Rule conflict error messages

When rule logic results in conflicts, errors are reported on-screen and through email sent from Auto Assignment. In some cases, processing cannot be completed. With release 2024.04, error messages and accompanying emails provide details about some types of conflicts.
The bulleted list shows the types of conflicts that result in error messages on-screen and in email:
  • Contradictory maximum and minimum hours per time period: This conflict occurs when opposing rules for the maximum and minimum hours allocated per time period have been created. For example, a maximum limit of one hour per time period conflicting with a minimum requirement of two hours per time period creates an unsolvable scheduling scenario.
  • Maximum hours per time period conflict with fixed shift rules: An error occurs when the rules for maximum hours per time period are incompatible with the predefined fixed shift rules, leading to scheduling inconsistencies.
  • Schedule to budget rule conflict with fixed shift rule: This issue occurs when the schedule to budget rule, which is usually flexible, conflicts with the more rigid fixed shift rule, causing a scheduling impasse.
  • Fixed shift hours conflict with shift rule configuration parameters: A conflict occurs when the hours assigned to fixed shifts do not align with the parameters outlined in the shift rule configuration.
  • Maximum number of shifts per time period conflict for fixed shifts: This situation occurs when the maximum number of allowed shifts per time period contradicts the established fixed shifts, leading to an infeasible solution.

Example scenario and resulting error message

A rule was created that requires a minimum of two shifts and a maximum of one shift per scheduling period. This illogical rule fails to execute and results in these messages:

The algorithm cannot find a feasible solution that meets all the hard constraints.
Employee Doe, John in group Auto-Assignment Weekly is causing conflicts with rule(s) 
- Localizable String 
Min 2 Shifts Per Time Period - Rule Label specified by user
Max 1 Shifts Per Time Period - Rule Label specified by user

The messages, which appear on-screen and are sent as email to the person who ran the Auto Assignment task, provide enough details to identify and fix the conflicting rules that caused the failure.