115 Csfug

Oracle® Field Service
User Guide
Release 11i
Part No. B13768-01
July 2004
Oracle Field Service User Guide, Release 11i
Part No. B13768-01
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Contents
Send Us Your Comments ................................................................................................................... ix
Preface............................................................................................................................................................ xi
1 Understanding Field Service

1.1 Introduction to the Field Service Suite ............................................................................... 1-1
1.2 The Field Service Process ..................................................................................................... 1-3
1.3 Overview of Field Service .................................................................................................... 1-8
1.4 How Field Service Relates to the E-Business Suite......................................................... 1-11
1.5 What is the Field Service Dispatch Center?..................................................................... 1-15
1.6 What is Debrief? .................................................................................................................. 1-19
1.7 What is Preventive Maintenance?..................................................................................... 1-23
1.8 The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process............................................................... 1-24
1.9 What is Spares Management?............................................................................................ 1-31
1.9.1 Integration with Field Service .................................................................................... 1-32
1.9.2 Integration with Depot Repair ................................................................................... 1-33
1.9.3 Field Service Logistics ................................................................................................. 1-33
1.9.4 Field Service Inventory Planning............................................................................... 1-37
1.10 What is the Field Service Portal?....................................................................................... 1-40
1.10.1 Personalized Dashboard ............................................................................................. 1-41
1.10.2 Ability to Search Assigned Tasks .............................................................................. 1-42
1.10.3 View and Create Service Requests, Tasks and Notes ............................................. 1-42
1.10.4 View Spare Parts and Order Parts ............................................................................. 1-42
1.10.5 Ability to Return and Receive Parts .......................................................................... 1-43
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1.10.6 Integration with Knowledge Management and Install Base ................................. 1-43
Part I Debrief and Dispatch Center
2 Using Field Service Dispatch Center

2.1 Working with the Field Service Dispatch Center ............................................................. 2-1
2.2 Finding Tasks ......................................................................................................................... 2-3
2.3 Viewing Task Details ............................................................................................................ 2-6
2.4 Selecting Territories............................................................................................................. 2-10
2.5 Managing Skills and Skill Levels....................................................................................... 2-11
2.6 Assigning Skills to Tasks .................................................................................................... 2-13
2.7 Assigning Skills to Task Templates .................................................................................. 2-14
2.8 Access Spares Management ............................................................................................... 2-15
2.9 View Resource Addresses and Sub Inventories.............................................................. 2-16
2.10 View the Parts Requirement of a Task ............................................................................. 2-17
2.11 Working with the Plan Board ............................................................................................ 2-17
2.12 Working with the Gantt...................................................................................................... 2-20
2.13 Working with the Map........................................................................................................ 2-21
2.14 Scheduling Tasks ................................................................................................................. 2-23
2.14.1 Scheduling a Task Manually....................................................................................... 2-24
2.14.2 Scheduling Using the Unassisted Option ................................................................. 2-25
2.14.3 Scheduling Using the Assisted Option ..................................................................... 2-26
2.14.4 Scheduling Using the Window to Promise Option ................................................. 2-27
2.14.5 Scheduling Using the Intelligent Option .................................................................. 2-28
2.14.6 Scheduling a Task for Multiple Resources ............................................................... 2-29
2.14.7 Scheduling a Task or Tasks Automatically .............................................................. 2-30
2.14.8 Viewing Failed Autonomous Schedule Assignments............................................. 2-31
2.14.9 Optimizing a Service Representative's Trip ............................................................. 2-32
2.14.10 Recalculating a Service Representative’s Trip ......................................................... 2-33
2.14.11 Recalculating All Trips ................................................................................................ 2-34
2.14.12 Canceling a Scheduled Task ....................................................................................... 2-34
2.14.13 Re-assigning a Scheduled Task .................................................................................. 2-35
2.15 Identify and Change Invalid Addresses .......................................................................... 2-36
2.15.1 Run Invalid Addresses Concurrent Program .......................................................... 2-37
2.15.2 Change Invalid Addresses .......................................................................................... 2-38
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2.16 Manage Field Service Resource Availability ................................................................... 2-39
2.16.1 Block Trip for Technician ............................................................................................ 2-39
2.16.2 Unplan Task for Technician........................................................................................ 2-40
2.16.3 Reschedule Technician’s Tasks .................................................................................. 2-42
2.16.4 Unblock Technician Trips ........................................................................................... 2-43
2.17 Committing the Schedule................................................................................................... 2-44
2.18 Reporting on Tasks.............................................................................................................. 2-46
2.19 Viewing Service History..................................................................................................... 2-46
2.20 Viewing the Service Request Details ................................................................................ 2-48
2.20.1 Close Task Automation ............................................................................................... 2-49
3 Using Debrief
3.1 Accessing a Debrief ............................................................................................................... 3-2
3.2 Viewing and Creating Notes ............................................................................................... 3-3
3.3 Accessing your Calendar...................................................................................................... 3-5
3.4 Entering Material................................................................................................................... 3-5
3.4.1 Using Loaner Transactions ........................................................................................... 3-8
3.5 Entering Expenses ................................................................................................................. 3-9
3.6 Entering Labor Time ........................................................................................................... 3-11
3.7 Recording Counter Readings............................................................................................. 3-13
3.8 Viewing Onhand Quantity ................................................................................................ 3-14
3.9 Viewing Parts Requirement............................................................................................... 3-15
3.10 Viewing Service Request .................................................................................................... 3-15
3.11 Updating the Task Assignment Status............................................................................. 3-16
3.12 Viewing a Pro Forma Invoice ............................................................................................ 3-18
Part II Spares Management
4 Using Spares Logistics

4.1 Create Parts Requirement .................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Create Parts Requirement Manually ........................................................................... 4-2
4.1.2 Create Parts Requirement Automatically................................................................... 4-4
4.2 Create an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation............................................................... 4-5
4.3 Use Parts Search Hierarchy.................................................................................................. 4-7
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4.4 Order Parts Using Move Orders ...................................................................................... 4-10
4.4.1 Create Move Orders..................................................................................................... 4-10
4.4.2 Create Reservations...................................................................................................... 4-13
4.4.3 Print Picklists ................................................................................................................ 4-14
4.4.4 Confirm Picklists .......................................................................................................... 4-15
4.4.5 Create Packlists ............................................................................................................. 4-16
4.4.6 Receive Shipments ....................................................................................................... 4-19
4.4.7 View the Status of Move Orders ................................................................................ 4-20
4.5 View Parts Order Status ..................................................................................................... 4-21
4.6 Execute Routine Replenishment........................................................................................ 4-23
4.7 Return Excess Parts ............................................................................................................. 4-24
5 Using the Planner’s Desktop

5.1 Create and Maintain the Planning Tree ............................................................................. 5-2
5.1.1 Managing Subinventories on the Planning Tree ....................................................... 5-6
5.2 Create and Make Planning Recommendations ................................................................. 5-8
5.2.1 Set Up Personal Usage Recommendation Method.................................................. 5-10
5.2.2 Set Up Territory Norm Recommendation Method ................................................. 5-13
5.2.3 Set Up Product Norm Recommendation Method ................................................... 5-15
5.2.4 Define Automated Min-Max Recommendations Business Rules ......................... 5-19
5.2.5 Generate Stock List Recommendations..................................................................... 5-21
5.2.6 Add or Modify Authorized Stock List ...................................................................... 5-23
5.2.7 Set Up Supersessions ................................................................................................... 5-24
5.3 Create Warehouse Notifications........................................................................................ 5-27
5.3.1 Set Up and Create Central Warehouse Notifications.............................................. 5-29
5.3.2 Create Business Rules to Automate Warehouse Notifications .............................. 5-30
5.3.3 Warehouse Replenishment Notifications ................................................................. 5-32
5.3.4 Managing Defective Parts With Depot Repair Integration .................................... 5-34
5.4 View Parts Status on the Planner’s Desktop UI .............................................................. 5-35
6 Loop Planning, Notifications and Reporting Hierarchy

6.1 Define Parts Loops ................................................................................................................ 6-2
6.1.1 Create a Parts Loop ........................................................................................................ 6-2
6.1.2 Assign Subinventories to a Parts Loop ....................................................................... 6-3
6.1.3 Define Master Stock List................................................................................................ 6-4
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6.2 Create and Use Loop Notifications..................................................................................... 6-5
6.2.1 Create Part Availability Data ....................................................................................... 6-6
6.2.2 Create Usage History..................................................................................................... 6-6
6.2.3 View Usage and Forecast Data..................................................................................... 6-7
6.2.4 Create Notifications ....................................................................................................... 6-8
6.2.5 Process Notifications ..................................................................................................... 6-9
6.3 Create Reporting Hierarchy Nodes .................................................................................. 6-10
6.3.1 Assigning Subinventories to Nodes .......................................................................... 6-11
Part III Field Service Portal
7 Configuring Field Service Portal

7.1 Elements of the Dashboard .................................................................................................. 7-1
7.2 Customizing the Dashboard ................................................................................................ 7-3
7.2.1 Create a View.................................................................................................................. 7-3
7.2.2 Personalize the View Display....................................................................................... 7-5
8 Using Field Service Portal

8.1 Using Quick Links................................................................................................................. 8-1
8.1.1 Create Parts Order ......................................................................................................... 8-1
8.1.2 Receive Shipments ......................................................................................................... 8-4
8.1.3 Return Excess Parts........................................................................................................ 8-5
8.1.4 Return Defective Parts................................................................................................... 8-6
8.2 Update a Task ........................................................................................................................ 8-8
8.2.1 Update Task Details and Notes.................................................................................. 8-10
8.2.2 Update Debrief ............................................................................................................. 8-11
8.2.3 Create a Follow-Up Task............................................................................................. 8-14
8.3 Create Service Request ....................................................................................................... 8-15
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Send Us Your Comments
Oracle Field Service User Guide, Release 11i
Part No. B13768-01
Oracle welcomes your comments and suggestions on the quality and usefulness of this document.
Your input is an important part of the information used for revision.
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ix
x
Preface
Welcome to the Oracle Field Service User Guide, Release 11i.

This guide assumes you have a working knowledge of the following:
■ The principles and customary practices of your business area.
■ Oracle Field Service
If you have never used Oracle Field Service, including Spares Management,
Oracle suggests you attend one or more of the Oracle Field Service training
classes available through Oracle University.
■ The Oracle Applications graphical user interface.
To learn more about the Oracle Applications graphical user interface, read the
Oracle Applications User’s Guide.
■ Oracle Self-Service Web Applications.
To learn more about Oracle Self-Service Web Applications, read the Oracle
Self-Service Web Applications Implementation Manual.
See Other Information Sources for more information about Oracle Applications
product information.
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How To Use This Guide
This manual contains the information you need to implement and use the Oracle
Field Service application.
■ Chapter 1 provides an introduction to and an overview of Oracle Field Service,
including the Dispatch Center, Debrief, Spares Management, Preventive
Maintenance, and the Field Service Portal.
■ Chapter 2 provides a task-based process-oriented guide to using the Field
Service Dispatch Center.
■ Chapter 3 provides a task-based process-oriented guide to using the Field
Service Debrief.
■ Chapter 4 provides a task-based process-oriented guide to using the logistics
functionality of the Field Service Spares Management module.
■ Chapter 5 provides an overview of the Planner’s Desktop as well as task-based
process-oriented steps to using this feature of the Spares Management module.
■ Chapter 6 provides task-based process-oriented steps to Loop Planning,
Notifications and the Reporting Hierarchy of Spares Management.
■ Chapter 7 provides an explanation of the elements comprising the Field Service
Portal, as well as detailing process-oriented, task-based procedures for
configuring the Dashboard.
■ Chapter 8 provides a task-based process-oriented guide to using the dashboard
functionality of the Field Service Portal.
xii
Documentation Accessibility
Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation
accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our
documentation includes features that make information available to users of
assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains
markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Standards will continue to
evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading
technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be
accessible to all of our customers. For additional information, visit the Oracle
Accessibility Program Web site at http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/
Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation

JAWS, a Windows screen reader, may not always correctly read the code examples
in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces
should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, JAWS may not always read a
line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.
Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation

