Automatic Daily Allocation

Note: The Daily Allocation functionality will only be available if the Daily Allocation module is enabled. Check your On Key license to determine whether you have access to this functionality.

The automatic daily allocation functionality automates the process of allocating work task labour items to staff members. It uses a set of rules to determine how work is distributed between the available staff members. Work is allocated to the staff members with the highest priority until their capacity has been filled.

The following animation shows an example of automatic work allocation, where 'Staff member 1' has the highest priority, and 'Staff member 3' has the lowest priority.

1. Prioritise work

In this step, all work added to the scheduling event is prioritised according to:

Work order motion type
Work order and task priority

Work orders with stationary work receive the highest priority. Work orders that do not include stationary work are prioritised according to work order and task priority.

NOTE: This step is performed only once before automatic work allocation begins.

View the Calculating Priority topic to learn more.

3. Check work order motion type

In this step, the work order motion type is checked to determine asset and staff availability.

NOTE: This step is skipped if the Stationary Classification system option has not been set.

In-motion work orders

The work order is moved on to the next step in the automatic daily allocation process if it has one of the following motion types:

Only when In Motion
Stationary and in Motion

Stationary work orders

If the work order's motion type is 'Only when Stationary', the automatic daily allocation process checks:

the asset's availability to determine whether it has stationary time scheduled during the event
whether there are trade staff members with sufficient capacity during the asset's stationary time

If both of these conditions can be satisfied, the work order is moved on to the next step. If one of the conditions cannot be satisfied, the entire work order is skipped.

Visit the Adding Stationary Time to Asset Calendars topic to learn how to add stationary time to an asset's calendar.

2. Retrieve trade staff members

In this step, suitable staff members are identified for work allocation. Suitable staff members include those who have:

the same trade as the work task labour item
sufficient available capacity for the scheduling event

Non-virtual trade

If the work task labour item is assigned to a non-virtual trade, automatic daily allocation retrieves a list of the available staff members for that trade.

Virtual trade

If the work task labour item is assigned to a virtual trade, automatic daily allocation retrieves a list of the available staff members for the related trade with the highest priority, ie lowest sequence number.

The entire work order is skipped if no suitable staff members are found. This ensures that only work orders that can be fully completed are allocated.

View the Trades topic to learn more about virtual trades, and related trade priority.

4. Allocate work task labour items

In this step, the work task labour item is allocated to one of the trade staff members identified in the previous step.

Location staff member allocation

If the Use Location Staff Members system option is enabled, the work task labour item is assigned to the staff member who has the highest priority, ie lowest sequence number, for the asset's location.

NOTES: Location staff members take priority.

Scheduling staff member allocation

If the Use Location Staff Members system option is disabled, the work task labour item is assigned the trade staff member who has the highest priority, ie lowest sequence number, for the scheduling event.

The entire work order is skipped if suitable staff member cannot be allocated. This ensures that only work orders that can be fully completed are allocated.

View the System Options - Planning and Scheduling topic to learn more about the Use Location Staff Members system option.