Define Location

Explanation

This activity is used to define a location. Locations are used to register information about the location of for instance an equipment object or a work order.
Location Types are not mandatory when creating a Location. Where the location has a location type the location will inherit the information registered against the location type.

If information is entered on the location specifically then this information will take precedence over the information from the location type.
It is also possible to group locations by defining a locality for the location. For more information refer to the activity Define Location Type and Define Locality.

In this activity it is also possible to define the regions that the location is associated with. If the location is not in a Region then there are no region restrictions for this location. If a location is linked to multiple regions then the resource must also be linked to all specified regions, either directly or via a parent region (or have a value for out of region multiplier which is not 0) in order to be allocated to a work order at this location. For more information refer to the activity Define Region.

Furthermore it is possible to define if the location is restricted to be used only with certain companies or sites. If there are no companies or sites defined then there are no restriction for this location. Once location has been restricted to be valid only for one or several specific companies it will no longer be valid for unspecified companies.

The location will be valid for all sites in a specified company. However if the location has been restricted to be valid only for one or several specific sites in company , then it will no longer be valid for unspecified sites.

For a location it is possible to define equipment object addresses connected to this location. If the location has been created from an equipment object address then this address will become the owning address of the location. If the location was not created from an equipment object address the first address that is connected to the location becomes the owning address. If there are several addresses that are connected to the location it is possible change the owning address. The address and map position for a location is retrieved from the owning address.

It is possible to define the availability of a location. If no availability has been defined for the location the location will always be available. The availability for a location will be defined by connecting a work time calendar to the location. It is also possible to define exceptions to the availability of the location by registering an availability exception in the exceptions tab.

It is also possible to define the resource preferences for a location. It is possible to define that one or several scheduling resources are either excluded, required, preferred or non-preferred when carrying out work at the location.

If a scheduling resource is:

• Excluded from the location, then this scheduling resource will not be allocated to work orders at this location.
• Required for this location, then only this scheduling resource will be considered when work orders at this location are allocated.
• Preferred, then this scheduling resource will is likely to be allocated to work orders at this location.
• Non-preferred, then this scheduling resource will is less likely to be allocated to work orders at this location.

Prerequisites

• The region which should be registered for the location must be entered and saved as region in location basic data.
• An equipment object address must be entered and saved for the equipment object that should be connected with the location.
• One or several work time calendars must be entered and saved in application base setup.
• The maintenance employee for which a location preference is to be defined for must first be set up as scheduling resource in scheduling basic data.

System Effects

• A Location is defined, that can be used to register information about for instance an equipment object address and work order address.
• Location can be associated with one or several regions.
• Location can be restricted to be used only with the specified companies and sites.
• Location can be associated with one or several equipment object addresses.
• A work time calendar can be used to define the availability of a particular location.
• Availability exceptions may be defined that takes precedence over the location availability.
• Resource preference can be defined against a location.

Window

Location Locations

Related Window Descriptions

Location
Location Region
Valid for Companies
Object Addresses
Location Availability
Location Preferences 

Procedure

1. Open the Location or Locations window.
2. Create a new record (F5).
3. In the Location ID field, enter the ID of the location. Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is entered the location ID will be set to a sequence number.
4. In the Location Description field, enter a name or a description of the location.
5. In the Location Type field, enter the ID of the location type that the location should be associated with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
6. In the Locality field, enter the ID of the locality that the location should be associated with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
7. In the Add Time field, enter the amount of time in minutes to be added to the travel of an work order at the location.
   Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is given the value of the location type will be considered. 
8. In the Lack Of Coverage field, use the drop down to define whether this location has lack of overage. Lack of coverage informs about bad connectivity at the location. The Lack of Coverage parameter informs the Scheduling Despatch Service to try to send work to the technician before reaching the Location with bad connectivity. Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is given the value of the Location Type will be considered. 
9. In the Do On Location Incentive field, enter a value of either -1 or anything between 1 and 2. Entering a negative means that there is a hard constraint to prioritize all work orders at the location associated with this location whilst visiting the location for another work order. Entering a positive value between 1 and 2 will give a positive incentive to prioritize work orders at the location associated with this location whilst visiting the location for another work order. Entering a value in this field is optional and if no value is given the value of the location type will be considered. 
10. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter the regions which location should be associated with:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Region tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Region ID field, enter the ID of the region. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter the companies which location should be restricted to be valid for:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Valid for Companies tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Company field, enter the ID of the company. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter the sites within the selected company which location should be restricted to be valid for:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Create a new record (F5).
3. In the Site field, enter the ID of the site. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
4. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to define equipment object addresses connected to this location:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Object Addresses tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Site field, enter the ID of the site of the object address the location should be connected with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
5. In the Object ID field enter the ID of object of the object address the location should be connected with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
6. The value for Owning Address will be automatically set to "yes" if this is the first address that is connected with the location. The owning address can be changed by operating right mouse button menu option "Change Owning Address"
7. In the Address ID field enter the ID of address of the object that the location should be connected with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
8. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter the availability for the location:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Availability tab.
3. In the Availability Calendar ID field, enter the ID of the Work Time Calendar that should be used. Use list of values to select a valid value.
4. In the Start Based dropdown define whether the Availability defined should be Start Based or not. The Start Based setting determines whether the work has to be completed within the availability window or whether it only needs to be started within the availability window.
5. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to enter availability exceptions for the location:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Exceptions tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Start Time field, enter the Start Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. In the End Time field, enter the End Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
6. In the Available checkbox enter whether the Time interval entered should be considered Available or Unavailable for the Location.
7. In the Start Based dropdown define whether the Availability defined should be Start Based or not. The Start Based setting determines whether the work has to be completed within the availability window or whether it only needs to be started within the availability window.
8. In the Information field, enter details of the Availability Exception. Entering information in this field is optional.
9. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to generate availability exceptions for the location:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Exceptions tab.
3. Right-click, then click Generate Recurrence...
4. In the Start Time field, enter the Start Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
5. In the End Time field, enter the End Time of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
6. In the Start Based dropdown define whether the Availability defined should be Start Based or not. The Start Based setting determines whether the work has to be completed within the availability window or whether it only needs to be started within the availability window.
7. In the Available checkbox enter whether the Time interval entered should be considered Available or Unavailable for the Location.
8. In the Information field, enter details of the Availability Exception. Entering information in this field is optional.
9. In the Recurrence Pattern select the week days that the Availability Exceptions should be generated for.
10. In the Start field, enter the Start Date of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
11. In the End field, enter the End Date of the Availability Exception. Entering a value in this field is mandatory.
12. Click the Ok button to generate the Availability Exceptions
13. Save the information (F12).

Use the following procedure to define resource preferences for the location:

1. Open the Location window.
2. Click on the Preferences tab.
3. Create a new record (F5).
4. In the Resource ID field, enter the ID of the Resource that the Preference of  the Location should be associated with. Use list of values to select a valid value.
5. In the Preference field enter the Preference value of the Resource ID. 0 = Resource cannot be used, Value greater than 0 and less than 1 = Sliding scale of preference greater than 0 and less than 1.
   1 = No other resources to be considered.
6. In the Information field, enter details of the Resource Preference. Entering information in this field is optional.
7. Save the information (F12).