This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or
organizations that Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor
makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.
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Other Information Sources
You can choose from many sources of information, including documentation,
training, and support services, to increase your knowledge and understanding of
Oracle Field Service.
If this guide refers you to other Oracle Applications documentation, use only the
Release 11i versions of those guides.
Online Documentation
All Oracle Applications documentation is available online (HTML or PDF).
■ PDF Documentation - See the Online Documentation CD for current PDF
documentation for your product with each release. This Documentation CD is
also available on OracleMetaLink and is updated frequently.
■ Online Help - You can refer to Oracle Applications Help for current HTML
online help for your product. Oracle provides patchable online help, which you
can apply to your system for updated implementation and end user
documentation. No system downtime is required to apply online help.
■ Release Content Document - See the Release Content Document for
descriptions of new features available by release. The Release Content
Document is available on OracleMetaLink.
■ About document - Refer to the About document for information about your
release, including feature updates, installation information, and new
documentation or documentation patches that you can download. The About
document is available on OracleMetaLink.
Related Guides
Oracle Field Service shares business and setup information with other Oracle
Applications products. Therefore, you may want to refer to other guides when you
set up and use Oracle Field Service.
You can read the guides online by choosing Library from the expandable menu on
your HTML help window, by reading from the Oracle Applications Document
Library CD included in your media pack, or by using a Web browser with a URL
that your system administrator provides.
If you require printed guides, you can purchase them from the Oracle Store at
http://oraclestore.oracle.com.
xiv
Guides Related to All Products
Oracle Applications User’s Guide

This guide explains how to enter data, query, run reports, and navigate using the
graphical user interface (GUI). This guide also includes information on setting user
profiles, as well as running and reviewing reports and concurrent processes.
You can access this user’s guide online by choosing “Getting Started with Oracle
Applications” from any Oracle Applications help file.
Guides Related to This Product
Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide

This manual contains detailed information about implementing the Oracle Field
Service application, along with all the other Oracle applications that support a
successful implementation. It includes information on setting user profiles, as well
as profile options and concurrent processes.
Oracle Self–Service Web Applications Implementation Guide

This manual contains detailed information about the overview and architecture and
setup of Oracle Self–Service Web Applications. It also contains an overview of and
procedures for using the Web Applications Dictionary.
Oracle Common Application Components User Guide

Oracle Field Service uses many modules from among the Common Application
Components, including Resource and Task Manager, among others. Refer to this
guide for details on the usage of each module.
Oracle Advanced Scheduler Concepts and Procedures

When Advanced Scheduler is installed, the usage is tightly integrated with the Field
Service application. This guide explains the Advanced Scheduler processes and
how it is integrated with Field Service.
Oracle Field Service/Laptop Concepts and Procedures

This guide will help you to navigate the mobile client, the laptop device, and
explains how to use the Mobile Field Service/Laptop application. Field Service
information is send to the laptop device to be handled by the field service
representative.
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Oracle Field Service/PalmTM Devices Concepts and Procedures
This guide will help you to navigate the mobile client, the palm device, and
explains how to use the Mobile Field Service/PalmTM Devices application. Field
Service information is send to the palm device to be handled by the field service
representative.
Oracle Wireless Option for Service Concepts and Procedures

This guide will help you to navigate the mobile client, the wireless device, and
explains how to use the Oracle Wireless Option for Service application. Field
Service information is send to the wireless device to be handled by the field service
representative.
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Installation and System Administration
Oracle Applications Concepts
This guide provides an introduction to the concepts, features, technology stack,
architecture, and terminology for Oracle Applications Release 11i. It provides a
useful first book to read before an installation of Oracle Applications. This guide
also introduces the concepts behind Applications-wide features such as Business
Intelligence (BIS), languages and character sets, and Self-Service Web Applications.
Installing Oracle Applications

This guide provides instructions for managing the installation of Oracle
Applications products. In Release 11i, much of the installation process is handled
using Oracle Rapid Install, which minimizes the time to install Oracle Applications
and the Oracle technology stack by automating many of the required steps. This
guide contains instructions for using Oracle Rapid Install and lists the tasks you
need to perform to finish your installation. You should use this guide in conjunction
with individual product user guides and implementation guides.
Upgrading Oracle Applications

Refer to this guide if you are upgrading your Oracle Applications Release 10.7 or
Release 11.0 products to Release 11i. This guide describes the upgrade process and
lists database and product-specific upgrade tasks. You must be either at Release 10.7
(NCA, SmartClient, or character mode) or Release 11.0, to upgrade to Release 11i.
You cannot upgrade to Release 11i directly from releases prior to 10.7.
“About” Document
For information about implementation and user documentation, instructions for
applying patches, new and changed setup steps, and descriptions of software
updates, refer to the ”About” document for your product. ”About” documents are
available on OracleMetaLink for most products starting with Release 11.5.8.
Maintaining Oracle Applications

Use this guide to help you run the various AD utilities, such as AutoUpgrade,
AutoPatch, AD Administration, AD Controller, AD Relink, License Manager, and
others. It contains how-to steps, screenshots, and other information that you need to
run the AD utilities. This guide also provides information on maintaining the
Oracle applications file system and database.
xvii
Oracle Applications System Administrator’s Guide
This guide provides planning and reference information for the Oracle Applications
System Administrator. It contains information on how to define security, customize
menus and online help, and manage concurrent processing.
Oracle Alert User’s Guide

This guide explains how to define periodic and event alerts to monitor the status of
your Oracle Applications data.
Oracle Applications Developer’s Guide

This guide contains the coding standards followed by the Oracle Applications
development staff and describes the Oracle Application Object Library components
that are needed to implement the Oracle Applications user interface described in
the Oracle Applications User Interface Standards for Forms-Based Products. This manual
also provides information to help you build your custom Oracle Forms Developer
forms so that the forms integrate with Oracle Applications.
Oracle Applications User Interface Standards for Forms-Based Products

This guide contains the user interface (UI) standards followed by the Oracle
Applications development staff. It describes the UI for the Oracle Applications
products and how to apply this UI to the design of an application built by using
Oracle Forms.
Other Implementation Documentation
Oracle Applications Product Update Notes

Use this guide as a reference for upgrading an installation of Oracle Applications. It
provides a history of the changes to individual Oracle Applications products
between Release 11.0 and Release 11i. It includes new features, enhancements, and
changes made to database objects, profile options, and seed data for this interval.
Oracle Workflow Administrator's Guide

This guide explains how to complete the setup steps necessary for any Oracle
Applications product that includes workflow-enabled processes, as well as how to
monitor the progress of runtime workflow processes.
xviii
Oracle Workflow Developer's Guide
This guide explains how to define new workflow business processes and customize
existing Oracle Applications-embedded workflow processes. It also describes how
to define and customize business events and event subscriptions.
Oracle Workflow User's Guide

This guide describes how Oracle Applications users can view and respond to
workflow notifications and monitor the progress of their workflow processes.
Oracle Workflow API Reference

This guide describes the APIs provided for developers and administrators to access
Oracle Workflow.
Oracle Applications Flexfields Guide

This guide provides flexfields planning, setup and reference information for the
Oracle Field Service implementation team, as well as for users responsible for the
ongoing maintenance of Oracle Applications product data. This guide also provides
information on creating custom reports on flexfields data.
Oracle eTechnical Reference Manuals

Each eTechnical Reference Manual (eTRM) contains database diagrams and a
detailed description of database tables, forms, reports, and programs for a specific
Oracle Applications product. This information helps you convert data from your
existing applications, integrate Oracle Applications data with non-Oracle
applications, and write custom reports for Oracle Applications products. Oracle
eTRM is available on OracleMetalink
Oracle Applications Message Manual

This manual describes all Oracle Applications messages. This manual is available in
HTML format on the documentation CD-ROM for Release 11i.
xix
Training and Support
Training
Oracle offers a complete set of training courses to help you and your staff master
Oracle Field Service and reach full productivity quickly. These courses are
organized into functional learning paths, so you take only those courses appropriate
to your job or area of responsibility.
You have a choice of educational environments. You can attend courses offered by
Oracle University at any one of our many education centers, you can arrange for
our trainers to teach at your facility, or you can use Oracle Learning Network
(OLN), Oracle University's online education utility. In addition, Oracle training
professionals can tailor standard courses or develop custom courses to meet your
needs. For example, you may want to use your organization structure, terminology,
and data as examples in a customized training session delivered at your own
facility.
Support
From on-site support to central support, our team of experienced professionals
provides the help and information you need to keep Oracle Field Service working
for you. This team includes your technical representative, account manager, and
Oracle’s large staff of consultants and support specialists with expertise in your
business area, managing an Oracle server, and your hardware and software
environment.
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Do Not Use Database Tools to Modify Oracle Applications Data
Oracle STRONGLY RECOMMENDS that you never use SQL*Plus, Oracle Data
Browser, database triggers, or any other tool to modify Oracle Applications data
unless otherwise instructed.
Oracle provides powerful tools you can use to create, store, change, retrieve, and
maintain information in an Oracle database. But if you use Oracle tools such as
SQL*Plus to modify Oracle Applications data, you risk destroying the integrity of
your data and you lose the ability to audit changes to your data.
Because Oracle Applications tables are interrelated, any change you make using
Oracle Applications can update many tables at once. But when you modify Oracle
Applications data using anything other than Oracle Applications, you may change a
row in one table without making corresponding changes in related tables. If your
tables get out of synchronization with each other, you risk retrieving erroneous
information and you risk unpredictable results throughout Oracle Applications.
When you use Oracle Applications to modify your data, Oracle Applications
automatically checks that your changes are valid. Oracle Applications also keeps
track of who changes information. If you enter information into database tables
using database tools, you may store invalid information. You also lose the ability to
track who has changed your information because SQL*Plus and other database
tools do not keep a record of changes.
About Oracle
Oracle develops and markets an integrated line of software products for database
management, applications development, decision support, and office automation,
as well as Oracle Applications, an integrated suite of more than 160 software
modules for financial management, supply chain management, manufacturing,
project systems, human resources and customer relationship management.
Oracle products are available for mainframes, minicomputers, personal computers,
network computers and personal digital assistants, allowing organizations to
integrate different computers, different operating systems, different networks, and
even different database management systems, into a single, unified computing and
information resource.
Oracle is the world’s leading supplier of software for information management, and
the world’s second largest software company. Oracle offers its database, tools, and
applications products, along with related consulting, education, and support
services, in over 145 countries around the world.
xxi
Your Feedback
Thank you for using Oracle Field Service and this user guide.
Oracle values your comments and feedback. In this guide is a reader’s comment
form that you can use to explain what you like or dislike about Oracle Field Service
or this user guide. Mail your comments to the following address or call us directly
at (650) 506-7000.
Oracle Applications Documentation Manager
Oracle Corporation
500 Oracle Parkway
Redwood Shores, CA 94065
U.S.A.
Or, send electronic mail to [email protected].
xxii
1
Understanding Field Service
This topic group provides overviews of the application and its components,
explanations of key concepts, features, and functions, as well as the application's
relationships to other Oracle or third-party applications.
Topics covered are:
■ Section 1.1, "Introduction to the Field Service Suite"
■ Section 1.2, "The Field Service Process"
■ Section 1.3, "Overview of Field Service"
■ Section 1.4, "How Field Service Relates to the E-Business Suite"
■ Section 1.5, "What is the Field Service Dispatch Center?"
■ Section 1.6, "What is Debrief?"
■ Section 1.7, "What is Preventive Maintenance?"
■ Section 1.8, "The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process"
■ Section 1.9, "What is Spares Management?"
■ Section 1.10, "What is the Field Service Portal?"
1.1 Introduction to the Field Service Suite

The Oracle Field Service suite supports an automated process used by service
organizations to manage their field service operations. It assists in the entire service
process from taking the customer call to fixing and reporting on the problem at a
customer site. The Spares Management module of Field Service provides parts
replenishment support to the organization.
Understanding Field Service 1-1

Introduction to the Field Service Suite
The Field Service suite offers a range of products to meet your organization’s
business needs. The following table lists all the products in the suite.
Suite Product Description

TeleService Customer Care is not really a product of the Field Service
suite but the Service Request form is delivered with the Field
Service application. The Service Request form takes the
customer’s call for service and creates a service request.
CRM Foundation The products in CRM Foundation are essential to use Field
Service. They are used to create tasks, territories, define
resources, and help in the assignment of tasks to resources.
CRM Foundation comes with Field Service.
Field Service The Field Service application assists in assigning tasks to
service representatives, creating and dispatching daily
schedules, monitoring progress, and reporting on material,
expense, and labor transactions.
The HTML-based field service portal module enables your
technicians to manage and report on their task-based
customer calls from any computer with an internet
connection.
You can also administer Preventive Maintenance programs
from within this application.
Spares Management The Spares Management component provides additional
logistics and planning features to manage a service parts
inventory in a multi-location environment.
Advanced Scheduler Advanced Scheduler provides comprehensive scheduling
capabilities and enables the optimization of tasks to qualified
resources. It uses a set of predefined constraints and
associates costs for creating the most-optimized and
cost-effective schedules for representatives. It takes into
account driving time, distance, availability, SLA response
times, preferred technicians, skills and spare parts.
Mobile Field Mobile Field Service/Laptop is a disconnected remote
Service/Laptop application typically installed at a service representative’s
laptop to receive his daily schedule and report on progress,
material, expense, and labor.
Mobile Field Mobile Field Service/PalmTM Devices is a disconnected
Service/PalmTM Devices remote application for a handheld device so a service
representative can receive his daily schedule and report on
progress, material, expense, and labor.
1-2 Oracle Field Service User Guide

The Field Service Process
Suite Product Description

Mobile Field Field Service Wireless is a connected remote application that
Service/Wireless provides continuous connectivity access to enterprise
applications. Using the wireless enabled devices, the
technicians can remotely access the critical information
required to complete their job at the customer's location. They
can also report on progress of the task assignment and
capture parts, expenses and labor information in real time.
1.2 The Field Service Process

The entire field service process includes several major areas. The process is
initiated by the creation of a field service request. To perform service out in the field,
tasks are linked to the service request. These tasks are assigned to service
representatives. If applicable, required spares will be reserved or ordered. At the
end, the service representative reports on the performed tasks, charges are created
and, if billable, an invoice is created. This process is driven by service request status
and task status changes.
The following topics are reviewed in more detail:
■ The Field Service Business Process
■ How this Process Relates to the E-Business Applications Suite
The Field Service Business Process

The steps in the field service process are described in the table below.
Step Description
1. Field Service Request There are several ways to report a request for service. The
intake & validation customer can create the request by using the Web, using
Computer Telephone Integration (CTI), using e-mail, or by
dialing into a call center where an agent takes the call. A field
service request can also be created by a service representative.
When the request is received, the customer, product, and
contract are checked in the validation step.

