Setting Up Oracle Advanced Scheduler

This chapter documents tasks for implementing Oracle Advanced Scheduler.

This chapter covers the following topics:

Oracle Advanced Scheduler Implementation Task Sequence

This section describes the implementation tasks in the recommended order. Please refer to the following implementation tasks for details:

Advanced Scheduler Implementation Task Sequence
1. Confirm Implementation of Field Service
2. Confirming Setup of Spares Management
3. Confirming Setup and Loading Spatial Data
4. Advanced Scheduler Setup Tasks

Confirming Implementation of Field Service

Before implementing Oracle Advanced Scheduler, install, implement, and set up the Oracle Field Service core application. See Field Service Implementation Task Summary.

Note: All Oracle Applications required for Field Service are also required to run Oracle Advanced Scheduler.

Ensure that the following implementation steps have been reviewed and completed as necessary:

For more information on E-Business suite implementation tasks, see Summary of E-Business Suite Implementation Tasks.

Set the following Scheduler parameters to determine default values for the scheduling scenarios.

Parameters for Oracle Advanced Scheduler
Parameter Name Description
Spares Mandatory Default likelihood value of spare parts availability used for automatic scheduling.
Spares Source Using the parameter value, the Scheduler searches for spare parts for the task in the technicians' trunk stock or the manned stock locations available in the supply chain or in both the locations.
Default Travel Duration (in minutes) Used as the default travel time between two tasks when Default Time Distance Server is being used or when one or both of the addresses is invalid or could not be resolved against the spatial data set being used through the Location Finder.
Default Travel Distance (in kms) Used as the default travel distance between two tasks when the Default Time Distance Server is being used or when one or both of the addresses is invalid or could not be resolved against the spatial data set being used through the Location Finder.

Confirming Setup of Spares Management

If the Oracle Spares Management module is enabled, Oracle Advanced Scheduler can take resource spare parts availability into account when scheduling a task. The information from Spares Management is expressed in both time and cost.

Availability conditions defined in Spares Management represent the urgency for a part to be available to resolve the task, based on the likelihood that part is used to resolve a task.

In Spares Management, a relation between the problem definition of a task, and the parts that are likely to be used to resolve the task, is established. For each of these parts, Spares Management calculates which are used the most. Then the parts used most are mapped to a high likelihood percentage to resolve the task.

For scheduling, you must indicate the availability condition by setting up the Spares Mandatory parameter.

For more information, see the Setting Up Spares Management section of the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide.

Confirming Setup and Loading Spatial Data

Spatial data is used for map display in the Field Service Dispatch Center module, and for Oracle Advanced Scheduler functionality, such as finding address locations and route calculation.

Spatial data is required if you implement street-level routing travel time and distance optimization. If you choose not to use street-level routing, you can still gain benefits from other Advanced Scheduler features by setting default values for the time and distance profile options. See Using Default Values for Travel Time and Distance Calculations and Field Service Profile Options in the Profile Options Appendix of the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide.

You can upload spatial data from any source as long as the data is correctly formatted and uploaded into the Advanced Scheduler schema. Oracle Advanced Scheduler is certified with spatial data provided by NAVTEQ. Customers have the option to purchase the spatial data provided by NAVTEQ. NAVTEQ supplies spatial data covering the entire North America and the United Kingdom standardized in the Oracle suggested format to be used with Oracle applications.

Setting Up Oracle Advanced Scheduler

Before setting up Oracle Advanced Scheduler, you must install and fully implement several Oracle applications and components. See the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide

Oracle Advanced Scheduler application setup includes these steps:

  1. Activating Oracle Advanced Scheduler

    Set the profile option to enable Oracle Advanced Scheduler functionality

  2. Configuring Scheduler Rules

    Use the Scheduler Rules Configuration dashboard to set up scheduler rules that include router configurations, and scheduler, cost, and window to promise (WTP) parameters, to help efficiently schedule tasks for technicians.

    Note: When considering third party resources, Scheduler only considers resource availability, planned dates, and if spares availability is mandatory for the task, then spares availability. Scheduler ignores all other scheduler parameters such as task duration vis-a-vis shift timings, resource capability, trip availability and optimization, resource preference other than that for third party resources, overtime, router mode, commute time, plan scope, access hours and cost.

  3. Setting Up the Time Distance Server (TDS)

    The Time Distance Server provides three methods to calculate travel time and distance to task locations.

  4. Setting Up the Autonomous Scheduler

    Start the Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program to activate automatic scheduling.

Activating Oracle Advanced Scheduler

Use this procedure to enable Oracle Advanced Scheduler functionality:

  1. Navigate to the System Profile Values window.

    The Find System Profile Values window appears.

  2. Enter CSF% in the Profile field. Click Find.

    CSF profile options appear in alphabetical order.

  3. Scroll to the CSF: Scheduler Active profile option. Select Yes from the list of values.

  4. Save your work.

Configuring Scheduler Rules

Oracle Advanced Scheduler uses scheduler rules in place of profile values and cost factors to schedule the tasks of the field service technicians. You must set up the scheduler rules prior to scheduling tasks for the technicians. A scheduler rule is a single configuration document containing all configurations including scheduler parameters, cost parameters, window to promise (WTP) parameters, and router configurations. Oracle Advanced Scheduler generates the schedule plan options and cost values for a task based on the scheduler, router, and cost parameters defined in the applicable rules.

Note: For existing Advanced Scheduler customers, the application runs a migration script to convert the FND profiles into scheduler rules. For every existing level in the application that has atleast one of the scheduler profiles (now termed parameters) set, the migration script will create a scheduler rule.

Use the Scheduler Rules Configuration dashboard to create scheduler rules in a single user interface. While creating scheduler rules, you can configure scheduler parameters at the following levels:

In addition to the above levels, some parameters are enabled at the following levels for setting up the values at much granular level. Only parameters that can be logically defined at these levels are enabled:

Additionally, you have the flexibility to configure the scheduler parameters with the combination of these levels. Technician level parameter has a higher precedence to territory level (and follows the precedence hierarchy of user, responsibility, application and site, in that order).

Using the Scheduler Rules Dashboard

Use the dashboard as the launch pad for the entire Scheduler Configuration portal and navigate to other aspects of configuration. When you navigate to the dashboard, it displays the rules applicable to you. The applicable rules are:

Using the dashboard, you can:

Viewing Rules

To view the configuration details of a rule in a single page, click the applicable rule name. The Scheduler Rule Configurator page displays the entire configuration with details under different tabs.

