Single resource optimization for Resource Scheduling Optimization

Article
10/10/2023

You can configure the Resource Scheduling Optimization Add-in for Dynamics 365 Field Service to run optimizations based on your entire organization's scheduling needs. Sometimes you might need to optimize only a single resource's schedule, rather than for a set of available resources. Single resource optimization provides a quick way to optimize a resource's schedule and travel route. It considers the existing bookings on the resource's schedule and more requirements.

It helps accommodate schedule changes that occurred during the day, when a resource:

Has a gap in the schedule due to a cancellation.
Is double-booked because emergency work order was assigned.
Has a schedule that was put together manually and needs a route with minimal travel.

To optimize an individual resource's schedule, a dispatcher can manually run single resource optimization. Workflows can also trigger single resource optimization. Unlike other Resource Scheduling Optimization scenarios, you can't schedule single resource optimization runs.

Note

Starting with Field Service version 8.8.99.10 and Resource Scheduling Optimization version 3.4.0.623, single resource optimization runs take requirements and existing bookings into account. As a consequence, the system can delete existing bookings to create a schedule that better matches the optimization goal. In earlier versions, single optimization runs only considered existing bookings.

Prerequisites

Dynamics 365 Field Service version 8.8.99.10 or newer.
Resource scheduling optimization version 3.4.0.623 or newer.
Optimize Schedules is set to Yes for the bookable resource you want to run single resource optimization for.

Step 1: Set up a goal

Single resource optimization is the only Resource Scheduling Optimization scenario that doesn't require an optimization scope. The scope is automatically defined as bookings for the resource in the defined date range. Optimization goals define what metrics Resource Scheduling Optimization should consider and prioritize.

First, create a new optimization goal.

Single resource optimization typically cleans up a schedule that changed throughout the day. Consider the following recommendations:

Set Engine Effort Level to Very Light. The faster single resource optimization completes, the better dispatchers can react to scheduling needs.
Remove the Schedule Within Working Hours constraint to allow more bookings to fit in the resource's schedule. This setting can be helpful if a resource needs to pick up urgent work. Removing this constraint allows the end time of a booking to spill over into nonworking hours. Using the constraint, the system ensures there's time after completing the last booking to travel back to the resource's end location.
Remove constraints related to matching territory, roles, and characteristics because the scenario assumes the dispatcher knows best. Keeping constraints enabled could lead to a situation where the dispatcher assigns a work order to a resource overriding the constraints, then runs single resource optimization, which deletes the booking because it doesn't match the resource's attributes.
Add Scheduling Lock Options and Scheduling Windows constraints so single resource optimization upholds time promises or SLAs with the customer.

Next, add your single resource optimization goal as the default goal.

Step 2: Run and view results

There are three ways to run single resource optimization:

Run with defaults
Run after making changes to defaults
Run as simulation after making changes to defaults

Run with defaults

On the schedule board, right-click a resource (except a crew, pools or facilities) and select Optimize Schedule to optimize with:

The default optimization goal
The default optimization range, which is from now to the end of today (12:00 AM)
The existing bookings on the resource's schedule in that optimization range
Requirements from the active view of requirements at the bottom of the schedule board, ordered according to any sorting or filtering that have been applied to that view

When the optimization completes, you see the new set of bookings on the schedule board. In the right pane, you find details about bookings that were updated, deleted, or created.

Run after making changes to defaults

You can change the default goal and time range before running the optimization. For example, if you extend the time range to the next day, the system considers all existing bookings and requirements between now and the end of the next day to create a schedule.

Select a resource's name and open the Optimizations pane.

Note

This capability is only available from the schedule board view associated with the optimization scope.
Select Single resource.
Set the optimization range to the desired values.
For Requirements, choose the view from which to consider requirements for optimization. Filters and sorting settings of the selected view determine the order of requirements. Select None to optimize only the existing bookings.
Select the desired optimization goal.
Select Run > Run now to start a single resource optimization request.

You can see the request status in the Optimization requests history section on the Optimizations pane. When completed, the schedule board updates with the optimized set of bookings. Double-click the optimization request to view the details about which bookings were deleted, updated, or created.

Run as simulation after making changes to defaults

By running single resource optimization as a simulation, you can see the resulting optimization before committing to it. To run a simulation, follow the steps in Run after making changes to defaults. This time, instead of selecting Run now in the drop-down, select Run as simulation. After the optimization request completes, bring up the details to Apply or Discard the results.