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Smart360 Dispatcher Management System - FAQs

Getting Started & Dashboard Overview

Q1: What is the Dispatcher Management System and who should use it? A: The Dispatcher Management System is a comprehensive dispatch console that centralizes service order management, technician tracking, and intelligent assignment capabilities. It's primarily designed for:

  • Dispatchers: Coordinate and assign field service orders to technicians
  • O&M Managers: Oversee overall field operations and resource allocation
  • Field Force Technicians: Receive assigned orders and update status

Q2: How do I access the Dispatcher dashboard in Smart360? A: To access the Dispatcher dashboard:

  • Log into your Smart360 system with dispatcher credentials
  • Navigate to the Work Order (WX) module from the main navigation
  • Select "Dispatcher Management" from the available options
  • The dashboard displays with pending service orders and summary metrics

Q3: What information is displayed on the main Dispatcher dashboard? A: The main dashboard shows four key metric cards:

  • Total Orders: Complete count of all pending service orders
  • Created This Month: New orders generated in the current month
  • Overdue Orders: Orders past their 48-hour SLA deadline
  • Refused Orders: Orders declined by assigned technicians

Service Order Management & Filtering

Q4: How do I filter and search service orders in the system? A: Use the "Search and Filters" section to narrow down service orders:

  • Service Association: Filter by All Associations, Meter, Consumer, or Asset
  • Status: Filter by All Status, Created, Assigned, or Overdue
  • Priority: Filter by All Priorities, Critical, High, Medium, or Low
  • Area: Filter by All Areas or specific geographic locations
  • Search Bar: Enter SO ID or SO Name for specific order searches

Q5: What do the different service order statuses mean? A: Service orders progress through these statuses:

  • Created: Newly generated orders awaiting assignment
  • Assigned: Orders assigned to technicians but not yet accepted
  • Accepted: Orders accepted by technicians and ready for execution
  • In Progress: Orders currently being executed by technicians
  • Completed: Successfully finished orders
  • Refused: Orders declined by assigned technicians

Q6: How are overdue orders identified and what should I do with them? A: Overdue order identification:

  • Orders automatically flagged as overdue after 48 hours past SLA due time
  • Displayed with red priority indicators for immediate visibility
  • Require immediate attention and potential reassignment
  • Should be prioritized for assignment to available technicians

Creating New Service Orders

Q7: How do I create a new service order in the system? A: To create a new service order:

  • Click the "Create Service Order" button on the dashboard
  • Select appropriate SOP template from categorized list (Meter, Consumer, Asset)
  • Use the search bar to find specific templates by name or description
  • Set priority level and add any necessary notes
  • Complete entity selection and technician assignment

Q8: What information is available when selecting SOP templates? A: SOP templates display:

  • Template Name: Specific procedure name and description
  • Service Association: Category (Meter, Consumer, Asset)
  • Estimated Time (TAT): Expected completion time (e.g., 3h 30m, 2h 15m)
  • Description: Detailed work description (e.g., "Replace an existing meter with a new one")
  • Cost Estimates: Associated service costs and effort requirements

Q9: How does entity selection work when creating service orders? A: Entity selection process varies by service type:

  • Meter Selection: Search by meter number, type, or premise with area filtering
  • Consumer Selection: Search by name, account number, or phone with area filtering
  • Asset Selection: Search by asset name, ID, or type with area filtering
  • Pagination: 5 entities per page with navigation controls
  • Multi-Select: Use checkboxes or "Select All" for bulk selection

Technician Assignment & Optimization

Q10: How do I assign technicians to service orders? A: Technician assignment options:

  • Auto-Assign Best Match: System recommends optimal technician based on skills, distance, and workload
  • Manual Assignment: Select specific technician from available list
  • Bulk Assignment: Assign multiple orders to one or multiple technicians simultaneously
  • Review technician details including skills, workload, and distance before assignment

Q11: How is the "Best Match" percentage calculated for technician assignments? A: Best Match calculation is based on:

  • Skills Compatibility: 40% weighting based on required vs. available skills
  • Proximity: 30% weighting based on distance from technician location
  • Priority Level: 20% weighting based on order urgency
  • Estimated Completion Time: 10% weighting based on technician efficiency
  • When best match percentages are equal, prefer technician with lower workload

Q12: How does the system calculate technician distance and workload? A: Distance and workload calculation:

  • Active Workload: Distance calculated from technician's nearest assigned order to new service location
  • Zero Workload: Distance calculated from technician's base location
  • Workload Display: Color-coded indicators - Green (0-2), Yellow (3-4), Red (5+)
  • Ranking Priority: Closest distance first, then lower workload for equal distances

Q13: What information is displayed for available technicians? A: Technician information includes:

  • Name and Field Force ID: Unique technician identification
  • Skills: Primary skills and additional skills count (+1, +3 format)
  • Current Workload: Number of active assignments
  • Distance: Real-time distance to service location
  • Best Match %: Compatibility score for the specific service order
  • Utilization %: Current capacity usage percentage

Bulk Assignment Operations

Q14: How do I perform bulk assignment of service orders? A: Bulk assignment process:

  • Select multiple service orders using individual checkboxes or "Select All"
  • Note: Checkboxes are disabled for orders with existing technician assignments
  • Click "Assign" button to open the Technician Assignment Modal
  • Review summary of selected orders and required skills
  • Choose technician based on best match percentage and utilization

Q15: Can I view selected service orders on a map before assignment? A: Yes, the system provides map functionality:

  • Toggle between List View and Map View using the view switcher
  • Map View displays all selected service orders geographically
  • Helps visualize geographic clustering for efficient assignment
  • Enables better decision-making for route optimization

