avoid extra high temperatures and control the delivery process.
• Exit from warehouse: the unit leaves the Warehouse geofence and now is assigned to Unit group 2 “Delivery,” where the above-mentioned notifications apply.
• Entrance to the Shop geofence: the unit gets into Unit group 1 “Not working,” where idling control and temperature control are deactivated. 

Once a driver violates the pre-set rules for idling and temperature control, the system sends out an SMS notification while Wialon detects a violation.  

Controlling a group of drivers with a single notification

Instead of creating a separate notification per each driver, a user can enter a comma-separated list of the drivers’ codes. A single notification would track the drivers simultaneously.

Setting up time limitations for notifications

Wialon has two settings for time limitations, once you click on the New Notification button:

• Time limitation tab in the bottom which restricts the functioning of the notifications system to certain time intervals.
• Max triggers tab which sets a maximum number of notifications within a time interval. 

Two time limitation settings in the New Notification dialog box

Here are some practical examples of using two tabs: 

• “I don’t want to receive notifications at night.” In the Time Limitation tab, set the execution interval (8 a.m.-11.59 p.m.), and the system will generate notifications only within this period. 
• “I want to receive a maximum of 5 notifications a day.” Set a maximum of 5 notifications in the Max triggers setting, and the interval of 12 a.m. to 11.59 p.m. in the Time Limitation tab, as we need a round-the-clock notification system. Consequently, a user receives up to 5 notifications per day, i.e. from 12 a.m. to 11.59 p.m.  
• “During the working hours, the system can send any number of notifications. At night, one notification would be enough.” In this case, you don’t need to set any limits for a number of notifications within the 8 a.m.-11.59 p.m. period. But configure the night regime: set 1 notification in the Max Triggers tab and define the interval in the Time Limitation tab as 12 a.m.-07.59 a.m.  
• “I want to receive one notification at night and no notifications in the daytime.” Set 1 notification in the Max Triggers tab, and choose the time interval of 12 a.m.-07.59 a.m. for the top tab and the tab in the bottom. As a consequence, we turn off notifications beyond these limits. 

Locator links for mobile apps

Some of our clients prefer to receive pop-up notifications in their mobile apps. But what to do if a system needs to send a message to a person with no Wialon mobile app?

If the user wants to send, let’s say, an email notification, include the Locator link in the email body using the %LOCATOR_LINK(60,T,G)% tag, where 60 stands for the link lifetime in minutes, T – track activation, and G – geofence visualization. A person with the link can open it in any mobile browser. This allows Wialon users to send a notification to anyone without spending time and resources on creating a separate user in the system. 

HTML tags for exporting data

HTML tags embed exterior content that clients use in their work: weather forecasts, video streams from web cameras, exchange rates, and so on. 

To activate the feature, copy the HTML code (usually it uses the Share button) and insert it into the Description field in Geofence Properties. 

Description field for placing HTML tags

Our clients often use HTML tags to track queues at customs checkpoints or double-check the data coming from trackers with IP cameras. 

Unifying data streams from various devices

One of the greatest Wialon advantages is the support of more than 2,200 devices. However, it may create certain troubles at the stage of collecting and processing data, as different devices send data in different formats, while users need data to be visualized in a unified and correct way. 

Imagine that in the same fleet drivers have different trackers, which generate data in different formats. Does it mean that each driver needs a separate code for each separate vehicle? It is overcomplicated and expensive, that’s why Wialon has come up with an elegant solution.  

The major problem with different codes is a different order of bytes in them. They may be mirrored and reversed within the code. To avoid this, go to Unit Properties. After selecting a device type, click on its settings: check the Reverse iButton box to enable byte mirroring, and the iButton card number parsing mask to read bytes in a certain order, defined by comma-separated numbers.

Device configuration with iButton checkboxes

Integrated tracker in the Logistics mobile app

Logistics is a delivery management solution that has both a web and a mobile version. The mobile app has a built-in WiaTag tracker, which can be extremely helpful for our users.

The tracker mode is turned on when a user binds a driver to a unit with a WiaTag type and a random ID. This turns a driver into a unit, with no additional hardware or extra costs, as a mobile phone becomes a personal GPS tracker. The app sends geolocation data and shows the delivery route.

The tracker mode in the Logistics mobile app

Filtration

Units can generate thousands of messages per day, each containing dozens of characteristics. Filters in the Message tab drastically simplify the analysis of the incoming messages. A filter helps identify a correlation between the received messages and highlight the parameters that the user is looking for right now. 

Filters are used in multiple ways:

• Certain characteristics are shown at the start of a string;
• Different parameters are differently colored;
• Data is displayed when certain conditions are met.

Messages are filtered by parameter names and parameter values. With SMS messages and registered events, filters apply by message/event text, with log – by the description of the action.  

A step-by-step configuration of a filter is described in the Wialon documentation. You can find its settings under the list of messages that appears once you click the Execute button.

Applying filters in the Message tab

Calculator

The calculator allows a user to add custom columns to a table and recalculate values from other columns. 

For more information about the calculator settings, refer to the instruction which contains an accurate guide for using formulas and abbreviations. This enables the system to provide the data needed. For example, the calculator will calculate the driver’s remuneration by multiplying mileage by cost per kilometer. 

Apart from formulas, the calculator allows users to convert data into the units of measure of the selected measurement system. Why is it important? Imagine that a fleet is equipped with a huge number of different trackers, some of which use kilometers, others – miles, and so on.  

But what if you want your report to display data in feet, yards, etc? The calculator helps visualize values in the measurement system you prefer. 

Data conversion in the calculator

What’s next?

When preparing this post, we were trying to cover as many non-obvious Wialon lifehacks as possible. 

But of course, we realize that the use of Wialon raises a lot of questions. We choose the most frequent and interesting ones and address them in Gurtam meetups. Subscribe to our blog updates and never miss useful videos with our experts. 

We'd also like to remind you that we offer free Wialon certification. Contact our training specialists via training@gurtam.com or use our application form – and get a free consultation.