Objective
Service calls initiate a request by the customer in the form of a ticket. The activity details are visible on this ticket. The activity refers to the job that is required to be completed by the technician. When the activity is assigned to a technician it becomes a service assignment.
The planning board is the dynamic calendar that displays technician schedules. It is here where you can drag and drop service call assignments, adjust technician schedules, and release service calls.
Various actions can be completed on the planning board, as seen in the above figure. Some other actions include the following:
The planning board by default will show 40 technicians. It is possible to increase or decrease the number of visible technicians on the planning board, but adding more than 40 could lead to performance issues and is based on browser limitations. Technician filters can be created and applied as needed to ensure the displayed technicians are suitable for the service call or activity.
The activity list pane will display all activities that are ready to be planned. You can sort the service calls by using the column headers and/or removing/adding column fields. These changes are only applied and saved at the user level, there is no way to save these views globally. Additionally, you can also navigate to the Service call tab to view, manage, and create service calls.
Skills can be inherited from the business partner, equipment, and item level. This means that if a skill is defined at the equipment level, when this equipment is selected all the skills assigned to the equipment will be inherited automatically to the activity. Inherited skills can not be removed.
Filter views can be defined at the user level and are only available to the user that saves them. Filter views only save the conditions for filtering the data, not the column structure.
In regards to releasing activities, it is possible to lasso multiple unreleased activities and bulk release them at once.
The degree of automation for planning and scheduling varies. In SAP Field Service Management you can plan and assign the activities automatically, manually, or by using the assisted planning which assists you by choosing the best matching technician.
By the easy drag-and-drop feature you can assign the activities from the backlog in to the Gannt Chart.
The benefits of assisted planning are listed below:
By using filters in the planning and dispatching application, you can focus on specific service calls, activities, and technicians. Filtering allows you to improve the service call outcomes while streamlining the planning process.
The dispatching board is the dynamic calendar that displays technician schedules. It is here where you can drag-and-drop service call assignments, adjust technician schedules, and release service calls.
Note
Only 40 technicians can be displayed at a time on the planning board. Technician filters can be created and applied as needed to ensure the displayed technicians are suitable for the service call or activity.
In the figure above, you can see how a dispatcher can view activity details, as well as how to release assignments.
From the settings icon you can customize your own planning and dispatching board with individual settings.
From the figure you can see the sidebar that is displayed when an activity is selected.
Next, we take a look at the scheduling part of the field service call lifecycle.
In this scenario you will see how a dispatcher can leverage the power of the SAP Field Service Management planning board to easily assign a field technician to a service call. You will see how the technician is assigned based on their skills and availability.
Managing service calls is the primary purpose of the workforce management module. Using information uploaded in the master data management module or data communicated from an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, you can not only create and release new service calls, but also create and manage filters to optimize service response.
The dispatcher can review and confirm the details of the service call, and even add reminders and attachments that could be helpful to the technician.
The dispatcher can now assign the right technician for the job.
During or after the execution of the activity, a dispatcher or manager can review and approve any time and material entries created by the technician. This is done in the Time and Material Journal.
We will cover this particular step at a later stage (after first completing the service call as a technician).
The type is used to categorize the service call, for example, whether the service call is a maintenance or a repair job, and so on.
Creating a service call forces the inheritance of skills from the customer and equipment records assigned to it. Additional skills from the skills drop-down can be added to a service call or relevant activity. This is maintained on the skills page from the main menu, which allows you to create a new skill, assign it to a technician, and set its validity dates. Use the master data module to assign skills to business partners, equipment, and items.
Smartform is the new name for checklist, but on the data transfer object (DTO) level in Field Service Management it still dealing with the checklist.
There are many types of checklists, such as for security, step-by-step guides for repair or maintenance, and to enter, for example, sensor data or calculate results.
This functionality makes it easier to assign multiple activities to a technician.
Note
Note that it is not possible to create, delete, or modify absence types if using the SAP Business One Connector, as these are managed in Core suite Time.This image in the above figure is only valid for standalone. Reservation type is something defined in Field Service Management here - this is exclusive. The absence type normally comes from ERP.