Searching Rules

Use the Scheduler Rules Search page to search for rules created in the application. You can search on the following criteria names:

Additionally, you can select the Include Site Rule check box to retrieve the Site level rules as the site level rules do not have any qualifiers attached to them. You can search for rules based on the existence of parameters.

Creating Rules

Use the Scheduler Rule Configurator page to create new scheduling rules. Note: You cannot create rules at site level, as a predefined Site rule is available with all the default site level values defined in the application.

To create a rule, complete the following steps:

  1. 1. Enter the rule name and description.

  2. 2. Optionally, select a base rule while creating a new rule.

    Note: When a rule Y is created on top of rule X such that Y contains the entire definition of rule X also, then rule X is called as the base rule of rule Y. Base rules are very effective in establishing the parent child hierarchy.

    Oracle Advanced Scheduler uses the base rule in certain process flows when a base rule is inevitable based on the eligibility levels given for the new rule. In those cases, if the relevant base rule does not exist in the system, they are created automatically by the application and these base rules are called System Generated rules.

    Additionally, you can copy the parameters from an existing rule using the Copy functionality provided within the Similar Rules section.

  3. Specify the eligibility level for the rule.

    Note: You can specify a single eligibility level or a combination of multiple eligibility levels. The Scheduler Rules Configurator page enables the parameters applicable for the specified level or combination of levels. If you specify multiple eligibility levels, then the Scheduler uses the parameters from the rule with the highest eligibility criteria. The eligibility levels are placed in the following order: Technician > Territory > User >Responsibility > Application > Site. For example, if you have selected the technician and territory level, then the Scheduler uses the parameters from the technician level.

  4. Enter values for the enabled parameters.

  5. Click Finish.

Options on the Scheduler Rule Configurator page
Option Description
Rule Name field Must be alpha numeric.
Description field Must be alpha numeric.
Base Rule field All rules existing in the system. Based on the selected eligibility type criteria, the base rule field would be either enabled or disabled.
Application field All application names present in the system.
Responsibility field All responsibility names present in the system.
User field All FND user names present in the system.
Territory field All territories present under 'service' usage.
Resource Type field Employee Resource, Group Resource, Partner Resource, Party Resource, Supplier Contact, Other Resource, Team Resource, To be Hired
Resource Name field If territory is selected, then the field displays all resource names present in the selected territory. If territory is not selected, then the field displays all resource names present in the system.
Enabled check box If selected, then it enables the specified eligibility levels for a rule.
Similar Rules region Displays all the rules that could be useful to be compared against the current rule. When no eligibility level is given, the Similar Rules section will display all the rules corresponding to the current logged in Application / Responsibility / User. Based on the Eligibility Criteria selected data in the Similar Rules section gets refreshed.
Copy icon Copies the existing rule parameters to the to-be-created rule. The base rule of the to-be-created rule would be the selected rule to copy.
Cancel button This action aborts the creation/update of the rule and returns to the previous page.
Finish button Finish button involves completing the rule creation. It also propagates the parameter values to all the child rules down the hierarchy, provided the parameter is not overridden in the child rule.
Finish and Propagate Forcefully button Finish and Propagate Forcefully is same as the Finish button except for the fact that the parameter values are propagated to child rules even if the child rule has overridden the parameter value.

Updating Rules

To update the configuration details of a rule, complete the following steps:

  1. Search for the rule using the Search page.

  2. Click the applicable rule. The Scheduler Rule Configurator page displays the rule details.

  3. Click Update on the Scheduler Rule Configurator page. The Scheduler Rules Configurator page displays the parameters for updates.

    Note: Parameters are open for update based on the selected rule’s eligibility criteria.

  4. Update the parameter values and click Finish.

    Alternatively, you can update a Rule from the Dashboard by clicking on the Update icon.

Viewing Rules Hierarchy

Use the Scheduler Rules Hierarchy View page to view all the rules created in the application in a hierarchical manner.

Merging and Analyzing Rules

Oracle Advanced Scheduler enables you to define few parameters while creating rules at territory and technician levels. When you define a rule at territory or technician level, all required parameters are not available in the selected rule. The Scheduler merges the current level rule with previous level rules in order to make the configuration complete for use by the Scheduler engine. The Scheduler identifies the plan options for a task after the configuration is complete.

Use the Rules Analyzer link on the Scheduler Rules Dashboard to visualize the complete set of Scheduler / Cost / Router Parameters when the Scheduler engine operates on the rule after merging a particular level rule with the previous level rules. The Rules Analyzer functionality enables you to view the merged rule and from which rule the parameter came when the rule was merged.

You can simulate the application of a rule on a task and view the plan options for a task. Additionally, you can merge and analyze rules having different eligibility levels.

To simulate the application of a rule on a task, complete the following steps:

  1. Click the Rules Analyzer link on the dashboard. The Scheduler Rules – Scheduler Simulation page opens. Optionally, you can use the Scheduler Simulation link in the Available Analyzers region of the Scheduler pages to access the Scheduler Rules – Scheduler Simulation page.

  2. Enter a task number.

  3. Optionally, enter application, responsibility, and user details in the Choose Context region.

  4. Click Run Simulation.

    The Scheduler applies the user level rule to get the qualified resources and then uses the resource to determine what resource level rules should be used. The Scheduler Rules – Scheduler Simulation page displays the task derails, the rules applicable, and the resources considered for scheduling (after identifying them using the territories setup).

    Note: The page initially displays the rule for the current session namely the current Application, Responsibility and User triplet. You can change the session values in addition to restricting to territory or technician to see the merged rule.

To merge and analyze rules having different eligibility levels, complete the following steps:

  1. Click the Merge Analyzer link in the Available Analyzers region. The Scheduler Rules – Merge Analyzer page opens.

    Note: The page initially displays the rule for the current session namely the current Application, Responsibility and User triplet. You can change the session values in addition to restricting to territory or technician to see the merged rule.

