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Optimizing Schedules (End User)

You optimize schedules to efficiently use labor in your service organization. For more information about optimizing schedules, see About the Schedule Optimizer.

You can optimize the schedule for a service region by using either of the following methods:

• Using the Workflow Manager to launch the Optimizer. For more information, see Using the Workflow Manager to Optimize Schedules.
• Manually launching the Optimizer. For more information, see Optimizing Schedules for Service Regions.

  NOTE:  You can manually stop the optimization of a service region. For more information, see Stopping Optimization of Schedules for Service Regions.

This task is a step of Process of Managing Schedules Using Siebel Scheduler.

Using the Workflow Manager to Optimize Schedules

Scheduling is a business process. To use the Optimizer, you must fully integrate it into the normal process of delivering service. The Workflow Manager is the primary vehicle for this integration. For more information about the input arguments that the Optimizer methods use and about the values that the Optimizer methods return, see Methods for the Optimizer and About Calling the ABS and Optimizer Methods.

Most customers using the Optimizer use the Workflow Manager to accomplish the following tasks:

• Manually update a schedule.
• Lock in manual changes.
• Synchronize a schedule with manual changes.
• Update a schedule for contractual commitments.
• Notify a manager by email of rejected activities.
• Move activities to a secondary service region.
• Verify a declined assignment through mobile means and then reassign.

Optimizing Schedules for Service Regions

You can optimize a service region schedule.

To optimize a schedule for a service region

1. Navigate to the Administration - Scheduling screen, then the Service Region List view.
2. Select a service region.
3. Click Optimize.

   A request is sent to the Optimizer to run optimization on the selected service region. The Workflow Manager or repeating component jobs can start an optimization.

Stopping Optimization of Schedules for Service Regions

You can stop an ongoing optimization of a selected service region. Stopping an optimization might not happen immediately because the Optimizer completes the solution that is in process and saves the solution in the Siebel database.

NOTE:  You must manually stop an optimization. The Workflow Manager or repeating component jobs cannot send this command.

To stop the optimization of a schedule for a service region

1. Navigate to the Administration - Scheduling screen, then the Service Region List view.
2. Select a service region.
3. Click the menu button, and select Stop Optimization.

About Availability of Parts

Part availability is a constraint only for the Optimizer, not the ABS. Data loaded into the Optimizer cache includes all trunk inventories for all field service engineers in a service region.

The Optimizer - Consider Parts parameter uses the part availability in the trunk inventory for an engineer when considering the engineer for assignment to an activity. The Optimizer - Parts Period parameter determines the number of hours that the loaded part list is valid for an optimization. For more information, see Defining Cost Functions for the Optimizer and Parameters for Schedules.

If the Optimizer considers part availability, and if the activity includes a part with an order line item number, then you can drop-ship the part for the service call. The Optimizer does not consider the part as a constraint in scheduling.

NOTE:  To use parts in a trunk inventory for a service call, the parts must have a Status field of Good and an Availability field of On Hand.

About Optimization and Activity Statuses

The Optimizer can change the status of activities to obtain the best scheduling.

When you click the Load Optimizer button in the Service Region List view of the Administration - Scheduling screen, the Optimizer loads activities (with associated statuses) from the Siebel database. Likewise, when you click the Load button in the Activities view in the Service Region List view of the Administration - Scheduling screen, the Optimizer loads the activity (with the associated status) from the Siebel database.

If you change the status of an activity, immediately click the Load Optimizer button or the Load button, and click the Optimize button in the Service Region List view of the Administration - Scheduling screen, then the changed activity status is in effect after the Optimizer runs.

However, the Optimizer can change the status of activities. So if you change the status of an activity and do not click the Load Optimizer button or the Load button, then the changed activity status can revert to the status value in the Optimizer cache if the Optimizer runs again.