Step Description
2. Field Service Request After a service request is created, it is screened to avoid a field
screening & visit. The service request is analyzed by a support agent who
qualification searches the knowledge base for a solution. As an outcome of
this process, the request may be closed, a part may be shipped
to the customer, or the customer might ship the product or a
part for in-house repair. When a field visit is required, a task is
created based on the problem description and action is needed
to resolve the problem. A definition for the parts necessary to
resolve the task can also be given.
For those enterprises employing proactive Preventive
Maintenance programs, the solution provides the capability to
log service requests automatically and allocate tasks to the
appropriate resources with the right parts and schedule them
in anticipation of the service need.
3. Field Service Request The tasks must be scheduled and assigned to the service
planning and dispatch representatives. The scheduling of the tasks is done based on
various constraints such as skills, location, availability, and
required parts. (Note: available constraints for scheduling may
vary dependant on the installation of Advanced Scheduler.)
When the tasks assignment is done the task or schedule is
available for the service representatives. The service
representative can accept or reject the task.
4. Parts Request, If parts are needed, the Spares Management component is used
Planning and to replenish the field service warehouses, prioritize and
Replenishment replenish orders for the field technician, provide a process for
managing excess parts, facilitate recovery, consolidation and
repair of defective parts, and provide inventory planning for
both the technician and field service warehouses.
5. Field Service Request Upon receipt of an assigned task or schedule, the service
delivery and reporting representative delivers the service at the customer’s site. He
reports on progress, materials used, materials recovered,
expenses made, and time spent. Additionally he can record a
counter reading or provide information about how the
problem has been resolved. It might be necessary to create new
tasks or service requests if he can’t help the customer
immediately. He can recover the product or part of the product
for repair and assign it an RMA (Return Material
Authorization) to track the customer product. All the reported
information is used for charges and, in case of billing requests,
invoicing the customer. Reporting on materials used also
results in auto replenishment of the service representative’s car
stock as well as updates to the install base configuration, if
applicable.

Step Description
6. Field Service Request Things can happen any time during the process that endanger
monitoring the execution of a field visit or task assignment. Escalations are
raised to act accordingly.
7. Field Service Request When the service representative is completely done with the
completion and task, he marks the task assignment status as complete and
billing moves on to the next task. The information can be validated by
Service Manager in the office for any service contract or
warranty coverage and charges will be generated. If billable, an
invoice is created. Inventories, subinventories, and installed
base are updated.
Note: Depending on your organization these steps can be

separated or combined.
How this Process Relates to the E-Business Applications Suite

This section shows how this process relates to the E-Business Applications suite of
products. The following table lists the possibilities for a field service solution based
upon the process above.
Step Application
1. Field Service Request Oracle iSupport
intake and validation
A service request can be initiated by the customer or
by an agent through the web.
TeleService
A service request can be initiated by an agent from the
Contact Center and/or Service Request form.
Oracle Mobile Field Service
A service request and/or task can be created by a Field
Service Representative using the Oracle Mobile Field
Service application.
For each service request:
■ Write down the customer information.
■ Capture the Product to validate any warranty or
contract coverage for service.

Step Application
2. Field Service Request TeleService
screening and
Service Request form
qualification
■ Analyze and record the problem.
■ When a field visit is required, take down the address
where the product is to locate the product at the
customers site.
■ Create tasks to perform the visit. Define the field
service task type, define when a service representative
is supposed to arrive at the customers site at Planned
Start and End date. Define how much effort the task
takes for completion, for example, 1 hour, half a day, or
1 day.
3. Field Service Request Field Service
planning and dispatch
Use the Dispatch Center to schedule and dispatch
assign tasks. The Schedule Advise UI will drive the
assignment options used for finding a qualified
resource for the task. Assisted and Unassisted
assignment options are available to all Oracle Field
Service clients. Intelligent and Window to Promise
assignment options including, travel time and distance
calculations and spares integration is only available
when Oracle Advanced Scheduler is installed as well.
Advanced Scheduler
Provides comprehensive scheduling capabilities and
enables the optimization and re-calculation of
scheduling tasks to qualified resources. It uses a set of
predefined constraints and associates costs for creating
the most-optimized and cost-effective schedules for
representatives.
Spares Management
Access the Spares Management application to order
spare parts. When Advanced Scheduler is installed,
and there is a parts requirement, the parts are
automatically reserved or ordered at task assignment.

Step Application
4. Field Service Request Mobile Field Service/Laptop
delivery and reporting
After synchronization, the schedule is received by the
service representative on his mobile device. He reports
on material used, time spent, expenses made, and
counter readings, if applicable.
Mobile Field Service/PalmTM Devices
After synchronization, the schedule is received by the
service representative on his mobile device. He reports
on material used, time spent, expenses made, and
counter readings, if applicable.
Mobile Field Service/Wireless
The schedule is available at all times for the service
representative on his mobile device. He reports on
material used, time spent, and expenses made.
Depot Repair
To create an RMA for a recovered product or part of a
product. Also, when enabled, receives parts in and out
of supply chain warehouses as part of the Spares
Management warehouse notification and
replenishment process.
Field Service
All information is received back from the mobile
devices and consolidated in Debrief. This information
is then updated to Inventory, Installed Base, and
Charges.
5. Field Service Request TeleService
completion and billing
From Charges updates are made to create an invoice
for billable expenses.
Order Management
In case of billable expenses, charges will be received in
Order Management to create an invoice.

Overview of Field Service
1.3 Overview of Field Service

Field Service is an essential part of the Field Service application suite. At the core of
Field Service is the Dispatch Center, which allows the field service dispatcher to
plan, dispatch, and monitor all field service activities. This ultimately ensures that
the right person is in the right place at the right time with the right parts. The Field
Service Report enables you to report all activities performed out in the field. And
Spares Management provides the logistics and planning functionality needed to
manage a service parts inventory.
Review the following to learn more about the Field Service application:
■ Field Service Dispatch Center Features
■ Field Service Debrief Features
■ Field Service Preventive Maintenance Features
■ Field Service Spares Management Features
■ Field Service Portal Features
Field Service Dispatch Center Features

These are the features of the Field Service Dispatch Center:
■ Shows information for a selected task such as a related service request,
escalations, parts requirements and transactions, installed base related
information, resources assigned for a task, customer address information, and
required skills.
■ Schedules and assigns tasks, either automatically or manually, to one or more
service representatives. If Advanced Scheduler is installed, the automatic
process of scheduling tasks can also be run as a background process.
Task assignment can also be done by the use of the Schedule Advise UI
launched from the assignee button on the task tab in the Service Request form.
When Advanced Scheduler is installed, it brings you comprehensive scheduling
capabilities and enables the optimization of scheduling tasks to qualified
resources you can optimize your scheduling capabilities. Driving time and
distance for the service representative is provided, required skills are reviewed
and parts reservations or orders are made for the parts requirements. For more
information, see the Oracle Advanced Scheduler User Guide.
■ Manages parts information. Locating, ordering, and monitoring parts for
specific tasks.

If Advanced Scheduler is installed, locating parts and creating reservations or

orders is done automatically.
■ Commits individual tasks and daily schedules to service representatives, either
automatically or manually. When parts orders are created, this process initiates
the booking of the order for the parts.
Committed tasks or daily schedules are now available for the service
representative’s mobile application with information about the task, related
service request, problem and resolution, customer address information,
installed base information when applicable, and counters.
■ Monitors schedules, activities, and progress, of service representatives.
Use different grids to visualize the planning such as a daily view, view over a
period of time (user definable), or a geographical representation.
Escalation notifications give you the ability to react to non-conforming tasks. A
task becomes non-conforming when not scheduled within a given time frame,
for example, or when contract response times cannot be met. All cases should
be set up in escalation management by rules to be monitored.
■ Makes a selection of tasks based on characteristics defined in customizable
queries, such as ready to be planned, planned for today, or escalated.
■ Views service history for a customer or a product.
■ Manages resource availability for single or multiple technicians. Through the
Trips Managment UI, a dispatcher can easily block the trips of a single field
technician or multiple technicians, temporarily freezing the schedule in the
process. You can also unplan or reschedule the technician’s tasks.
■ Uses robust skills management and assignment functionality to effectively
assign tasks to appropriate technicians, based upon skill requirements and skill
levels.
■ Uses advanced color coding functionally, which makes the various tasks within
the Plan Board and Gantt easily identifiable, depending upon a number of
factors, including the task’s priority, status type, or plan option.
Field Service Debrief Features

These are the features of Debrief:
■ Reports on parts, expenses, and labor for a task assignment. This ultimately
results in updates to Inventory, Installed Base, and Charges.

■ Reports on Counters. From Field Service Debrief you can easily access the
Capture Counter Reading functionality from Oracle Service to capture counter
readings.
■ Offers direct access to specific Spares Management functionality such as Parts
Requirements and View Onhand Quantity.
■ Offers direct access to Notes, Calendar, or Service Request and a Pro Forma
invoice.
Field Service Preventive Maintenance Features

These are the features of Preventive Maintenance program in Field Service:
■ Maintains and administers Preventive Maintenance programs.
■ Logs service requests and allocates tasks to the appropriate resources with the
right parts and schedules them in anticipation of the service need. The
Preventive Maintenance demand can be based on the usage of the relevant item
(estimated or actual usage). Also, the demand can be based on the date interval
calculated from historical information (such as the service fulfillment date) or
on the calendar such as defined in the contract.
■ A concurrent program generates the Preventive Maintenance requests
automatically (service requests and tasks). The tasks are created as a result of
task templates, which are associated with the activities such as defined when
recording the Preventive Maintenance demand.
Field Service Spares Management Features

These are the main features of Spares Management:
■ Provides a process to automate the creation of the Authorized Stock List (ASL),
which is used to define for field service technicians and warehouses
recommended min-max levels.
■ Provides a robust logistics process, which deals with those activities associated
with order processing, physical handling, and movement of parts through field
service warehouse to field technicians.
■ Effectively tracks both usable and defective parts through the logistics cycle,
including the recovery, consolidation, and repair of defective parts, which are
key components in the overall field service logistics process. Once parts are
repaired, they are received into the central warehouse and redistributed back to
the technicians and field service warehouses.

How Field Service Relates to the E-Business Suite
■ Provides a process for managing excess parts and incorporates supersession

functionality, where one part may be replaced by another.
■ Integrates with Oracle Depot Repair to allow the supply chain to incorporate a
repair depot to fix defective parts.
Field Service Portal Features

Field Service Portal is a web-based module designed to enable field technician’s to
receive service request and task information for tasks assigned to them. It allows
technicians to manage tasks and spare parts, to add notes, and to initiate new
service requests.
These are the features of the Field Service Portal:
■ Provides a personalized dashboard view to serve as the entry point for a field
technician.
■ Allows for customizable multiple views for the dashboard, depending upon the
technician’s preferences.
■ Enables search capabilities on service request, task number, and customer
information.
■ Provides integration to Oracle Install Base for item instances
■ Supports Knowledge Base integration
■ Provides the ability to view and create service requests, tasks, and notes.
■ Provides access to spare parts information and enables a technician to order
parts.
■ Provides for the ability to return and receive parts.
1.4 How Field Service Relates to the E-Business Suite

Field Service is integrated with many other Oracle Applications. The following
figure visualizes this integration. All applications involved and their relation are
explained in more detail in the sections following the figure.