  2. Select the applicable options in the Choose Context region to get the merged rule for any eligibility level.

  3. Click Run Simulation.

Viewing Similar Rules

The Similar Rules contextual region displays all the rules that are similar to the currently selected rule in the results table of the Search page. For example, if you click on a Responsibility Level rule, then the Similar Rules section renders all the rules that are of other Responsibilities so that the user can quickly look at what other responsibility level rules exists in the system. Suppose you click on a Territory Level Rule, the Similar Rules region will render all the Rules where the Territory name is one of the eligibility criteria. As the Scheduler Rule Configurator page does not have any eligibility level specified initially, the Similar Rules section displays all the rules corresponding to the current logged in Application, Responsibility, and User.

Exporting and Importing Rule Definitions

Oracle Advanced Scheduler enables you to export and import rule definitions using the Export All Selected rules only, Export selected rule and its immediate children, or Export selected rule’s entire hierarchy buttons available on the Scheduler Rules pages. You can import rule definitions using the Import Rules feature from the Wed ADI’s Excel interface.

Scheduler Parameters

The following parameters are available:

Autonomous Scheduler Default Query

This parameter defines the query that must be used to select the tasks for the Autonomous Scheduler. Default query for the Autonomous Scheduler program.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Query Name Auto Scheduling Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program S/A/R/U

Auto Reject Status - Others

Default status tasks are set to when they can't be scheduled by the Autonomous Scheduler program. If Autonomous Scheduler cannot schedule a task, it will derive the status from this parameter and assign it to the task.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Task Statuses AutoReject Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program S/A/R/U

Auto Reject Status - Spares Unavailability

When Autonomous Scheduler rejects a task due to parts unavailability, it updates the task status to the status value present in this parameter value.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
All valid task statuses Auto Reject Scheduler S/A/R/U

Calculation Type

Set the calculation type of the Time Distance Server (TDS): Fastest, Shortest, Cost Based. Used during street level routing. Not used in point-to-point estimates.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Fastest, Shortest, Cost Based Fastest Scheduler/TD Server S/Territory

Commutes Position in Shift

When scheduling a task, the scheduler will decide whether the travel time to the first or from the last task in the trip is included in the shift or out side the shift. If you want to include a technician's travel time to and from a customer site in the shift, then you must set this parameter to 'Yes'. If you want to include only a certain amount of travel time within the shift duration, then you can set the parameter to ‘Partial’

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes, No, Partial Yes Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

Consider Standby Shifts

This parameter provides flexibility to the service providers to configure the behavior of the Advanced Scheduler logic while scheduling tasks.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Never/Always/Day by Day/Regular and then Stand By Regular and then Stand By Scheduler S/A/U/R/Territory

Consider Toll Roads with Penalty

This parameter decides whether TDS should consider a penalty for toll roads. TDS considers toll roads or highways with a penalty during route calculation and it gives higher priority to the route, which does not have toll roads or highways.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No Yes Scheduler/TD Server S/Territory

Default Travel Distance (in kms)

Used as the default travel distance between two tasks when the Default Time Distance Server is being used or when one or both of the addresses is invalid or could not be resolved against the spatial data set being used through the Location Finder.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 25 Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

Default Travel Duration (in minutes)

Used as the default travel time between two tasks when Default Time Distance Server is being used or when one or both of the addresses is invalid or could not be resolved against the spatial data set being used through the Location Finder.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 30 Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

Distribute Last Child Effort

If the parameter is set to 'Yes', the last task effort will be added to the previous child task, if the last task effort is smaller than the Maximum Overtime (in minutes) parameter. Used to decide how to handle the last child task if it is small and less than the overtime.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No Yes Scheduler S/A/R/U

Effort for determining Tasks longer than Shift (in minutes)

The effort to determine whether a task is longer than a shift or shorter than a shift (regular task). Used to identify the task to be broken into child tasks for scheduling.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (minutes) 480 Scheduler S/A/R/U

Enforce Planned Dates

This profile enables or disables the enforcement of planned window constraints to derive plan options by Scheduler.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Begin Within Plan Window, End Within Plan Window, None None Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

Extra Travel Time (in minutes)

Set the travel time, in minutes, added to all calculated travel times by the TDS. For example, time for parking, walking, and so on. This value is not applied when using the default travel time.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (minutes) 10 Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

First Average Speed

Set the value for average speed used in the first part of the travel distance set by the first boundary for Location TDS. Used to calculate the travel time for the first location.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (Kilometers/Hour) 30 Used in Travel Time calculations by the Scheduler S/Territory

First Boundary

This boundary defines the maximum travel distance for which the first average speed value is used. Used with the First Average Speed parameter to calculate travel time for the first portion of the travel distance.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (Kilometers) 7.6 Used in Travel Time calculations by the Scheduler S/Territory

Force Optimizer to Group

If you set this parameter value to Yes, the Advanced Schedulers Autonomous Scheduler and Optimization Across Trips programs will prefer grouping of tasks and will override the cost model, so that these tasks can be scheduled to a single technician. If the parameter value is set to No, the cost model dictated by the cost parameters will prevail.

For more information on the optimization across trips functionality, see Optimizing Technician Schedules Across Trips., Oracle Advanced Scheduler User Guide

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes or No No

  • Scheduling

  • Optimization Across Trips functionality

 S/A/R/U

Functional Delay Class 0 Factor

The calculated travel time on roads with functional class: 0 is multiplied with the functional class 0 delay factor. Used to adjust the speeds of all segments with this classification.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
1 1 Advanced Scheduler S/Territory

Functional Delay Class 1 Factor

The calculated travel time on roads with functional class: 1 is multiplied with the functional class 1 delay factor. Used to adjust the speeds of all segments with this classification.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
1 1 Advanced Scheduler S/Territory

Functional Delay Class 2 Factor

The calculated travel time on roads with functional class: 2 is multiplied with the functional class 2 delay factor. Used to adjust the speeds of all segments with this classification.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
1 1 Advanced Scheduler S/Territory

Functional Delay Class 3 Factor

The calculated travel time on roads with functional class: 3 is multiplied with the functional class 3 delay factor. Used to adjust the speeds of all segments with this classification.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
1 1 Advanced Scheduler S/Territory

Functional Delay Class 4 Factor

The calculated travel time on roads with functional class: 4 is multiplied with the functional class 4 delay factor. Used to adjust the speeds of all segments with this classification.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
1 1 Advanced Scheduler S/Territory

Include Cost to commute Home for Empty Trip

This profile decides if Scheduler needs to compute the cost of travel back home while scheduling the first task in a resource trip.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No Yes Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

Maximum Calculation Time (in ms)

The maximum number of milliseconds Oracle Advanced Scheduler is allowed to calculate schedule advice. Scheduler will restrict the calculation time to this value for schedule advice.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (milliseconds) 30000 Scheduling S/A/R/U

Maximum no. of Plan Options

The maximum number of plan options returned for regular tasks. Lowest cost options are always returned.

