WFM UK: Activity-Based Scheduling: Configuring a New Location

Overview

When a new Location is created within Fourth's HR & Payroll product (formerly known as People System), it can then be configured for use within the Scheduling module. This article provides guidance on the available configuration options.

Activity-Based Scheduling is a version of Fourth's Scheduling application, with the primary goal of helping operators deliver high productivity while maximising profits.

Its labour demand model is based on non-revenue-driven activity, where required hours are calculated for each individual job role based on fixed or variable labour standards. The scheduling version is designed with the hotel and retail businesses in mind, who schedule their workforce to specific activities in their operations.

The Activity-Based Scheduling can be configured with (Activity-Based Scheduling Performance) or without the labour standards (Activity-Based Scheduling Enterprise), depending on the complexity of the operation. If the business complexity has changed and would benefit from tailored labour standards settings, please liaise with your Fourth contact to discuss the upgrade options available.

Process

After a new Location has been created (see WFM - Creating a Location for more information), the following steps can be taken:

• Log in to Scheduling and select the required Location

Fig.1 - Selecting a Location

• Then go to the Settings tab

See the two menu options Locations and Departments options on the left-side menu (Fig.2).

Fig.2 - Settings tab with Location and Department options highlighted

Please note: 'Divisions', as they are referred to in HR & Payroll, are known as 'Departments' in Scheduling.

Location Settings

• Select Locations from the left-side menu and then select Edit against the required Location

Fields displayed on the 'Edit Location' page are:

• Name: Location name automatically populated directly from HR & Payroll
  
• Code: Accounting system code, taken directly from HR & Payroll
  
• Postcode: Postcode of the Location (used to populate weather forecasting), taken directly from HR & Payroll
  
• Enable Approval by Department: It is mandatory to tick this box for Activity-Based Scheduling. Allows departments' schedules to be approved independently of each other. This setting can only be enabled if the Scheduled departments as one setting (below) is disabled
  
• T&A ID: Time and Attendance ID from POS or T&A Clock. Enter the code as required. If Time and Attendance is not in use this field can be left blank
  
• Publish Shifts Enabled: If Publish Shifts are enabled for the organisation, please tick the box. This setting can be configured by each Location
  
• Open Shifts Enabled: If Open Shifts are enabled for the organisation, please tick the box. This setting can be configured by each Location
  
• Schedule departments as one: This box should be left un-ticked as all Divisions are scheduled separately in Activity-Based Scheduling
  
• When all fields are complete, select Save

Referring to another existing Location's configuration is a good way to ensure the settings being entered are correct and consistent.

Fig.3 - 'Edit Location' screen

Department Settings

Similarly to Locations, Department settings can also be viewed and updated.

• From the Settings tab In Labour Scheduling, select Departments from the left-side menu
  
• Select Edit against the required Department

Values displayed on the 'Edit Department' page are:

• Department Name – Populated automatically from HR & Payroll
  
• Location - Populated automatically from HR & Payroll
  
• Department Code - Populated automatically from HR & Payroll
  
• Foreign ID - If the portal is integrated with an external HR system, this field is the ID used by the external system to refer to this Department
• EPOS ID – This is the unique ID used for loading wage budgets for this Department
  
• T&A Enabled - If the Department uses Time & Attendance, tick this box to display the T&A clocks in the Schedule page
  
• Use Sales Type Grouping – This setting should be left unticked as sales data is loaded via the FTP route
  
• EPOS Report Type
• Alphabetic Staff Sorting – Displays employees in alphabetical order and prevents moving their order in the Schedule page
  
• Enable Department to Close - Allows the department to be set as 'Closed'
  
• Enable System Forecast
• Enable Labour Demand Graph
• Enable Actual Sales Input
• Enable Activity Based Scheduling – this box needs to be ticked
• Hide Labour Standard Data
• Auto Scheduler Enabled - The organisation setting 'Include Open Shifts in Labour Demand Graph' must be enabled to use the Auto Scheduler and to benefit from all functionalities. The Auto Scheduler interacts with each department's labour demand metrics and generates the shifts needed to fulfil the required labour. If the location is scheduled as one and you enable the Auto Scheduler, it will be enabled for all the Departments.
• Fulfil Labour Demand by Area - This setting will allow you to create open shifts by area to fulfil the labour demand for this department
• Deleted?

Activity-Based Scheduling – Enterprise edition customers will need to raise a ticket to support to finalise the configuration of the departments with a non-customer-facing setting.

Fig.4 - Edit Department screen

To complete the Location and Department setup, configure the activity drivers and labour standards (for Activity Based Scheduling Performance). The step-by-step guides can be found here:

WFM-UK-Activity-Based-Scheduling-Activity-Drivers
WFM-UK-Activity-Based-Scheduling-Performance-Edition-Fixed-Labour-Standards
WFM-UK-Activity-Based-Scheduling-Performance-Edition-Variable-Labour-Standards