During onboarding, InstaDispatch identifies the user type based on the business model and delivery operation selected at sign-up. This helps the system enable the most relevant features for that user from the beginning. InstaDispatch supports both dispatch-based operations and freight forwarding workflows, and it also allows businesses to expand later with additional modules where needed.
1. What is User Type in InstaDispatch?
User type in InstaDispatch refers to the operational category a business belongs to when setting up its account. The selected user type determines which modules, workflows, and features are made available in the account during onboarding.
In simple terms, InstaDispatch checks how the business delivers goods and then sets up the platform accordingly.
2. Dispatch User Type
A user is considered part of the Dispatch category when the business delivers goods using its own in-house fleet.
This typically applies to:
- delivery companies operating their own vehicles
- courier businesses managing their own drivers
- service-based businesses using their own fleet for deliveries or field operations
For these users, InstaDispatch provides the features related to dispatch operations, such as job management, route planning, driver operations, and same-day/on-demand delivery workflows. InstaDispatch’s same-day and dispatch-focused features include order input and management, flexible pricing engine, and smart mapping and run planning.
3. Freight Forwarding User Type
A user is considered part of the Freight Forwarding category when the business delivers goods using third-party carriers instead of its own fleet.
This typically applies to:
- courier resellers relying on external carriers such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx
- freight forwarders working with external carrier networks
- businesses that manage shipment bookings and carrier allocation rather than their own delivery drivers
For these users, InstaDispatch enables freight forwarding-related functionality. The freight forwarding section of InstaDispatch includes features such as order input and management,shipment forwarding, flexible job pricing engine, and invoice management. The platform also supports carrier integrations such as DHL, UPS, and FedEx.
4. How InstaDispatch Decides the User Type
During sign-up, InstaDispatch asks initial onboarding questions about how the business operates. Based on the answers provided, the system identifies whether the user mainly works as:
- a dispatch operation using an owned fleet
- a freight forwarder using external carriers
Once the user type is identified, the platform enables the features that are most relevant to that business model. This makes onboarding easier and ensures that the account is aligned with the user’s operational needs from the start.
5. If a Business Uses Both Models
Some businesses operate with a mixed model. For example, they may use their own fleet for certain deliveries while also using third-party carriers for other shipments.
In such cases, the business is typically set up with the Dispatch features as the main user type, and the Freight Forwarding module can be added separately as a paid add-on. InstaDispatch pricing materials list Freight Forwarding as a paid add-on package.
This means the business can manage both operational models in one platform:
- in-house fleet dispatch through dispatch workflows
- external carrier-based shipments through the freight forwarding add-on
6. Why User Type Matters
Selecting the correct user type is important because it ensures that the account is configured with the right tools from the beginning.
This helps the user access the features that best match their delivery process, avoid unnecessary setup complexity, and expand later if their business model grows or changes.
7. Quick Summary
InstaDispatch assigns a user type during onboarding based on how the business delivers goods.
- Dispatch user type is for businesses using their own fleet and drivers.
- Freight Forwarding user type is for businesses relying on third-party carriers such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
- Based on the onboarding answers, InstaDispatch enables the relevant features for that user.
- If a business uses both its own fleet and external carriers, dispatch features can be used as the main setup, and freight forwarding can be added as a paid add-on