Advanced Scheduler uses this parameter to determine the number of plan options that will display in the Schedule Tasks window accessed from the Field Service Dispatch Center or the Schedule Task page accessed from the Field Service Technician Dashboard.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 50 Scheduling S/A/R/U

Maximum Overtime (in minutes)

The maximum number of minutes a resource can be scheduled for working overtime. Beyond this time, Advanced Scheduler will not add tasks to the respective resources trip schedule.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (minutes) 120 Scheduling S/A/R/U/Territory/Technician

Max Distance to skip Actuals (in kms)

Scheduler skips computing the actual travel time between two locations if the travel distance is greater than the parameter value entered. Scheduler then returns the estimated travel time between the two locations.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 500 Scheduler/TD Server S/A/R/U/Territory

Maximum no. of Resources

The maximum number of resources considered for creating plan options. Resources that are closest to the task are always considered.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 10 Scheduling S/A/R/U

Minimum Child Task Duration (in minutes)

The minimum effort for the first child task. When splitting a long task into smaller child tasks, this is used as a threshold for the first child task.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (minutes) 240 Scheduler S/A/R/U

Max Distance in a Group (in kms)

This parameter value dictates the upper limit for the travel distance between two tasks, in order for the Optimizer to consider grouping of these tasks. This will enable the Autonomous Scheduler or Optimization Across Trips programs to group as many eligible tasks (dictated by the travel distance between tasks) as possible in the formed group and schedule this group of tasks to a single technician, if possible.

For more information on the optimization across trips functionality, see Optimizing Technician Schedules Across Trips., Oracle Advanced Scheduler User Guide

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Any integer number 5

  • Scheduling

  • Optimization Across Trips functionality

 S/A/R/U

Optimizer Minimum Success Percentage

The Optimization Across Trips concurrent program commits the processed transactions only at the end of its operation upon successful processing. Using this parameter, you will define the criteria for the successful run of the optimization process. The Optimize Across Trips program decides whether to commit or abort its operation by the value set for this profile option. If the percentage of tasks optimized (based on the number of tasks submitted for optimization) is greater than or equal to the profile value the optimizer will commit the operation. Otherwise, it will abort as soon as the threshold (set by the profile value) is exceeded.

For more information on the optimization across trips functionality, see Optimizing Technician Schedules Across Trips., Oracle Advanced Scheduler User Guide

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Any percentage 75 Optimization Across Trips program S/A/R/U

Personal Commute Time (in minutes)

The Scheduler deducts this time value from the required travel time to commute from departure location to the first task and from the last task to arrival location within a trip, only if the Commutes Position in Shift parameter is set to Partial.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 0 Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory/Technician

Plan Scope (in days)

Default number of days in the schedule planning horizon. When the Scheduler cannot find an option, it will add this value to the current date or planned end date in an attempt to find scheduling options.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (days) 5 Scheduling S/A/R/U

Prefer Contract Resources

If set to 'YES' contracts based preferred resources are taken into account by auto-schedule and the Autonomous Scheduler program. This parameter has the same function as the Contracts check box in the Schedule Task window - Preferences tab when using Intelligent mode.

Note: Make sure that either 'Yes' or 'No' is used.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No No Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program S/A/R/U

Prefer IB Resources

If set to 'YES' installed base resources are taken into account by auto-schedule and the Autonomous Scheduler. This profile has the same function as the Installed Base check box in the Schedule Task window - Preferences tab when using Intelligent mode.

Note: Make sure that either 'Yes' or 'No' is used.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No No Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program S/A/R/U

Prefer Skilled Resources

If set to 'YES' skill based resources are taken into account by auto schedule and the Autonomous Scheduler program. This parameter has the same function as the Skills check box in the Schedule Task window - Preferences tab when using Intelligent mode.

Note: Make sure that either 'Yes' or 'No' is used.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No No Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program S/A/R/U

Prefer Territory Resources

If set to 'YES' territory based resources are taken into account by auto schedule and the Autonomous Scheduler program. This parameter has the same function as the Territories check box in the Schedule Task window - Preferences tab when using Intelligent mode.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No Yes Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program S/A/R/U

Resource Preference

This parameter enables you to choose to ignore third party organizations when scheduling, prefer third party organizations, or prefer internal resources.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels

  • Ignore Third Party Organizations

  • Prefer Third Party Organizations

  • Prefer Internal Resources

 Ignore Third Party Organizations When scheduling tasks using Scheduler S/A/R/U/ Territory level

If the value is left to the default value, the Scheduler only considers internal Resources and Resource Groups. If the value is set to Prefer Third Party Organizations, the Scheduler first considers third party resources and only if it cannot find any third party scheduling option, only then does it consider internal resources. If the value is set to Prefer Internal Resources, Scheduler first considers these resources and only if it cannot find any internal resource to schedule the task to, does it then consider other third party resources.

Router Mode

This parameter enables Route Calculation alternatives. Each mode represents a different way of using the TDS types for the scheduling actions. Values include: Route, Estimate, Only Route, Only Estimate, or Off.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Off, Estimate, Only Estimate, Route, and Only Route Off Scheduler S/A/R/U/Territory

Second Average Speed

This average speed is used for the second travel distance interval, defined by the first and second boundaries for Location TDS. Used to calculate the travel time for the second segment.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (Kilometers/Hour) 65 Used in Travel Time calculations by Scheduler S/Territory

Second Boundary

This boundary defines before which travel distance the second average speed is used, and after which the third average speed is used. Used with the Second Average Speed parameter for Location TDS, to calculate travel time for the second portion of the travel distance.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (Kilometers) 25.3 Used in Travel Time calculations by Scheduler S/Territory

Spares Mandatory

If set to ‘Yes’, then the Autonomous Scheduler considers the plan options of only technicians with availability of all the required parts to perform the task, Advanced Scheduler considers the plan options for the technicians, even if they do not have all the required parts to perform the task, if the profile is set to ‘No’.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes/No No Scheduler S/A/R/U

Spares Source

Using the parameter value, the Scheduler searches for spare parts for the task in the technicians’ trunk stock or the manned stock locations available in the supply chain or in both the locations.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Technician Trunk Stock /Warehouses /Trunk and Warehouses Technician Trunk Stock Scheduler S/A/R/U

Third Average Speed

Set the average speed value used for the third travel distance interval, defined as the travel distance after the second boundary for Location TDS. Used to calculate the travel time for the third segment.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number (Kilometers/Hour) 95 Used in Travel Time calculations by Scheduler S/Territory

Use Default Values for Invalid Addresses

Determines whether to use Default Travel Time and Distance when the route cannot be calculated because of Invalid Address. Used to determine whether to schedule a task with an invalid address, by using the default travel time and distance.

