Patent ID: 7603299

Claim:
A method of receiving packages from an incoming shipment of packages to a distribution facility, the method comprising: providing a scheduler processor at the distribution facility as part of a management system, the distribution facility including at least one automated receiving door and at least one manual receiving door; receiving, at the management system of the distribution facility, electronic shipment data representative of the incoming shipment of packages, wherein the electronic shipment data is received prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at the distribution facility; automatically determining with the scheduler processor of the management system an unload score for the incoming shipment of packages based on the electronic shipment data, the electronic shipment data including and the unload score being at least partially based on at least two or more of the following: a total number of packages in the incoming shipment of packages, a number of products in the incoming shipment of packages, and a conveyability of the packages contained in the incoming shipment of packages, wherein the unload score is determined prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at the distribution facility; automatically comparing the unload score to a threshold unload score using the scheduler processor; the scheduler processor automatically directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to the at least one automated receiving door when the unload score is at least equal to the threshold unload score; and the scheduler processor automatically directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to the at least one manual receiving door when the unload score less than the threshold unload score.