Defining Provider Groups

To define provider groups, use the Provider Group (PF_PROVIDER _GRP) and Provider Group Member (RF_GRP_MEMBER) components. To load data into these tables for these components, you can also use the RF_PROVIDER _GRP_SCI and RF_GRP_MEMBER_CI component interfaces.

This topic lists prerequisites and common elements for defining provider groups.

Page Name	Definition Name	Usage
Provider Groups Page	RF_PROVIDER_GRP	Define and maintain the groups of people who perform service or support activities.
Provider Group Member Page	RF_GRP_MEMBER	Define the people who are associated with a provider group.

Before you define provider groups, you must:

Define workers by using the Worker component.
(Optional) Define cost categories.

Field or Control	Definition
Hourly Rate and Currency Code	Enter the cost to your company for one hour of labor time that is charged to this cost category, and the currency that you use for the cost.
Multiplier	Enter a numeric value to generate an hourly billing rate that is based on the hourly rate.
Billable Rate	Displays the value that is calculated at save time or the next server trip that reflects the hourly billing rate, which is based on the following formula: (Billable Rate) = (Hourly Rate) * (Multiplier)

Field or Control

Definition

Hourly Rate and Currency Code

Enter the cost to your company for one hour of labor time that is charged to this cost category, and the currency that you use for the cost.

Multiplier

Enter a numeric value to generate an hourly billing rate that is based on the hourly rate.

Billable Rate

Displays the value that is calculated at save time or the next server trip that reflects the hourly billing rate, which is based on the following formula:

(Billable Rate) = (Hourly Rate) * (Multiplier)

Use the Provider Groups page (RF_PROVIDER_GRP) to define and maintain the groups of people who perform service or support activities.

Navigation

select Workforce, then select Provider Groups, then select Provider Groups

Image: Provider Groups page (1 of 2)

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Provider Groups page (1 of 2).

Image: Provider Groups page (2 of 2)

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Provider Groups page (2 of 2).

Basic Information

Field or Control	Definition
Status	Select the current status of the provider group: `Active` or `Inactive.` The system excludes all inactive provider groups from system prompt lists; therefore, you can't assign them to service orders and cases. Also, you can't change the status of a provider group to `Inactive` if any of its group members is currently assigned to an open service order or case. Note: When you change the status of a provider group to `Inactive,` the status of all its members changes to inactive automatically and can't be modified unless you set the provider group status to `Active` again. To activate group members, you must manually change the status of each group member to `Active.` If you change the status of a group member to `Inactive` by using the Worker component, the group member automatically becomes inactive in the associated provider group.
Type	For informational purposes, the Type defines whether members of the provider group are internal employees or third-party maintainer (TPM) employees, or both.
Manager Name	Enter the user who manages the provider group. The system uses this value to filter cases for display on the Manager Dashboard. When a user accesses the Manager Dashboard to view case backlogs as well as cases that are at risk of exceeding SLAs, the system first identifies the manager that is selected in respective personalization pages of these dashboard pagelets for this user. With this information, it displays case information pertaining to provider groups that are managed by the selected manager.
Company Name	Select the company that is associated with the provider group. When a provider group represents staff from a third-party contractor, use this field to define a name for the third-party company. Click the Transfer to Company button to access the Company component and define an additional company.
Notifications	The system uses the notification routing preferences that are associated with the group member's user ID to publish workflow notifications about service order assignment changes that affect the group member. Routing preferences are defined for the group member's user profile on the Workflow page of the User Profiles component under select PeopleTools, then select Security.
Use Members to Broadcast	Select to send all automated notifications (that are sent to the group) to each member's individual worklist instead of to the group worklist. The system never broadcasts manual notifications, regardless of whether this check box is selected.
Group Worklist and Group Worklist Name	Select the check box and the name of the group worklist that is associated with the provider group. Worklists are established on the Group Worklist page. As group membership changes, update permissions for the group worklist as necessary.
Preferred Notification	Select the preferred way of receiving notification: `Email,` `Worklist,` or `Both.`
Email Address	Enter the email address that is used to send notifications to the provider group.
Currency Code	Select the currency that is used to determine labor costs for the work that provider group members perform. The selected currency becomes the default for new rows in the Group Cost Categories grid. Currency codes are established on the Currency Code page.