Service Request
A Service Request is created when a customer calls for assistance and it is
determined that a service representative must visit the customer site. The following
applications have a relation with Service Request:
■ Knowledge Base provides input for resolution of the problem.
■ Contracts, including both Contracts Core or Service Contracts. Input for the
service request is the response time, considered for task assignment.
■ TCA provides information on parties and contacts and their information.

■ Installed Base provides input on the installed base information sent to the
Mobile applications. Used by the service representative when servicing the
product.
■ Inventory provides input to determine what products are serviceable.
■ Task Manager functionality is used to create tasks to perform the field visit.
Resource Manager
All service representatives and field service dispatchers need to be defined
individually in the resource manager. Field service dispatchers are also part of a
dispatcher group created in Resource Manager to be able to access the Field Service
Dispatch Center.
Territory Manager
Territory Manager is used for two purposes.
■ It is used to create territories with service representatives assigned to it. These
territories are then related to a dispatcher group.The service representatives
assigned to the territory show up in the Field Service Dispatch Center for the
dispatcher.
■ It is also used to create territory qualifiers for task assignment. These territory
qualifiers are used by the Schedule Advise UI and Advanced Scheduler to
retrieve a qualified service representative for a task.
Calendar
Working hours, shifts, and non-available working hours such as public holidays or
vacations need to be defined for each service representative. This information is
used for scheduling.
Dispatch Center Schedule Advise UI

The Schedule Advise UI assists in the task assignment from the Service Request
form - Task tab - assignee button or Field Service Dispatch Center by finding a
qualified service representative to resolve the task. The following applications have
an indirect relationship with the Schedule Advise UI:
■ Installed Base—A preferred service representative to perform the field visit can
be recommended from the installed base.
■ Contracts—A preferred service representative to perform the field visit can be
recommended from Contracts, or Contracts Service.

■ Territory Manager—Territories with qualifiers are created to filter qualified

service representatives.
■ Calendar—the availability of the service representative is checked in his or her
calendar.
Advanced Scheduler
Advanced Scheduler provides comprehensive scheduling capabilities and enables
the optimization and re-calculation of scheduled tasks to qualified resources. It
takes into account driving time and distance, availability, SLA response times,
preferred technicians, territories, skills and spare parts. Advanced Scheduler is
tightly integrated with Dispatch Center and Spares Management.
Spares Management
Often, you need parts to resolve a problem at the customers site. You can access
Spares Management manually to order parts for a task. If Advanced Scheduler is
installed, and there is a Parts Requirement recorded against the task, a reservation,
or internal order, for the part is created automatically at task assignment. In case of
an internal order, the order for the part will be booked. You can update Spares
Management indirectly from Debrief with parts usage for a task. The update is done
to maintain stock levels at different locations, the subinventories.
Escalation Management
Escalations occur for a wide variety of reasons. An escalation management system
allows an organization to identify, track, monitor, and manage situations that
require increased awareness and swift action. Field Service summarizes and shows
escalations for tasks that need to be or are scheduled.
Field Service Mobile

After task assignment, the schedule is committed and then tasks are available for
one of the following mobile applications:
■ Mobile Field Service/Laptop
■ Mobile Field Service/PalmTM Devices
■ Mobile Field Service/Wireless
Inventory
Inventory provides input for Service Request to determine which product needs
service. You can update Inventory (Spares Management) from Debrief with parts

What is the Field Service Dispatch Center?
usage for a task. Updating Inventory is done to maintain stock levels at different
locations and subinventories. A subinventory could be a warehouse or a service
representative’s vehicle. Updating inventory results in activities to supply these
warehouses or a service representative with new materials or to retrieve materials
from them.
You cannot modify reported information in Debrief once it has been transmitted
successfully to Inventory.
Installed Base
Installed Base provides input for the service request to indicate if it is an installed
base item. It also provides input to the Dispatch Center and Advanced Scheduler as
to which service representatives are preferred to perform the field visit.
You can update a customer’s Installed Base from Debrief. Updating Installed Base
results in an update of the items of the customer’s Installed Base.
You cannot modify reported information in Debrief once it has been transmitted
successfully to Installed Base.
Notes
Notes provide a text area where you can enter information about a customer,
product, service, or anything related to your service report that may be helpful for
other service representatives or customers. After you create a note, it can be
attached to a task, sent to the customer, or submitted to the knowledge base for
reuse. You can access Notes from Debrief.
Charges
You can update Charges with parts usage, counter information, labor time, and
expenses for a task from Debrief. All information recorded is transmitted to the
Charges database on update. In Charges, this information is checked against any
contracts and charges are then sent to Order Management and a final invoice is
generated.
You cannot modify reported information in Debrief after it has been transmitted
successfully to Charges.
1.5 What is the Field Service Dispatch Center?

The Field Service Dispatch Center is a one-stop planning area where you can
schedule, dispatch, and monitor tasks for service representatives out in the field.

A dispatcher can view all incoming tasks and then schedule these tasks to create a
trip for each service representative. A trip includes all tasks for one service
representative within a working day. A trip consists of a start time and location,
which is defined as a departure task, and an end time and location, which is defined
as an arrival task.
All tasks are scheduled between the departure and arrival tasks. In addition to
scheduling tasks, the Dispatch Center allows you to act on escalations and monitor
the service representative’s progress and schedules using the plan board and gantt.
You can also make last minute changes to schedules and, if Advanced Scheduler is
installed, view your service group’s status and location on the map.
The following topics are reviewed in more detail:
■ What Tasks and Resources Do I See?
■ Navigating in the Dispatch Center
What Tasks and Resources Do I See?

This topic describes the tasks that are available to you and the resources you see
when you enter the Dispatch Center.
When Field Service is implemented, you define what resources are shown by
default. You create dispatcher groups of which you are a member (mandatory) and
you create territories with service representatives assigned to them. You establish a
relation between the dispatcher groups and the territories.
These are the service representatives shown to you in the Dispatch Center on the
plan board, gantt, and map. This feature is mainly meant for monitoring purposes.
A large organization usually monitors a group of service representatives and not all
of them. However, you can always choose to view all territories or a selection of
territories using the corresponding option on the Navigate menu.
By default, all tasks that can be scheduled are available to you and also can be
offered to you for scheduling. You can narrow down the task selection by choosing
an appropriate query from the Tasks list or by defining your own query.
You can also choose to see only the tasks that you are allowed to schedule. You were
defined as owner of these tasks at setup. For the tasks that you can schedule, it’s
possible that the most eligible service representative is not one of the service
representatives you monitor. Even so, he or she is presented to you as the best
option.

Navigating in the Dispatch Center

In the Tasks list in the left region of the Dispatch Center window, you can view
tasks by selecting from the list of values. You can also use the flashlight icon to
define your own query to find tasks. When you move your cursor over a task from
the task list, details are displayed in the upper region of the Dispatch Center. Bold
print indicates that a task is ready for planning. To select a task for planning you
need to check it and press the Advise button at the bottom of the Dispatch Center or
right mouse-click to select the schedule advise option.
In the upper region of the Dispatch Center you can view Task Details. All tabs
display the task number, status, response time, and planned effort, defined at task
creation.
The following information is displayed in more detail in the various tabs:
■ Overview: This shows task description, customer information, task urgency,
planned start and end dates (the date when a service representative is supposed
to arrive at a customer site), and scheduled start and end date (the date when a
service representative is actually scheduled to visit the customer). If parts are
necessary to resolve the task, this is indicated by the checkbox.
■ Service Request: This shows the service request number, date service was
requested, a summary, and problem and resolution description. Select and
right-click the Request field to bring up a pop-up menu to access the source
document (the Service Request UI).
■ Escalations: If for some reason a task becomes non-conforming, escalation
notifications show the reason. This tab shows a summary of escalations.
■ Spares: The required parts are shown as well as the status in case the task has
already been scheduled. You can access the Parts Requirement UI in the Spares
Management application for the task selected to view more details.
■ Product: This shows customer product description, serial number and lot
number. Contract type, contract description, and product revision. If it is an
installed base product, this is indicated.
■ Resources: This shows the service representatives assigned to the task, as well
as their status and travel time from the previous location to the selected task.
■ Address: The address to visit is shown. This is also known as the installed at
address.
■ Contacts: This shows the contact person of the service request or the task. The
default contact person of the service request is shown.

■ Required Skills: This shows the skills required for the task.
In the lower region of the Dispatch Center you can monitor and schedule tasks for a
group of service representatives on the plan board, gantt, and, if Advanced
Scheduler is installed, also the map. By default, you see the group of service
representatives defined at setup as described in the previous section. You can
choose to view other groups of service representatives from the Navigate Menu on
the tool bar. Choose Select Territories to show the territories with service
representatives assigned to them on the plan board, gantt, and map.
How to use the plan board, gantt, and map:
■ Plan Board: The plan board contains a grid populated with the service
representative’s name and his trip. A trip consists of departure and arrival
tasks, and scheduled tasks for the day. Today’s date is shown but you can select
any date you like. Select and right-click the service representative’s name to
commit schedule, view resource information, resource addresses and
subinventories and skills management. Select and right-click the departure task
to block, optimize (sequence of tasks) or recalculate his trip. (Please not that
only an empty trip can be blocked.) Select and right-click one of the tasks to
show the source document, start a Debrief, send a message, request for a new
schedule advise, or view and update the parts requirement in Spares
Management.
■ Gantt: The gantt chart view is a graphical overview of the scheduled tasks
based on time. The date range shown by default is two days before the actual
date and two weeks ahead of it. The date range is adjustable. The gantt displays
a service representative’s shift, his assigned tasks and the travel time between
tasks (if Advanced Scheduler is installed). Put your cursor on a task to see task
details. Select and right-click a task to access the source document.
■ Map: The map is a geographical overview of a service representative’s location
when a task in a status of "working." The date shown for the map is the actual
date.You can also get an overview of tasks with their location, by first selecting
and checking them in the task list and then clicking the Tasks button on the
map. From the map you can easily assign tasks and access source document
details. Select and right-click a service representative or task to access source
document details. When a task is checked from the task list, double click a
service representative to start task assignment.
The buttons at the bottom of the screen enable you to do the following:
■ Auto Schedule: Before using this button, check a task or multiple tasks from the
task list. It automatically schedules tasks to resources using the selection criteria
from the Schedule Advise UI or Advanced Scheduler (if installed). For more

What is Debrief?
information on scheduling criteria, refer to Section 1.8, "The Scheduling and

Task Assignment Process".
■ Advise: Before using this button, check a task from the task list. The Scheduling
Advice window opens to assist you in assigning a task to a resource using
selection criteria from the Schedule Advise UI or Advanced Scheduler. For
more information on scheduling criteria, refer to Section 1.8, "The Scheduling
and Task Assignment Process".
■ Go to: Click in combination with the plan board, gantt, or map. You can search
for a particular resource to be presented on the plan board, gantt, or map.
■ Refresh: Click to refresh the plan board, gantt, or map.
■ More: Click to enlarge the plan board, gantt, or map.
Use the Navigate menu from the tool bar to access the Commit Schedule window to
manually commit tasks or schedules to service representatives. This can also be
done automatically via a concurrent request if you set it up. Use the Navigate menu
to navigate to the service request or spares management application populated with
the details for the task selected from the task list.
You can also use it to populate the plan board, gantt, or map with territories of
service representative other than the ones shown to you. Skills Assignment, Skills
Management, Parts Requirement, and Resource Addresses and subinventories can
also be accessed from the Navigate menu from the tool bar.
1.6 What is Debrief?

Debrief documents information related to a specific assignment task performed at a
customer site. Use Debrief to record all the day-to-day activities out in the field.
This includes parts used and recovered, expenses accrued, amount of labor time
spent, and capture counter readings. After the information is collected and captured
on the screen, you can update the customer’s installed base, maintain your spares
inventory, and update charges information.
When all the information has been captured on one of the Field Service/Mobile
applications, it is uploaded and displayed in Debrief. There it can be used for
review and to update the customer’s installed base, spares inventory, and charges
information.
The upper half of Debrief is populated with task assignment details. You can change
the task assignment status to reflect the current status.
The main features in Debrief are:

What is Debrief?
■ Reporting on Materials
■ Reporting on Expenses
■ Reporting on Labor
■ Reporting on Counters
■ Ability to View and Create Notes
■ Accessing Calendar
■ Integration with Spares Management
■ Quick Menu
Reporting on Materials
The Materials tab records and updates all material transactions performed while at
work at the customer site. These transactions include parts usage and recovery and
Installed Base, Inventory, and Charges updates.
Initially one item is associated with a service request. This can be an item from a
customer’s installed base or an item from the Inventory list. One or more tasks are
created for this service request and you can create a Debrief for each task. If
multiple resources are assigned to a task, multiple Debriefs can be created for each
task assignment. You can report several material transactions in Debrief. For each
material transaction a separate line is created in Charges. This line includes
information about the following:
■ For parts that are recovered from customers’ installed base, it shows in which
subinventory the parts were recovered, the reason for recovering the part, and
the impact on installed base and inventory.
■ For parts that are installed at the customer’s site, it shows from which
subinventory the parts were installed from. Optionally, the user can enter the
reason for installing the part and the impact on installed base and inventory.
Based on the material transaction type you have chosen, you must fill out a set of
mandatory fields in Debrief. Additionally you can capture specific material
information such as serial numbers or lot numbers when applicable. When dealing
with a material transaction such as a replacement for a customer’s Installed Base
you need to carefully define what part you have taken out of the customer’s
Installed Base and what part you are putting back in. This is done by capturing two
material transaction detail lines.
In cases where a task has been created using a task template, and the task has parts
associated with it, the Parts Requirement button on Debrief UI will be enabled.

