Set up advanced booking configurations (BETA)

Audience: Administrators

Configure a dynamic, capacity-based booking system for operation centers (OCs) with scheduling models and simulation grids.

Prerequisites

Before you can use the new booking system:

1. Make sure you use supported features.

   • See Use supported features.

   • See Avoid non-managed features and limitations.

2. Set permissions.

   • See Set permissions.

3. Enable scheduling for an operation center.

   • See Enable scheduling for an operation center.

4. Create a booking with scheduling model.

   • See Create a booking with scheduling model.

5. Set a default scheduling model.

   • See Set a default scheduling model.

6. Associate the booking algorithm.

   • See Associate the booking algorithm.

Use supported features

When calculating availability, the scheduling engine takes the following into account:

• Fixed teams: Teams that stay the same

• Crew shells: Groups of resources that include specific skillsets

• Unavailability: Whether a team is ready to do work or not

• Mandatory and excluded resources: Resources that are defined on the work order (WO)

• Scheduling zones: Geographic constraints

Avoid non-managed features and limitations

The following features and rules are not managed within this specific scheduling logic:

• Formations

• Resources in mixed teams in daily plan

  • These resources are explicitly excluded during the scheduling phase.

• Multistage

  • Pre-existing multistage links between activities in the daily plan are not considered.

• On-duty availability

• Resource work schedule types

  • Only Day start/end displacement is currently managed.

• Lock scheduling days rules

• WO permit requirements

• Day occupation rules

• Day saturation rules

• Preferred resources defined on the WO

• Contractors management

• Container resources management

Set permissions

To activate the new features in the menu, use the permission: Capacity Booking Monitor: Edit [BETA]

Enable scheduling for an operation center

To allow scheduling for your specific operation center:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Scheduling Optimizations > Operations Center.

2. Locate your desired operation center in the list.

3. Click the Scheduling button for the desired operations center.

4. Click New configuration.

5. In the pop-up, from the Type dropdown menu, select Booking with scheduling.

6. Enter any optional information.

7. Click Insert.

Create a scheduling model

Define the scheduling model that dictates how appointments are found:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Scheduling Optimizations > Scheduling Models.

2. In the Model filter tab, select your operation center.

3. Click Search.

4. At the bottom of the page, click the New booking with scheduling model button.

5. To define exceptions, click the Selection parameters tab.

6. Click Exclude selected.

7. To define inclusions, click the Team and Crew Shell tab

8. Click Include selected.

9. To set the range for slot searches, click the Advanced parameters tab.

10. Set the minimum days range.

11. Click Save.

Set a default scheduling model

Each operation center can have one primary model used for standard processing. To make a scheduling model the default:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Scheduling Optimization > Scheduling Models.

2. In the Model filter tab, select your operations center.

3. Optional: Enter other parameters.

4. Click Search.

5. In the List of scheduling models table, click the desired model.

6. Click the Processing parameters tab.

7. Set the model as the default.

8. Click Save.

Associate the booking algorithm

To ensure the system uses correct logic, associate the algorithm with the daemon configuration:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Scheduling Optimization > Associate OC/Daemons.

2. Click the New button.

3. In the Associate OC/VRP Daemons tab, select:

   • OC.

   • VRP daemon group.

   • Average processing time.

   • Maximum waiting time.

4. In the Algorithm field, select Booking with scheduling.

5. Click Save.

Set up a grid simulation

Test and apply the resource-capacity logic of specific programming grids with simulations:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Booking > Grid Simulation.

2. Click the New simulation button.

3. Enter a description

4. Select:

   • Operations center

   • OC interval

   • Programming grid

     • Note: Only the grids with grid mode set to By resource capacity are available.

5. Click Save.

Define simulation calendars and zones

To define a simulation’s time slots and capacity limits:

1. In the Simulation table, to open the detail view, click on a simulation row.

2. Above the table, to create a new calendar, click the + button.

3. If Working by OC is false, fill out the Zone section to define the area.

4. In the New calendar section:

   • Select the days.

   • Enter the minimum and maximum appointments for your time slots.

5. To add the rows to the temporary table, click the + button.

6. Click Save calendar.

Manage microcluster aggregates

To group municipalities in the same zone for easier management:

1. Open the Detail view of a simulation where Working by OC is set to false.

2. Click the Microclusters aggregates button.

3. At the top of the Aggregate data tab, enter a description.

4. To create a new aggregate, click Save.

5. On the new row, to select the municipalities to include, click the Aggregate composition icon.

6. In the Simulation table, click the contextual menu of a specific zone. 

7. To link your aggregates, select Territory.