Q16: What happens if a technician refuses an assigned service order? A: When orders are refused:

  • System automatically tracks refusal in the "Refused Orders" count
  • Order status changes back to "Created" for reassignment
  • Dispatcher receives notification of refusal
  • Order becomes available for assignment to another technician
  • Refusal history is tracked for performance analysis

Monitoring Assigned Service Orders

Q17: How do I monitor assigned service orders and their progress? A: To monitor assigned orders:

  • Navigate to the "Assigned Service Orders" tab
  • Review status cards: Assigned, Accepted, In Progress, Refused Service Orders
  • Monitor real-time updates as technicians change order status
  • Access individual order details by clicking SO ID links
  • Track progression from "Assigned" to "Accepted" to "In Progress"

Q18: What actions can I take on assigned service orders? A: Available actions include:

  • View Details: Access comprehensive order information including job requirements
  • Reassign Technician: Change assignment when issues arise
  • Monitor Status: Track real-time progress updates
  • Communication: Contact assigned technician directly
  • Timeline Tracking: Review assignment timestamps and expected completion

Q19: When should I reassign a service order to a different technician? A: Consider reassignment when:

  • Technician refuses the assigned order
  • Technician becomes unavailable due to emergency or illness
  • Original assignment shows delays or complications
  • Higher priority orders require the assigned technician
  • Skills mismatch becomes apparent after assignment

Completed Service Orders Analysis

Q20: What metrics are available for completed service orders? A: Completed service order metrics include:

  • Total Service Orders (1,247): Complete count of all service orders
  • Total Assigned Orders (89): Currently in progress
  • Total Completed Orders (1,158): Successfully finished
  • Average Completion Time (2h 35m): Mean resolution time across all completed orders

Q21: How do I analyze SLA compliance for completed orders? A: SLA compliance analysis:

  • Use SLA Status filter: All SLA Status, Within SLA, SLA Breached
  • Review completed orders table with SLA compliance indicators
  • Green indicators show "Within SLA" completion
  • Red indicators show "Overdue" or SLA-breached orders
  • Calculate compliance rate: (Completed within SLA / Total Completed) × 100

Q22: What detailed information is available for completed service orders? A: Completed order details include:

  • SO ID, Name, Reference Number: Order identification
  • Service Association: Type and category details
  • Technician: Assigned field personnel
  • Status: Final completion status
  • Timeline: Created On, Assigned On, Completed On timestamps
  • Time Taken: Actual completion duration
  • Performance Metrics: Estimated vs. actual comparisons

Service Order History & Analytics

Q23: How do I access and analyze historical service order data? A: To access historical data:

  • Navigate to the "History Service Orders" tab
  • View historical metrics: Total, Completed, Approved, Rejected Service Orders
  • Use filters for Service Association, Status, and SLA compliance
  • Search by "Search service orders..." field
  • Use "Clear Filters" to reset all applied criteria

Q24: What insights can I gain from the service order history? A: Historical analysis provides:

  • Long-term Performance Trends: Completion rates and efficiency patterns
  • Technician Performance History: Individual and team productivity
  • Service Delivery Patterns: Peak periods and resource requirements
  • SLA Compliance Trends: Historical compliance rates and improvement areas
  • Resource Utilization: Technician assignment patterns over time

Advanced Features & Optimization

Q25: How does the system handle nearby service orders optimization? A: Nearby service orders optimization:

  • System automatically detects top 5 nearby service orders
  • Displays proximity information (e.g., "30min" travel time)
  • Shows SO ID, service type, priority level, and location details
  • Color-coded priority badges: High (red), Medium (orange), Low (green)
  • Helps optimize technician routing for multiple assignments

Q26: What service association details are available when viewing orders? A: Service association details vary by type:

  • Meter Orders: Meter No, Device No, Premise, Physical Status, Reading Status, Assignment Status
  • Consumer Orders: Account No, Name, Phone No, Area, SubArea, Premise, Consumer History (top 3)
  • Asset Orders: Asset ID, Asset Name, Location, Condition, RPN, Status

Q27: How do I use the search functionality across different tabs? A: Search functionality varies by tab:

  • Pending Orders: Search by SO ID or SO Name
  • Assigned Orders: Search by SO ID, Name, Reference Number, or Technician
  • Completed Orders: Search by SO ID, Name, Reference Number, or Technician
  • History Orders: Search by service orders with general search terms
  • All tabs support real-time search with minimum character requirements

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

Q28: What performance metrics should I monitor for optimal dispatch operations? A: Key performance metrics include:

  • Assignment Efficiency: Time from order creation to technician assignment
  • SLA Compliance Rate: Percentage of orders completed within target time
  • First-Time Resolution Rate: Orders completed without reassignment
  • Technician Utilization: Distribution of workload across available technicians
  • Completion Time Variance: Actual vs. estimated completion times

Q29: How can I identify and address operational bottlenecks? A: Bottleneck identification strategies:

  • Monitor overdue orders count and trends
  • Analyze technician utilization percentages for imbalances
  • Review refused orders patterns to identify assignment issues
  • Track completion time variance to identify efficiency problems
  • Use geographic analysis to identify coverage gaps
  • Monitor skill matching success rates for training needs

Q30: What reports and analytics are available for management review? A: Available reports include:

  • Assignment Performance Reports: Detailed analysis of assignment efficiency and outcomes
  • Resource Utilization Metrics: Technician productivity and capacity analysis
  • Trend Analysis: Historical patterns and optimization opportunities
  • SLA Compliance Reports: Service level agreement performance tracking
  • Cost Analysis: Total cost, time, downtime, and efficiency metrics
  • Performance Comparisons: Estimated vs. actual completion data in completed orders
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