In the instance that you create absences in Field Service Management, they are normally not exclusive. You can still schedule an assignment during a defined absence type.
You can define your own absences and reservations. In an integrated system, this information should come from the connector.
Below is how you can create a new reservation:
When planning with teams, you can do the following:
Key Topics:
In this lesson, you'll learn how to effectively visualize and manage the locations of technicians and their activities on a map within the SAP service application. This capability is crucial for real-time tracking and efficient planning, ensuring your operations run smoothly and productively.
We'll cover key features such as searching the service map to find technicians and specific locations, viewing the list of service calls, and customizing map settings for better resource allocation. You'll also explore how to manage the Time and Material Journal, including viewing, editing, and approving technician-input values like mileage, time, and expenses. By the end of this lesson, you'll be proficient in using the service map to optimize technician schedules, improve response times, and enhance overall service delivery.
Enjoy your journey into understanding SAP service application for efficient technician and activity management!
The SAP service application allows users to search the service map to find technicians or specific locations, enabling real-time tracking and efficient planning. By clicking on the map, users can see the location of technicians, business partners, and service calls. Technicians are visible on the map only when they enable GPS services on their mobile phones.
Additionally, users can view the list of service calls and locate the nearest technician to assign them to a service call. The map's settings allow users to select which objects are displayed, providing flexibility and customization. This feature supports better resource allocation, reduces travel time, and improves response times for service requests, leading to higher productivity and customer satisfaction. The interface provides a user-friendly visual representation of technician locations, aiding in quick decision-making and operational efficiency.
Note
The Google Maps services embedded in the product are not allowed to be used in the following countries and regions: Crimea, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and Vietnam.
Administrators can view, edit, delete, and approve technician-input values such as mileage, time, efforts, and materials, which are critical for billing and service call completions. These settings apply to both the mobile application and the Time and Material Journal in the planning and dispatching application.
This system supports efficient resource management and ensures accurate billing and service call reporting.
Time settings are relevant for the mobile application and the Time and Material Journal in the planning and dispatching application.
The following is an overview of the settings:
All efforts and expenses are displayed in the Time and Material Journal. The efforts are listed without the type and the expenses are listed with the type. Additionally, when you create a new expense in the Time and Material Journal, you can select from the defined types.
All efforts and expenses are displayed in the Time and Material Journal. The efforts are listed without the type and the expenses are listed with the type. Also, when you create a new expense in the Time and Material Journal, you can select from the defined types.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | The type of time and material record (effort, expense, material, mileage). |
| Creation Date | The date on which the service call was created. |
| Approval | The current approval status of the record (for example, "pending"). |
| Technician | The name of the technician associated with the the record. |
| Service Call | The unique numerical ID associated with the service call. |
| Details | The total duration of the service call, with start and end time displayed below. |
| Chargeable | Indicates whether the item is chargeable/can be invoiced to the customer. |
Planners can choose to show or hide the objects (activities, technicians, and equipment) that they would like to see on map.
Planners can see details of the activities or technicians they are interested in, which drives better decision-making while assigning a technician to an activity, thus improving planning from the map.
By viewing detailed information about activities and technicians directly on the map, planners can make informed decisions about technician assignments. This feature enhances the planning process by providing the necessary details to optimize resource allocation and improve overall efficiency.
Planners can view more details about an activity by clicking on either the activity list or the activity icon on the map. Similarly, they can view more details about a technician by clicking on either the technician list or the technician icon on the map
The modal UI feature enhances the planning process by providing comprehensive details about activities and technicians, improving decision-making. By synchronizing the planning board with the map's data visibility, planners can ensure accurate and up-to-date planning. Additionally, the ability to filter and access specific activities based on business-defined UDFs allows planners to efficiently address their needs, leading to better overall planning and resource management.
Functionalities include:
Benefits of Technician Location Visibility on the Service Map:
The service map feature enables planners to effectively address and resolve visibility issues related to technician locations. This improvement allows for precise real-time tracking and management of technicians. Displaying the technician's accurate location on the map aids in better planning for both future and emergency situations, ensuring that the right technician is assigned promptly and efficiently. This feature ultimately enhances the overall efficiency and effectiveness of service operations.
