Troubleshooting the Optimizer
This topic includes some recommended values for the setup configurations and information that you can review if problems occur when using the Optimizer.
All of the following settings are required to run the Optimizer:
A service region
Server key mapping
Cost function
Cost list
Travel cost
Minimum travel time
Travel U/M
Parameter set
Parameters, which include:
Optimizer - Activity Category
Optimizer - Default Priority
Optimizer – Glued
Optimizer – Save Interval
Optimizer – Tardiness Cost
Optimizer – Task Excl Cost
Optimizer – Timeout
The Optimizer has the following additional requirements:
An activity cannot span more than 1 day. Multiday activities are not scheduled. The Optimizer can schedule other activities during the time intended for multiday activities. However, the penalties for not scheduling these activities still contribute to evaluating the potential success of an optimized schedule. For more information, see Defining Cost Functions for the Optimizer.
The Optimizer and ABS treat activities that cross between the end of the Optimizer horizon and the beginning of the ABS period as locked.
When loading activities into the Optimizer cache for the first time, the Optimizer produces an initial solution to the schedule by accepting the existing order and assignment of appointments. While finding the initial solution, the Optimizer first processes the activities with Lock Assignment and Lock Schedule check boxes that are selected to make sure that these activities are considered in the optimized schedule. For more information, see Locking Assignments and Schedules for Activities (End User).
While the schedule for a service region is optimized, only Insert Activity and Stop Optimization requests are accepted. These requests are queued, and the queue is processed when the optimization finds the next solution. Any other request is returned. For more information, see About Running Contract Scheduling and Stopping Optimization of Schedules for Service Regions.