During the Optimization Across Trips process, if a task has been submitted for optimization but it has an invalid address and the Autonomous Scheduler is not able to geo-code the geometry, then the task will be auto rejected. This will occur if the Use Default Values for Invalid Addresses parameter is set to No. Otherwise, the task will be processed successfully.

Plus, if one of the technicians trips included for optimization has an invalid address then that technicians trip is ignored and other technicians trips are considered for optimization.

For more information on the optimization across trips functionality, see Optimizing Technician Schedules Across Trips., Oracle Advanced Scheduler User Guide

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Yes and No Yes

  • Scheduler

  • Optimization Across Trips functionality

 S/A/R/U/Territory

WTP Threshold

This sets the threshold value for your Window-to-Promise functionality. Scheduler stops evaluating options for a Window to Promise window after one is found with costs within this threshold. When set to 0 or null, the threshold is not used.

Values Default Value Where Used Supported Levels
Number 0 Scheduler: WTP mode S/A/R/U

Setting up Additional Scheduler Features

Additional scheduler features include the creation of parent and child tasks when scheduling tasks that are longer than standard shifts, catering to customer requirements for confirmation, access hours, and after hours, and factoring in traveling costs.

Note that for tasks scheduled to third party resources, third party administrators handle customer confirmation requirements and access hours and after hours constraints.

Setting Up Tasks Longer Than a Standard Shift

This feature provides the ability to handle complex tasks that require technicians to work for multiple work days. This situation is common for planned work tasks such as field inspections and preventive maintenance. Advanced Scheduler splits the original, or "parent" task into multiple "child" tasks each with duration of one shift, or less. Advanced Scheduler then identifies a single technician with available contiguous time slots, having the necessary skills, and possessing the required spare parts, and schedules all child tasks pertaining to the one parent, to this technician.

Use the Scheduler rules Dashboard to set up Advanced Scheduler parameters to work with tasks longer than one shift. See: Configuring Scheduler Rules

Set the following scheduler parameters:

Note: You can set the scheduler parameters in any sequence.

Setting Up Access Hours and After Hours Constraints

Some customers restrict access to their site to times when work on a task would not intrude on their normal business operations. To facilitate this scenario, Oracle Field Service enables you to define periods when a technician can arrive and accomplish the task. When access hours are identified, Oracle Advanced Scheduler automatically considers this constraint when it is identifying schedule options except when scheduling to available third party resources.

Alternatively, you can indicate that a task needs to be scheduled after hours. The After Hours constraint is treated as 'Special Instructions for field visit' and is entered as free format text. When the After Hours requirement is invoked, the task must be scheduled interactively. Dispatchers can view and schedule After Hours tasks by making a query in the task list that identifies those tasks carrying the After Hours attribute.

Note: When scheduling to available third party resources, dispatchers can ignore after hours and access hours constraints. These are handled by third party administrators when rescheduling tasks assigned to their third party organization and territory.

For a specific task:

From the Dispatch Center, you can define an Access Hours requirement for a specific task, and then honor that requirement while scheduling the task to a technician.

Definition of Access Hours requirements and After Hours constraints for a specific task are mutually exclusive. If After Hours constraints are entered after defining Access Hours requirements, the After Hours constraints go into effect. The defined Access Hours remain visible, but are disabled. Advanced Scheduler does not automatically schedule tasks with After Hours requirements. Such tasks are made available for the Dispatcher to schedule interactively.

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Use this procedure to create access hours and after hours for a particular task.

Setting up Access Hours

  1. Navigate to the Access Hours window from the Dispatch Center.

    The Access Hours window appears. Task details for the selected task appear. Boxes appear in rows representing each day of the week. There are four boxes in each row. This enables you to define up to two access hour time slots per day.

  2. To create Access Hours, click the Active Access Hours check box.

    This disables the After Hours check box. The two actions are mutually exclusive.

  3. Fill in the access hours that are available for scheduling service tasks. For example, Monday 17:00-21:00.

    Note: Hours must be entered in military time.

  4. Save your work.

Setting up After Hours

  1. To define After Hours requirements, select the After Hours check box.

    This disables the Access Hours check box.

  2. In the text box to the right of the check box, enter instructions regarding the after hours scheduling that you want the dispatcher to consider.

  3. Save your work.

Note: Although you can change Access Hours, for planned and scheduled tasks including tasks in Working status, you cannot remove Access Hours once the task status changes to Working or Completed.

If you change the access hours for a scheduled task, you must reschedule the task for the updates to take effect. For information on rescheduling tasks, see Overview: Rescheduling Tasks in the Oracle Field Service User Guide.

For a customer, customer site, or site location:

You can set up access hours or after hours for a customer, site, location, or a combination of these. The constraint applies when a task address matches the constraint definition.

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Use this procedure to set up access hours or after hours for a customer, site, location, or combination of these:

  1. Navigate to the Update Access Hours page.

  2. Complete the Customer, Site, and Location fields in the header area to specify where the constraint applies. You can set up access hours or after hours requirements for a customer, customer site, customer location, or customer site location.

Setting Up Access Hours

  1. Click the Access Hours radio button.

    Note: Setting up access hours and after hours requirements for the same destination are mutually exclusive.

    In the Access Hours region, boxes appear in rows representing each day of the week. There are four boxes in each row. This enables you to define up to two access hour time slots per day.

  2. Fill in the access hours that are available for scheduling service tasks. For example, Monday 17:00-21:00.

    Hours must be entered in military time.

  3. Save your work.

Setting Up After Hours

  1. Click the After Hours radio button.

  2. Enter instructions regarding the after hours scheduling that you want the dispatcher to consider in the Definition text box.

