Define Broadcast
Explanation
This activity is used to define scheduling broadcasts. Broadcasts are company
specific and each company can have one or more broadcasts defined for it. The
broadcast tells the Scheduling Engine how and when a plan is to be returned to
IFS Applications. Broadcasts can be set up per allocation type, i.e. DSE (Dynamic Scheduling Engine), ABE (Appointment Booking Engine), SDS (Scheduling Dispatch Service)
or ISWB (Internet Scheduling Work Bench). The connection between the broadcast
and allocation type is made on the applicable dataset. For more information on
setting up a dataset, refer to the activity Define Dataset.
Note: There can be one broadcast set up for both DSE and SDS broadcasts,
whereas a separate broadcast is required for a ISWB and ABE broadcast.
- For DSE broadcasts, the DSE produces a plan which
you can choose to assign or unassign directly on the work order.
- For ABE broadcast, the ABE returns a plan with a set of suggested
appointment offers, in which you can select one of them as the booked appointment for the
work order.
- For SDS broadcasts, the SDS will return the
suggested dispatches, i.e. the work orders and employees that are suggested
to be assigned, to IFS Applications. The work orders that are returned are
automatically promoted to the Assigned status and the Executed By
field on the work order is set to the suggested employee's ID.
- For ISWB broadcasts, IFS Applications will be
synchronized with the changes made to the data in the ISWB.
For DSE broadcasts, how the plan is to be returned is determined by the
broadcast type that is selected. If the broadcast is set up with the File
broadcast type, the plan is returned and stored using File transfer. If the Webservice broadcast type is selected, the
plans will be returned using HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) services.
The
parameters for each broadcast type must be entered when defining the broadcast.
For the File broadcast type, you need to enter the "file_path" parameter
with the relevant output path for the File messages. The Broadcast Manager
Service (BMS) can either;
- Write to the file input folder in IFS Connect on the IFS Applications
server for processing files from Mobile Workforce Management.
- Write to a local folder on the MWFM server and configure IFS Connect
with a remote file reader agent that reads that folder.
The file_path must be set from the viewpoint of the BMS.
For the Webservice
broadcast type, the "username" "password", "url" and "wsid'' parameters must be
defined with the name and password of the user who is allowed to access the
Mobile Workforce Management Integration, and the address and name of the web service that is to be
accessed.
When the plan is to be returned is determined by
several values, i.e. the minimum plan quality, maximum wait and maximum
frequency. The minimum plan quality determines the minimum quality of the plan
that is to be returned while the maximum wait determines the maximum time to
wait before returning the plan (in minutes). The plan will be returned when
either the minimum plan quality is reached or when the maximum wait time is
reached, whichever occurs first. The maximum frequency determines the frequency
(in minutes) at which the plans should be returned. You can choose the type of
plan that should be returned, i.e. a complete plan, change plan or a workbench plan. When
setting up an ISWB or ABE broadcast, the minimum plan quality, maximum wait minutes and
maximum frequency should be set to "0" or left blank.
Broadcast Parameter Values
The value of the selected broadcast parameter. Valid values are:
File:
- file_path - enter the full file output path of the broadcast as seen from
the Broadcast Manager Service (BMS) on the Mobile Workforce Management server,
e.g. "C:\360\Output". The path should correspond to the file input folder in IFS
Connect on the IFS Applications server for processing files from Mobile
Workforce Management.
Http:
- username - enter the name of the user who is allowed to access the Mobile
Workforce Management Integration (Name of the user granted to the permission set SCH360_WEBSERVICE, selected as the integration user)
- If IFS Middleware Server is setup to use Single Sign-On (SSO), in addition to the above requisites the user also has to be an Active Directory (AD) user and the username has to be specified in the DOMAIN\USERNAME format.
- password - enter the password of the user who is allowed to access the
Mobile Workforce Management Integration (Password of user granted to the permission set SCH360_WEBSERVICE, selected as the integration user)
- If the user is an AD user, enter the AD password of the user.
- url - enter the address of the Web Service (SOAP Gateway) in IFS
Applications (http://SERVERNAME:58080/fndext/soapgateway). The URL can also be defined using substitution variables
e.g. #URL#/fndext/soapgateway.
For more information on substitution variables relating to the Mobile Workforce
Management Integration please refer to the activity Define Scheduling Configuration.
- wsid - enter the identifier of the Web Service you wish to access in IFS
Applications ("IFS" should be used for all broadcasts, except for iSWB where "IFSWORKBENCH"
should be used).
Prerequisites
To perform this activity, the company must have been
defined in IFS/Enterprise.
System Effects
- Scheduling broadcasts are defined for the company and the applicable broadcast can be activated.
- The broadcasts can be connected to scheduling
datasets.
Window
Scheduling Broadcast
Related Window Descriptions
Scheduling Broadcast
Procedure
Follow this procedure to define a DSE or SDS broadcast:
- Open the Scheduling Broadcast
window.
- Verify that the correct company is in use. If not,
right-click and click Change Company to change the company.
- Create a new record (F5).
- In the Broadcast ID field, enter the
identity of the broadcast.
- In the Description field, enter a
description of this broadcast.
- In the Minimum Plan Quality (%) field,
enter the plan quality as a percentage.
- In the Broadcast Type field, enter the
broadcast type. Note:
For iSWB broadcasts, this field should be set to Webservice.
- In the Plan Type field, select "Change".
- In the Maximum Wait Minutes field, enter
the maximum time in minutes to wait before a plan to be returned.
- In the Maximum Frequency Minutes field,
enter the frequency in minutes for the plan to be generated.
- In the Parameter Value field, enter the
valid value of the parameter. For instance, for the wsid parameter,
you need to enter the parameter value IFS.
- Save the information (F12).
Follow this procedure to define an ISWB broadcast:
- Open the Scheduling Broadcast
window.
- Verify that the correct company is in use. If not,
right-click and click Change Company to change the company.
- Create a new record (F5).
- In the Broadcast ID field, enter the
identity of the broadcast.
- In the Description field, enter a
description of this broadcast.
- In the Minimum Plan Quality (%) field,
enter 0. This value is not used for ISWB broadcasts.
- In the Broadcast Type field, enter the
broadcast type.
- In the Plan Type field, select "Workbench".
- In the Maximum Wait Minutes field, enter
0 or leave the field blank. This value is not used for ISWB broadcasts.
- In the Maximum Frequency Minutes field,
enter 0 or leave the field blank. This value is not used for ISWB
broadcasts.
- In the Parameter Value field, enter the
valid
value of the parameter. For instance, for the wsid parameter, you
need to enter the parameter value IFSWORKBENCH.
- Save the information (F12).
Follow this procedure to define an ABE broadcast:
- Open the Scheduling Broadcast
window.
- Verify that the correct company is in use. If not,
right-click and click Change Company to change the company.
- Create a new record (F5).
- In the Broadcast ID field, enter the
identity of the broadcast.
- In the Description field, enter a
description of this broadcast.
- In the Minimum Plan Quality (%) field,
enter 0. This value is not used for ABE broadcasts.
- In the Broadcast Type field, select the
broadcast type Webservice.
- In the Plan Type field, select "Complete".
- In the Maximum Wait Minutes field, enter
0 or leave the field blank. This value is not used for ABE broadcasts.
- In the Maximum Frequency Minutes field,
enter 0 or leave the field blank. This value is not used for ABE
broadcasts.
- In the Parameter Value field, enter the
valid
value of the parameter. For instance, for the wsid parameter,
you
need to enter the value IFS.
- Save the information (F12).