--- schema_version: "1" id: b7c9c9a653c85b5af36dd568c256bdb4a62d13a8c6899c5d6238abb41297d464 title: Key Concepts collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/wfs_key_concepts.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.wfs_key_concepts.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: dac6d2e1b993d3abbe611f82c36a9b322f732bacafd8c23257b39b9da1c1605e description: Learn the scheduling methods, records, and classification model that Workforce Scheduling uses to run on-site and field work on one platform. products: - Public Sector - Service Cloud release: "264" --- # Key Concepts Learn the scheduling methods, records, and classification model that Workforce Scheduling uses to run on-site and field work on one platform. ### Required Editions
Available in: Lightning Experience
Available in: Enterprise and Unlimited Editions
Workforce Scheduling covers appointment scheduling, resource management, and a central console for both on-site and field work. Both run on the same platform and setup. A classification model keeps them apart where they differ. ## Scheduling Methods The scheduling method sets where an appointment takes place. - **On-site**: at one of your branches. - **Field**: at the customer's location. Both methods share one scheduling flow but differ in how you schedule resources and their time slots. An on-site appointment is tied to a branch that you find by address. Then, you select a resource and their time slot from a calendar. A field appointment is tied to a service territory and the customer's address. You select from slots that a scheduling policy scores and ranks. For field appointments, you can also schedule automatically, find candidates, and optimize appointments and resources. ![The unified scheduling flows modal that shows the different scheduling methods - on-site and field side-by-side.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-workforce_scheduling-264-0-0-production-enus/1eb114f2-bdf8-40c9-98ed-accb880f7906/workforce_scheduling/images/wfs_scheduling_methods.png) ## Classification by Scheduling Method Most records you set up carry a scheduling method, so one org can run both types of scheduling. - Every appointment is either field or on-site, so it's scheduled with the relevant logic. - Visits create field service appointments automatically. Interactions create on-site service appointments automatically. - A work type's scheduling method is on-site, field, or both, and it decides what appointments you can schedule for that work. The work type also names the object to schedule against for each method in the on-site schedulable object and field schedulable object fields. The default schedulable object is a service appointment or visit for field, and a service appointment or interaction for on-site. - A scheduling policy can support both field and on-site scheduling. - Some work rules apply to one method, some to both. For a rule that supports both, select whether it applies to field scheduling, on-site scheduling, or both. To apply different settings per method, add the same rule to the policy twice - one for field scheduling and one for onsite scheduling. - Each service objective applies to either field or on-site scheduling, not both. - Operating hours are scoped to field work or on-site work. Create separate operating hours for each, and categorize every time slot as field or on-site. Field and on-site availability can't overlap. ## Appointment Scheduling Schedule appointments across multiple channels and appointment types. With inbound scheduling, customers create appointments through a site such as an Experience Cloud site. With outbound scheduling, your team creates appointments for customers. - **Service appointments**: create, reschedule, modify, cancel, and delete service appointments tied to work types and service territories. - **Interaction scheduling**: for public sector use cases, schedule, reschedule, and cancel on-site interactions such as consultations, orientation sessions, and case reviews. - **Visit scheduling**: for public sector use cases, schedule, reschedule, and cancel field work such as inspections, investigations, case history visits, and home health appointments. - **Multi-resource appointments**: assign several service resources to one appointment, such as a consultation or audit with multiple officers. ## Resource Management Configure service resources, territories, and work types to match how your workforce is organized. - **Service territories**: the geographic or logical areas where service resources operate. For on-site appointments, a service territory represents a branch. - **Service resources**: the people and assets that perform work, along with their skills, skill levels, and availability. - **Work types**: the kinds of work your team performs, including estimated duration and required skills. - **Availability management**: the operating hours that set when appointments can be scheduled, for on-site and field work. - **Work rules and service objectives**: work rules narrow which resources and times qualify for an appointment, and service objectives score the times that qualify. A scheduling policy combines both. ## Operations Console The Operations Console gives supervisors and managers one view of scheduling activity. From the console, you can: - View appointment schedules and resource availability. - Reassign appointments individually. - Reschedule, unschedule, or cancel appointments. - Manage service resource assignments. - Monitor workloads and timelines. ![A screenshot of the Operations Console that displays service resources and their appointments.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-workforce_scheduling-264-0-0-production-enus/1eb114f2-bdf8-40c9-98ed-accb880f7906/workforce_scheduling/images/wfs_console.png)