---
schema_version: "1"
id: 24c756112732589f107ce218b9777b8c171c04473ca0a9a41733bf6e760d65f6
title: Configure Travel Time Buffers
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/pfs_buffer_configure.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: c29f8d5b83febb77f84b87d7b4d249860152eb9a84e306bbb5dbbae66cf6c712
description: Add a buffer to travel time to account for additional travel-related activities such as parking, security checks, on-site navigation to better schedule your workforce. Configure travel time buffers at the org, service territory, or individual service appointment level to improve the precision of your scheduling operations.
products:
  - Field Service
release: "264"
---
# Configure Travel Time Buffers

Add a buffer to travel time to account for additional travel-related activities such as parking, security checks, on-site navigation to better schedule your workforce. Configure travel time buffers at the org, service territory, or individual service appointment level to improve the precision of your scheduling operations.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic (not available in all orgs) and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">The Agentforce Field Service and Operations core features, managed package, and mobile app are available in <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions.</td></tr></tbody></table>

![Package icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/support_field_service/images/fs_package.png) _This is a Field Service managed package feature._

- **[Learn About the Travel Time Buffer](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    With a travel time buffer, you can systematically add extra time to the travel duration calculated for each service appointment. The buffer accounts for additional time required to deliver service to your customers. This ensures that your work plans are more accurate and prevents overbooking of mobile workers. Your dispatchers can also view the buffer time when seeing the schedule on the Gantt, by hovering over a service appointment.
- **[How the Buffer is Evaluated](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Field Service applies the first non-zero buffer value it finds in this order.
- **[Considerations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Note these considerations about the travel time buffer.
- **[Set Up a Travel Time Buffer on Service Appointments](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Apply a specific travel time buffer directly to a service appointment. This value overrides any buffer set on the service territory or org.
- **[Set Up a Travel Time Buffer for Service Territories](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Configure a default travel time buffer for all service appointments in a specific service territory. This buffer is applied unless a specific buffer is set directly on the Service Appointment record.
- **[Set Up an Org-Wide Default Travel Time Buffer](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.pfs_buffer_configure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Configure a default travel time buffer that applies across your entire org. This org-wide buffer is used only when no specific buffer is defined at the service appointment or service territory level.

## Learn About the Travel Time Buffer

With a travel time buffer, you can systematically add extra time to the travel duration calculated for each service appointment. The buffer accounts for additional time required to deliver service to your customers. This ensures that your work plans are more accurate and prevents overbooking of mobile workers. Your dispatchers can also view the buffer time when seeing the schedule on the Gantt, by hovering over a service appointment.

![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_example.png)

Example

Here are situations where a travel time buffer helps you ensure good service.

- In densely populated urban locations such as Manhattan, add a 15 minute travel time buffer to find parking.
- For secure locations, such as army bases, allocate 10 minutes for security checks.
- Account for unpacking specialized equipment
- Add time to navigate larger sites such as hospitals and airports.

## How the Buffer is Evaluated

Field Service applies the first non-zero buffer value it finds in this order.

- 1: Service Appointment: `TravelTimeBuffer` field on the Service Appointment record.
- 2: Service Territory: `TravelTimeBuffer` field on the Service Territory record.
- 3: Org-Wide Default: Default `Travel Time Buffer` setting configured under **Scheduling** > **Routing**.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)

Note The buffer time isn’t cumulative and the highest priority buffer value overrides other values.

For accurate reporting and cost analysis, Salesforce copies the specific buffer value that was applied (based on the hierarchy) to a dedicated field on the `Assigned Resource` record. This allows dispatchers to differentiate actual driving time from buffer time when analyzing KPIs.

## Considerations

Note these considerations about the travel time buffer.

- Travel time buffers are available only when you’re using Enhanced Scheduling and Optimization.
- If the calculated travel time is zero, the buffer isn't applied. For example, consecutive same-site appointments, offsite appointments.
- Buffers aren’t applied to resource absences, lunch breaks, or travel back to the home base at the end of a shift.
- For service crews, the buffer value is copied only to the `Assigned Resource` record representing the crew itself, not individual members.
- The maximum buffer value that you can specify is 120 minutes.

## Set Up a Travel Time Buffer on Service Appointments

Apply a specific travel time buffer directly to a service appointment. This value overrides any buffer set on the service territory or org.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:50%">
              <col style="width:50%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d123442e314">User Permissions Needed</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d123442e314 ">To create a travel time buffer: </td>

                <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d123442e314 ">Edit on service appointments</td>

              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>

1. From the App Launcher, find and select **Service Appointments**.
2. Navigate to the service appointment record that you want to configure.
3. Find the **Travel Time Buffer (in minutes)** field and click the **Edit** icon.
4. Enter the desired buffer time in minutes (0-120).
5. **Save** the service appointment record.

When this service appointment is scheduled, the value entered in the **Travel Time Buffer (in minutes)** field is added to the calculated travel time. This total time is used for scheduling and reflects on the Gantt tooltip. The buffer value is also be copied to the related Assigned Resource record.

## Set Up a Travel Time Buffer for Service Territories

Configure a default travel time buffer for all service appointments in a specific service territory. This buffer is applied unless a specific buffer is set directly on the Service Appointment record.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:50%">
              <col style="width:50%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d123442e424">User Permissions Needed</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d123442e424 ">To create a travel time buffer: </td>

                <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d123442e424 ">Edit on service territories</td>

              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>

1. From the App Launcher, find and select **Service Territories**.
2. Select the Service Territory record that you want to configure.
3. Find the **Travel Time Buffer (in minutes)** field and click the **Edit** icon.
4. Enter the desired buffer time in minutes (0-120).
5. **Save** the Service Territory record.

Service appointments within this territory will automatically have this buffer added to their calculated travel time unless a different buffer is specified on the individual service appointment record. This buffer shouldn’t be applied to capacity limit calculations. It's recommend to account for ‌buffer time when entering the average travel time per territory.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_field_service-264-0-0-production-enus/3f7dceb9-dd70-454a-b49e-bbb4526a158d/images/icon_note.png)

Note Manually changing the buffer value on a Service Territory doesn't automatically recalculate travel times for already scheduled appointments within that territory. When a scheduling operation occurs, the new value is calculated.

## Set Up an Org-Wide Default Travel Time Buffer

Configure a default travel time buffer that applies across your entire org. This org-wide buffer is used only when no specific buffer is defined at the service appointment or service territory level.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:50%">
              <col style="width:50%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d123442e533">User Permissions Needed</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d123442e533 ">To create a travel time buffer: </td>

                <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d123442e533 ">Field Service Admin permission set</td>

              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>

1. From the **App Launcher**, find and open the `Field Service Admin` app.
2. Click the **Field Service Settings** tab.
3. Click **Scheduling**, then click **Routing**.
4. Locate the **Travel Time Buffer** setting.
5. Enter the default buffer time in `minutes`. The value must be a whole number between 0 and 120. This buffer adds time for activities such as parking or site access before work begins.
6. **Save** your changes.

Any service appointment that doesn't have a buffer defined on its own record or on its service territory uses this org-wide default buffer value during scheduling calculations.