Workload Planner Optional Steps

The Actual Workload can be calculated and displayed on the Workload Planner along with the Adjusted Workload. Actual Workload counts and actual coverage can also be displayed on the schedule. Actual volume data can be imported multiple times a day so that managers can use the generated Actual Workload Plan to make adjustments to the schedule for the next shift.

XML APIs for Actual Workload

API for generating the actual workload plan

<Request Action="generateWorkload"

StaffingMatrixName="API All Days Different 3Zones"

StartDate="9/25/2011"

EndDate="10/01/2011"

Actual="true">

</Request>

API for actual counts and actual coverage

You can also get the earned counts and earned coverage details using following API actions:

RetrieveDetails

RetrieveSummary

RetrieveAll

Example:

<Request Action="RetrieveDetails" sequence="1A">

<ScheduleCoverage>

<WorkloadTypeName>WORKLOAD_EARNED</WorkloadTypeName>

<QueryDateSpan>9/16/2011 - 9/24/2011</QueryDateSpan>

<Locations>

<LocationItem>

<Location>org/dept/unit/job</Location>

</LocationItem>

</Locations>

</ScheduleCoverage>

</Request>

WorkloadTypeName name can be:

WORKLOAD_EARNED, WORKLOAD_BASELINE, or WORKLOAD_ADJUSTED

Job groups organize jobs into categories. For example, group all types of managers into a single Manager category. The Single and All Zone reports require job groups to locate and address variances in planned against scheduled staffing.

• Single Zone report — Shows coverage data from multiple locations for a single schedule zone.
• All Zone report — Shows coverage data from multiple locations for multiple schedule zones.

These reports:

• Compare budgeted against scheduled staff coverage — for one or multiple time periods and locations — to determine if scheduled coverage matches required coverage.
• Use baseline and adjusted staffing plan data from the Workload Planner. The reports calculate budgeted and projected values for staffing levels, volume, and staffing hours per volume for an entire facility or organization.
• Support zone set configurations only and require the Workload Generator.

To run either report, first create job groups with the Job Groups workspace and Job Group Editor:

• Create up to five job groups. Because job groups apply to the entire organization, select labels and jobs that are meaningful for the entire organization.
• Alternatively, you can edit the groups for different locations each time you run the reports.
• For accurate report results, make sure that the job groups include all jobs that contain data in the Workload Planner. If a job is not included in a job group, the planned totals do not include that job.
• To avoid double counting, do not include a job in multiple job groups.

To create job groups:

1. From the Main Menu, select Administration > Application Setup > Scheduler Setup > Job Groups.
2. Click New, or select a job group and click Duplicate or Edit.
3. Enter a Label, up to 3 characters long. (Example: MGR for manager) and, (Optional) Enter a Description.
4. Enter the Row Number that defines the order of the job group in the report.
5. Select the jobs from Available Jobs box and click the right arrow to move them to the Selected Jobs box. To narrow the list of jobs, enter a Name in the Filter. The asterisk (*) is a wildcard. Click Apply.
6. Click Save and Return.
7. To configure another job group, repeat. Each report supports up to 5 job groups.

Change a workload plan value

To remove a value from an existing workload plan, enter “0” in the cell. Otherwise, open shifts are not adjusted correctly. Do not delete the requirement and leave the cell blank.

The Workload Planner treats “0” and “null” differently.

• If the value is deleted, the value becomes a null. The requirement is undefined, and has no effect on current open shifts. If you use the Schedule Generator after the change, existing open shifts remain.
• If the value is removed (value = 0), the value is a defined requirement – nobody is needed for the shift. If you use the Schedule Generator after the change, existing open shifts are deleted.

The Workload Planner requires stable time spans. If you edit workload data – including changes to schedule period, zones, shift sets, and business structure – that are assigned to locations, the schedule period splits at the date of the changes. The period after the change contains no workload data.

Note: Do not make any workload edits for an open sign-up period.

Example

1. A zone set is assigned to locations A, B, and C.
   • The zones are:
     • D7a (0700-1500)
     • E3p (1500-2300)
     • N11p (2300-0700)
   • If you change the names of the zones:
     • Day (0700-1500)
     • Eve (1500-2300)
     • Night (2300-0700)
   • Alternatively you can change the time of the zones and location assignments of the zone set.
2. Results of this change:
   1. When you open the Schedule Planner or Workload Planner and select the Current Schedule Period, a dialog warns you that the business structure has changes during the selected time period. Select the part of the period before or after the change.
   2. Example: Select 6/18 – 6/19 and 6/20 – 6/24.
      
   2. The time period after the change contains no workload data. You must add workload patterns and volumes and may have to regenerate workload for that period.
   3. If you run the location schedule report for a time period that spans the split, the report fails. Run the report separately for the periods before and after the change.
   4. Example: Run the report separately for 6/18 – 6/19 and 6/20 – 6/24.
      
   4. If you reassigned a new zone set to one of the locations, you also must rebuild the staffing matrix.