Available Dashboard Columns
Dockflow provides a comprehensive set of dashboard columns to track and monitor your shipments. This reference guide lists all available fields, organized by category, to help you customize your dashboard views for optimal visibility.
Overview
Dashboard columns allow you to:
- Track container movement and status in real-time
- Monitor estimated and actual arrival/departure times
- Analyze operational metrics like dwell time and gate movements
- Access shipment documentation and reference numbers
- Measure environmental impact with CO2 calculations
- View transshipment data across multiple legs
You can customize which columns appear in your dashboard views by navigating to Dashboard → Views → Edit Columns. See our guide on Creating and Managing Views for detailed instructions.
Shipping Status Columns
Track the current status and movement of your containers:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Active | Indicates whether the container is currently active in the system |
| Arrived | Shows if the container has arrived at the destination port |
| Departed | Indicates whether the container has departed from the origin port |
Status columns update automatically based on data received from carriers, terminals, and AIS sources. Manual status updates can also be made in the container details view.
Time-Related Columns
Monitor estimated and actual times for critical shipment milestones:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| ATA | Actual Time of Arrival - confirmed arrival time at destination |
| ATS | Actual Time of Sailing - confirmed departure time from origin |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival - predicted arrival at destination |
| ETS / ETD | Estimated Time of Sailing from the port of loading. Shown as ETS or ETD depending on your account - it is one column. See dates and milestones |
| Cargo Loading Date | Date when cargo was loaded into the container. Part of the workflow module |
| Cargo Opening | Time when the terminal at the port of loading starts accepting export containers for the vessel |
Shipment Documentation
Access key reference numbers and documentation identifiers:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| B/L | Bill of Lading number - primary shipping document reference |
| Booking | Booking number or reservation reference |
| Internal Reference | Custom free-text field for internal tracking codes |
Example use cases:
- Use B/L to quickly locate shipments by bill of lading
- Track Booking numbers for coordination with freight forwarders
- Add Internal Reference codes to link shipments with your ERP or order management system
Container Information
View detailed specifications and characteristics of containers:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Container: Code | ISO container classification code (e.g., 22G1, 45R1) |
| Container: Length | Container size in feet (20', 40', 45', etc.) |
| Container: Reefer | Indicates if container is refrigerated for temperature-sensitive cargo |
| Dangerous Goods | Flags containers carrying hazardous materials |
ISO container codes indicate container type and characteristics. For example:
- 22G1 = 20-foot general purpose container
- 42R1 = 40-foot refrigerated container
- 45R1 = 45-foot high-cube refrigerated container
Port Operations
Track container movements through port facilities:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Gate In POL | Date/time container entered the port of loading terminal |
| Full Gate Out POD | Date/time loaded container exited the port of discharge terminal |
| Loading Facility | Name of facility where cargo was loaded. Part of the workflow module |
| Container Discharge at Terminal | Date/time container was unloaded from vessel |
| Container Loading at Terminal | Date/time container was loaded onto vessel |
Dwell Time Metrics
Measure how long containers remain at various locations:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Dwell Time: Origin Terminal | Duration container spent at origin port terminal |
| Dwell Time: Shipper Facility | Duration container spent at shipper's location |
| Dwell Time: Destination | Duration container spent at destination port or facility |
High dwell times can indicate bottlenecks in your supply chain. Use these metrics to:
- Identify delays at specific terminals or facilities
- Optimize pickup and delivery schedules
- Negotiate better terms with terminals showing consistent delays
- Set up automated alerts for excessive dwell times
Transshipment Data
For shipments with multiple legs, track transshipment port information:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| T/S Port | First transshipment port |
| T/S Port ATA | Actual arrival time at first transshipment port |
| T/S Port ETA | Estimated arrival time at first transshipment port |
| T/S Port 2 | Second transshipment port |
| T/S Port 2 ATA | Actual arrival time at second transshipment port |
| T/S Port 2 ETA | Estimated arrival time at second transshipment port |
| T/S Port 3 | Third transshipment port |
| T/S Port 3 ATA | Actual arrival time at third transshipment port |
| T/S Port 3 ETA | Estimated arrival time at third transshipment port |
Common transshipment scenarios:
- Asia to Europe via Middle East (e.g., Shanghai → Singapore → Rotterdam)
- Trans-Pacific routes via intermediary ports (e.g., Hong Kong → Los Angeles → New York)
- Feeder services connecting smaller ports to major hubs
Environmental Metrics
Track the environmental impact of your shipments:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| CO2 🌱 | Calculated carbon emissions for the shipment in kg CO2 |
| km-distance (direct) 🌱 | Total distance in kilometers between ports (as the crow flies) |
Use CO2 and distance metrics to:
- Generate sustainability reports for stakeholders
- Compare carrier efficiency across similar routes
- Identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact
- Calculate Scope 3 emissions for ESG reporting
See our guide on Manually Calculating CO2 Emissions for more details.