  3. Save your work.

Marking a Task to Indicate Customer Confirmation Requirement

You can define the confirmation requirement constraint for a task by using the Dispatch Center user interface. The customer confirmation requirement can also be set up for preventive maintenance programs and activities in the Service Contract application, See the Oracle Service Contracts User Guide, or while creating a service request and task in the TeleService application, see the Oracle TeleService User Guide.

Use this procedure to set up a confirmation requirement from the Dispatch Center:

  1. From the Dispatch Center, navigate to the Customer Confirmation window.

    The Customer Confirmation window appears. Details for the selected task appear.

  2. In the Customer Confirmation region, click the Confirmation Required button.

    The confirmation requirement is recorded.

  3. Close the Customer Confirmation window to return to the Dispatch Center.

    The field next to the Customer Confirmation label is set to Required. The Set to Received button is enabled only if the task is scheduled or it is yet to be committed to a technician.

  4. To record the receipt of a customer confirmation, the Dispatcher clicks the Set to Received button.

    The label on the button changes. The dispatcher can now proceed with interactively committing the task to a technician.

    Note: When scheduling tasks to third party resources, the dispatcher can commit the task without waiting on the receipt of required customer confirmation. The responsible third party administrator can later record the receipt of customer confirmation in the Third Party Portal and manually reschedule the task, if required.

Setting Up Advanced Scheduler and Time and Distance Calculations

When a task is to be scheduled to any available technician, Advanced Scheduler will take into consideration the current location of the technician and the location of the incident/site where the task has to be performed. Customers can use fixed values for travel times and travel distances between tasks or load geo-spatial data into the field service schema. Oracle Advanced Scheduler has already been certified with the geo-spatial dataset provided by NAVTEQ.

Advanced Scheduler is shipped with various Spatial Components among which the following two Spatial Components are used for Scheduling purposes (if the geo-spatial data is used for the calculation of travel times and distances). They are:

Advanced Scheduler is equipped with Spatial functions that can determine either the actual distance or the estimated distance from the current location of the technician to the location where the next task to be performed. Advanced Scheduler uses the Time Distance Server component of Oracle Advanced Scheduler and also road network data (spatial data provided by NAVTEQ) to determine the required distance.

Advanced Scheduler supports three types of routers. The choice of router depends on the customers requirements and spatial data availability to enable the correct router.

The Time Distance Server (TDS) is used to calculate travel time and distance in between two tasks. You can use the Time Distance Server to calculate the travel time and distance in the three methods documented in the following three procedures.

Setting Up Advanced Scheduler to Use Time Distance Calculations

The Router Mode parameter enables users to choose which router to be used during the scheduling operation. These values behave differently while scheduling interactively using various assistance levels in the Schedule Task user interface or when batch scheduling using Autonomous Scheduler or Auto-Schedule functionality in the Dispatch Center. Routers are:

Understanding Time Distance Scheduling Modes

TDS Mode: Route
Scheduling Mode or Operation Travel Calculations for Searching and Presenting Options Travel Calculations for Scheduling Task
Intelligent Road Network Road Network
Window To Promise (WTP) Estimates Road Network
Assisted Estimates Estimates
Recalculate Trip, Optimize Trip, Auto-Assign and Autonomous. Not Applicable Road Network
TDS Mode: Only Route
Scheduling Mode or Operation Travel Calculations for Searching and Presenting Options Travel Calculations for Scheduling Task
Intelligent Road Network Road Network
Window To Promise (WTP) Road Network Road Network
Assisted Estimates Estimates
Recalculate Trip, Optimize Trip, Auto-Assign and Autonomous. Not Applicable Road Network
TDS Mode: Estimate
Scheduling Mode or Operation Travel Calculations for Searching and Presenting Options Travel Calculations for Scheduling Task
Intelligent Estimates Road Network
Window To Promise (WTP) Estimates Road Network
Assisted Estimates Estimates
Recalculate Trip, Optimize Trip, Auto-Assign and Autonomous. Not Applicable Road Network
TDS Mode: Only Estimate
Scheduling Mode or Operation Travel Calculations for Searching and Presenting Options Travel Calculations for Scheduling Task
Intelligent Estimates Estimates
Window To Promise (WTP) Estimates Estimates
Assisted Estimates Estimates
Recalculate Trip, Optimize Trip, Auto-Assign and Autonomous. Not Applicable Estimates
TDS Mode: Off
Scheduling Mode or Operation Travel Calculations for Searching and Presenting Options Travel Calculations for Scheduling Task
Intelligent Default Values Default Values
Window To Promise (WTP) Default Values Default Values
Assisted Default Values Default Values
Recalculate Trip, Optimize Trip, Auto-Assign and Autonomous. Not Applicable Default Values

Calculating Actual Travel Time and Distance (Street Level Routing)

In this method, when the From and To Task addresses are geocoded, the Time Distance Server calculates the actual travel time and distance between the tasks using the road network information available in the uploaded spatial data. If either of the task addresses are geocoded using eLocation service, then the distance is calculated using the road network information available from the eLocation service.

This is how the system calculates the actual travel time. A route is assembled from segments. Each segment has a route characteristic with a corresponding average speed provided by the geo-spatial (Road Network) data. Total travel time is calculated as the sum of travel times of individual segments (Distance of each segment divided by corresponding speed).

To set up the parameter for this method, use the following procedure:

Prerequisites: Install geo-spatial data and the Location Finder or use the eLocation services.

  1. Navigate to the Scheduler Rules Dashboard. See: Configuring Scheduler Rules

  2. Set Route as the value for the Router Mode parameter to set the default search as the road network.

  3. Save your work.

Calculating Estimated Travel Time and Distance (Point-to-Point or As the Crow Flies)

You can choose to estimate a route between two locations by segmenting the road with virtual time boundaries, and then applying predefined average speeds.

Using Linear Estimation gives a ‘Point-to-Point’ distance between the two tasks by making use of the longitudes and latitudes of the two tasks. This is an estimate and is not the actual rode travel distance between the two tasks. This approach can be chosen by the users as the preferred way of scheduling tasks when performance takes priority over accuracy.

This method employs the following process steps:

  1. You determine the linear, point-to-point distance a service technician would travel to a customer.

  2. You divide this distance into a maximum of three sections, and then define section boundaries by setting profile options.

