Allocate work

Overview

Once a job is created (with a job status of Queued), the scheduler can allocate resources to the job via the scheduling console and job details view.

Allocating a job from the Scheduling console

It is possible to drag and drop a job straight from the work list into the swimlane for a resource. The job card can be dragged along the swimlane and snapped into place at a particular time. The time increments are set in the Swimlane Settings menu. The job’s duration can be adjusted in situ.

The drag-and-drop method to place a job card into a swimlane.

Horizontal swimlanes, Optimized scheduling, and Using the suggest feature

Allocating a Job from the Job details view and the Job page

Select a Job

Both the job details view and the job page offer greater control when assigning work. To access a job’s details view, locate the job in the work list in the scheduling console and then click on the job card.

Accessing a job’s details from the scheduling console’s job list.

Select resources

A quick way to allocate a resource in the job details view and the job page is from the swimlane. Click on the blue Allocate button (to the right of a resource’s name) to allocate the job to the resource.

How to quickly allocate a resource to a job via the job details.

For a more intelligent allocation, use the Add Resources button. The Select Resource(s) modal provides a searchable and sortable list of all resources, which are potentially available for a job (based on what is known).

How to allocate resources using the job details view.

Select one or more individuals from the list of available resources and click Save.

A resource, selected for a job.

There are multiple ways to sort the available resources. For example, by Travel Distance, Travel Duration, Best Fit, Name, Highest Rating, or Least Utilized.

By default, only resources that match the job criteria (tags) are shown. In order to show all resources in the job region, select a different region and then select the original region.

Use the Search field to quickly search for and select a resource.

The resultant resource list is sorted by Travel Distance from home in meters. However, the scheduler can toggle between a number of sort options:

  • Travel Distance from home. Sorts the resource list by travel distance as determined by the underlying web mapping service.
  • Travel Duration from home. Sorts the resource list by travel distance as determined by the underlying web mapping service.
  • Best Fit. Sorts the resource list based on Skedulo’s default scoring algorithm to determine the most appropriate fit It picks the resource who is closest to the job (based on the previous job that the resource was working on for a given time). It also considers skill tags (hard and soft), time constraints, inclusion/exclusion lists, etc.)
  • Name. Sorts the resource list by name.
  • Highest Rating. Sorts the resource list by “Rating” (as specified in the resource’s details on Salesforce CRM).
  • Least Utilized. Sorts the resource list based on resources with the least utilization (requires a job in a Pending Allocation status or later as it requires a date to perform its calculations).

If an available resource is displayed with a blue-gray background, they have been ruled out by the Skedulo optimization engine as not meeting the requirements of the job. They can still be selected by the scheduler.

The following conditions can affect resource recommendations when allocating a job:

  • Scheduled activities (like meal breaks).
  • Insufficient travel time (to arrive at the job or return home).
  • Unallocated shifts (for organizations that enable shifts)

Dispatch Job

Once a resource has been allocated to the job, the job’s status is changed to Pending Dispatch and a green checkmark replaces the Allocate button. A date and time for the job must be set before a notification can be sent out to the mobile worker.

Dispatching jobs

Remove an allocated resource and reallocate the job

To remove an allocated resource from a job, click the Remove Resource button (top-right) on their resource card or hover over the green checkmark button and click when Deallocate is displayed.

To reallocate the job, click the Add Resources button at the top of the Allocated Resources list.

Once an allocated resource has been removed from a job, they are notified with a pop-up message in their Skedulo mobile app. A detailed notification will announce the job allocation has been canceled. The job card will be removed from their agenda once it has been refreshed.

Deallocate and unschedule

Resource is no longer active in Salesforce

When a resource is made inactive in the CRM (when Is Active is unchecked in the resource’s profile), all future job allocations that have been assigned to that resource are marked Deleted except for jobs that have the status Complete or Cancelled.

In the following example, Joshua is deactivated by unchecking the flag Is Active on his resource profile. Doing so removed him from JOB-0502. The job allocations for this job show his status as Deleted. In the Skedulo web app, Joshua is removed from the available resources that are shown next to the swimlanes.