Group Cost Categories

The Group Cost Categories grid reflects the costs per hour and corresponding billable rates for the members of the provider group.

Field or Control	Definition
Cost Category	Select the code of the cost category that is used to account for the labor time of members in the provider group. Cost category codes are defined on the Cost Categories page.
Hourly Rate, Currency Code, Multiplier, and Billable rate	Use these field to establish the rate, currency, and multiplier by which you want to bill a customer for the selected cost category for the group of members. When you save the page, the system multiplies the hourly rate by the value in the Multiplier field to calculate the billable rate.

See Cost Categories Page.

Group Members

Field or Control	Definition
	Click the Details button to access the Provider Group Member page, where you can view or modify the group member record.
Name	Displays the name (first name followed by last name) of the group member. Before you can add a new person to the group, the person must be defined using the pages in the Worker component. Click the Transfer to Worker button that is next to this field to access the Worker component. Note: You can also define members of the provider group on the Provider Group Member page.
Status	Select the person's current status as a member of this provider group: `Active` or `Inactive.` The system excludes all inactive group members from system prompt lists, so you can't assign them to service orders and cases. You cannot change the status of a group member to `Inactive` if an open service order is assigned to the group member. Similarly, you cannot delete a group member if an open service order is assigned to him or her.

Field or Control

Definition

Click the Details button to access the Provider Group Member page, where you can view or modify the group member record.

Name

Displays the name (first name followed by last name) of the group member. Before you can add a new person to the group, the person must be defined using the pages in the Worker component. Click the Transfer to Worker button that is next to this field to access the Worker component.

Note: You can also define members of the provider group on the Provider Group Member page.

Status

Select the person's current status as a member of this provider group: Active or Inactive.

The system excludes all inactive group members from system prompt lists, so you can't assign them to service orders and cases. You cannot change the status of a group member to Inactive if an open service order is assigned to the group member. Similarly, you cannot delete a group member if an open service order is assigned to him or her.

Use the Provider Group Member page (RF_GRP_MEMBER) to define the people who are associated with a provider group.

Navigation

select Workforce, then select Provider Group Members, then select Provider Group Member
Click the Details button on the Provider Groups page.

Image: Provider Group Member page (1 of 2)

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Provider Group Member page (1 of 2).

Image: Provider Group Member page (2 of 2)

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Provider Group Member page (2 of 2).

To view details about the selected provider group, click the Transfer to Provider Group button that is next to the provider group ID to access the Provider Group page.

Member Information

Field or Control	Definition
Name	Displays the name of the group member that you enter when adding the record. Note: You can also define members of the provider group on the Provider Group page.
Currency Code	Select the currency that you use to determine the labor costs for the work that the group member provides. The selected currency becomes the default for new rows in the Member Cost Categories group box. Currency codes are established on the Currency Code page.

Member Cost Categories

The Member Cost Categories group box reflects the costs per hour and corresponding billable rates for the member.

Field or Control	Definition
Cost Category	Select the code of the cost category that you use to account for the labor time of the group member. Define cost category codes on the Cost Categories page.
Hourly Rate, Currency Code, Multiplier, and Billable rate	Use these field to establish the rate, currency, and multiplier by which you want to bill a customer for the selected cost category for the member. When you save the page, the system multiplies the hourly rate by the value in the Multiplier field to calculate the billable rate.

Assigned Service Orders

Use this section to view service order assignments for the group member. The system displays this grid only if the user has at least one assigned service order. Similarly for cases, the system displays the Assigned Cases grid only if the user has one or more assigned cases.

Field or Control	Definition
Unit	Displays the PeopleSoft Integrated FieldService business unit where the service order originated.
Service Order	Displays the number of the service order that is assigned to the group member. Click the Transfer to Service Order button to access that service order.

Assigned Cases

Use this section to view case assignments for the group member.

Field or Control	Definition
Unit	Displays the PeopleSoft Support, HelpDesk, or HelpDesk for Human Resources. business unit where the case originated.
Case ID	Displays the number of the case that is assigned to the group member. Click the Transfer to Case button to access that case.

See PeopleTools: Security Administration product documentation.

Defining Provider Groups

Pages Used to Define Provider Groups

Prerequisites

Common Elements Used in Defining Provider Groups

Provider Groups Page