What is Debrief?
When the user clicks on the button, the parts that have been associated with the
tasks will default on the Materials line. The representative can verify the results and
modify them in case modification is required and save the Material debrief line.
When the task assignment is complete, Inventory, Installed Base, and Charges are
updated with the material transaction lines created. The Installed Base update
results in an update of the items in the customer’s Installed Base. The Charges
updates results in checking what material is covered by contract and what needs to
be invoiced to the customer.
Note: A field technician cannot create a new debrief line in any

case where the task assignment status entered has the ’closed’
attribute enabled in the task status setup form. This feature
prevents mistakes and enables more accurate and complete
invoicing.
Some field service operations provide temporary parts to a customer in place of a

part that must be repaired. Field Service Debrief accounts for this scenario by
supporting loaner transactions, which are logged in the material debrief line.
Loaner transactions are identified in debrief based upon the service activity code
assigned to them. When a technician is logging a material line with a service
activity code of type "loaner" then there will be no change of ownership, as the part
is still owned by inventory and not the customer. The customer may be expected to
return the by a certain date once the defective part is fixed and shipped to the
customer.
Reporting on Expenses
On the Expenses tab you can document expenses accrued during your visit. For
each expense transaction user can create a separate line in Debrief. You can select a
predefined expense item with a related price list or to enter the actual amount
accrued. This can include expenses such as driving costs, parking tickets, and meals.
When the task assignment is completed, the Charges updates results in checking
what expenses are covered by contract and what needs to be invoiced to the
customer.
Reporting on Labor
On the Labor tab you can report labor and travel time. You can also record your car
mileage for reference. For each labor transaction, user can create a separate line in
Debrief.

What is Debrief?
When the task assignment is completed, the Charges updates results in checking
what labor times are covered by contract and what needs to be invoiced to the
customer.
Reporting on Counters
Counter readings can only be recorded for customer products defined in the
installed base which have a counter assigned to them. When the button is greyed
out, it means there are no counter readings associated with the product. In case
when a product against which service request is created has counters associated
with it, the counters button will be enabled.
When you select the Counters button, the Counters window is opened. This
window displays in a spread table all of the counters that are set up for that
customer product. Double clicking a line from that spread table opens the Capture
Counter Reading window.
Note: When working on service requests that have counters

associated with them, when a technician changes a task assignment
status to ’completed’ he receives an alert message asking if he
wants to capture a counter reading.
Ability to View and Create Notes

At any time during the process of scheduling service requests, assigning tasks and
debriefing, a service representative or call center agent can add a note to a task. In
the Debrief window a service representative cannot only add to a task but can also
view notes associated with the service request and a task. This feature allows a
consolidated view of a task and all the related notes added during the lifecycle of
the task.
Accessing Calendar
At any time you can access your Calendar from Debrief by clicking on Calendar
button in Debrief window. The Calendar is a scheduling tool used to define and
view available and non-available time for a resource or group of resources.
Integration with Spares Management

From the Tools menu on the tool bar of the Debrief main window, the following
Spares Management functions can be started and populated with information
regarding the service request or task:

What is Preventive Maintenance?
■ View Onhand Quantity: Used to review onhand balances for the Item at the
subinventory level.
■ Parts Requirement
For details regarding Spares Management, refer to Part II, "Spares Management" of
this guide.
Quick Menu
Use Quick Menu, available on your tool bar, to navigate to the following
applications and windows:
■ Parts Requirement
■ Service Request
■ View onhand quantity
■ Pro Forma Invoice
The applications are populated with the task or service request information for
which you have opened a Debrief.
1.7 What is Preventive Maintenance?

In addition to solutions that address reactive service needs, more and more service
centers require systems that are equally effective in supporting proactive support
scenarios. The Preventive Maintenance (PM) solution, the latest addition to the
Oracle Service suite of products, provides the capability to log service requests and
allocate tasks to the appropriate resources, with the right parts, and schedule them
in anticipation of the service need.
The service need can be estimated based on item usage, calendar dates as specified
in the contract, or a date range. Preventive Maintenance combines Oracle’s
Complex Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (CMRO) functionality with Oracle
Service Contracts and Oracle Field Service to enable service centers to author PM
contracts for PM programs, which can be sold with the product and thereby
attribute to revenue generation for the company.
PM programs can be defined for products that need preventive maintenance and
then the program can track customer products, their installations, and their usage.
A comprehensive PM process can be categorized as follows:
■ PM Program Definition, PM Coverage Definition & Contracts Authoring:
This business process step involves the definition of suggested preventive

The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process
maintenance programs and their respective coverage. These setups are handled
in CMRO’s Preventive Maintenance mode, and Oracle’s Service Contracts.
■ PM Sales/Contracts, Instantiation and Contract Management: This is a process
step in which a product and/or PM coverage is sold to the customer. Once a
product and respective coverage is sold, an instance of that product, coverage
(contract) and program are maintained by the service/contracts department to
track and plan for PM activities.
■ PM Planning: Service departments generally plan in advance the PM activities
they need to perform and resources required to fulfill those activities. Planning
is an important step of the preventive maintenance process and enables optimal
operations and effective delivery.
■ PM Execution: This process step involves the generation of PM requests (as a
result of product usage, customer request and other events) and fulfilling them.
The execution process involves, scheduling, reserving/allocating resources,
capturing customer confirmation, delivering PM activities and billing the
customer.
Field Service picks up the Preventive Maintenance program during the execution
phase. In general, once a customer is "in contract" and has purchased a Preventive
Maintenance plan, a Field Service operation executes the maintenance spelled out in
the contract. Service request and tasks related to PM programs are created through a
concurrent program, field technicians carry out work and close the task, and the PM
is updated by another concurrent program, reflecting the closure of the task.
For detailed information on setting up, implementing, and maintaining Preventive
Maintenance, see the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide.
1.8 The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process

Task scheduling or task assignment is the core functionality of the Field Service
application. Task assignment in Field Service is assisted by the Schedule Advise UI.
Advanced Scheduler functionality is used for enhanced task scheduling. The task
assignment process uses criteria based on preferred resources, resource availability,
skills, and territories to select a qualified resource for a task. If Advanced Scheduler
is installed, you can optimize your scheduling capabilities with a set of
business-driven weighting criteria defined at implementation, and calculate travel
time and distance in between tasks. With Advanced Scheduler installed you can
also create reservations or internal orders for spare parts when scheduling tasks.

There are four options presented to you for scheduling and task assignment. If
Advanced Scheduler is not installed only two options for task assignment are
active.
Tasks change status during the field service process of scheduling or assigning
tasks. Depending on the current status, different subsequent actions (or transitions)
and statuses are possible. Task statuses and task assignment statuses are shown in
the Dispatch Center, and enable the dispatcher to keep track of progress. The task
status flow is specific to the Field Service application and is therefore explained in
more detail.
Review the following topics to understand more about the scheduling and task
assignment process:
■ Scheduling versus Task Assignment
■ Scheduling and Task Assignment Dependencies
■ Scheduling and Task Assignment Criteria
■ Scheduling and Task Assignment Options
■ Task Status Flow
Scheduling versus Task Assignment

Scheduling and task assignment are two different things. When scheduling, your
goal is to create a trip for each service representative within a working day
consisting of the most logical sequence of tasks and load. It is thus important to be
able to calculate travel time and distance between tasks, and to be able to recalculate
a schedule to optimize the sequence of tasks in a trip. These are features specific to
scheduling. For task assignment, the application does not consider the sequence of
tasks already scheduled or the definition of a service representative’s working
hours (shifts). It assigns a task to a resource based on a very small set of criteria. In
addition, when scheduling, spare part availability is considered and reservations or
internal orders for parts are created. Scheduling is recommended over task
assignment.
Scheduling and Task Assignment Dependencies

The task assignment and scheduling processes use criteria based on preferred
resources, resource availability, skills, territories, parts availability, and travel time
and distance to select a qualified resource for a task. There are a few dependencies
task assignment and task scheduling rely on. The following table lists the
dependencies.

Dependency Description
Preferred resource A preferred resource is a single person that is defined in Oracle
information Contracts or recommended from the Installed Base in Oracle
Service.
Skill Skills are the field service representative's competencies. Skills
fall into three major categories: technical product skills, other
technical skills, and non-technical skills (for example, specific
knowledge of a certain language). When scheduling each task,
Advanced Scheduler matches the field service representatives'
skills to the skills required to perform the task
Skill level The skill level indicates the expertise scale of the field service
representative's skill.
Territory definition Territories are defined in Territory Manager. For more
information, refer to Territory Manager.
Task duration Task duration is essential for checking the availability of the
information resource and for designating a resource as unavailable in the
resources calendar after a task has been assigned. Task duration
information is the amount of Effort defined at creation of the
task.
Task planned - Start and Task planned start and end date and time is the time window
End date and time within the Schedule Advise UI will look for resources.
Resource’s availability Availability of the resource is provided by the Calendar
information component in which resource shifts and unavailability are
defined. For more information, refer to Understanding
Calendar.
Spare parts location and Spare part location and availability information is a dependency
availability for Advanced Scheduler to make a reservation or internal order
at task assignment. Spare part information is provided by
Spares Management.
Road network for A road network is a dependency for Advanced Scheduler to be
calculation of travel time able to calculate travel time and distance in between tasks.
and distance
Scheduling and Task Assignment Criteria

There is a difference in how Schedule Advise UI and Advanced Scheduler consider
selection criteria to retrieve a qualified resource for a task. When you schedule
manually, you can also influence how the selection criteria are applied. When you
schedule automatically (Advanced Scheduler functionality) an assumption is made
on how selection criteria are applied. You can start automatic scheduling manually
or you can run it as a background process, called autonomous scheduling.

Review the following table to learn about the differences and how the criteria are
used to select a qualified resource for a task:
Schedule Advise UI Advanced Scheduler

(Assisted and (Intelligent and Automatic and
Unassisted schedule Window to Promise Autonomous
Criteria options) schedule options) Scheduling
Territory Used to retrieve all the Used to retrieve all the Used to retrieve all the
Qualifiers qualified resources for qualified resources for qualified resources for
the assignment from the assignment from the assignment from
the selected territories. the selected territories. all territories defined.
Contracts When selected, this is When selected, this is Selected as the first
the first resource the first resource criteria considered.
criteria considered. criteria considered.
Installed Base When selected, this is When selected, this is Not used.
the first resource the first resource
criteria considered. criteria considered.
Skills Not used. Matched are the field Matched are the field
service representative’s service representative’s
skills to the skills skills to the skills
required to perform the required to perform the
task. task.
Resource When a resource is Advanced Scheduler The availability of the
Available found based on the always considers the resource is always
criteria above, its availability of the considered.
availability is resource.
considered.
My When entered, the When entered, the Not used.
Suggestion suggestion is always suggestion is always
returned as a plan returned as a plan
option. option.
Spares Not used. A list of qualified A list of the qualified
(Advanced resources based on the resources based on the
Scheduler criteria above is passed criteria above is passed
functionality) on to Spares on to Spares
Management, which Management, which
checks parts checks parts
availability based on availability based on a
the availability predefined availability
condition selected. condition.

