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Teams Management

Teams streamline collaboration by grouping users and automating tradeflow assignments. This guide covers how to create teams, assign members, configure automatic tradeflow assignments, and set up team notifications.

Overview​

Teams are groups of users within your organization who work together on specific types of shipments or handle particular responsibilities.

Benefits of using teams:

  • Automated assignments - Tradeflows automatically assigned to relevant teams
  • Improved collaboration - Team members see all team-assigned shipments
  • Targeted notifications - Alerts sent to entire teams
  • Better organization - Group shipments by region, client, or shipment type
  • Simplified management - Assign once to team instead of individual users

Common team structures:

Team TypeExample Teams
By RegionNorth America Team, Europe Team, Asia-Pacific Team
By ModeOcean Team, Air Team, Trucking Team
By ClientClient ABC Team, Client XYZ Team
By DirectionImport Team, Export Team
By PortRotterdam Team, Antwerp Team, Hamburg Team
By CommodityRefrigerated Cargo Team, Hazmat Team, Oversized Cargo Team

Adding Team Members​

Before creating teams, ensure all team members have been added as users in your organization.

Add Users to Organization​

  1. Navigate to Dashboard → Settings → Organisation
  2. Click + Add User
  3. Fill in user details (see How to Add Users)
  4. Click Save

Important: Users must exist in your organization before you can add them to teams.

Creating Teams​

Step 1: Navigate to Teams Settings​

  1. Click Dashboard → Settings
  2. Select Teams from the settings menu

Step 2: Create a New Team​

  1. Click the + Create Team button
  2. Fill in the team information:
FieldRequiredDescriptionExample
Team Name✅ YesUnique identifier for the teamImport Team West Coast
Description❌ NoPurpose or scope of teamHandles all import shipments arriving at West Coast ports
Color❌ NoVisual identifier in the UIBlue, Green, Red, etc.
Team Name Uniqueness

Team names must be unique within your organization. You cannot have two teams with the same name.

Best practices:

  • Use descriptive, clear names
  • Include scope or region in name
  • Avoid generic names like "Team 1" or "Group A"
  • Consider future scaling (e.g., "Import Team EU" instead of just "Import Team")

Step 3: Assign Team Members​

After creating the team, add members:

  1. In the team detail view, find the Members section
  2. Click + Add Member
  3. Search for users by name or email
  4. Select one or more users
  5. Click Add

Figure 4: Assign users to the team

Member management:

  • Users can belong to multiple teams
  • No limit on team size
  • Members can be added or removed at any time
  • Users see all tradeflows assigned to any of their teams

Remove a member:

  1. Find the member in the Members list
  2. Click ⋯ → Remove from Team
  3. Confirm removal

Assigning Tradeflows to Teams​

Once teams are created, you can assign tradeflows (shipments) to them. Dockflow offers two methods: automated assignment via rules, or manual assignment via Excel import.

Use Automations to automatically assign tradeflows to teams based on criteria.

Creating an Assignment Automation​

  1. Navigate to Dashboard → Settings → Automations
  2. Click + Create Automation
  3. Configure the automation:

Figure 5: Create an automation for team assignment

Automation Configuration​

Building Block: "Any Change"​

  1. Select "Any Change" as the trigger
  2. This monitors all tradeflows for changes or new additions

Add Filters​

Define which tradeflows should be assigned to the team. Common filters:

Filter TypeUse CaseExample
Port of DischargeAssign by destination portPOD = USLAX → LA Team
Port of LoadingAssign by origin portPOL = CNSHG → China Import Team
PartnerAssign by business partnerPartner = Acme Corp → Acme Team
IncotermsAssign by trade termsIncoterms = DDP → Customs Team
Container TypeAssign by equipment typeType = 40RF → Reefer Team
Origin CountryAssign by regionOrigin = Germany → EU Team
Custom PropertyAssign by custom fieldCustomer Priority = VIP → VIP Team

Example automation:

Goal: Assign all imports arriving at Rotterdam to the Rotterdam Import Team

Configuration:

