Time slotting allows call center personnel to easily schedule the starting time of new service Work Orders based on the availability of Time Slots for a given day, Service Category and Branch. This functionality would typically be used for residential service calls where the customer appointment would be made first: the Technician assignment could be made at the same time or later.
The ‘inventory’ of Time Slots is maintained by the system based on:
The Time Slot Exceptions Tab: enables the user to add/subtract time slots to accommodate rolling schedules, weather, holidays, etc.
The Technician Time Slots Tab: specifies which Time Slots/Days are available for each Technician.
The Technician Unavailable Tab: specifies days the Tech is not available due to vacation or other reason. Unavailable days will reduce the Time Slot inventory.
The Work Order Technician Tab: how many of this Time Slot have already been assigned for a particular day. The available Time Slot inventory is reduced when a Time Slot is assigned to a work order. If a Technician line with a Time Slot is Canceled, it will not be ‘counted’ as being assigned, and that Time Slot will be included in the available Time Slot inventory.
When the Time Slot Wizard is launched from New Call 2, the Classic Dispatch Board or the Work Order Technician Tab, the dispatcher/call center staff will be shown the next available Time Slot with an option to select it, ask for the next available Time Slot or limit the search based on selected days on or after the specified effective date. Once selected, the Time Slot will be stored in the Work Order Technician tab, and set the Work Order’s Scheduled Date and Scheduled Time. The user will be prevented from changing the scheduled Date or Time of any Work Order Technician line where the Time Slot is set.
This record defines the Time Slots used for scheduling purposes.
This functionality requires that GL Reporting Periods are implemented to generate the calendar data required. See GL Reporting Period for details.
Each Time Slot will reference a specific Service Category and Branch (if used), and Start and End time. For example, if your firm’s HVAC calls could typically be completed within three hours (including travel time), you could create several three hour slots – beginning at 8:00am, 11:00am, and 2:00.
Time Slot Id:
Must uniquely identify this Time Slot.
Care should be taken in formulating these Id’s so that they are meaningful to your call center personnel. For example, the first HVAC slot of the day could be HVAC1. If your firm has Branches implements, you would need a first HVAC slot defined for each Branch: HVAC1-B2, HVAC1-B2, and so on.
Time Slot Name:
Briefly describes this Time Slot (ex, HVAC 8:00 – 11:00am Branch B2).
Start Time: End Time:
These fields define the duration of the slot. The Start Time is used to set the Work Order’s Start Time. Note that the Work Order’s Estimated Hours will continue to default from the Work Code.
Branch Id:
If Branches are implemented, this field should be completed if Time Slots should be maintained by Branch (recommended).
Service Category:
The Service Category this slot pertains to. This field is highly recommended.
Time Slot Summary:
As Of:
The date of interest; may be changed by the user.
Capacity:
Slot capacity is dynamically calculated by adding 1 for the slot(s) listed on active technician records for the days specified then subtracting 1 slot if the effective date is listed on the Technician’s Unavailable Tab, and then +/- the number specified on the Time Slot’s Exceptions Tab (if the Work Code is not specified).
Availability:
Slot availability is dynamically calculated by adding 1 for the slot(s) listed on active technician records for the days specified then subtracting 1 slot if the effective date is listed on the Technician’s Unavailable Tab, subtracting instances of Time Slot on the Work Order Technician of that day, and then +/- the number specified on the Time Slot’s Exceptions Tab (if the Work Code is not specified).
Obsolete?
If this field is checked, the record is considered Obsolete, and it may not be directly specified during data-entry (either by entering the Id or selecting it from a list). Obsoleted records can be edited and the Obsolete option can be un-done when necessary. When you check the Obsolete field, the following message box will be displayed:
“You have elected to obsolete this record. Would you like to see existing references to this record?”
If you click Yes, the system will display a viewer that provides click-through access to all tables referencing this record.
Exceptions Tab
This tab enables the user to make adjustments by adding to or subtracting from the slots available via the Technician Time Slot and Unavailability Tabs. For example, on a very hot day, extra techs might be called in for HVAC slots.
Date:
The date the adjustment will take place.
Work Code Id:
If this adjustment should apply to a specific Work Code, enter it here. Work Code specific adjustments will not appear on the Time Slot Summary above.
Qty:
The number of slots to add or subtract (negative). For example, on a hot day, ‘nocool’ Work Codes could have their quantity increased, and PM Work Codes could be decreased.
Reason:
The reason the adjustment is being made (e.g., hot day).
User Id:
The user recording the adjustment.
Technicians Tab
Id: Name:
This tab displays active Technicians linked to this Time Slot via the Time Slot tab on their Technician record. You may double-click on a line to access the Technician record.
Available:
The system consults the Technician’s Unavailable Tab to determine if he or she is available (Yes) or unavailable (No) for the As Of date specified in the Time Slot Summary above.
WorkOrders Tab
Id: Description: WO Status: Site Id: Site Name: Tech Id: TechName: TechStatus:
This tab displays the Work Orders this Time Slot has been allocated to on the As Of date specified in the Time Slot Summary above. You may double-click on a line to access the Work Order.