Schedule Advise UI Advanced Scheduler

(Assisted and (Intelligent and Automatic and
Unassisted schedule Window to Promise Autonomous
Criteria options) schedule options) Scheduling
Travel time Not used. The travel time and The travel time and
and distance distance for each plan distance for each plan
(Advanced option are calculated option are calculated
Scheduler for the resources for the resources
functionality returned from the returned from the
applied Schedule Advise UI Schedule Advise UI
automatically) (when no parts are (when no parts are
used) or Spares used) or Spares
Management. Management.
Cost Related Not used. Advanced Scheduler Advanced Scheduler
Constraints applies pre-defined applies pre-defined
(Advanced business driven business driven
Scheduler constraints for each constraints for each
functionality plan option to produce plan option to produce
applied a list with qualified a list with qualified
automatically) resources or available resources.
time slots.
Scheduling and Task Assignment Options

When you schedule manually, there are four options presented to you for
scheduling or task assignment. This is also referred to as assistance level. The
enabled options presented to you depend on whether Advanced Scheduler is
installed or not.
Refer to the following table to learn more about the options for scheduling
manually:
Assistance Level Description

Unassisted Use this option to assign a task to a service representative of
your choice without taking into account any of the criteria.
Assisted Use this option if you want Schedule Advise UI to find qualified
resources to perform the task in the given planned start and end
date and time frame. A list of resources is displayed in the
Advice tab.

Assistance Level Description

Window to Promise This option is specific to Advanced Scheduler. Use this option if
you want Advanced Scheduler to find available time slots.The
Advice tab displays time slots at which a resource can visit the
customer to perform the task with related cost. These time slots
are offered to the customer and after selection the Planned Start
and End date is set accordingly. The schedule can be optimized
at a later stage.
Intelligent This option is specific to Advanced Scheduler. Use this option if
you want Advanced Scheduler to find qualified resources. The
Advice tab displays the resources and their related cost.
Typically the resource with the lowest cost is the best option.
Task Status Flow

The scheduling and task assignment process is driven by task status changes
specific to Field Service. When a task enters the Dispatch Center it has the status it
was given at creation and it is suitable for scheduling. When the task is assigned to
a resource, a task assignment is created. A task assignment consists of a resource
and a related task. One task can have multiple task assignments if multiple
resources are assigned to the task. After task assignment you can still optimize your
schedule up until the moment the schedule is committed. When the schedule is
committed, tasks change status to "assigned," and the task assignments are available
for the service representatives. Service representatives report on the task assignment
status. The task assignment status is displayed in the Resources tab to monitor
progress. The task status is displayed on the plan board, gantt, and across all tabs in
the upper region of the Dispatch Center.
Note: You can set up your business process to automate task

closure when a service request is closed. You can set the profile
option CSF: Default Auto Close Task Status to determine what the
default task assignment status should be assigned to those tasks
closed through the automated task closure. The default value is
’closed.’
For more information, see Section 2.20.1, "Close Task Automation".

The following table lists all seeded task statuses, their behavior, and possible
statuses to change to. When all task assignments for a task are completed, the task
status will change to completed.

Table 1–1 Seeded Tasks Statuses
Task Following
Assignment Possible
Task Status Status Behavior Statuses
In Planning In Planning The task is ready for planning or already Assigned/
assigned to a service representative. The
Auto Reject/
planner is still optimizing the schedule and
can still assign the task to another service Cancelled
representative.
Auto Reject - When scheduling automatically, a task In Planning/
assignment can fail. The task status is set to
Cancelled
auto reject.
Assigned Assigned The task is assigned to a service Accepted/
representative and the schedule is
Rejected/
committed.
Working/
Completed
Cancelled
- Accepted The task is accepted by the service Reject/
representative. Reporting on the task is
Working/
possible.
Interrupted/
Cancelled
- Rejected The task is rejected by the service In Planning/
representative. The dispatcher can change it
Assigned/
back to Assigned to force the service
representative to accept it, or change it to In Accepted/
Planning to assign it to another service
Working/
representative. Reporting on the task is
possible. Cancelled
- Working The service representative has started Interrupted/
working on the task. The actual start time is
Completed/
entered, enabling the dispatcher to view
progress on the schedule and to view the Cancelled
predicted start times of the tasks scheduled
next. Reporting on the task is possible.

What is Spares Management?
Task Following
Assignment Possible
Task Status Status Behavior Statuses
- Interrupted The work on a task has stopped. The In Planning/
dispatcher can assign it to another service
Assigned/
representative, changing the status to In
Planning, or assign it to the same service Working/
representative later. The service
Completed/
representative can also continue working on
the task. Reporting on the task is possible. Cancelled
Cancelled Cancelled The task is cancelled. The dispatcher can In Planning/
assign it to the same representative again by
Assigned/
changing the task status to Assigned, or he
can change the status to In Planning to Closed
assign it to another service representative.
Reporting on the task is possible.
Completed Completed The task is done and frozen. No updates or Closed
reporting on the task is allowed anymore.
Closed - The Debrief for the task is reviewed and None
pushed to charges. Updates to the installed
base and knowledge base are made.
1.9 What is Spares Management?

Spares Management is positioned in the field service solution as a module
providing both the logistics and planning functionality needed to manage a service
parts inventory. Logistics processes deal with those activities involved in order
processing and physical distribution of parts. Planning, on the other hand,
determines how much inventory is required for a technician or warehouse to
support the required level of service at the forecasted level of usage.
The product uses core functionality from Oracle Inventory, Order Management,
Purchasing, Depot Repair, and ATP extending those products where necessary with
additional functionality to satisfy field service needs. There is also extensive
integration with Oracle Field Service, including the Dispatch Center, Advanced
Scheduler, Field Service Debrief and Field Service mobile products.
Spares Management is a complete solution that includes both logistics and planning
processes that perform the following:
■ Replenish the field service warehouses
■ Create priority and replenishment orders for the field technician

■ Provide a process for managing excess parts

■ Facilitate recovery, consolidation and repair of defective parts
■ Provide inventory planning for both the technician and field service
warehouses.
Spares Management also uses "reverse logistics" functionality, consisting of
recovery, consolidation, and repair of defective parts, which are key components in
the overall field service logistics process. Once parts are repaired, they are received
into the central warehouse and redistributed back to the technicians and field
service warehouses.
This section includes the following:
■ Section 1.9.1, "Integration with Field Service"
■ Section 1.9.2, "Integration with Depot Repair"
■ Section 1.9.3, "Field Service Logistics"
■ Section 1.9.4, "Field Service Inventory Planning"
1.9.1 Integration with Field Service

In a Field Service operation, the parts ordering and deployment activities need to be
closely coordinated with the scheduling and assignment of technicians. To be
effective, the dispatching process needs to consider the availability of both
technician and parts. When the right technician and right parts are available for the
field service task, costs will go down and customer satisfaction will go up.
Integration with Advanced Scheduler

Advanced Scheduler is the Field Service product that provides automated
scheduling and assignment of field technicians. Using powerful integration features
with Spares Management, Advanced Scheduler can schedule technicians based on
both technician and parts availability.
Spares Management interacts with Advanced Scheduler to define parts availability
for those field technicians that can be assigned to a task. Advanced Scheduler uses
the parts availability profile, along with other cost information, to schedule the
technician best able to complete the task at the lowest total cost in the time required.
Spares Management provides the capability to define parts required for a product
and predefined task or task template. This can be done manually if, for example,
specific parts are known; or it can be done automatically through the analysis of
"frequently used parts" based on debrief transactions.

In the debrief process, the technician reports parts used (along with labor and
expense) on the task. Specific parts required for a unique follow-up task can also be
defined in Spares Management and processed through Advanced Scheduler.
Other Integration Features with Field Service

Effective field service dispatching considers the availability of both resources and
parts. The Dispatch Center is the backbone of Field Service, providing functionality
that executes the scheduling and assignment of field service tasks. Integration
functionality with the Dispatch Center includes the following:
■ View parts required for the task
■ Point and click parts search tool
■ Create parts orders for the technician
■ View order status
When a task has been completed, the Field Service Debrief module is used to report
labor, material, and expense. Parts used and parts recovered also can be reported.
Transactions are automatically created to update the technician's inventory
balances.
1.9.2 Integration with Depot Repair

Spares Management is tightly integrated with Oracle Depot Repair, which is an
additional automated warehouse replenishment process, whereby parts are
repaired at an internal depot and then circulated back into the supply chain for
further use. In this scenario, defective parts are removed by a technician from a
customer site and consolidated with other defective parts at an internal warehouse.
From there, a planner creates an internal order, which ships the parts to an internal
depot that is supported by the Oracle Depot Repair application while, at the same
time, creating the repair order and the internal order that ships the repaired parts
back to the central warehouse.
A planner also can create a depot repair order directly from the Parts Status tab in
the Planner’s Desktop, which addresses the case where a planner needs to repair
parts without a Warehouse Notification for replenishment.
1.9.3 Field Service Logistics

Fast cycle delivery of parts to the field technician is mission critical to the Field
Service logistics operations. Logistics processes deal with those activities associated

with order processing, physical handling, and movement of parts through the Field
Service warehouses and out to the field technician.
Spares Management makes extensive use of core foundation logistics functionality
found in core Oracle applications, such as Order Management, Inventory,
Purchasing, and ATP, extending these products where necessary to satisfy
requirements unique to the Field Service environment.
The product uses logistics process built around the internal order using Order
Management functionality. Field Service warehouses are modeled as inventory
organizations. Technicians are linked to sub-inventories and grouped into
organizations. With this structure, the user can take advantage of sourcing rules to
define the supply chain for the technicians, and ATP to define sourcing for
technician orders.
The move order from Oracle Inventory is also supported where a single
organization model can be used. The Spares Management version of the move order
has been enhanced to include pick, pack and ship functionality.
Track Usable and Defective Parts

Spares Management functionality tracks both usable and defective parts through
the complete logistics cycle. Defective inventories are created when the technician
recovers repairable parts from the customer site.
Parts are tracked at the technician level by assigning sub-inventories to the
technician and designating them as either usable or defective. When the technician
debriefs and reports a recovered part, a transaction to add the part(s) to the
technician's defective sub-inventory is automatically created. When the technician
reports a part used, a transaction is automatically created to reduce the balance of
the usable sub-inventory.
Each technician would normally be assigned one usable and one defective
sub-inventory. However, additional sub-inventories of either type can be assigned
depending on business need. Also multiple technicians can be assigned to a single
sub-inventory.
Usable sub-inventories would be assigned to the technician even in the Spares
Management scenario where the technician is not routinely authorized to stock
parts. In this scenario, the usable sub-inventory would be used to track parts
shipped to the technician for specific tasks.
Parts not used as planned, would remain in the on-hand balance of the technician's
usable sub-inventory until either used on another task or returned as excess.

Define Parts Used on the Task

Spares Management provides the capability to define parts required for a
pre-defined task and product combination. The pre-defined task is created in a task
template.
Parts required can be defined manually if the parts are known, or automatically
from the analysis of parts used, which is recorded in the debrief transaction history.
The likelihood (by percentage) that a part will be used on a task and the likelihood
that a task will be used on a product is included in the functionality. The define
parts functionality also includes supersession roll-up to filter out duplicate parts.
This functionality is used in Advanced Scheduler integration. It can also be used to
automatically populate the Parts Requirement UI when an internal order or parts
requirement is being created.
The parts required for a task can also be specified for a task that is not pre-defined.
A good example of this might be a follow-up task requiring a specific part that was
not planned. In this scenario, the parts required for the task would be defined in the
Parts Requirement UI.
Priority Orders for a Field Technician

Field technicians may need additional parts to complete a task. Spares Management
includes an order entry UI designed specifically to handle the technician's parts
orders. The UI can be used to create either an internal order or a Parts Requirement
for a specific task. The Parts Requirement defines what parts are required for a
specific task and is used in the Advanced Scheduler integration functionality.
The Parts Requirement can be automatically created from the service request and
task. This occurs when a task template is used to create the task and parts have been
defined for the template and product referenced on the service request.
Used primarily by the dispatcher, this UI has many special features to address the
unique needs of the service business, such as:
■ Internal order can be linked to the service request and task
■ Parts linked to the task are automatically entered
■ View of technician’s inventory for parts being ordered
■ Integration with ATP functionality to determine source and availability
■ View and selection of alternate parts
■ Can create purchase requisition for drop shipment to/from supplier

■ Technician or customer address can be easily entered or updated, or a special

address can be added
■ Scratch pad available to use when the technician does not know the specific
Part Number.
The UI is used to create an internal order that can be processed through the
standard pick, pack and ship process in Order Management.
Spares Management also provides a detailed view of order status starting from
when the order is created to receipt at the destination sub-inventory. The UI
provides figures for quantities processed as well as dates and times. Physical
distribution details, such as pick list and pack list numbers, can also be viewed.
Shipment details for carrier and waybill are available.
Excess Returns Process

Excess inventory happens in a field service operation. Parts shipped to a technician
for a task and not used as planned, for example, could end up exceeding the
technician's authorized stock level. The excess returns process consolidates the
excess inventory from many technicians (or warehouses) and routes it back into
designated warehouses where it can be more effectively utilized. Reacting quickly
and efficiently to the excess condition is one of the keys to effective control of the
Field Service inventory.
Spares Management has an excess returns process with features specifically
designed to address the needs of the Field Service business. Key features include:
■ Excess identification based on max levels
■ Business rules to focus on high-impact excess
■ Review and execution tools for the planner
■ Auto-creation of excess orders from the planner review
The business rules are used to filter and prioritize the excess that has the highest
impact on inventory value. The business rules are designed with mobile field
service in mind where short, high-impact lists are easier to use. The planner can use
the execution tools to either create an internal order or an inter-organization transfer
depending on location of the parts.
The excess returns process can be used for both technicians and warehouses. The
execution tools can be used to create an internal order for excess at a warehouse and
an inter-organization transfer order for a technician.

