Define Location for Scheduling

Explanation

This activity is used to define scheduling information for a location.

Location Types are not mandatory when creating a Location. When the location has a location type defined the location will inherit the information registered for that the location type. If information is entered on the location specifically then this information will take precedence over the information from the location type.
It is also possible to group locations by defining a locality for the location. For more information refer to the activity Define Location Type and Define Locality.

In this activity it is also possible to define the regions that the location is associated with. If the location is not in a Region then there are no region restrictions for this location. If a location is linked to multiple regions then the resource must also be linked to all specified regions, either directly or via a parent region (or have a value for out of region multiplier which is not 0) in order to be allocated to a work task at this location. For more information refer to the activity Define Region.

It is possible to define the availability of a location. If no availability has been defined for the location the location will always be available. The availability for a location will be defined by connecting a work time calendar to the location. It is also possible to define exceptions to the availability of the location by registering an availability exception in the exceptions tab.

It is also possible to define the resource preferences for a location. It is possible to define that one or several scheduling resources are either excluded, required, preferred or non-preferred when carrying out work at the location.

If a scheduling resource is:

• Excluded from the location, then this scheduling resource will not be allocated to work tasks at this location.
• Required for this location, then only this scheduling resource will be considered when work tasks at this location are to be allocated.
• Preferred, then this scheduling resource will is likely to be allocated to work tasks at this location.
• Non-preferred, then this scheduling resource will is less likely to be allocated to work tasks at this location.

Prerequisites

• The region which should be registered for the location must be entered and saved as region in location basic data.
• One or several work time calendars must be entered and saved in application base setup.
• The resource for which a location preference is to be defined for must first be set up as scheduling resource in scheduling basic data.

System Effects

• Location can be associated with one or several regions.
• A work time calendar can be used to define the availability of a particular location.
• Availability exceptions may be defined that takes precedence over the location availability.
• Resource preference can be defined against a location.

Window

Location
Locations

Related Window Descriptions

Scheduling
Location Region
Location Availability
Location Preferences

Procedure

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Scheduling tab.
3. In the Location Type field, enter the ID of the location type that the location should be associated with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
4. In the Locality field, enter the ID of the locality that the location should be associated with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
5. In the Add Time field, enter the amount of time in minutes to be added to the travel of an work task at the location.
   Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is given the value of the location type will be considered.
6. In the Lack Of Coverage field, use the drop down to define whether this location has lack of overage. Lack of coverage informs about bad connectivity at the location. The Lack of Coverage parameter informs the Schedule Dispatch Service to try to send work to the technician before reaching the Location with bad connectivity. Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is given the value of the Location Type will be considered.
7. In the Do On Location Incentive field, enter a value of either -1 or anything between 1 and 2. Entering a negative means that there is a hard constraint to prioritize all work tasks at the location associated with this location whilst visiting the location for another work task. Entering a positive value between 1 and 2 will give a positive incentive to prioritize work tasks at the location associated with this location whilst visiting the location for another work task. Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is given the value of the location type will be considered.
8. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter the regions which location should be associated with:

1. Open the Location/Scheduling window.
2. Click on the Region tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Region ID field, enter the ID of the region. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter the availability for the location:

1. Open the Location/Scheduling window.
2. Click on the Availability tab.
3. In the Availability Calendar ID field, enter the ID of the Work Time Calendar that should be used. Use list of values to select a valid value.
4. In the Start Based dropdown define whether the Availability defined should be Start Based or not. The Start Based setting determines whether the work has to be completed within the availability window or whether it only needs to be started within the availability window.
5. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter availability exceptions for the location:

1. Open the Location/Scheduling/Availability window.
2. Click on the Exceptions tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Start Time field, enter the Start Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. In the End Time field, enter the End Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
6. In the Available checkbox enter whether the Time interval entered should be considered Available or Unavailable for the Location.
7. In the Start Based dropdown define whether the Availability defined should be Start Based or not. The Start Based setting determines whether the work has to be completed within the availability window or whether it only needs to be started within the availability window.
8. In the Information field, enter details of the Availability Exception. Entering information in this field is optional.
9. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to generate availability exceptions for the location:

1. Open the Location/Scheduling/Availability window.
2. Click on the Exceptions tab.
3. Right-click, then click Generate Recurrence...
4. In the Start Time field, enter the Start Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. In the End Time field, enter the End Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
6. In the Start Based dropdown define whether the Availability defined should be Start Based or not. The Start Based setting determines whether the work has to be completed within the availability window or whether it only needs to be started within the availability window.
7. In the Available checkbox enter whether the Time interval entered should be considered Available or Unavailable for the Location.
8. In the Information field, enter details of the Availability Exception. Entering information in this field is optional.
9. In the Recurrence Pattern select the week days that the Availability Exceptions should be generated for.
10. In the Start field, enter the Start Date of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
11. In the End field, enter the End Date of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
12. Click the Ok button to generate the Availability Exceptions
13. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to define resource preferences for the location:

1. Open the Location/Scheduling window.
2. Click on the Preferences tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Resource ID field, enter the ID of the Resource that the Preference of the Location should be associated with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
5. In the Preference field enter the Preference value of the Resource ID. 0 = Resource cannot be used, Value greater than 0 and less than 1 = Sliding scale of preference greater than 0 and less than 1.
   1 = No other resources to be considered.
6. In the Information field, enter details of the Resource Preference. Entering information in this field is optional.
7. Save the information (F12).