Introduction
What does this feature do?
Allows manual entry of TAR codes, TAS codes, and terminal time windows when linking a container handling to a booking made externally (e.g., directly in Portbase).
Makes the booking reference field optional when linking to an external booking, so the flow is not blocked when a reference is not available.
Automatically resets the Create Booking task to "To do" when a container booking is cancelled, keeping task status accurate and avoiding confusion.
Allows TAR/TAS codes and terminal time windows to be edited after a booking has been created, directly from the container handling details page.
Why was this built?
Some Portbase customers make bookings directly in the Portbase system rather than via Qargo. Previously, there was no way to record the resulting TAR/TAS codes or terminal time windows in Qargo without a workaround. This caused inconsistencies in the data visible to operations teams.
When a booking was cancelled externally, the Create Booking task remained in a "Done" state even though the underlying booking no longer existed. This created confusion for users who saw a completed task for a cancelled booking.
How does it work?
When executing the Create or Link Container Booking task and choosing Link to external booking, five fields are now available: Booking Reference (optional), TAR Code, TAS Code, and two terminal time window timestamps (start and end). These values are saved against the container handling.
After a booking is created, the TAR/TAS codes and time window can be edited directly from the container handling details page using the edit icon next to each field.
When a container booking transitions to Cancelled status, Qargo automatically resets the Create Booking task to "To do".
Terminology
Term | Definition |
Container booking | An internal Qargo record representing a visit or booking at a container terminal |
TAR code | Terminal Acceptance Receipt code — a reference issued by the terminal upon acceptance of a container booking |
TAS code | Terminal Appointment System code — used to reference a specific booking slot at the container terminal |
Terminal time window | The scheduled pickup or delivery window at the container terminal, defined by a start and end timestamp |
Link to external booking | A booking option used when a booking has already been made outside of Qargo (e.g., directly in Portbase). Allows the handling to be connected to that external booking without creating a new one |
Booking reference | A unique identifier from the external booking system (e.g., Portbase) used to link and sync booking data |
Create Booking task | The Qargo task that triggers the creation or linking of a container booking for a handling |
Linking a Container Handling to an External Booking
This flow is used when a booking has already been made directly in an external system (such as Portbase) and the related information needs to be recorded in Qargo.
Opening the Create or Link Booking task
NAVIGATE to the relevant order containing the container handling.
LOCATE the Create or Link Container Booking task and click to open it.
SELECT the Link to external booking tab in the modal.
Entering booking details
The Link to external booking tab now contains five fields:
Booking Reference — optional. Should still be provided when available, as it enables integration sync with Portbase.
TAR Code — enter the Terminal Acceptance Receipt code issued by the terminal.
TAS Code — enter the Terminal Appointment System code if applicable.
Time Window Start — enter the start of the terminal time window.
Time Window End — enter the end of the terminal time window.
COMPLETE the relevant fields and click Save to confirm.
💡 At least one of the three identifiers (Booking Reference, TAR/TAS Code, or Time Window) should be provided to make the booking record useful for operations.
Editing Booking Details After Creation
TAR/TAS codes and terminal time windows can be updated after the booking has been created. This is useful when data received from the integration does not match what is shown at the terminal, or when information was not available at the time of initial booking entry.
Editing TAR/TAS codes
NAVIGATE to the container handling details page for the relevant order.
LOCATE the TAR Code or TAS Code field in the booking details section.
CLICK the edit (pen) icon to the right of the field.
ENTER the updated code in the field that appears.
SAVE the change.
Editing terminal time windows
NAVIGATE to the container handling details page for the relevant order.
LOCATE the Terminal Time Window field.
CLICK the edit (pen) icon to open the time window modal.
UPDATE the start and end timestamps as needed.
SAVE the change.
‼️ Manual changes to TAR/TAS codes and time windows are not synced back to the integration. If a Portbase status update is received after a manual edit, the integration data may overwrite the manually entered values. To prevent this, use the Link to external booking option (rather than creating a new booking via integration) when booking data is being managed manually.
Automatic Task Reset on Cancellation
When a container booking is cancelled — whether manually or via an integration status update from Portbase — Qargo will automatically reset the Create Booking task back to To do status.
This ensures that:
The task status accurately reflects that no active booking is in place.
Operations staff are not misled by a "Done" task status on a cancelled booking.
If a new booking needs to be created, the task is ready to be actioned again without manual intervention.
This reset also occurs when an individual container handling is cancelled (not just the booking as a whole).
Troubleshooting
Issue | Likely cause | Resolution |
Booking reference field is required but booking was made externally | Previous system behaviour required booking reference. This has been resolved — the field is now optional | Leave the booking reference blank and enter TAR/TAS codes or time window instead |
TAR/TAS code was overwritten after saving | A Portbase integration sync ran after the manual entry was saved | Use the Link to external booking tab (rather than creating a booking via integration) to record manually managed bookings. Note: integration updates may still overwrite manually entered data in some configurations |
Create Booking task still shows "Done" after cancellation | This behaviour applied to bookings cancelled before the February 2026 update | For historical bookings, the task status can be manually reset. Going forward, all cancellations will trigger the automatic reset |
Time window fields are not visible in the modal | The Link to external booking tab may not be selected | Ensure the correct tab is active in the Create or Link Container Booking modal |
Edit icon is not visible on the handling details page | The booking may be in a state that does not allow edits (e.g., the booking has been archived) | Check the booking status. If the booking is active, the edit icons should be visible next to the TAR, TAS, and time window fields |