This chapter provides an overview of the Oracle Mobile Field Service applications.
This chapter covers the following topics:
Oracle Mobile Field Service is part of the Oracle Field Service Suite of products. Oracle Mobile Field Service contains four mobile applications. These applications are:
Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward - Pocket PC
Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward - Laptop
Oracle Mobile Field Service - Wireless
Oracle Mobile Field Service - Voice
In addition, in the Oracle Field Service application there is the Field Service Technician Portal that can also be considered a mobile application. For information on the Field Service Technician Portal, see the Oracle Field Service User Guide.
The Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward - Pocket PC application is a disconnected (off line) application that runs on a Pocket PC device. This application requires a synchronization process with the enterprise system to receive and send information related to field service technicians. Because Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward - Pocket PC runs on a Pocket PC, it is highly mobile and usable. The service request, and all associated information, is stored locally on the Pocket PC. This enables field service technicians to work in all places independent of network coverage. The dispatcher sends a job to the field service technician using the Field Service Dispatch Center in the Oracle Field Service application.
The Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward - Laptop application is a disconnected (off line) application that runs on a mobile laptop device. This application requires a synchronization process with the enterprise system to receive and send information related to field service technicians and administrators. The application contains a Field Service Technician Dashboard and a Field Service Administrator Dashboard.
With the power of the Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward application, the information gap between the service organization and the field service technician is eliminated. For instance, field service technicians automatically receive the customer service history with the service request. Equipped with this information, they can better perform their responsibilities at the customer site. Likewise, field service technicians are aware of any customer install base information since this is downloaded as part of the service request. This information is detailed and includes all the counter readings for the customer product. If replacement parts are needed for a customer product, the field service technician can access the robust spare parts management functionality that is included in the mobile applications. When field service technicians have completed their tasks, they can report the labor, materials, and expenses incurred during their work. This information can then be sent back to the service organization at electronic speed so that an invoice can be given to the customer in a timely manner. All this automation enables you to reduce your operating and administrative costs, thus giving you a competitive edge and ultimately increasing your service revenues.
The Oracle Mobile Field Service - Wireless application offers a complete, automated, and streamlined field service solution to field service technicians by providing real-time wireless access to the enterprise applications. Using any wireless device, the field service technicians can remotely access the latest, most accurate and critical information required to perform their job.
The Oracle Mobile Field Service - Voice application provides the field service technicians with a voice-activated application giving them access to the enterprise information using wireless telephones (land line as well as cell phones). The input mode to access the information through this method includes both keypad and speech identification.
The Mobile Field Service - Wireless and Voice applications facilitate the communication between the office, dispatchers, and the mobile workforce. Using Mobile Field Service - Wireless and Voice applications, the field service technicians are in real time contact with their central office.
The dispatchers at all times know the status and actions of all their field service technicians. This results in faster resolution time for customer problems as the field service technicians have access to critical information required to complete their job.
Mobile Field Service - Wireless and Voice provides the most flexible, scalable, and reliable mobile infrastructure. Using them provides browser based internet access on mobile devices independent from the underlying wireless infrastructure including networks, protocols, devices, markups, and gateway.
Oracle Mobile Field Service - Wireless and Voice manages and delivers content by taking into account the screen size and input methods for the devices. Using the voice capabilities, field service technicians can listen to tasks assigned to them and get detailed information such as, what problems have been reported, who is the customer, and when they need to arrive on site. The field service technicians can also update the current status of the tasks by using voice commands.
Oracle Mobile Field Service Wireless and Voice supports the following technology:
Small Form Factor: This includes WAP-enabled phones and some smaller RIM pagers.
Medium Form Factor: This includes most Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) such as, iPAQ, HP Jornada, Palm, and large RIMs.
Voice Enabled Devices: This includes telephones and cellular phones. DTMF and Speech are supported.
Note: The GUI-based steps included in this guide are based upon the usage of Medium Form Factor devices, which are the primary devices typically used in a Field Service operation.
The following table compares the Oracle Mobile Field Service applications by feature.