Planners can see a technician's live location for the current date as well as the technician's location based on their default address in the master data.
Benefit: Real-Time Location: Allows planners to see the real-time location of technicians, enabling better tracking and improved planning.
The service map feature provides planners with the ability to view the real-time location of technicians, enhancing tracking accuracy and overall planning efficiency. By knowing the exact location of technicians, planners can make informed decisions, ensure timely assignments, and optimize resource allocation, ultimately leading to more effective and efficient service operations.
Planners can view updates to a technician's location from their mobile device instantaneously on the map without needing to move the map or refresh the browser. This real-time update capability ensures that planners always have the most current information, facilitating quick and accurate decision-making.
Benefits of Route Optimization on the Service Map supports planners in sending technicians on the most efficient route to execute field service.
The service map feature helps planners optimize routes for technicians, ensuring they take the most efficient paths to complete field service tasks. This capability enhances operational efficiency, reduces travel time and costs, and improves overall service delivery. By using the service map for route optimization, planners can ensure technicians reach their destinations quickly and effectively, providing timely and efficient service to customers.
The route view allows you to select a technician and multiple activities, while allowing the re-shuffling of activities. The total travel time and distance is displayed on the route header.
Planners can now view the work time pattern of a technician in the sidebar of the service map.
Planners can drag a Ready to Plan activity and drop it directly on a technician's schedule on the service map.
Find the best matching technician for a given activity from the service map.
The improved usability of the service map provides several key benefits that enhance the overall user experience for planners. This feature allows for more efficient and effective management of technician activities.
By leveraging these improvements, planners can ensure that technician schedules are optimized, tasks are assigned efficiently, and overall productivity is increased. In the sidebar, planners can find a list of all activities, technicians, and equipment, and view the ones that they are interested in.
Planners can now filter activities and technicians through more criteria, helping them reach the desired activity or technician much more quickly and improving planning.
Reflect on a time when you had to manage a team or coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously. How did you keep track of everyone’s location and ensure that tasks were assigned efficiently? What tools or methods did you use to optimize your team's productivity and reduce downtime? How do you think the features of the SAP service application, such as the service map and Time and Material Journal, could have improved your management process in that situation?
Expert Response
In my experience as a field service manager, coordinating multiple technicians and ensuring efficient task assignments was a daily challenge. Before using SAP's service application, we relied heavily on manual tracking methods, which often led to miscommunication and delays. The introduction of the service map feature was transformative. It allowed us to visualize technician locations in real-time, significantly reducing travel time and optimizing task assignments. The ability to customize map settings to display relevant objects and the integration of GPS services enabled us to make informed decisions quickly. Additionally, the Time and Material Journal streamlined our billing process by accurately tracking technician efforts and expenses, ensuring precise reporting and efficient resource management. These tools collectively enhanced our operational efficiency, leading to higher productivity and improved customer satisfaction.
Throughout this lesson you have gained a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively visualize and manage the locations of technicians and activities on a map for real-time tracking and efficient planning.
You have learned how to utilize the service map to search for technicians and specific locations, view service calls, and customize map settings to enhance resource allocation and decision-making. Additionally, you explored the Time and Material Journal, which allows administrators to view, edit, delete, and approve technician-input values such as mileage, time, efforts, and expenses, ensuring accurate billing and efficient service call completions.
The lesson also highlighted the benefits of using the modal UI for detailed planning, including the synchronization between the planning board and the map's data visibility, and the importance of filtering activities based on user-defined fields (UDFs). You have seen how real-time location visibility and route optimization on the service map can streamline task assignments and reduce travel time, thereby improving overall service efficiency.
Finally, you have acquired essential knowledge on identifying technician working hours and planning activities directly through the service map, ensuring optimized scheduling and increased productivity. By mastering these concepts, you are now equipped to leverage the SAP Service Application to enhance your operational efficiency and service delivery.
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