Example - Schedule Optimization

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  • Updated February 1, 2024
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    Summary of Schedule Optimization Example

    This guide details the configuration methods for the Schedule Optimization engine, enabling ServiceNow admins to efficiently manage task scheduling for agents. The optimization can be set to run overnight in batches, throughout the day based on events, or initiated on-demand from the Dispatcher Workspace. The goal is to maximize task completion while minimizing travel time for agents during their shifts.

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    Key Features

    • Batch Scheduling: Enables scheduling a larger number of tasks overnight. Admins can configure the frequency, start, and end times for batch processing.
    • On-Demand Optimization: Dispatchers can activate optimization as needed, allowing for immediate task assignment adjustments.
    • Intraday Scheduling: Configured to manage tasks during the day with specified processing windows for optimal agent performance.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing these configurations, organizations can effectively ensure that their agents complete more tasks within their shifts. The policies put in place allow for a focus on maximizing task assignments while reducing travel time, resulting in improved overall efficiency in task management.

    This example shows three different ways admins can configure the optimization engine to schedule tasks.

    Admins can configure Schedule Optimization to run overnight in batches to schedule a larger number of tasks or throughout the day at selected intervals based on events. Admins can also enable dispatchers to initiate Schedule Optimization from Dispatcher Workspace by configuring on-demand optimization.

    In this example, the organization is ensuring that agents complete as many tasks as they can during their shift without spending a lot of time traveling between tasks. A policy is configured to maximize assignments and minimize travel time. On-demand optimization is enabled for the dispatchers who are assigned to this group of agents.

    Admin Core Configurations for Schedule Optimization

    Table 1. Schedule Optimization Properties
    Field Value
    Qualifier type for Schedule Optimization Assignment Group
    Number of seconds used for task scheduling resolution 1
    Maximum number of location points allowed in a map provider call 300
    Table 2. Policies
    Field Value
    Name Maximum Assignments
    Active true
    Constraints Default values
    Overall objectives

    Maximize travel time (weight 1)

    Maximize task assignments (weight 1)

    Maximize assignments to earlier shifts (weight 1)
    Table 3. Scheduling Attributes
    Field Value
    Name West coast config
    Active True
    Travel estimate provider Beans.ai
    Default policy Maximum Assignments
    Straight line estimate config West Coast
    Tasks State is one of: Pending dispatch or Scheduled
    On Demand applicable policy West Coast Dispatcher

    Batch Optimization Configurations

    Table 4. Batch
    Field Value
    Name West Coast weekly
    Schedule start date 2023-12-01
    Run frequency Every 7 days
    Batch start time 22:00
    Batch end time 3:00
    Table 5. Scope
    Field Value
    Name West Coast-Next 7 days
    Active True
    Scheduling attribute configuration West Coast config
    Rank 1
    Assignment horizon offset 00
    Assignment horizon range Days 7
    Optimization Batch West Coast weekly
    Start date 2023-12-01
    Batch start time 22:00
    Batch end time 3:00
    Assignment group San Diego North
    Note:
    Select schedule now when the form is complete

    Intraday Optimization Configurations

    Table 6. Intraday Configurations
    Field Value
    Name West Coast
    Active True
    Default scheduling attribute configuration West Coast config
    Default False
    Flow Schedule intraday jobs (default)
    Default processing window Workday 9:00-5:00
    Assignment group

    San Diego South - Enable On Demand = True

    San Diego North - Enable On Demand = True

    On-demand Optimization configurations

    Table 7. On-demand values in Scheduling Attributes configuration
    Field Value
    On Demand applicable policy West Coast Dispatcher
    Table 8. On-demand values in Intraday configurations
    Field Value
    Assignment group

    San Diego South - Enable On Demand = True

    San Diego North - Enable On Demand = True