CO2 Calculation Methodology
The CO2 calculation takes into account:
- Total distance traveled (including transshipment legs)
- Container type and size
- Vessel fuel efficiency
- Load factors and utilization rates
CO2 calculations are most accurate for shipments with complete data including:
- Bill of Lading number
- Container number
- Recent tradeflow data (within 6 months)
- Complete routing information
Best Practices
Organizing Your Dashboard
-
Prioritize by role
- Operations teams: Focus on status, ETA/ETD, and dwell time columns
- Finance teams: Emphasize documentation and reference numbers
- Sustainability teams: Highlight CO2 and distance metrics
-
Create role-specific views
- Save different column configurations for different use cases
- Share views across teams using blueprints
-
Balance detail with usability
- Don't include too many columns - it makes the dashboard hard to scan
- Start with 8-12 core columns and add more as needed
Column Selection Guidelines
For tracking active shipments:
- Active, Container: Code, B/L, ETA, Arrived, Dwell Time: Destination
For operational planning:
- Container: Code, ETD, ETA, T/S Port, Gate In POL, Full Gate Out POD
For sustainability reporting:
- B/L, Container: Length, km-distance (direct) 🌱, CO2 🌱
For exception management:
- Active, B/L, ETA, Dwell Time: Destination, Dangerous Goods
Troubleshooting
Are all these columns actually functional?
Yes. Every account is offered every column - the picker is not filtered by subscription, licence or
permission. A column you add is working; it shows -- until the thing behind it exists for that
shipment.
So "empty" is a statement about the shipment, not about the column. What a column needs before it fills:
| The column depends on | Examples |
|---|---|
| An automation you have set up | the flag columns |
| A terminal publishing it | yard position, import release |
| A free time rule you have configured | the free-days columns - see free time and demurrage |
| A field you fill in yourself | your own custom properties |
| A computed transport plan | predicted discharge |
| The workflow module | the columns whose name ends in [workflow] |
If a column stays empty across every shipment and none of the above explains it, send us the column name and one reference.
Column Not Appearing
If a column doesn't appear after selection:
- Refresh the page - Click Apply and refresh your browser
- Verify data availability - Some columns only show when data exists
- Adjust viewport - Scroll horizontally if your screen is narrow
Missing Data in Columns
If columns appear but show no data:
- Check data completeness - Verify the shipment has required reference numbers
- Wait for updates - Some data syncs on a schedule (every 4-8 hours)
- Review source availability - Not all carriers provide all data points
- Check the table above - the column may be waiting on an automation, a rule or a device
I can only choose "Save as new view", not Save
Save is unavailable when the view is not yours to change, and the button then carries the tooltip "You do not have permissions to save this view".
The common case is a standard view that came with Dockflow rather than one someone at your company made. Those stay read-only whatever your role.
Save as new view always works: it makes you the owner of your own copy, which you can then save normally. For a view a colleague created, an organisation administrator can edit it directly.
Performance Issues with Many Columns
If your dashboard loads slowly:
- Reduce column count - Limit to 15-20 visible columns
- Use filters - Narrow results to active or recent shipments
- Create focused views - Separate views for different tasks
- Clear browser cache - Accumulated cache can slow rendering
Related Resources
- Creating and Managing Views - Learn how to save custom column configurations
- Setting Scheduled Reports - Automate delivery of dashboard data
- Theme and Branding: Blueprints - Share column configurations across teams
- Filtering and Sorting Data - Find specific shipments quickly
- CO2 Calculation Guide - Understand environmental metrics
- Viewing Cargo Opening Time - Enable cargo opening time column
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I add custom columns? A: Currently, custom columns can only be added through API integration. Contact support to discuss custom field requirements.
Q: Why do some columns stay empty? A: Because the source behind them has nothing for that shipment yet. Every account is offered every column - none of them are gated by subscription tier or permission. See Are all these columns actually functional? for what each class of column is waiting on.
Q: How often does column data update? A: Most columns update every 4-8 hours based on carrier, terminal, and AIS data feeds. Critical milestones like arrivals and departures update in near real-time.
Q: Can I export data with selected columns? A: Yes. Your current column selection determines what appears in exports and scheduled reports. See Setting Scheduled Reports for details.
Q: What's the difference between ETA and ATA? A: ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) is a prediction that updates as the voyage progresses. ATA (Actual Time of Arrival) is the confirmed arrival time recorded after the vessel docks.
Support
Need help configuring dashboard columns?
- Email: [email protected]
- In-app chat: Available 24/7
- Documentation: https://docs.dockflow.com