Tips for Creating Macros

Create text-only macros for frequent messages, such as:

Text-only forward macros	Text-only return macros
Send arrival/departure times	LOADED AND LEAVING
What's your trailer #	RECEIVED LOAD ASSIGNMENT
Are you empty?	EMPTY. WHATS NEXT?

Associate a return macro with a forward macro to simplify the driver's response:

Forward macro	Return macro
Send arrival/departure times	CUSTOMER #_____________
	ARRIVED: __:__
	DEPARTED __:__
What's your trailer #	TRAILER#: ________
Are you empty?	EMPTY: _ (Y OR N)

Use specific dictionary field entries, such as Appointment Date, Shipper Phone Number, and Locks Required (Y or N) in return macros, instead of using free-form text. This prompts the driver to enter the type of data you requested.

Place optional fields and least-used fields at the end of a macro. QTRACS software stops transmitting data when it reaches the last filled field.

Create prefilled macro mappings for any macros with an associated reply macro that you use frequently and that requires drivers to copy data.

Place a password field into forward macros to ensure privacy of the text that follows it.

If you use MCP units and enable text-to-speech, follow these best practices.