In the table below the abbreviations are:
FSTP - Field Service Technician Portal
FSAP - Field Service Administrator Portal
MFS (S&F) - Mobile Field Service Store and Forward
MFS - Mobile Field Service
WAP - Wireless Access Protocol
NLS - National Language Support
KM - Knowledge Management
| Feature | FSTP and FSAP | MFS (S&F) Laptop | MFS (S&F) PPC | MFS Wireless PPC (Medium) | MFS Wireless WAP (small screen) | MFS Voice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task list dashboard with multiple views | Yes | Yes | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Search task, SR | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Update task, SR | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Create personal task | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Create service request | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| View contracts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| View customer and contact details | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Update counter reading | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Process debrief | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited (Expense and Labor) | Yes |
| Search parts | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Transfer parts | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Order parts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Receive parts | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| View/Create notes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Upload/download attachment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | N/A |
| View service history | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| View install base configuration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Flex field support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Capture Signature | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| SDK Customization Support | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Messaging support | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| KM Integration | Yes | No | *Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Access Maps and Driving Directions | Yes | No | *Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Return Parts | Yes | No | *Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Parts radius search | Yes | No | *Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Internal asset support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Create follow up task | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Travel debrief | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Pro forma Invoice | Yes | No | No | No | No | N/A |
| Self Assign Tasks | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Self schedule tasks | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Schedule task using intelligent mode | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Schedule tasking using WTP mode | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| NLS language Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File Sync Support | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Debrief error correction | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Debrief E-record Approval | Yes | No | No | No | No | N/A |
| Automatic Synchronization | N/A | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mobile Queries | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | N/A |
| Server side Undo feature | N/A | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Personalization support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited (2nd level functional security) | No | N/A |
| Default labor and travel debrief based on task status updates | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | N/A |
| Restrict Service Request creation to site where technician is working | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Enforce Cross-Task validation to prevent tasks for different customer site locations in same statuses in technician’s trip | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Filter tasks in dashboard based on Group/Territory | Limited (FSAP) | No | No | No | No | No |
The following are key features of the Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications:
Service Requests and Tasks
Debrief Reporting
Spares Management
Mobile Customization Support
The following are functions that you can perform with the Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications:
View and update a service request and task.
Upon receipt into the mobile application, a task has a status of "Assigned". However, as the task progresses, the field service technician can change this status and task type.
Work on a task.
For a complete description on how field service technicians may complete a task, see "Field Service Process Flow".
Create a service request and task.
The dispatch center issues the service request and task to the field service technician. On some occasions, a problem may be detected at the customer site that was not recognized by the dispatch center. In this case, the field service technician can create a service request and task.
Tasks that technicians create using the mobile application are automatically assigned to them, provided that the task type is associated with the "dispatch rule" and the task has a status of "Assigned." Technicians can immediately work on the new task assignment, including entering debriefs.
If the install base item for a service request is not correct, technicians are able to change this install base item. Furthermore, they can create a service request for an install base item at the customer location.
View service history.
The Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications display service histories for closed or completed service requests, detailing any installed base item and customer information.
Only closed service requests are downloaded with a service history. Service history information is read-only. If the service request is based on the install base product, then the service history for the install base product is available to view. Otherwise, for that customer or customer location, a history will be displayed.
The following information is replicated for a service history record:
Closed or completed service request.
Primary contact of this closed service request.
Product or item of the service request, excluding parent and child records.
Closed tasks of this service request.
Closed task assignments of these tasks (role = assignee).
Resources of these task assignments.
Debrief lines belonging these task assignments.
See Appendix A, "Item Handling for the Mobile Field Service Store and Forward Applications", Oracle Mobile Field Service Implementation Guide for additional details about information replication.
View customer and product information
The Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications provide technicians with ample information on the customer, such as address and notes. The applications also offers a detailed description of the customer product.
Record counter readings
For a customer product, the Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications enable technicians to set and reset counter readings for this product if this is desirable. Counter readings are helpful in scheduling maintenance.
Time zone support
The Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications enable operations across multiple time zones. All the times displayed on the client are local times. All times are stored in the database in server time. Appropriate conversions are made whenever required for storage or display. The SERVER_TIMEZONE_ID and CLIENT_TIMEZONE_ID profiles enable the server and client time zones to be set. If the appropriate profile options for either of these profiles are not defined, then no time zone conversion will occur and all times will be shown in the server time.
In Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications, a field service technician can report the labor time, materials, and expenses incurred during the completion of a task.
Material report item
For a material report, field service technicians specify the activity code and then the desired report item. Next, they specify how many of the desired items they require. To add the desired report item to the material report, the field service technician saves this item description.
Note: For serial-controlled items, the field service technician can assign the serial number at debrief time for items not having a serial number.
The following system items are replicated to the mobile devices:
Items used in a service request assigned to or created by the mobile user.
Item instance items used in a service request assigned to or created by the mobile user.
Items used in debrief lines.
Items used in item orders.
Items present in a good subinventory assigned to the mobile user.
Items present in the inventory organization specified by the Service: Inventory Validation Organization profile.
Signature capture
The Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications enable you to obtain a customers electronic signature for task sign off. The customers electronic signature indicates that the task is complete and that the customer has accepted your work.
Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward applications enable technicians to manage the parts inventory that they can use in the repair or replacement of parts for a service request. This is done through the following functions:
Order parts
Field service technicians can order parts if a job requires them. A part requirement can be tied to a task, and multiple parts can be ordered for each requirement.
View order status
After a part is ordered, a field service technician can access the status of the ordered part.
Transfer parts
If a part is needed but not available from an easily accessible inventory, the desired part can be transferred to a more convenient inventory. This process may prove to be more efficient than ordering the part.
Category set limiting
A field service organization can have a large number of system items related to an inventory organization. However, field service technicians only use a portion of these items. To improve synchronization performance and to reduce the size of the downloaded data set, you can filter the system by category before downloading the data set to the field service technician.
Mobile customization enables you to tailor Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward functionality to fit your business needs and practices. Customization is done through flexfields and the Software Development Kit (SDK). See the Customization Support for Oracle Mobile Field Service document to learn more about the SDK. For more information about customization support, see Appendix E, "Customization Support for the Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward Applications", Oracle Mobile Field Service Implementation Guide.
Descriptive flexfields provide customization capabilities in an Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward application. This satisfies various user needs without having to reprogram the application.
Users can also use context-sensitive flexfields when the information stored by the application depends on other values users enter in other parts of the screen.
The following table describes the types of flexfields you can find in Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward:
| Flexfield | Laptop | Pocket PC |
|---|---|---|
| Service request | read/write | read/write |
| Task | read/write | read/write |
| Debrief header | read/write | read/write |
| Debrief line | read/write | read/write |
| Parts requirement | NA | read/write |
| Item | read | read |
| Product | read | read |
| Customer | read | read |
See "Flexfield Support", Oracle Mobile Field Service Implementation Guide to learn how to set up descriptive flexfields in an Oracle Mobile Field Service Store and Forward application.
The following is a list of key features in Oracle Mobile Field Service Wireless and Voice:
Ability to capture debrief information.
Ability to search for parts in a warehouse, technician’s subinventory, and co-workers subinventory using radial search.
Ability to create parts orders.
Ability to find driving directions between task locations.
Ability to change password.
Ability for the Field Service Technician’s to schedule the task by selecting the following options:
Work on it: This option provides the technician with the ability to start working on the new tasks created right away.
Self-Schedule: This option provides the technicians with the ability to schedule the task for themselves for a date and time that is convenient to them later.
Windows to Promise: This option provides the technician with the ability to provide windows of time to the customer and let the customer choose the best option of date and time that suits them.
Note: In the case of Windows to Promise option, the tasks would be assigned to any technicians who are available.
Intelligent: With this option technicians can perform other options including Windows to Promise and schedule a task for other resources. It is similar to the Intelligent mode of the Dispatch Center Scheduler.
Support for multiple responsibilities (ability to support custom responsibilities in addition to the seeded responsibilities).
Support for internal location (ability to view and create tasks when the service request incident address is not a party site).
Ability to choose between displaying images and buttons in the application.
Oracle Mobile Field Service Wireless and Voice offers a complete solution to meet the needs of service organizations. Key benefits include the following:
Enables a field service technician access to the complete service request and customer and product information.
Faster response time to last minute schedule changes.
Instant updating of the enterprise applications with parts, time and expenses.
Replenish parts based on inventory levels.
Extends the wireless application to provide voice support capabilities to access enterprise information.
Reduces operation costs by providing voice support to s.
Provides faster billing cycle through remote capturing of counters and on-site invoicing.
Enables flexibility in choosing devices.
Provides dispatcher with real time status and action updates for all of their field technicians and their jobs.
Provides secure communication while transmitting the data to and from wireless devices.
The Oracle Field Service suite supports an automated process that service organizations can use to manage their field service operations. It assists in the entire service process from taking the customer call to fixing and reporting on the problem at a customer site. The Oracle Field Service suite offers a range of products to meet your organizations business needs. The following table lists all the products in the suite.
This section describes the typical field service process flow (Oracle Field Service) and where the mobile applications can be utilized in this flow.
The field service process has six basic steps. The process starts with the creation of a service request. The service request has at least one task, which is completed by a field service technician in the field. After completing a task, the field service technician electronically submits the task details to the home office, which is now able to create an invoice. The field service process is driven by the service request status and task status changes, electronically exchanged between the field service technician and dispatchers. The basic steps of the field service process are described in the following table:
Note: Depending on your service organization, the above steps can be separated or combined.
Step 4 Service Request Delivery and Reporting can be performed using one of the Oracle Mobile Field Service applications. In the Mobile Field Service applications, the field service technician receives the schedule on their mobile computer device. They can record counter readings and report on material used, labor time, and expenses incurred.