The excess return process can be used for both usable and defective parts. The
consolidation of defective parts from the field technicians is typically required
before they can be integrated into the planning process and sent out for repair.
Hierarchical View of Inventory

Dispatchers and inventory planners need a complete view of status so parts can be
quickly located and shipped to the technician. In the Planner's Desktop, the Spares
Planning tree, in combination with the Parts Status tab, provides an easy-to-use
point-and-click tool that can be used to view, locate, and order parts.
The view combines a hierarchical tree structure combined with a status tab that
includes on-hand and on-order information. The user can create the tree structure
using nodes to which either sub-inventories or organizations can be attached.
Some of the more important features include:
■ Hierarchical presentation using tree structure
■ Status information is summarized for the node
■ Find function is available to locate specific parts
■ Complete view of status that includes both on-hand and on-order
■ Alternate parts search
■ Integration with the Parts Requirement UI to order parts
This hierarchical view of inventory is integrated into the Dispatch Center
functionality using a configuration specifically designed for the dispatcher to locate
parts.
1.9.4 Field Service Inventory Planning

Service agreements often require that parts inventories be deployed in numerous
locations across a broad geography, and close to the point of use. For example, same
day service requires that parts be stocked in the metro area where the service is
needed. As a result, many of the service scenarios require that parts be stocked at
numerous warehouses and with many field technicians.
With the potential of a large number of stocking sites, an automated planning
process greatly enhances productivity by streamlining the restocking process.
Spares Management planning defines what parts need to be stocked where, and in
what quantities, for both the technician and warehouse.

The Planner's Desktop provides for an organized presentation of the planning

functionality in Spares Management.
Authorized Stock List for the Warehouse or Field Technician

The Authorized Stock List (ASL) defines which parts should be stocked, where they
should be stocked and in what quantities. The ASL functionality available in Spares
Management includes:
■ Automated min-max recommendations for technicians and warehouses
■ Flexible planning parameters for both service and inventory
■ Min-max levels synchronized to service level
■ Planning parameters that can be defaulted from higher-level nodes
■ Functionality to handle complex planning scenarios
The ASL recommendation is based on usage history, planning parameters and
planning method. The parameters can be uniquely applied to each technician or
warehouse, or defaults can be applied which would help to avoid excessive data
entry where many field technicians are involved.
Advanced planning methods, such as those outlined below, can be used to address
the more complex scenarios typical in a field service environment:
Personal Usage Method

The "personal usage" method produces ASL recommendations based on a
combination of usage for the technician or warehouse, and planning parameters for
service and inventory. This functionality satisfies the scenario where the technician
or warehouse is in a reasonably stable situation. Usage at the warehouse is
determined by accumulating the usage data from the various technician groups
supported by the warehouse.
Territory Norm Method

The "territory norm" method is used in those scenarios where the technician is
either totally new to the service organization, or has been transferred into a new
territory. In these cases, the technician does not have any usage history at all (in the
case of a new technician), or, in the case of a transferred technician, the usage
history from the old territory may be different than what will be experienced in the
new territory. The territory norm represents what is typical or average for parts
usage in the territory.

The territory norm can also be used in combination with personal usage. This
method can be used to handle the situation where the technician is not doing
normal Field Service activities for a certain period of time. In this scenario, the
technician has personal usage but it does not represent a normal level of activity.
Product Norm Method

The "product norm" method satisfies the scenario where a technician or warehouse
needs to support a new product. The product norm can also be used to plan for
product population changes and extensions of product into new geographical areas.
The product norm defines the product in terms of parts, populations, and failure
rates. The product norm can also be used in combination with personal usage.
Notifications for the Central Warehouse

Standard min-max functionality from Oracle Inventory works well in a warehouse
transfer scenario. In the more complex central warehouse environment, however,
where parts are purchased from external suppliers, additional functionality is
required for repair and excess utilization.
In the central warehouse, defectives accumulated from technician recovery activities
must be repaired and excess parts from other warehouses often need to be utilized
before purchases are made against external suppliers.
In the Spares Management solution, the central warehouse serves as an entry point
for parts ordered from new-buy and repair suppliers. Repair suppliers are used to
convert defective parts (recovered from customer sites) into usable parts, which are
then made available for redistribution from the central warehouse.
In addition, the central warehouse planner needs to recognize and possibly react to
excess inventory at other warehouses before placing an order for either repair or
new-buy.
Spares Management notifications alert the planner to the condition where
replenishment is required for the central warehouse. When replenishment is
required, excess and defective quantities can be viewed in the notification.
Execution tools to create purchase requisitions and internal orders are also
provided. Notifications also alert the planner to the situation where too much is
on-order. Filters for excess on-order are available to eliminate the low impact
notification.
Warehouse Integration with Depot Repair

Spares Management integration with Oracle Depot Repair provides an automated
method for parts repair at an internal depot. From the Planner’s Desktop, a planner

What is the Field Service Portal?
can create a depot repair order and the internal order required to move defective
parts to and from the repair depot.
The planner also can create a depot repair order directly from the Parts Status tab in
the Planner’s Desktop, which would be necessary in the case where a planner needs
to repair parts with a warehouse notification for replenishment.
Loop Planning
Spares Management supports the planning approach where individual
sub-inventories can be grouped into Planning Loops for control of the total
inventory across all sub-inventories in the loop. This is sometimes referred to as
aggregate planning where the planning loop is used to coordinate planning and
execution activities across multiple locations.
Spares Management has the flexibility to configure multiple planning loops within
a single service operation. The planning loop can include sub-inventories from
different inventory organizations and can also include both usable and defective
sub-inventories.
Spares Management uses a Master Stock List (MSL) to define the plan for the Loop.
The MSL defines the parts and total quantities to be stocked in the loop. In addition,
the MSL provides for a minimum usable quantity to insure that the loop maintains
a reasonable balance of usable parts.
Notifications can be generated by running a concurrent program when the total
available is above or below plan conditions, as defined in the Master Stock List.
Notifications will also be generated when the level of usable parts has dropped
below the minimum usable on-hand level as designated in the Master Stock List.
Planner's Desktop
The Planner's Desktop in Spares Management provides an organized presentation
of the functionality used for planning and execution at the location and loop levels.
Included on the desktop are the loops, reporting hierarchies, notifications, and the
planning tree. Within the planning tree, you can enter planning parameters, make
recommendations, and calculate failure rates. The desktop also includes the Master
Stock Lists and the Authorized Stock Lists. The view of part availability data for the
loop, location and hierarchy is on the desktop as well.
1.10 What is the Field Service Portal?

Field Service Portal is a web-driven technician-based module within the Field
Service product suite. Within this module, technicians receive service request and

task information for the tasks assigned to them by dispatchers. It provides an easy
and organized way for the field technicians to manage their tasks, spare parts, add
notes and initiate new requests.
Equipped with a fully configurable user interface, the Field Service Portal provides
an easy and organized method to view existing task assignments and enter new
service requests, allowing technicians to resolve problems while at the customer
site.
The Portal is closely integrated with related Oracle applications such as Teleservice,
Install Base, Knowledge Management, Service Contracts, Spares Management, and
also key components of Oracle Common Applications Components, such as Notes,
Calendar, and Tasks. The Field Service Portal also provides quick links for key
processes that a technician typically might perform, such as creating a parts order,
receiving shipments, etc.
Field Service Portal is a complete technician support module and includes the
following functionality:
■ Section 1.10.1, "Personalized Dashboard"
■ Section 1.10.2, "Ability to Search Assigned Tasks"
■ Section 1.10.3, "View and Create Service Requests, Tasks and Notes"
■ Section 1.10.4, "View Spare Parts and Order Parts"
■ Section 1.10.5, "Ability to Return and Receive Parts"
1.10.1 Personalized Dashboard

Dashboard refers to the Portal’s point of entry for a field technician. The
information displayed in the columns results from default values set up by the
technician in the view. The technician can personalize the search results in the
dashboard in three ways:
■ By clicking the Personalize link technicians can choose to display the columns
they are interested in.
■ By sorting the record base on certain columns in ascending or descending order
to highlight critical data.
■ By specifying how many records appear on dashboard.
The technician will have the ability to perform multiple functions from the
dashboard to maintain task-related information. The user can drill down to the

tasks screen by clicking on the update icon. The user can also select from the list of
saved searches to re-query the dashboard based on search criteria.
By clicking on the personalize button, the user will be directed to personalize screen
where they can modify the search criteria and set the personalization. Also, the user
can define new search criteria and save it as a view for later usage. From the same
personalization screen, the user can set a particular criteria as the search default
criteria.
1.10.2 Ability to Search Assigned Tasks

Field service technicians can search on either service request, task number, or
customer name for all the tasks that have been assigned to them. The default search
criteria for the basic search is task number.
The technician can also perform an advanced search by clicking on the advanced
search hyperlink and selecting the wider choice of search options from the
advanced search user interface.
1.10.3 View and Create Service Requests, Tasks and Notes

Field service technicians have the ability to view and create service requests from
the dashboard using an existing service request identifier such as serial number, tag
number, instance address, account number, and so on. Additionally, the technician
can also create a task and add notes to the task after the request has been generated.
A technician can create a new service request through the quick link functionality of
the dashboard.
1.10.4 View Spare Parts and Order Parts

Spare Parts integration with the portal allows technicians to order parts specific to,
or independent of, a task for their trunk stock. The technician will be able to access
parts order UI by clicking on the "Parts Order" quick link from the dashboard.
Alternatively, the user can click on the Parts tab and then click on Order Parts.
Based on the established sourcing rules, order parts functionality in the back end
results in creation of a purchase requisition, an internal order, or a reservation.

1.10.5 Ability to Return and Receive Parts

Field service technicians can receive parts into the sub-inventory based on purchase
order and internal order. The information displayed can include a host of details,
such as carrier, shipment number, waybill number and packing slip number.
Return Excess parts that reside in a technician’s trunk stock is based on min-max
levels defined in Inventory. The portal also enables a technician to return defective
parts to the central warehouse.
1.10.6 Integration with Knowledge Management and Install Base

The Technician’s Portal integrates with Oracle Knowledge Management and Oracle
Install Base to provide the user with easy access to valuable task-related
information.
From the Dashboard, a technician can access Knowledge Management in two ways:
From a Search Knowledge dialog box on the main page and also from within the
Update Tasks UI. In the latter case, the search criteria is defaulted from the Service
Request summary screen, although it can be modified. The Technician’s Portal also
supports a basic and advanced search.
The Install Base integration occurs when a Service Request is created against an
Item Instance, which is maintained in Install Base. In this case, the Item Instance
field is rendered with a hypertext Instance Number. This link opens up the Install
Base UIs where the user can view and update, as appropriate.