  • Trigger: Any Change
  • Filter: Port of Discharge = NLRTM (Rotterdam)
  • Action: Assign Team to Tradeflow → Select Rotterdam Import Team

Figure 6: Configure filters to match tradeflows

Action: "Assign Team to Tradeflow"​

  1. In the Actions section, click + Add Action
  2. Select "Assign Team to Tradeflow"
  3. Choose the team from the dropdown
  4. Save the automation

Figure 7: Configure the team assignment action

Automation Examples​

Example 1: Regional Assignment

Scenario: Automatically assign tradeflows to regional teams based on destination

Configuration:

Trigger: Any Change
Filter: Port of Discharge = NLRTM, NLAMS, BEANR (Benelux ports)
Action: Assign Team to Tradeflow → "Benelux Team"

Result: All shipments arriving at Benelux ports are automatically assigned to the Benelux Team.

Example 2: Client-Based Assignment

Scenario: Assign all shipments for a specific client to their dedicated team

Configuration:

Trigger: Any Change
Filter: Partner = "Acme Corporation"
Action: Assign Team to Tradeflow → "Acme Account Team"

Result: All tradeflows shared with or created for Acme Corporation are assigned to their account team.

Example 3: Commodity-Based Assignment

Scenario: Route refrigerated containers to the reefer team

Configuration:

Trigger: Any Change
Filter: Container Type contains "RF" (refrigerated)
Action: Assign Team to Tradeflow → "Refrigerated Cargo Team"

Result: All reefer containers are automatically assigned to the specialized reefer team.

Example 4: Multi-Criteria Assignment

Scenario: Complex assignment based on multiple conditions

Configuration:

Trigger: Any Change
Filters:
  - Port of Discharge = USLAX, USLGB (LA area)
  - Incoterms = DDP (delivered duty paid)
  - Container Type = 40HC
Action: Assign Team to Tradeflow → "LA DDP Operations Team"

Result: Only shipments meeting ALL criteria are assigned to the specialized LA DDP team.

Automation Best Practices​

Do:

  • ✅ Use specific, non-overlapping criteria
  • ✅ Test automations with a few tradeflows first
  • ✅ Document automation rules in the description field
  • ✅ Review automation performance regularly
  • ✅ Name automations descriptively (e.g., "Assign Rotterdam Import Team")

Don't:

  • ❌ Create overlapping automations (multiple automations assigning different teams to the same tradeflows)
  • ❌ Use overly broad filters (e.g., "Assign all tradeflows to Team A")
  • ❌ Forget to activate automations after creation
Testing Automations

Before activating:

  1. Create the automation but leave it inactive
  2. Manually test with 2-3 tradeflows
  3. Verify correct team assignment
  4. Activate automation once validated

Method 2: Manual Assignment via Excel​

Assign teams manually when importing tradeflows via Excel template.

Using the Excel Template​

  1. Download the bulk import template (see Bulk Import Guide)
  2. Locate the Team column
  3. Enter the exact team name for each tradeflow
  4. Upload the file

Example template:

Internal ReferenceContainer NumberPODTeam
SHIP-001MSCU1234567NLRTMRotterdam Import Team
SHIP-002MSCU1234568NLRTMRotterdam Import Team
SHIP-003MSCU1234569BEANRBenelux Team
SHIP-004MSCU1234570DEHAMGermany Team

Important:

  • Team names must match exactly (case-sensitive)
  • Team must already exist in your organization
  • Invalid team names result in skipped assignments (tradeflow still imports, but without team)

Figure 8: Assign teams via Excel template

Best for:

  • One-time bulk imports with known team assignments
  • Historical data imports
  • Manually curated assignments

Not ideal for:

  • Ongoing assignments (use automations instead)
  • Large-scale operations (automations scale better)

Setting Team Notifications​

Configure notifications to alert entire teams about important events.

Creating Team Notifications via Flags​

Flags are automated alerts triggered by specific conditions. You can send flag notifications to teams.

