About the Selected vs. Evaluated dashboard

The Selected vs. Evaluated dashboard provides comprehensive analysis of shipping rate optimization by comparing the rates selected by Shipium's routing engine against the second-best evaluated alternatives. It measures cost savings achieved through optimal carrier selection, analyzes trends in rate performance over time, and breaks down carrier portfolio mix and service method usage patterns. The dashboard enables stakeholders to understand how effectively the routing engine is selecting cost-optimal carriers while maintaining service level commitments, tracking both aggregate savings and detailed carrier-level performance across different dimensions such as geography, fulfillment centers, and service levels.

Filters

Sections and metrics

Understanding Rate Comparisons

This section provides high-level summary metrics that give an at-a-glance view of rate optimization performance, showing total savings achieved and key shipment statistics.

Total Savings from Rate Optimization

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric shows the total dollar amount saved by selecting the chosen carrier rates over the second-best evaluated alternatives during the last 12 weeks. It is calculated as the sum of [Savings Compare USD], which represents the difference between the second-best rate and the selected rate (Next Best Compare Cost - Selected Compare Cost). Positive values indicate cost savings achieved through optimal carrier selection. This metric is displayed as a KPI (key performance indicator) chart showing the aggregate savings across all shipments in the filtered time period.

Selected Avg CPP (Cost per Package)

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric shows the average cost per package for all shipments using the selected carrier rates. It is calculated by dividing the total selected costs by the total shipment count (sum of [Cost USD] / sum of [Shipment Count]). This represents the actual average rate paid per package and serves as a baseline for understanding the overall cost structure of the selected shipping methods.

Total Shipments

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric shows the total count of shipments included in the analysis. It is calculated as the sum of [Shipment Count] across all dimension combinations. This metric provides context for the scale of operations and helps you understand the volume of data underlying the savings and rate calculations. The metric is formatted as a whole number with thousands separators for readability.

Trend Analysis

This section shows how selected rates compare to second-best alternatives over time, revealing patterns in rate optimization performance and helping identify periods of strong or weak carrier selection.

Selected vs Second Best Evaluated Avg. CPP Over Time

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric displays a weekly time series comparing the average cost per package for selected rates against the average cost per package for second-best evaluated rates. The visualization is a column chart with two series: [Average Cost Per Package] (selected rates) and [Average Second Best Cost Per Package]. The chart also includes a calculated "difference" formula ([Average Second Best Cost Per Package] - [Average Cost Per Package]) shown in the tooltip, along with [Total Shipment Count] for volume context. When the selected rate bars are consistently lower than the second-best rate bars, it indicates effective rate optimization. The gap between the two bars represents the per-package savings achieved. Data labels are enabled on all series to make exact values easily readable.

Carrier-Level Analysis

This section breaks down carrier and service method performance, showing the distribution of shipments across carriers, analyzing service level patterns, and providing detailed carrier-by-carrier metrics for in-depth analysis.

Carrier Mix - Selected

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric shows the distribution of shipment volume across different carriers for the selected (actual) carrier choices. It is displayed as a pie chart where each slice represents a carrier, sized by [Total Shipment Count]. The chart includes a calculated "% volume" formula that shows each carrier's percentage of total volume ([Shipment Count] / group_aggregate(sum([Shipment Count]), , query_filters())). Slices are sorted by volume percentage in descending order, with the largest carrier appearing first. The tooltip displays the carrier name, total shipment count, average cost per package, and volume percentage. This visualization helps you understand carrier portfolio concentration and identify primary carrier relationships.

Carrier Method Mix - Second Best

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric shows the distribution of shipment volume across different carriers for the second-best evaluated alternatives (the rates that were not selected but were the next-best option). It is displayed as a pie chart where each slice represents a carrier, sized by [Total Shipments With Second Best]. The chart includes a calculated "% volume" formula specific to second-best alternatives ([Shipments With Second Best] / group_aggregate(sum([Shipments With Second Best]), , query_filters())). This visualization reveals which carriers are frequently considered as alternatives and helps identify potential backup carriers or opportunities for portfolio diversification. Comparing this to the Selected Carrier Mix shows whether the routing engine is consistently choosing certain carriers over their competitors.

Standard Method Usage by SLA

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric shows how frequently standard/ground shipping methods are used across different SLA (service level agreement) categories. It is displayed as a 100% stacked horizontal bar chart with shipment counts broken down by [SLA Category] on the x-axis and segmented by SLA types: 3-day, international, standard, next-day, and 2-day service levels. Each segment represents [Shipment Count] for that SLA category, with the bar showing the percentage distribution across SLA types. This visualization helps users understand service level mix and whether standard (more economical) methods are being appropriately utilized for each SLA category. High usage of standard methods where appropriate indicates good cost optimization, while high usage of express methods might indicate opportunities for SLA adjustments or rate negotiations.

Detailed Carrier & Service Method Analysis

For the set of filters that have been selected, this metric provides a granular table view of performance by carrier and specific service method. The table displays [Carrier], [Carrier Method], [Total Shipment Count], [Average Cost Per Package], [Average Second Best Cost Per Package], [Variance Compare (%)], and [Total Savings Compare USD], sorted by savings in descending order to highlight the methods generating the most cost savings. The [Variance Compare (%)] column is calculated as (Selected Compare - Next Best Compare) / Next Best Compare, where negative values (displayed with color formatting) indicate the selected rate is cheaper than the next-best alternative (optimal selection). Positive values indicate the selected rate was more expensive, suggesting potential optimization opportunities. The table includes conditional formatting: variance values less than -2% are highlighted in pink, values between -2% and 0% are highlighted in yellow, and values greater than 0% are highlighted in teal. Savings values greater than 0 are highlighted in teal to emphasize positive performance. This detailed view enables you to drill down into specific carrier-method combinations to identify top performers and areas for improvement.