  3. Next, you set other profile options to define an average speed for each section.

    For example:

    The average speed in the first section is the lowest, such as surface street travel in a city. The average speed in the second segment is a little faster, representing travel on arterial roads. The third segment average speed is the fastest, to model restricted access highway travel.

  4. TDS estimates the linear distance between two tasks.

  5. For each section, TDS multiplies the distance by the average speed to calculate total travel time.

This is how the system estimates travel time. The derived distance is broken down into three segments and Time is derived by applying the standard speed limits for each segment, as set up in the profile options.

Total Travel Time = [(Distance of segment 1 divided by Speed of segment 1) + (Distance of segment 2 divided by Speed of segment 2) + (Distance of segment 3 divided by Speed of segment 3)]

To set up TDS for estimation of travel time and distance, use the following procedure to set the appropriate profile options.

Prerequisites: Install spatial data for longitude and latitude information.

  1. Navigate to the Scheduler Rules Dashboard. See: Configuring Scheduler Rules

  2. Set the following parameters:

    Note: You can set these parameters in any sequence.

    • Router Mode

      Enter either ‘Estimate’ or ‘Only Estimate’ to enable the Location TDS to apply the estimate method to calculate travel time by using the parameter settings for segment or section boundaries and average speeds.

    • First Boundary

      Enter the first distance (in kilometers) for which the value you set in the First Average Speed parameter applies.

    • First Average Speed

      The value you set for average speed (in kilometers per hour) applies to the first boundary distance you define in the First Boundary parameter.

    • Second Boundary

      Specify the distance from the first boundary to the second boundary (km).

    • Second Average Speed

      The value you set here for average speed (km/h) applies to the second boundary distance you set in the Second Boundary parameter.

    • Third Average Speed

      The value you set for average speed (km/h) applies to the remainder of the travel distance from the second boundary to the destination.

  3. Save your work.

  4. Navigate to the System Profile Values window. Query the CSF Profiles.

    For details see Field Service Profile Options.

    A list of CSF profile options appears.

  5. Scroll to the CSF: Location Finder Installed profile option.

  6. To launch the Location Finder when a location for a task is missing, set the option to 'Y' (Yes).

  7. Save your work.

Using Default Values for Travel Time and Distance Calculation

You can choose not to have the spatial data installed and use the default travel time and duration (fixed values) for purposes of route calculation You can set the following parameters to define default values for TDS route calculation:

Steps

  1. Use the Scheduler Rules Dashboard to set the parameters. See: Configuring Scheduler Rules

  2. Set the following parameters:

    • Router Mode

      This parameter enables Route Calculation alternatives. Values include: Route, Estimate, Only Rout, Only Estimate, or Off. Select Off to calculate the travel time and distance by setting default values for both.

    • Use Default Values for Invalid Addresses

      This value denotes whether the default values should be used or not. Options are: Yes or No.

    • Default Travel Distance (in kms)

      The value you set here is used as the default travel distance between two tasks.

    • Default Travel Duration (in minutes)

      The value you set here is used as the default travel time duration between two task addresses when:

      • The default travel distance applies, in the case of parameter value of Router Mode set to Off or

      • One or both of the task addresses can not be resolved through the location Finder provided Use Default Values for Invalid Addresses parameter is set toYes.

  3. Save your work.

Geo-Coding

Oracle Advanced Scheduler geo-codes tasks whose locations have not been previously geo-coded, by leveraging the geo-spatial dataset loaded within Oracle Field Service schema.

Addresses and Geo-Coding

Advanced Scheduler’s Location Finder or Geo-coder component and the Generate Field Service Trips program use geocoding to convert task addresses and technician home locations such as 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA into their geographic coordinates to enable their plotting on a map. For example, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA becomes latitude 37.423021 and longitude -122.083739. Associated road segment details can additionally be used by the time and distance server (TDS) for route calculations.

To geo-code addresses, Advanced Scheduler needs spatial data of the particular region to be available. If spatial data is loaded, geo-coding is done using Scheduler's Geo-coder. If spatial data is not loaded, then Oracle eLocation service is used for geo-coding and to calculate the distance between two address locations.

Once a task address is geo-coded it can be plotted on Google maps if you are registered with them, or the task is plotted on eLocation maps.

Scheduler’s Geo-coder has been extended to support country specific address formats and currently provides support for more than 70 countries which includes, North America (Canada, United States, and Mexico), European & World Markets datasets. For more information, please see the Oracle Advanced Scheduler User Guide.

Reverse Geo-Coding

If customer addresses are not available but customer location’s geographic coordinates are available, the dispatcher can use reverse geocoding to find the address. For more information on this, see Geotesting and Reverse Geocoding to Find Valid Addresses in the Oracle Field Service User Guide.

Configuring Geo-Coding

Advanced Scheduler can be configured to not geo-code addresses and locations associated with tasks and technician’s addresses, by setting the following profile option:

Ensure that the profile is turned on for Geo-coding to function in the environment.

Note: When using Oracle Advanced Scheduler to schedule a task using Linear Estimation or Street Level Routing, an address or location of the task, as well as the technician’s address should ideally have a geo-code. Depending on the settings of profiles related to the Location Finder and Geo-coding, if the address is not previously geo-coded, Advanced Scheduler will attempt to geo-code the address of a task or technician. If the attempt for geo-coding of any address fails due to invalid spatial data, Advanced Scheduler will mark the address as invalid. If the Use Default Values for Invalid Addresses parameter is set to Yes and parameters for default values are set, then Advanced Scheduler uses these values in the absence of valid geo-codes.

Automating Scheduling and Commitment of Tasks

You can choose to automate the scheduling and committment of a batch of tasks by creating a query of such tasks for the Autonomous Scheduler and Auto Commit concurrent programs to use in succession.

