Route-based

You can maintain the default information required for the multi-activity planning in the Multi Activity Planning section, on the Service tab of User Setting window. You can also define the Planning Method, Distance Calculation Method, Route Start Address, Average Travel Speed, Travel Offset Time, and so on.

The planning process is executed based on the value of the Planning Method specified in the User Settings.

The Route Based method fields:

• Distance Calculation Method: This method is used to calculate the distance between two locations.
  • As The Crow Flies: Distance is calculated using a simple formula
  • Bing Maps: Uses a dedicated web service. An internet connection is required wherein LN requests the Bing maps web service to calculate the distance.
• Start Address of Route: The value in this field is used as the starting address for the route based planning.
  • First Activity: Start the route at the first activity. This is the default value.
  • Company: Start the route at the company address.
  • Department: Start the route at the service department address.
  • Employee: Start the route at the service employee address.
• Keep Sequence Of Activities: If you select this check box, the application does not change the sequence of the activities when planning for the specified group. A route is defined from the first activity, to the last activity. The order of the activities is not changed. Only the distance and the travel time between the locations of the service orders, are calculated.

When you select this check box and select the Multi-activity Planning option, the Activity Sequence grid with the list of activities, selected by the user, is enabled. Use the Up and Down arrows to change the sequence of activities. After the sequence is set, click Generate Group Plan.

When this check box is cleared, the shortest route between the locations is calculated and the order of the activities is updated.

• Respect Earliest Start Time: Select this check box to indicate if the earliest start time of a service order activity must be considered.
  • If this check box is selected, the service order activity is planned with Planned Start Time set to the Earliest Start Time.
  • If this check box is cleared, the Planned Start Time can be planned before the Earliest Start Time.
• Respect Latest Finish Time: Select this check box to indicate if the latest finish time of a service order activity must be considered.
  • If this check box is selected, the Planned Finish Time cannot be scheduled after the Latest Finish Time. The service order activity is not planned and a warning message is displayed.
  • If this check box is cleared, the Planned Finish Time can be scheduled after the Latest Finish Time.

The Preview Route Plan option is used to preview the route plan. You can also change the Start Address of Route, or Average Travel Speed, or select the check boxes (such as Respect Earliest Start Time and so on), before you click Generate Plan.

When you click the Preview Route Plan, the entire route is planned and the complete information such as the Start city of the route, planned travel start and finish times, planned start and finish times, travel duration, travel distance, and End city of the route, are displayed in the Activity Sequence grid. Information about the route start and end city are displayed in a dummy row at the start and end of the Activity Sequence grid. When the Company, or Service Department, or Service employee for the Route start address is defined, the route begins at the respective location address and is completed only on reaching the Company, or Service department, or Service employee location address. The travel finish time to reach the respective locations is displayed with the route end city in a dummy row at the end of the grid.

Start time is based on travel distance and time. Planning is based on the start address of the service employee.

Indicative route on the map based on the locations and sequence.