Step 1: Navigate to Automations​

  1. Dashboard → Settings → Automations
  2. Click + Create Automation

Step 2: Configure Flag Automation​

  1. Trigger: Select relevant trigger (e.g., "ETA Changed", "Container Discharged")
  2. Filters: Add conditions (e.g., ETA delay > 2 days)
  3. Action: Select "Create Flag"
  4. Configure Flag:
    • Flag name (e.g., "Significant ETA Delay")
    • Severity (Info, Warning, Critical)
    • Notify Team: Select the team to notify

Figure 9: Configure flag notifications for teams

Notification Delivery​

Team members receive notifications via:

ChannelDelivered To
EmailAll team members' registered email addresses
In-appNotification bell icon in Dockflow UI
DashboardFlagged tradeflows appear in "Flagged" view

Notification settings:

  • Users can configure notification preferences in User Settings → Notifications
  • Users can mute notifications for specific flag types
  • Team notifications are opt-out (all team members receive by default)

Common Notification Scenarios​

Scenario 1: ETA Delay Alerts

Goal: Notify team when ETA is delayed by more than 2 days

Configuration:

Trigger: ETA Changed
Filter: ETA Delay > 2 days
Action: Create Flag
  - Name: "Significant ETA Delay"
  - Severity: Warning
  - Notify Team: [Select relevant team]
Scenario 2: Container Discharged

Goal: Alert team when containers are discharged at destination

Configuration:

Trigger: Container Discharged
Filter: Port of Discharge = NLRTM
Action: Create Flag
  - Name: "Container Discharged - Action Required"
  - Severity: Info
  - Notify Team: Rotterdam Import Team
Scenario 3: Missing Documentation

Goal: Alert team when documents are missing within 5 days of arrival

Configuration:

Trigger: ETA within 5 days
Filter: Commercial Invoice = Empty
Action: Create Flag
  - Name: "Missing Commercial Invoice"
  - Severity: Critical
  - Notify Team: Documentation Team

Managing Teams​

Edit Team Details​

  1. Settings → Teams
  2. Click on the team name
  3. Update team name, description, or color
  4. Click Save

Add/Remove Members​

Add members:

  1. Open team detail page
  2. Members section → + Add Member
  3. Select users
  4. Click Add

Remove members:

  1. Open team detail page
  2. Find member in list
  3. Click ⋯ → Remove
  4. Confirm removal

Impact of removing members:

  • User loses visibility into team-assigned tradeflows (unless also assigned individually)
  • User no longer receives team notifications
  • User's past work on team tradeflows remains visible

View Team Tradeflows​

See all tradeflows assigned to a specific team:

  1. Dashboard → Tradeflows
  2. Click Filter button
  3. Select Teams filter
  4. Choose the team name
  5. Click Apply

Alternatively, create a saved view:

  1. Apply the team filter
  2. Click Views → Save & Edit View
  3. Name the view (e.g., "Rotterdam Team Shipments")
  4. Save for quick access

Figure 10: Filter tradeflows by team

Delete a Team​

Permanent Action

Deleting a team is irreversible. Tradeflow assignments to this team will be removed.

  1. Settings → Teams
  2. Click on the team name
  3. Click Delete Team button
  4. Confirm deletion

Impact:

  • Team is permanently removed
  • Tradeflows lose team assignment (but remain in system)
  • Automations referencing this team will fail (update or delete automations first)
  • Team members are not affected (they remain as users)

Before deleting:

  1. Check how many tradeflows are assigned to the team
  2. Update or delete automations that assign to this team
  3. Consider reassigning tradeflows to a different team
  4. Export team tradeflow list if needed for records

Team Organization Strategies​

By Geography​

Organize teams around geographical areas:

Examples:

  • North America Team
  • EMEA Team
  • Asia-Pacific Team
  • Latin America Team

Best for: Global operations with regional offices or time zone considerations

Automation criteria: Port of Loading, Port of Discharge, Country

By Client​

Create dedicated teams for major clients:

Examples:

  • Acme Corp Account Team
  • XYZ Industries Team
  • Premium Clients Team

Best for: Account-based organizations, dedicated client managers

Automation criteria: Partner name, Custom property (Client ID)

By Function​

Organize by operational function:

Examples:

  • Import Team
  • Export Team
  • Customs Clearance Team
  • Documentation Team
  • Customer Service Team

Best for: Functional organizations, shared service centers

Automation criteria: Shipment direction, Incoterms, Document status

By Mode​

Organize by transportation mode:

Examples:

  • Ocean Freight Team
  • Air Freight Team
  • Road Freight Team
  • Intermodal Team

Best for: Multi-modal operators, mode-specific expertise

Automation criteria: Transport mode, Container type

By Commodity​

Organize by cargo type:

Examples:

  • Refrigerated Cargo Team
  • Hazmat Team
  • Oversized/Project Cargo Team
  • General Cargo Team

Best for: Specialized cargo handling requirements

Automation criteria: Container type, Commodity, Custom properties

Hybrid Approaches​

Combine multiple strategies:

Example structure:

  • Import Team EU
  • Import Team Asia
  • Export Team Americas
  • Special Cargo Team (all regions)
  • VIP Client Team (all modes)

Best for: Large organizations with complex operations

Best Practices​

Team Structure​

Do:

  • ✅ Keep team sizes manageable (5-15 members per team)
  • ✅ Use clear, descriptive team names
  • ✅ Document team responsibilities
  • ✅ Review team structure quarterly
  • ✅ Create teams based on actual workflows
  • ✅ Allow users to belong to multiple teams if needed

Don't:

  • ❌ Create too many overlapping teams
  • ❌ Create teams with unclear purposes
  • ❌ Use generic names ("Team 1", "Group A")
  • ❌ Create single-person teams (use individual assignment instead)
  • ❌ Forget to update teams when roles change

Automation Configuration​

Do:

  • ✅ Start with simple automations and refine
  • ✅ Test with small data sets first
  • ✅ Document automation logic
  • ✅ Use specific, non-overlapping criteria
  • ✅ Monitor automation performance

Don't:

  • ❌ Create conflicting automations
  • ❌ Use overly complex filter logic
  • ❌ Forget to handle edge cases
  • ❌ Set up automations and never review them

Communication​

Best practices:

  • Hold regular team meetings to review assigned shipments
  • Use in-app notes to communicate within teams
  • Establish escalation procedures for flagged shipments
  • Define clear handoff procedures between teams
  • Document standard operating procedures for each team

Troubleshooting​

Tradeflows Not Being Assigned to Team​

Check:

  1. Automation is active (Settings → Automations → Check status)
  2. Filters match tradeflow criteria (test with sample tradeflow)
  3. Team exists and name matches automation configuration
  4. No conflicting automations assigning to different teams

Solution:

  1. Edit the automation and review filters
  2. Test with a single tradeflow manually
  3. Check automation execution log: Settings → Automations → [Select automation] → Execution History

Team Members Not Receiving Notifications​

Check:

  1. User is actually a member of the team (Settings → Teams → [Team name] → Members)
  2. Flag automation has "Notify Team" enabled
  3. User notification preferences allow team notifications (User Settings → Notifications)
  4. User email address is valid and receiving Dockflow emails

Solution:

  1. Verify team membership
  2. Check user's notification settings
  3. Test with a manual flag (create flag and assign to team)
  4. Ask user to check spam/junk folder

Excel Import Not Assigning Team​

Check:

  1. Team name in Excel matches exactly (case-sensitive)
  2. Team exists before importing file
  3. No extra spaces in team name column
  4. Team column is filled for each row

Solution:

  1. Export list of teams: Settings → Teams → Export
  2. Copy exact team names into Excel template
  3. Verify no trailing/leading spaces
  4. Re-upload file

Multiple Teams Assigned to Same Tradeflow​

Cause: Multiple automations with overlapping criteria

Solution:

  1. Review all automations: Settings → Automations
  2. Identify overlapping filters
  3. Either:
    • Make filters mutually exclusive, OR
    • Disable one automation, OR
    • Accept multiple team assignments (if intentional)

Need Help?​

Migrated from: https://support.dockflow.com/setting-up-and-managing-teams-in-dockflow Last updated: January 28, 2026