If the concurrent program does not execute, perform the following procedures:

Defining Task Queries for Autonomous Scheduler and Auto Commit Process

To enable the Autonomous Scheduler feature, you first must decide which tasks you want to be picked up for automatic scheduling. Then you create a query to select such tasks. Some queries have already been seeded for this purpose. The following table describes seeded queries along with their values:

Queries and Values for Auto Scheduling
Query Name Description SQL of Seeded Query Definitions
All Open List all tasks that have Task Status: schedulable, and Task Type: schedulable, and no assignments. nvl(status_scheduleable_flag,'N') = 'Y' and nvl(type_scheduleable_flag,'N') = 'Y' and not exists (select '' from csf_ct_task_assignments where task_id = csf_ct_tasks.task_id)
Assigned List all tasks that have the Assigned Flag set to 'YES'. exists ( select '' from jtf_task_statuses_b where task_status_id = csf_ct_tasks.task_status_id and nvl(assigned_flag, 'N') = 'Y')
Auto Rejected List all tasks that have a status ID = 27 (27 is the seeded value given for Auto Rejected Status by JTF.) task_status_id = 27
Auto Scheduling List all tasks that have a status ID = 10025 (10025 is the seeded value given for Auto Scheduling Status by JTF.) task_status_id = 10025
Closed List all tasks that have the Closed flag set to 'YES'. exists ( select '' from jtf_task_statuses_b where task_status_id = csf_ct_tasks.task_status_id and nvl(closed_flag, 'N') = 'Y')
Commit Candidates All tasks that are scheduled and have a planned status and that have to be executed in the next four hours from now.  
Escalated List all tasks that are stored in the Escalated View (csf_esc_tasks_v) and have the Closed flag set to 'NO'. task_id in (select object_id from csf_esc_tasks_v where nvl(closed_flag, 'N') = 'N')
Inbox List all tasks that have a creation date > Trunc (Sysdate) (Meaning all the tasks that are created today, and have a scheduled start date as NULL. creation_date > trunc(sysdate) and scheduled_start_date is null and nvl(status_schedulable_flag,'N') = 'Y' and nvl(type_schedulable_flag,'N') = 'Y'
Invalid Address List all tasks that have Validated Flag set to 'NO' for a view (csf_validate_tasks_v) ((TASK_ID IN (SELECT TASK_ID FROM CSF_VALIDATE_TASKS_V WHERE NVL (VALIDATED_FLAG , 'N') = 'N' )))
My Inbox List all tasks that have Owner Type equal to Resource Type and Owner equal to Resource ID. where owner_id = csf_tasks_pub.resource_id and owner_type_code = csf_tasks_pub.resource_type

Use the following procedure to create a custom query for the tasks you want to schedule automatically.

Prerequisite: The tasks must carry a "scheduleable" status and type.

Creating a Query

  1. Navigate to the Field Service Dispatch Center.

    The Field Service Dispatcher Center window opens.

  2. Click the flashlight icon on the tool bar.

    The Find Tasks window opens.

  3. Enter information to query the tasks you want to schedule automatically. You can create a query based on a combination of search criteria.

  4. Click Find.

    The Tasks list region of the Dispatch Center populates with tasks found.

  5. To add your query to the Tasks region View By list of values, choose Save Query As from the Tools menu on the tool bar.

    (M) Tools > Save Query As

    The Save Query As window opens.

  6. Enter a Name for the query. This is the name you want to appear in the Dispatch Center Tasks region View By list of values.

  7. Enter a Description for the query. This text entry is returned when setting the profile option.

  8. Click OK.

Starting and Ending a Query

  1. Navigate to the Edit Query window.

    The Edit Query window appears.

  2. To cause a query to expire, set the Active End field to the date you want to end the query. When the Active End date is reached, the query disappears from the Tasks region View By list of values.

  3. To change the start date, use the Edit Query window to navigate to the Active Start field, and then make the necessary change.

    The Active Start date default value is the date when you set up the Query. You can delay the beginning of a query by specifying a future date in the Active Start date field.

  4. Save your work.

Launching the Autonomous Scheduler

The Autonomous Scheduling concurrent program is used to schedule tasks without user intervention. Use the following procedure to define the time intervals at which the program automatically schedules tasks.

  1. Navigate to the Autonomous Scheduler window.

    The Parameters window opens on top of the Autonomous Scheduler concurrent program window.

  2. In the Parameters window, choose a query from the Task List Query list of values.

    Note: If no parameter is passed for the concurrent program, the program picks up the task list query given in the Autonomous Scheduler Default Query parameter.

  3. Click OK to close the Parameters window and access the Autonomous Scheduler window.

    The Name field contains the name of the Autonomous Scheduler program. The Parameters field contains the name of the selected query.

  4. To schedule the program to run at specific times, click Schedule in the At These Times block.

    The Schedule window opens.

  5. Define how often you want to schedule tasks. You can schedule for specific periods by selecting either of the following radio buttons:

    • Periodically

      Enter a Start date, and optionally, an End date. You can also specify how often to rerun the program and when to apply the interval.

    • On Specific Days

      Choose specific days of the month or week to run the program. The Start date and end date fields can be edited.

  6. Click OK to save the schedule and return to the Autonomous Scheduler window.

  7. Click Submit to run or schedule the job.

Defining an Executable

If Autonomous Scheduling does not run, perform the following steps to define an executable.

Note: This procedure is usually not required because the concurrent program executable is seeded and installed 'out of the box.'

  1. Navigate to the Concurrent Program Executable window.

  2. At the Concurrent Program Executable window, enter the following values into the fields:

    Executable Concurrent Program Parameter Setup
    Field Value
    Executable Search and Schedule Automatically
    Short Name SEARCH_AND_SCHEDULE_AUTO
    Application Oracle Scheduler
    Description Automatically searches plan options and schedules the best option for a list of tasks.
    Execution Method Java Concurrent Program
    Execution File Name AutoScheduler
    Execution File Path oracle.apps.csr.conc.auto

  3. Click Save.

Defining Program Parameters

If Autonomous Scheduling is not enabled, you can set up the concurrent program with the following procedure.

Note: This procedure is usually not required because the concurrent program executable is seeded and installed 'out of the box.'

Prerequisite: Define an executable. See Defining an Executable.

  1. Navigate to the Concurrent Programs window.

  2. From the Concurrent Programs window, enter the following values into the fields:

    Concurrent Program Parameter Settings
    Field Value
    Program Search and Schedule Tasks Automatically
    Short Name SEARCH_AND_SCHEDULE_AUTO
    Application Oracle Advanced Scheduler
    Description Automatically searches plan options and schedules the best option for a list of tasks.
    Executable Name SEARCH_AND_SCHEDULE_AUTO
    Executable Output format Text

  3. Make sure that in the Output region the Save check box is checked and the Print check box is not checked.

  4. Click Save.