Operations Scheduling Tool

The Operation module takes Job Assignments through Job Creation, Quoting, Dispatching, Service Ticketing, Approvals, and Invoicing. In this article, we will discuss Queue Management which details instructions on Job Creation, Quoting, and Dispatch. These processes may also be performed through the Queues. To learn more view please review Queue Management. To learn more about Service Tickets, Approvals, and Invoicing please review Approvals Queue (Beta) Management Please note this article will not discuss at length how to set up Operations. Review Operations Administrative Setup for more information on how to set up the platform. Additionally, review iOS Mobile App and Android Mobile App for information on a field user's experience.

Table of Contents

• Basics of Scheduling
  • Job Information
  • To-Dos
  • People Notifications 
  • Asset Locations
  • Unavailable Functions 
• Job Creation
  • General Information
  • Contacts
  • Locations
  • Assignment Collections (Assignments)
• Dispatching
  • People
  • Assets

Basics of Scheduling

Navigate to Operations > Scheduling. The scheduling module is designed to assign assignments to people and assets on schedule. These changes also directly update queues. This page utilizes two tabs in order to complete its functions. Please note the following sections explain the icons visible on the right-hand navigation bar when a job is selected after job creation. 

Job Information

This tab displays all of the information added when creating a job. See Job Creation for more information.

To-Dos

To dos represent placeholders of other time applied to the schedule that is not an assignment or bill as type. Commonly these are downtime or shop time. While these are assigned to people and assets they are not displayed on service tickets, approvals, or time tracking approvals. 

Notifications (People Tab Only)

Multi-select individuals assigned to the selected job. Check notify next to the employee and then send notifications. Notifications are emailed to the email saved within the Admin > Employee > Selected Employee table. This option is only available on the People tab.  

Locations (Asset Tab Only)

Assign employees and locations to an asset. Once assigned these data may be tracked on a report or Asset Map. See Asset Management for more information.

Unavailable Functions

Currently, this scheduling tool omits the following functions Quoting, Documents, Forms, and Share. 

Job Creation

To create a Job select + Create New Job.

General Information

• Client: Clients are required for every job. They may be a preset option within the client table or created at the time of job creation.  
• Job Description: The Job description is typically a summary of the Job Details. These are displayed on email notifications when a user gets dispatched. They are also displayed on Quotes. 
• Owner: The Job owner is typically the individual who has created the job. They are also automatically assigned to a job that will assign the users to the job on the mobile device.  
• Job Name: The Job name defaults to the client and Job descriptions. This is what displays within the queues when dispatching.  
• Job Status: Job Status represents the position of a Job in relation to other Jobs. For example, Confirmed, Estimate, Ready for Quote, and Will Call are defaulted options. Job numbers are sequenced Jobs by status. Every job may also be sequenced together regardless of status if settings are marked as such.
• Region: For full details on regions please review Company Settings. These may apply specific headers to quotes and invoices. Additionally, they link assigned crews to jobs.  
• Quoted Amount: This is the estimated quoted amount. Optionally use this field or create a quote.
• Job Details: Job Details are notes available to the client on a quote and service ticket. 
• In-House Details: In-House details are notes only displayed on this Job Creation View. 
• PO: This is the purchase order number. 
• Assigned Crew: The assigned crew is a field that allows you to assign individuals to a job without assigning them to a specific assignment. These may be preset based on the region assigned to a job. 
• Special Conditions: Special conditions are all additional tags applied to a job. These tags will be available for any job created. Typically these are used to indicate "Contract Jobs" or "Above Ground" mines however options are not limited and are widely used. These fields often are helpful in account reports. These must be pre-set if desired to be utilized. However, they are optional. 
• Client Notes: Client notes are specific notes saved to a client. They display only when a client is assigned to a job. They may be pre-set on the client table or created at the time of job creation. 

Job Date Range

• Travel Time to Job Site: This is the Travel time to a job. 
• Start Date: This is the Start Date of the whole job. 
• Start Time: This is the Start Time of the whole job. 
• End Date: This is the End Date of the whole job.
• End Time: This is the End Time of the whole job. 
• Job Finished: This toggle allows you to mark the Job as complete. When marked a green checkmark displays within the Job cards in Operations > Approvals Queue (Beta). This does not remove jobs from open jobs on field users' devices. For jobs to be removed from field users' devices each line item on the job must be marked as non-billable or accounted for on a service ticket.  

Contacts

Contacts are clients you assign to a job as the point of contact. Additionally, they may be Vendors. This contact information is available to employees when they are assigned to the job. Commonly these are simply created at the time of job creation. 

• Contact Name: This is the name of the Contact which displays on the field user's mobile device.
• Contact Phone: The phone number is saved during job creation if provided. This becomes automatically available on subsequent jobs to which this contact is assigned. This number becomes available to field users for them to call in contact if necessary.
• Contact Email: The email is saved during job creation if provided. This becomes automatically available on subsequent jobs to which this contact is assigned.
• Primary Contact: This setting will distinguish multiple contacts on a job. Only the primary contact is displayed for the field user's context. 

Locations

Job locations are applied directly to Jobs. These also report to employees where work is performed. While typically you can add an address during job creation you may also provide a list of pre-set locations to choose from. This is helpful for jobs that frequent the same location. These are populated onto a job by filling out the location name.

• Location Description: This field distinguishes locations with similar names. 
• Location Name: This field once filled out allows you to prepopulate the location of a job.
• Country: This is the country where the job is located.
• State/Province: This is the state or province where the job is located.
• Street Address: This is the street address where the job is located.
• City: This is the city where the job is located.
• Postal Code: This is the postal code where the job is located.

Assignment Collections (Assignments)

• Filter: This field allows you to search assignments that are already assigned to the job. 
• Add Assignment: This dropdown allows you to create assignment collections on a Job. To learn more about assignment collections please review Field Services & Operations Administrative Setup
• Add Job Phase: Job phases represent stages on a job. Assign assignment collections to job phases to organize them.
• Select (Job) Template: Job templates are preset Assignment Collections to assist in faster job creation. It is recommended to utilize job templates for jobs that repeat the same assignments collections. Select Manage Templates to create Job Templates. 

Dispatching

Dispatching within the people or asset views is very similar. Within each view select a created job. The clipboard icon on the job card displays the number of unassigned assignments for that Job. These assignments are then to be clicked, dragged, and dropped onto a person's time or onto an asset's time. If time is already scheduled for the unassigned assignment optionally click the blue (+) circle button to apply that time. The margins of these assignments once applied to the schedule may be adjusted by clicking and dragging them.