Modifying your ZoneScheduler System with the use of Flowing Pipes

For any who do not know, the ZoneScheduler system allows you to divide your territory into between 1 and 30 zones, and allocate JobCount values to each.  Based on zipcodes, ServiceDesk then keeps track of the total JobCount for appointments scheduled within each zone, and interdicts if a call-taker attempts to schedule above allocation.  More importantly, the same setup is used to keep outside entities informed as to your availability status within each zone.  Such entities include ServiceBench, LG, ServicePower and your own On-Line Scheduling feature. 

Absent the use of this FlowingPipes feature, you may encounter a little unwanted quirk in zone-scheduling.  Specifically, it could happen that, say, you've got Zone3 all booked up for a particular day, while right next to it sits Zone4 with 80 percent vacancy.  It could also happen that, in point of fact, it's relatively easy to send Zone4 techs over to work in Zone3 -- and, certainly, you'd far rather do that than have them sit idle while simultaneously losing out on work that could otherwise be scheduled for Zone4. 

Flowing Pipes are designed to address this. 

To understand how the device works, go to your ZoneScheduler form (Shift-F5), and look at how the graphs are setup for each zone (this assumes you've actually done a setup with multiple zones).  Now picture each graph/box as a water tank, and imagine you can create a little pipe that allows water to flow from one tank into another -- not any tank into any other, but just particular pipes (one-way ones at that) that allow water (or, actually, JobCount values) to flow from just below the top of one tank into a particular other tank.

That's the metaphor.  The reality is you can make as many 'pipes' as you want, each of which will allow JobCounts to be shifted (for the purpose of tallying against maximum allocations) from one zone to another.  In every case, the pipe allows flow when the flow-from zone is at or above maximum allocation, and when the flow-to zone still has one or more vacancies. 

In this connection, you'll see that the ZoneScheduler form has a new checkbox, labeled "adjust view for flowing pipes."  This box will remain disabled until and unless you setup some pipes.  Once you do, you'll find that with it checked the graphs change per the above-described scheme (i.e., to make vacancy if possible within any zones that were fully booked and in respect to which you've made pipes that allow JobCounts to flow into zones that still have space). 

How to Make it Work

In principle, it's very simple.  You just need to create a document with two columns, and as many lines as wanted.  Each line is a pipe.  The first number in each line describes a flow-from zone.  The second describes the flow-to zone.  The two numbers are separated with a simple tab.  Thus, your document will look something like this:

This example would create three pipes, one allowing flow from Zone 2 to Zone 4, one from Zone 4 to Zone 2 (remember, pipes are one-way, so if you want flow to go both ways, it will require two pipes), and one from Zone 3 to Zone 5. 

Anyhow, the idea is to create a document similar to the above, then save it with the name, format and location-spec that ServiceDesk expects. 

In practice, if you have Microsoft Excel, it's likely easiest to create your document there (using the columns and rows that are inherent to that environment).  Just make sure you save in Tab-Delimited format.  If you don't have Excel, do it in any text editor (e.g., NotePad, WordPad, Word, etc.), but make sure you're saving it in Plain-Text format. 

The filename ServiceDesk expects (and hence that you should save your document as) is FlowingPipes.TXT

The location where ServiceDesk will look for the file is in the sd\netdata folder on your server drive.

It will be easy, after you've created the document, to see if you did it right. 

In ServiceDesk, go to the ZoneScheduler form (Shift-F5).  If the new little check box ('adjust view for flowing pipes') is now enabled, it means that at least ServiceDesk found the file in the expected location and with the expected name.  Otherwise, it means either you put it in the wrong place, or didn't give it the right name.  Go back and check those details.  (Remember, there's a Windows setting that may be hiding an extension on you, and applications like Word and WordPad are notorious for adding extensions without you knowing it).

If, on the other hand, you get an error when you go to the ZoneScheduler, it's likely you saved the file in the right location and with the right name, but there's a fault in the format.  Unfortunately, besides being notorious for the unadvertised adding of filename extensions, text editors are also notorious for adding invisible internal formatting to a document, even when you don't want it.  You won't see those invisible characters when you have the document open within the editor, but they're there. 

To avoid both problems, be sure to use the 'Save As' option (under 'File' on the application's menu), and be certain that in the 'Save As Type' box (within the dialog where you choose the name, and so on) you specify 'Plain-Text', 'Text Document' or similar choice that denotes nothing but naked text will be saved (in Excel, again, it would be 'Text - TabDelimited').  If you fail to do that, you're likely to encounter both of the above frustrations. 

Also, try not to be put off by the fact that the application asks if you want to save after (per the above) you've already done it.  Whether it's Excel, NotePad, WordPad, or whatever, they're all anxious to save in their own format.  Even if they know you've already saved as plain text (or Tab-Delimited if from Excel), they're hoping you'll save in their native format as well.  In this case you should decline -- since (for the purpose you're fulfilling here) there simply is no need.