Configuring Schedule Optimization

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring Schedule Optimization

    Schedule Optimization streamlines the planning of tasks for multiple field agents, allowing for efficient scheduling that reduces travel time and maximizes task assignments. By configuring various elements such as policies and scheduling attributes, customers can adapt schedules dynamically based on real-time conditions.

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    Key Features

    • Activation: Enable the Schedule Optimization plugin to begin configuring optimization settings.
    • Policies: Create rules that dictate optimization goals, such as minimizing driving time for agents.
    • Scheduling Attributes: Define common settings for optimization, including travel estimates and task conditions.
    • Batches: Set up groups of schedules to be optimized at once, which can run automatically.
    • Scopes: Link batches to scheduling attributes to optimize tasks by assignment groups or territories.
    • Intraday Updates: Implement configurations that adjust schedules in real-time based on agent availability or delays.

    Key Outcomes

    By effectively utilizing Schedule Optimization, ServiceNow customers can achieve:

    • Improved efficiency in task assignment and reduced travel times for field agents.
    • Dynamic schedule adjustments that respond to real-world changes and agent availability.
    • Enhanced management of overlapping territories and complex agent assignments through machine learning capabilities.

    For optimal performance, ensure necessary plugins are activated and configurations are set according to the specific needs of your service operations.

    Schedule Optimization optimizes tasks in batches for multiple field agents, facilitating efficient planning for the day or week ahead. By applying policies, you can create the best possible schedule that maximizes task assignment and minimizes travel time.

    Schedule Optimization workflow

    The Schedule Optimization workflow comprises four main elements: Policies, Scheduling attributes, Batches, and Scopes. The workflow involves configuring policies and scheduling attributes, creating batches to execute optimizations, and scopes optimized by the appropriate method. There are additional configurations that will trigger optimization to run throughout the day as scheduling conditions change. By following these steps, you can effectively optimize schedules based on your specified criteria and constraints.
    1. Activate the Schedule Optimization plugin. For more information, see Activate Schedule Optimization.
    2. Create policies to determine how to optimize agent schedules based on defined objectives or constraints. For instance, if a company has 20 technicians with appointments in a city, you can configure a policy to minimize driving time. By running a batch the night before, the system evaluates all tasks and generate an optimized schedule that minimizes agents' driving time. For more information, see Create a policy for Schedule Optimization.
    3. Configure the scheduling attributes to create reusable sets of common optimization settings like the default travel estimate provider and task conditions to consider when optimization runs. For more information, see Create a scheduling attribute for Schedule Optimization.
    4. Create optimization batches with the desired schedules and settings. For more information, see Create a batch for Schedule Optimization.
    5. Create optimization scopes to associate batches with existing scheduling attribute configurations, optimizing either by assignment groups or territories. For more information, see Create a scope for Schedule Optimization
    6. Schedule batches to run automatically to assign tasks to agents and optimize schedules.
    7. Optionally, create intraday configurations to automatically update agents schedules in response to events, such as an agent running late.

    Schedule Optimization based on territories

    Consider the following points while implementing Schedule Optimization based on territories.
    Plugin dependencies
    Optimize tasks based on territories with Schedule Optimization when the Territory Planning plugin is installed.
    • If the Territory Planning plugin isn't installed or the Territory Model is inactive, the optimization seamlessly continues relying on assignment groups.
    • If both the Field Service Territory Planning and Schedule Optimization plugins are installed, but the Territory Model is inactive, tasks are optimized based on assignment groups. Keep territory-related batches inactive until the Territory Planning plugin is activated.
    • If both the Territory Planning and Schedule Optimization plugins are installed and the Territory Model is active, tasks are exclusively optimized based on territories. You can create scopes specifically for territories.
    Activation prerequisite
    Before activating the Field Service Territory Model, ensure batches optimized by assignment groups are inactive, and batches optimized by territories are active.
    Post-activation
    After activating the Field Service Territory Model, tasks need territories selected for Schedule Optimization to assign them to agents.
    Territory-Centric optimization
    With both plugins active and the Field Service Territory Model enabled, tasks are exclusively optimized based on territories.
    Intraday efficiency
    Resolves complexities of agents handling multiple territories in a day, especially during multiple shifts.
    Overlapping Territories management
    In the Field Service Territory Model, territories can overlap either in geography or with shared agents. Machine learning-driven capabilities consider these overlaps for effective assignment and management in task optimization.

    Schedule Optimization with Workforce Optimization for Field Service

    Schedule Optimization considers an agent's schedule and events from the Workforce Optimization for Field Service application to auto-assign tasks only when the Enable Shift Scheduling for FSM to Determine Availability option is enabled. For more information, see Global domain configurations and Activate Workforce Optimization for Field Service.