Process of Defining Assignment Workload

There are two methods for defining workload rules: using predefined workload rules or creating your own workload-rule definitions. This topic discusses how to use both options.

Siebel Assignment Manager provides a set of predefined workload rules that allows you to define workload distribution in assignment rules for employees, positions, or organization.

Table 5-21 lists the predefined assignment workload rules:

Table 5-21 Predefined Assignment Workload Rules

Workload Rule Name	Assignment Object
Critical Service Requests	Service Request
Excellent Leads	Opportunity
Open Opportunities	Opportunity
Total Open Service Requests	Service Request

Optionally, you can create your own workload rules. Use the following procedures to define assignment workload if you plan to create your own workload distribution rules.

Note:

If you plan to use the predefined workload distribution rules, then skip to Step 2.

(Optional) "Creating Assignment Workload Distribution Rules".
"Applying Assignment Workload Distribution to Employees, Positions, and Organizations".

Creating Assignment Workload Distribution Rules

If you prefer to create your own workload distribution rules, in lieu of using the predefined rules, then use the following procedure.

Note:

When creating your own workload rules, keep in mind that performance might be affected if Assignment Manager is accessing a nonindexed column or retrieving the total number of records.

This task an optional step in "Process of Defining Assignment Rules" and "Process of Defining Assignment Workload".

To create assignment workload distribution rules

Navigate to the Administration - Assignment screen, and then the Workload Distribution Rules view.

Note:
If you plan to use the predefined workload rules, then skip to Step 4.
In the Workload Rules list, click New.

In the new record, click in the available fields to enter the relevant information for the workload rule.

In the Name field, type a name for the workload rule.

In the Objects to Be Assigned field, select the assignment object of the workload rule.

Note:

The workload rule's assignment object must match the assignment rule's assignment object; otherwise, the assignment workload criteria is excluded or a run-time error occurs (dependent on the assignment rule assignment object's Ignore Extra Attributes run-time parameter setting).

With the appropriate workload rule selected, in the Conditions view, click New.

In the new record, click in the available fields to enter the relevant information for the workload conditions.

In the Conditional Field field, select a value to define the workload condition.

The fields that are available depend on the assignment object selected in Step 3.

In the Comparison Operator field, select a comparison method.

Note:

When specifying values for the comparison operands (LIKE, NOT LIKE, IN, NOT IN, and BETWEEN), the Value field must be in a form that the underlying database expects. For more information about operands, see Siebel Developer's Reference.

In the Value field, select a value with which you want to compare the workload condition.

The values that are available depend on the workload condition selected in Step 3 .

Tip:

If the drop-down arrow does not appear when you select the Value field, then you must enter an appropriate value. For example, if you are creating a workload rule for an Opportunity object and using Position Id as the workload condition, then you must enter the physical row ID of the positions.

Note:

If the assignment object selected for the workload criteria is team-based, then workload criteria using this workload rule should be associated with an assignment rule only if the workload rule object has the team table (or owner field) referenced by one of its workflow components.

Figure 5-13 shows an example of creating a workload rule called Example for the Account assignment object. The workload condition requires that the U.S. state for the account equal CA (for California).

Figure 5-13 Creating Workload Distribution Rules

Description of "Figure 5-13 Creating Workload Distribution Rules"

Applying Assignment Workload Distribution to Employees, Positions, and Organizations

You balance workload among candidates by adding workload distribution rules for employees and positions, and organization workload distribution rules for organizations. For example, if your business logic includes limits on the maximum amount of work that can be handled at one time, then you would apply assignment workload to your assignment rules.

The following tasks are one step in "Process of Defining Assignment Workload" and "Process of Defining Assignment Rules".

Applying Workload Distribution to Employees and Positions

Use the following procedure when defining workload distribution for employees or positions.

To apply workload distribution to employees and positions

Navigate to the Administration - Assignment screen, and then the Assignment Rules List view.
In the Assignment Rules list, drill down on the assignment rule for which you want to define the workload criteria, and then click the Workload Distribution view tab.
In the Workload Distribution list, click New.
In the new record, click in the available fields and enter the relevant information.

Table 5-22 shows the available predefined fields.

Table 5-22 Workload Distribution Fields for Employees and Positions

Field	Description	Example
Workload Distribution Rule	Name of the workload rule to apply to the assignment rule.	Total Open Service Requests
Assignment Object	Type of assignment object related to this workload rule.	Service Request
Score	Score to apply for this workload rule. For more information about workload scores, see "Process of Defining Assignment Workload".	50
Required	Determines whether the workload rule is required for the assignment rule. The choices are Always and Never.	Always
Maximum Workload	The maximum workload allowed for this workload rule. For more information about how this value affects the workload score, see "Process of Defining Assignment Workload".	2

Figure 5-14 shows an example of defining a workload distribution rule for employees and positions using values specified in Table 5-22.

Figure 5-14 Example of Defining Workload Distribution for Employees and Positions

Description of "Figure 5-14 Example of Defining Workload Distribution for Employees and Positions"

Applying Workload Distribution to Organizations

Use the following procedure when defining workload distribution for organizations.

To apply workload distribution to organizations

Navigate to the Administration - Assignment screen, and then the Assignment Rules List view.
In the Assignment Rules list, drill down on the assignment rule for which you want to define workload criteria, and then click the Organization Workload Distribution view tab.
In the Organization Workload Distribution list, click New.
In the new record, click in the available fields and enter the relevant information.

Table 5-23 shows the available predefined fields.

Table 5-23 Workload Distribution Fields for Organizations

Field	Description	Example
Assignment Object	Type of assignment object related to this workload rule.	Opportunity
Maximum Workload	The maximum workload allowed for this workload rule. For more information about how this value affects the workload score, see "Process of Defining Assignment Workload".	3
Required	Determines whether the workload rule is required for the assignment rule. The choices are Always and Never.	Always
Score	Score to apply for this workload rule. For more information about workload scores, see "Process of Defining Assignment Workload".	10
Workload Distribution Rule	Name of the workload rule to apply to the assignment rule.	Excellent Leads

Figure 5-15 shows an example of adding a workload criteria for organizations using values specified in Table 5-23.

Figure 5-15 Example of Defining Workload Distribution for Organizations

Description of "Figure 5-15 Example of Defining Workload Distribution for Organizations"