Shifts

Shifts are used to build scheduling templates and reserve Service Resources for a specific purpose. Confirmed shifts will run a process to create Service Appointments that are accessible to Service Resources via the Field Service mobile app.

Shift Templates and Shift Patterns can be used to automate the Shift generation process for a specific location.

The process of creating Shifts, confirming them and generating the Service Appointments can become a standard business practice that scheduling administrators iterate through based on an agreed cycle. For example:

• Shift Templates and Shift Patterns can be created for a specific location to define the scheduling needs for this Location.

• Shifts with Status = Tentative can then be generated 3 months in advance for the Location using the Shift Pattern to generate the shifts to a specified End Date, which reserves the Service Resource.

• Before the start of the month the Shifts for that month can be bulk updated to Status = Confirmed, which will release the Service Appointments to the Service Resources.

• This same process can be followed each month to ensure that Shifts are always scheduled in advance (based on an agreed process) and Service Resources are always confirmed and aware of their schedule for the following month (or an agreed period).

SHIFT TEMPLATES

Shift Templates are linked to Location Records and allow you to define the standard Shifts that are delivered at the Location.

Open

When creating a Shift Template Record there are some key areas to be considered.

• Shift Template Fields

  • Location - link to the Location Record where this Shift Template is delivered.

  • Start Time - the specified Start Time when this Shift will start.

  • Duration Type - defines how the unit entered in the Duration Field is handled.

  • Job Profile - defines the job profile associated with this shift.

  • Duration - defines the length of the shift from the Start Time.

• Shift Template Related Lists

  • Shift Pattern Entries - links the Shift Template to a specific pattern that helps to automate the scheduling processes.

Open

SHIFT PATTERNS

Shift Patterns can be configured to help define a standard scheduling process for a Location.

The key areas to consider when creating a Shift Pattern:

• Shift Pattern Fields

  • Shift Pattern Name - this is a suitable name that can be identified when using the Shift Pattern to create shifts.

  • Pattern Length - this defines how many days the pattern extends.

• Shift Pattern Related Lists

  • Shift Pattern Entries - this defines the template that is used for each day in the pattern. The Day Position defines the when the shift is scheduled, for example - Shift Pattern Entries with Day Positions ranging from 1 - 5 will schedule Shifts in this Shift Pattern from Monday to Friday, and will repeat based on the specified End Date.

From the Shifts Tab, you can select to create Shifts using the New From Pattern button.

This will open a form that allows you to select a Shift Pattern and assign a Service Resource to the Shifts. Shifts will then be created using this pattern to the specified Scheduling End Date or After a number of recurrences entered.

JOB PROFILES

Job Profiles are configured per Location for two purposes.

They allow us to define Skill Requirements that are needed to deliver services at this Location.

They help to define a Shift scheduling view that allows us to see scheduling per Location to ensure the Location is appropriately resourced.

MANAGING SHIFTS

Shifts are managed via the Shifts Tab.

You can select to display the records as a Schedule which gives you a nice visual overview of shifts at a particular location.

From this view you have a few options to create and manage shifts which have been discussed in more detail in other sections of this article.

• Shift Records - you can manage an individual Shift Record by hovering over it or clicking on it.

• New From Pattern - allows you to generate many shift records based on a defined pattern.

• New From Template - allows you to create an individual shift based on a pre-defined template.

• Mass Shift Update - allows you to mass update shifts (eg. update Status from Tentative to Confirmed).

MASS SHIFT UPDATE

From the Shifts Tab you can select the action to Mass Shift Update which will allow you to update the Status of shifts based on the selected parameters.

Selecting to set Status = Confirmed, which will trigger Service Appointment Records to be created for each of the Shifts which will be accessible to the specified Service Resources from their mobile app.

Clicking the Mass Shift Update button will open a form that allows you to select the Shifts to update based on Service Territory and Job Profile.

This will trigger a Shift Scheduling Operation Record to be created which you can access to check if there are any issues with the process that has been triggered.