Optimize Appointment Scheduling

Form ID: (FS501400)

You use this form to optimize the schedule of appointments for the day you select.

Note: This form is available only if the WorkWave Route Optimization feature is enabled in the Third Party Integrations group of features on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. Also, to optimize the schedule, the WorkWave API URL and license key have to be specified in the Schedule Optimization Settings section of the Service Management Preferences (FS100100) form.

Form Toolbar

The form toolbar includes standard and form-specific buttons and commands. For the list of standard buttons, see Form Toolbar and More Menu. The form-specific commands are listed in the following table.

Button Description
Process Processes appointments selected in the left pane for the staff members selected in the right pane.
Process All Processes all appointments in the list.
Show on Map Opens the Staff Appointments on Map (FS301100) form with the appointments assigned to staff members on the map.

Selection Area

In the Selection area, you can make selections that define which appointments are listed in the left pane below and can be included in the optimization process.

Element Description
Type The type of the appointments to be listed in the left pane and available for optimization. You can select one of the following options:
  • Assigned Appointments: Lists the appointments that have been assigned to specific staff members.

    If these appointments are selected for optimization, the system does not reassign the appointments to other staff members.

  • Unassigned Appointments: Lists the appointments that have not been assigned to any staff member; if these appointments are selected for optimization, the system will assign these appointments to staff members.
Branch The branch whose appointments are listed in the left pane and available for optimization. By default, the branch to which you are currently signed in is selected.
Branch Location The branch location whose appointments are listed in the left pane and can be optimized.

By default, the system inserts the branch location specified in the Default Branch Location box on the User Profile (SM203010) form for the currently signed-in user if it is a location of the branch specified in the Branch box. If the default branch location of the user is not a branch location of the branch specified in the Branch box, this box is empty.
Date The date for which the appointments are listed in the left pane optimized.
Consider Skills A check box that indicates (if selected) that the system assigns staff members to appointments not only according to staff members' work calendars but also by considering the staff members' skills.

When you select any staff member for which appointment schedule optimization should be performed, and the appointments to be optimized, and click Process on the form toolbar, the system selects the staff member to be assigned to each particular appointment while considering all of the following:

  • The skills specified for each staff member on the Skills tab of the Employees (EP203000) form.
  • The skills needed for performing the appointment's services, which are specified for each service on the Service Skills tab on the Non-Stock Items (IN202000) form.
  • The time availability of each employee, which has been entered in the work calendar specified in the Calendar box on the General Info tab of the Employees form.
Note: This check box is available only if Unassigned Appointments is selected in the Type box of the Summary area of the current form.

Left Pane

The table in this pane displays the appointments that meet the selection criteria you have specified. You can select the particular appointments or optimize the schedule for all of them.

Table 1. Table Columns
Column Description
Included A check box that you can select to include this appointment in processing if you click Process.
Service Order Type The service order type of the appointment.
Appointment Nbr. The reference number of the appointment. You can click the link in this column to open the appointment on the Appointments (FS300200) form.
Staff Member

The staff member assigned to the appointment.

This column appears only if the Assigned Appointments option is selected in the Type box of the Selection area.
Customer The customer associated with the appointment.
Scheduled Start Time The scheduled start time of the appointment.
Confirmed

A check box that indicates (if selected) that the appointment has been confirmed.

The system does not change the scheduled start time of an appointment for which this check box is selected.
Scheduled Duration The scheduled duration of the appointment.

Right Pane

This table displays the list of all staff members in the system. If the Assigned Appointments type is selected in the Selection area, in this pane, you select the staff members whose appointments you want to optimize if processing is invoked. If the Unassigned Appointments type is selected in the Selection area, you select the staff members to which the appointments selected in the left pane can be assigned and optimized if processing is invoked.

Table 2. Table Columns
Column Description
Included A check box that you select to include this appointment in processing if you click Process.
Type The type of the staff member, which is one of the following: Employee or Vendor.
Staff Member ID The identifier of the employee who is the staff member.
Staff Member Name The name of the staff member.