1. Field Service Guide
  2. Defining Geographic Areas for the Optimizer

Defining Geographic Areas for the Optimizer

ZIP Codes and geocodes define the geographic area of a service region. The Optimizer uses geocode data and ZIP Codes (or postal codes for international users) to identify addresses.

The ABS does not directly use ZIP Codes. The service region for an activity, and not the ZIP Code that is associated with the activity, determines ABS processing. However, ZIP Codes are critical to the Optimizer because the Optimizer uses ZIP Codes and country codes to find the underlying geocodes (latitude and longitude). The Optimizer uses these geocodes to calculate the distance from activity to activity. If an activity is missing a ZIP Code or country code, then the activity is not loaded into the cache because the Optimizer cannot evaluate the activity. The Optimizer does not verify whether a Zip Code is a correct Zip Code for a service region.

The Optimizer uses the following rules for ZIP Codes:

  • A service region can include multiple ZIP Codes.

    Caution: It is recommended that you use that no more than 150 ZIP Codes for each service region, especially if you use optimization. Optimization routines store the solutions in memory for speed. Past iterations are stored to prevent reexamination of the same solutions. If your service regions include more than 150 ZIP Codes, then test performance and scalability carefully. Very large service regions can cause the process memory to grow extremely large, sometimes reaching the limit inherent in Microsoft Windows. In such cases, consider using UNIX.

  • More than 1 service region can include the same ZIP Code. Service regions can geographically overlap.

    Note: A workflow uses the ZIP Code to perform automatic assignment to a service region.

Geocode data contains longitude and latitude coordinates (in minutes and seconds) for physical locations (for example, a customer site). The Optimizer can use data at any level of detail (for example, ZIP Codes or ZIP + 4 codes).

Because a ZIP Code can apply to several square miles, use a ZIP + 4 code. This code generally brings the accuracy to buildings for businesses or to within a few blocks for residential addresses.

The Optimizer requires, at minimum, a ZIP Code or postal code, country, longitude, and latitude. Five-digit ZIP Codes for the United States are included in the seed data for Siebel Field Service. ZIP Code information is included in the S_ZIPCODE data model table. The following table describes the columns in this table.

Column Description

ZIP Code

The postal or ZIP Code in alphanumeric text.

City

The name of the city.

State

The name of the state or province.

Country

The name of the country.

Longitude

The longitude number (0 to + or – 180 degrees, + for the eastern hemisphere and – for the western hemisphere) up to 6 decimal places.

Latitude

The latitude number (0 to + or – 90 degrees, + for the northern hemisphere and – for the southern hemisphere) up to 6 decimal places.
Note: When longitude and latitude values are the same for 2 locations, the Optimizer uses the Minimum Travel Time field. For more information about this field, see Creating Service Regions.

The Zip Codes view lists the ZIP Codes or postal codes that are included in a service region as well as the city, state, country, longitude, and latitude for each ZIP Code.

For the Optimizer to schedule an activity, the address of the activity must have a valid ZIP Code and a country. The ZIP Code must have a corresponding geocode. The ZIP Code value can be a ZIP Code or a ZIP + 4 code.

To add a ZIP Code to a service region

  1. Navigate to the Administration - Scheduling screen, then the Service Region List view.

  2. Drill down on the Name field for a selected service region, and click the Zip Codes view tab.

  3. Create a new ZIP code record, and complete the fields as appropriate.

There are several vendors of geocode data. You can use either of the following methods to load data into the S_ZIPCODE table:

  • Use the Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM). For more information, see Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager Administration Guide.

  • Import data from the ZIP Code Administration view of the Administration - Data screen.

To import geocode data

  1. Navigate to the Administration - Data screen, then the ZIP Code Administration view.

  2. Click the menu button, and select Import.

    The Import wizard appears.

  3. Specify the filename containing the data to import, and click Next.

  4. Complete the information, including field mapping for the data records.