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Configure Optimization for Field Work in Workforce Scheduling

Configure org-level defaults for field-work optimization, including pin criteria and commit mode for global, in-day, and resource schedule optimization runs. Optimization is relevant to field appointments only.

Required Editions

Available in: Lightning Experience
Available in: Enterprise and Unlimited Editions
User Permissions Needed
To configure optimization: Workforce Scheduling Admin

Configure the org-level defaults from Scheduling and Optimization in Setup, on the Field Scheduling tab.

Set Pin Criteria for Optimization

Pin criteria lock the start time of appointments in specific statuses so the optimization engine leaves them in place. Use pin criteria to protect appointments that are already dispatched, in progress, or committed to a customer.

  1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Workforce Scheduling, and then select Scheduling and Optimization.
  2. Select the Field Scheduling tab.
  3. Under Optimization, select the Pin Criteria for each optimization type. Pin criteria determine which appointment statuses stay locked during an optimization run, for example, Dispatched, In Progress, or Completed.
  4. Save your changes.

Considerations:

  • Appointments in unselected statuses are candidates for the optimization engine to move, within the limits of your scheduling policies, work rules, and service objectives.
  • Pin criteria set here apply to optimization runs only. To pin appointments during scheduling actions, see Pin Appointments by Status.

Choose a Commit Mode

Commit mode controls what happens when a user changes the schedule while an optimization run is in progress. Workforce Scheduling watches for conflicts across the optimized date range and one buffer day on each side. A conflicting change is any of these: creating or deleting a Service Appointment, creating or deleting a Resource Absence, or updating a Service Appointment’s Assigned Resource, Scheduled Start, or Scheduled End.

Each optimization type has its own org-wide default Commit Mode:

  • Global Optimization defaults to Always Commit, because global runs are typically overnight when concurrent changes are rare and partial improvements are usually preferable to no change.
  • In-Day Optimization defaults to Rollback, because in-day runs happen during the working day when concurrent changes are likely, and rolling back protects the schedule from conflicts.
  • Resource Schedule Optimization (RSO) defaults to Rollback, because RSO covers a single resource’s day and rolling back on any concurrent change keeps the resource’s schedule consistent.
  1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Workforce Scheduling, and then select Scheduling and Optimization.
  2. Select the Field Scheduling tab.
  3. Under Optimization, select the Commit Mode for each optimization type according to the guidelines:
    • Rollback: If a potentially conflicting change occurs during the run, the optimization rolls back and the schedule stays unchanged. Rollback is the conservative choice: it protects the schedule from conflicts at the cost of losing the run’s improvements.
    • Always Commit: Optimization results commit even when concurrent changes occur. The schedule updates per the optimization results, though the change can create overlaps or scheduling discrepancies that need manual reconciliation.
  4. Save your changes.

Considerations:

  • Commit Mode applies to Global, In-Day, and Resource Schedule Optimization runs only. It doesn’t affect scheduling-flow or manual scheduling actions.
  • Rollback protects the schedule at the cost of losing an optimization run’s improvements when a conflict occurs. Expect more frequent rollbacks in orgs where the schedule changes often during optimization windows.
  • Always Commit favors improvement over consistency and can leave the schedule with overlaps that need manual reconciliation.

See Also