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Assign Technician Adding Schedule Entry - Medium

This recipe demonstrates how to automatically assign unassigned tickets to technicians while also creating scheduled calendar entries for the work. Neo not only finds the best technician based on workload and expertise but also determines the optimal time for them to work on the ticket and schedules it accordingly.

Overview​

Technician assignment with schedule entry helps you:

  • Automatically assign tickets to the most suitable technician
  • Create calendar entries to schedule when the work should be performed
  • Consider existing calendar commitments when determining work timing
  • Balance workload while respecting time constraints and availability
  • Ensure urgent tickets get prioritized in scheduling
  • Optimize technician time allocation across multiple tickets

Prerequisites​

For this recipe to work effectively, you need:

  • Calendar Integration: Full calendar integration with technician schedules
  • Technician Pool: Defined list of technicians with properly configured calendars
  • SLA Configuration: Clear understanding of ticket priorities and SLA requirements
  • Time Slot Planning: Defined standard time slots for different types of work
info

This is a Triggered workflow that runs when tickets need assignment and scheduling. It builds upon basic assignment by adding intelligent calendar management.

How It Works​

This recipe uses a Triggered Workflow that activates when tickets need assignment. Neo evaluates available technicians based on workload, skills, and detailed calendar analysis. It then not only assigns the ticket but also schedules an appropriate time slot in the technician's calendar, considering their existing commitments and the ticket's priority.

Workflow: Technician Assignment with Scheduling​

Basic Configuration​

  1. Type: Triggered
  2. Trigger: When tickets become unassigned or are created without an owner
  3. Find Entities: Identify tickets that need assignment and scheduling
  4. Dispatch Ticket: Assign to best available technician AND create calendar entry
  5. Add Ticket Note: Document the assignment and scheduled time
  6. Assign Ticket: Complete the assignment process

Detailed Setup​

Step 1: Create the Workflow​

  • Name: "Assign Technician Adding Schedule Entry"
  • Type: Triggered
  • Trigger Conditions: Configure for tickets requiring both assignment and time scheduling

Step 2: Configure Entity Filters (Find Entities Action)​

Ticket Conditions:

  • Owner.Name = null (unassigned tickets)
Scheduling Considerations

This workflow works best for tickets that require dedicated time blocks, such as on-site visits, complex troubleshooting, or project work. Consider excluding quick tasks that don't need scheduling.

Step 3: Add Actions​

Action 1: Dispatch Ticket

Technician Pool:

  • Select technicians who can handle the ticket types and have calendar availability
  • Ensure all selected technicians have properly integrated calendars

Key Settings:

  • ✅ Consider Technician Calendar: Essential for both availability and scheduling
  • ✅ Consider Technician Workload: Balances assignments while considering time commitments
  • ✅ Consider Technician Profile: Ensures skill and expertise matching

Calendar Settings:

  • ✅ Add Schedule Entry: Enabled (creates calendar appointments)
  • Scheduled Entry Settings:
    • SLA Events: "Resolve" (or relevant SLA milestone)
    • Urgent Priorities: Configure which priorities should be scheduled sooner
    • Allowed Time Slots: "30 minutes", "15 minutes" (adjust based on typical work duration)
    • Scheduled Entry Location: "In-house" (or appropriate default location)

Workload Settings:

  • Criteria: "Number of Tickets Assigned"
  • Workload Difference Threshold: 3
  • Consider Tickets: "Ticket Last Update"
  • Include Tickets Worked in Last N Days: 2

Action 2: Add Ticket Note

  • Note Type: Internal Note
  • Purpose: Documents both the assignment decision and scheduled time

Action 3: Assign Ticket

  • Send Email to Owner: Consider enabling to notify technician of both assignment and scheduled time
  • Update Ticket Status: Optional (may want to change to "Scheduled" or similar)

Advanced Variations​

Priority-Based Scheduling​

Emergency Ticket Workflow:

  • Urgent Priorities: Priority 1, Priority 2
  • Time Slots: "15 minutes" (shorter slots for quicker response)
  • Scheduling: Immediate availability prioritized over workload balance

Standard Ticket Workflow:

  • Standard Priorities: Priority 3, Priority 4
  • Time Slots: "30 minutes", "1 hour"
  • Scheduling: Balanced approach considering both availability and workload

Service-Type Specific Scheduling​

On-Site Service Workflow:

  • Time Slots: "1 hour", "2 hours" (longer slots for travel and on-site work)
  • Location: "On-site" or customer location
  • Scheduling: Group geographically close appointments

Remote Support Workflow:

  • Time Slots: "15 minutes", "30 minutes" (shorter for remote work)
  • Location: "Remote" or "In-house"
  • Scheduling: More flexible timing without travel considerations

Multi-Day Scheduling​

Configure the workflow to schedule work further in advance when needed:

  • Days in the Future: Set to 2-5 days for non-urgent work
  • Urgent Override: Immediate scheduling for high-priority tickets
  • Workload Spreading: Distribute work across multiple days for better balance

Best Practices​

Calendar Management​

  • Consistent Time Slots: Use standardized time blocks that align with your service delivery model
  • Buffer Time: Consider travel time, preparation, and documentation when setting slot durations
  • Calendar Hygiene: Ensure technicians maintain clean, up-to-date calendars

Scheduling Strategy​

  • Priority Alignment: Match scheduling urgency with ticket priority and SLA requirements
  • Geographic Optimization: For on-site work, consider grouping appointments by location
  • Technician Preferences: Account for individual technician working patterns and preferences

Time Slot Configuration​

  • Realistic Durations: Set time slots that realistically reflect the work required
  • Flexibility: Provide multiple time slot options to improve scheduling success
  • Overestimation: Slightly overestimate time requirements to prevent schedule conflicts

Integration Considerations​

  • PSA Synchronization: Ensure scheduled entries sync properly with your PSA system
  • Notification Systems: Coordinate with customer notification workflows about scheduled times
  • Escalation Procedures: Plan for handling tickets that can't be scheduled within SLA timeframes
Gradual Implementation

Start with longer time slots and conservative scheduling windows. As you gain experience with the system, you can optimize slot durations and scheduling aggressiveness.

Calendar Dependencies

This workflow heavily depends on accurate calendar integration. Test thoroughly to ensure scheduled entries appear correctly in technician calendars and don't conflict with existing appointments.

Monitoring and Optimization​

Key Scheduling Metrics​

  • Scheduling Success Rate: Percentage of tickets successfully scheduled vs. assigned without scheduling
  • Time to Schedule: How far in advance work gets scheduled
  • Schedule Adherence: Whether technicians actually work on tickets at scheduled times
  • Customer Satisfaction: Impact of scheduled appointments on customer experience

Calendar Utilization Analysis​

  • Technician Efficiency: How well scheduled time translates to productive work
  • Calendar Density: Optimal spacing between appointments
  • No-Show Rates: Frequency of missed or cancelled appointments

Continuous Improvement​

  • Time Slot Optimization: Regularly review whether time slots match actual work duration
  • Priority Calibration: Adjust urgent priority definitions based on business needs
  • Geographic Efficiency: For on-site work, analyze travel time and route optimization

Using Event History​

  • Use Event History to track scheduling patterns and success rates
  • Analyze which technicians have the most successful scheduled appointments
  • Identify time slots or days that work best for different types of tickets
Next Level

Ready for more advanced calendar management? Check out Assign Technician Manage Calendar - Advanced to learn about rescheduling tentative entries and cascade scheduling.