Part I
Debrief and Dispatch Center
Part I of the Oracle Field Service User Guide contains the following chapters:
■ Chapter 2, "Using Field Service Dispatch Center": a detailed examination of the
Dispatch Center, including procedures.
■ Chapter 3, "Using Debrief": a detailed examination of Debrief, including
procedures.
2
Using Field Service Dispatch Center
This topic group provides process-oriented, task-based procedures for using the
application to perform essential business tasks.
Please refer to Section 2.1, "Working with the Field Service Dispatch Center" for
more information.
2.1 Working with the Field Service Dispatch Center

The Field Service Dispatch Center assists you to schedule tasks and monitor the
schedules for service representatives.
Choose one of the following topics to guide you through the application:
■ Section 2.2, "Finding Tasks"
You need to populate the Dispatch Center with tasks. Use this procedure to
learn different ways to populate the Dispatch Center with tasks.
■ Section 2.3, "Viewing Task Details"
Different tabs are available that give you a good overview on all the
information related to a task. Use this procedure to learn about all the tabs.
■ Section 2.4, "Selecting Territories"
The Dispatch Center is populated with a group of service representatives that
show up on the plan board, gantt, and map. Use this procedure to learn how to
populate the Dispatch Center with a different group of service representatives.
■ Section 2.5, "Managing Skills and Skill Levels" or Section 2.6, "Assigning Skills
to Tasks" or Section 2.7, "Assigning Skills to Task Templates"
Using Field Service Dispatch Center 2-1

Working with the Field Service Dispatch Center
A resource, service representative, or a task require certain competencies, skills,

to resolve the task. Use either of these procedures to define the skills for either
the service representative or task.
■ Section 2.8, "Access Spares Management" or Section 2.9, "View Resource
Addresses and Sub Inventories" or Section 2.10, "View the Parts Requirement of
a Task"
Use either of these procedures for parts related matters.
■ Section 2.11, "Working with the Plan Board"
The plan board provides information on service representative schedules in a
daily view. From the plan board you can start a Debrief, assign a task, send a
message, access the source document, recalculate a trip, and get resource
details.
■ Section 2.12, "Working with the Gantt"
The gantt provides information on service representative schedules for a period
of time. The gantt allows for task reassignment.
■ Section 2.13, "Working with the Map"
The map provides a geographic visualization on service representative
schedules for the current date. The map gives you the opportunity to display
tasks and their location and allows for task assignment.
■ Section 2.14, "Scheduling Tasks"
There are several ways and options to assign, or schedule, tasks to service
representatives. After task assignment you can also optimize a service
representative’s trip, re-assign a task, or cancel a scheduled task. Use this
procedure to learn how to schedule tasks, cancel tasks, recalculate a trip, or
reassign a task.
■ Section 2.15, "Identify and Change Invalid Addresses"
Field Service provides a program that identifies invalid addresses, which can
prevent a task from being scheduled, and allows a dispatcher to modify the
addresses to correct the problem.
■ Section 2.16, "Manage Field Service Resource Availability"
The Field Service Dispatch Center provides a centralized view and
point-of-control for scheduling, monitoring, dispatching and prioritizing field
service representatives. In order to manage field service availability and to
quickly deal with unexpected unavailability (i.e. illness), Field Service provides

Finding Tasks
the Trips Management UI, where a dispatcher can quickly intervene and block a
representative’s availability, and replan the representative’s tasks. When a
resource is blocked, Advanced Scheduler will not schedule tasks into blocked
trips. The Trips Management UI also allows a dispatcher to block single, or
multiple trips and tasks in one action.
■ Section 2.17, "Committing the Schedule"
After task assignment you need to commit the schedule so that it is sent to the
service representatives. Use this procedure to learn how to commit the
schedule.
■ Section 2.18, "Reporting on Tasks"
Use this procedure to learn how to access Debrief to open or create a Debrief.
■ Section 2.19, "Viewing Service History"
You can view the service history for a customer site or a product. Use this
procedure to learn how to view service history.
■ Section 2.20, "Viewing the Service Request Details"
When the task originates from a service request, the Service Request form can
be accessed to view all details from the Dispatch Center.
2.2 Finding Tasks

Use this procedure to populate the Tasks list in the Dispatch Center with tasks.
Once you have populated the Dispatch Center with tasks, you can assign them or
review them. Tasks that are shown in bold can be scheduled.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Field Service Manager
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center

Finding Tasks
Steps
1. Make a selection from the View By list of values in the Tasks list to use a
predefined query to search for tasks. By default the following queries have
already been created with the following values:
Query Name Description Query Definition

Inbox All tasks that can be creation_date > trunc(sysdate) and
scheduled, entered today, scheduled_start_date is null and
and haven’t been assigned nvl(status_schedulable_flag,'N') = 'Y'
yet. and nvl(type_schedulable_flag,'N') = 'Y'
All Open All tasks that are available nvl(status_schedulable_flag,''N'') = ''Y''
for planning and can be and nvl(type_schedulable_flag,''N'') =
scheduled. ''Y'' and not exists (select '''' from csf_ct_
task_assignments where task_id = csf_
ct_tasks.task_id)
Auto Rejected All tasks that are rejected by task_status_id = 27
the Autonomous Advanced
Scheduler.
Assigned All task that are already task_status = assigned
assigned.
Non-Schedulable All tasks that cannot be tasks with schedulable_flags = "N"
scheduled.
Auto Scheduling All tasks that can be Task_status = Auto in planning
scheduled by the
Autonomous Advanced
Scheduler.
2. To find tasks that do not conform to one of the predefined queries, click the
flashlight icon on the tool bar. The Find Tasks window is opened.
3. Enter information to retrieve the kind of tasks you want to view. You can create
a query based on a combination of the following search criteria:
■ a specific task or service request number
■ a specific service request or task specifications
■ tasks that you are the owner of
■ tasks that are assigned to you
■ tasks for a specific customer

Finding Tasks
■ tasks that need to be scheduled

■ tasks that have been scheduled
■ tasks that have been started for a selected date or date range
4. Click Find.
The Tasks list of the Dispatch Center is populated with tasks matching the
query definition.
5. To add your query to the list of values from the Tasks list, choose Save Query
As from the Tools menu on the tool bar.
The Save Query As window is opened.
6. Enter a Name for the query, this name is returned in the list of values in the
Dispatch Center. Enter a Description for the query and an Active Start and End
Date.
7. Click OK.
The query is added to the list of values when selecting View By from the Tasks
region.
8. To edit the query choose Edit Query from the Tools menu on the tool bar.
The Edit Query window is opened. You can modify the information but you
cannot delete a query. When the Active End date is reached the query
disappears from the list of values that you see when you select View By from
the Tasks region.
9. Right-clicking a task in the Tasks list brings up a popup menu:
a. Click Show Service Request to show the window of the Service Request the
task belongs to.
b. Click Parts Requirement to show the window of the required parts of the
task. It is possible to add part requirements when these are not yet there.
c. Click Schedule Advise to assign the task.
The Scheduling Advice window is opened. This option will not be
accessible when the task cannot be scheduled. Please note that it is not
necessary to also select the task (by checking the checkbox).

Viewing Task Details
2.3 Viewing Task Details

The upper region from the Dispatch Center provides you with detailed information
for a selected task from the Tasks list.
Use this procedure to learn about the details displayed in the following tabs:
■ Overview
■ Service Request
■ Escalations
■ Spares
■ Product
■ Resources
■ Address
■ Contacts
■ Required Skills
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. Populate the Tasks list with tasks.
2. Select a task from the Tasks list.
3. Choose one of the following tabs:
■ Overview
■ Service Request
■ Escalations
■ Spares

■ Product
■ Resources
■ Address
■ Contacts
■ Required Skills
Overview tab
The Overview tab displays the task details as described in the following table.
Field Description
Number Task number, generated at creation of the task.
Status Task Status.
Effort When a task is created, the amount of time it takes to perform
the task is estimated.
Name A description of the task is given.
Respond By Response time agreed upon with the customer either by
contract or other means of communication. If the response time
is not met, the task becomes non-conforming and an escalation
notification is created.
Priority The urgency given to the task.
Type Task type definition. (For tasks that can be scheduled, the task
type rule must be Dispatch. This is defined at implementation)
Parts Indicates if spare parts need to be ordered, when Advanced
Scheduler is installed this is done at task assignment.
Customer Customer’s name.
Telephone Customer’s telephone number.
Fax Customer’s fax number.
Planned Start and A service representative is supposed to arrive at the customer
Planned End site between the planned start and end date.
Scheduled Start The actual scheduled time a service representative arrives at the
customer site.
Scheduled End The scheduled end date is either the start date plus the effort or
the end date of the time window that was offered to a customer
when it was scheduled with the Window to Promise.

Service Request tab

When the task originates from a service request, details for the service request are
displayed in the Service Request tab, as described in the following table.
Field Description
Request Service request number. Right-click this field to bring up a pop
up menu to access the service request form.
Order Date Date the service request was created.
Summary A summary of the service request.
Organization Unit The organization unit that the service request belongs to.
Problem A problem description for the service request.
Resolution A resolution description for the service request.
Service History You can view the service history for a customer site or a product
by clicking this button. For more details, see Section 2.19,
"Viewing Service History".
Task Task information for your reference is displayed.
Escalations tab
The Escalations tab gives you a summary and status of all the present escalation
notifications. An escalation occurs when a task becomes non-conforming. A task
becomes non-conforming when some of the criteria for it to be assigned and
resolved either cannot be met or are close to not being met. For example, suppose
the contract agreement guarantees a four hour response time, and after 3.5 hours
the task has not yet been assigned. The task then becomes non-conforming and is
escalated.
Spares tab
The Spares tab gives a summary of the spare parts necessary to resolve the task and
their status. Selecting the Requirement Number (hyperlink) in the results
spread-table opens the Parts Requirement window for this task.
To access the Spares Management application choose Spares Management from the
Navigate menu on the toolbar. The Parts Search user interface is shown, allowing
you to search for specific parts.
For more information on Spares Management, see Part II, "Spares Management" in
this guide.

Product tab
The Product tab shows details about the product from the service request.
Additional information is displayed when the product is defined as an installed
base item. The Installed Base flag is checked if Installed Base validation was
selected on the service request.
Field Description
Request The related service request number.
Description A description of the product.
Serial number. Serial number, if applicable.
Lot Lot number, if applicable.
Installed base Indicates if the product is defined as an installed base item.
Contract Type The contract type for the product, if applicable.
Description A description of the contract type.
Revision Revision number, if applicable.
Resources tab
When the task is scheduled, the Resources tab shows you which service
representative or service representatives are assigned (Assignee) to the task and
their status. If Advanced Scheduler is installed, a route description is given.
Field Description
Assignee The name of the service representative to whom the task is
assigned.
Type The resource type.
Status The status of the service representative assigned to the task.
This status field is updated when a service representative in the
field updates it.
Travel Time The amount of travel time from the previous task to the current
task.
More Click More to display the route information.

Selecting Territories
Address tab
The addresses of the customer and the product that needs service are shown.
Contacts tab
Shown is the title, first name, last name, and phone number, extension and email
address of the contact person. This can be the contact person of the service request
or the contact person of the task, for these can be different. You can select the Source
from the list of values (showing only Service Request and Task). Default the contact
person of the service request is shown.
Required Skills tab

Shown are the required skills for the task: Skill Type, Skill Name and Skill Level. It
is not possible to make any changes in this tab. If a skill is disabled in the Assign
Skills to Task module, the Disabled checkbox is checked.
2.4 Selecting Territories

Use this procedure to select a group or groups of service representatives. The
Dispatch Center shows the group or groups selected on the plan board, gantt, and
map.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the menu in the Dispatch Center, go to Navigate and choose Select
Territories.
2. Make a selection from the territories assigned to you.
3. To view all territories, including the ones not assigned to you, check the Show
All Territories box.
4. Click OK.

Managing Skills and Skill Levels
The groups of service representatives selected are displayed on the plan board,
gantt, and map.
2.5 Managing Skills and Skill Levels

Skills are the field service representative's competencies. Skills fall into three major
categories: product skills, other technical skills, and non-technical skills. The skill
level indicates the expertise scale of the field service representative's skill. For
example, expert, trainee, and experienced could be skill levels. Learn from this
procedure how to setup skills and skill levels and how to assign them to field
service representatives.
Use this procedure to assign skills and skill levels to field service representatives.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From within the Dispatch Center, go to Navigate and select Skills Management.
Alternatively, select the Plan Board tab, right-click on the Resource Name and
choose Skills Management.
The Skills Management window is opened.
2. Select the Resources tab.
3. Select the appropriate resource type from the Resource Type list of values.
4. Select a field service representative name from the Resource Name list of values.
The list of values only displays the field service representatives who have been
assigned to the Resource Type you selected.
5. Select a Skills Type from the Skills Type list of values.
6. The Skills Name is filled in automatically
7. Select a Skill Level from the Level list of values.

Managing Skills and Skill Levels
8. The start date (From date field) defaults to today's date. You can override this
value if needed.
9. The end date (To date field) is used to inactivate the relevant skill of the field
service representative.
10. Save your work.
11. Selecting the Switch View button shows all resources having the selected skill.
12. Select the Skills tab.
13. Enter the Skill Type Name.
14. Enter a Skill Type Description (optional).
15. Enter the Use Scale by selecting from the Use Scale list of values.
value if needed.
17. The end date (To date field) is used to inactivate the Skill Type. This applies to
all skills of this Skill Type.
18. Enter the Skills Name.
19. Enter the Skill Description (optional).
20. Enter a possible Alias (optional).
value if needed.
22. The end date (To date field) is used to inactivate the Skill.
23. Save your work.

24. Select the Skill Levels tab
25. Enter the Rating Scale Name.
26. Enter the Rating Scale Description (optional).
value if needed.
28. The end date (To date field) is used to inactivate the Rating Scale.
29. Enter the Order of the Skill Level (lowest number is highest in rank).
30. Enter the Level Name.
31. Enter the Level Description (optional).

Assigning Skills to Tasks
value if needed.
33. The end date (To date field) is used to inactivate the Level.
34. Save your work.
2.6 Assigning Skills to Tasks

If a task has skills assigned, Advanced Scheduler can take these skills into account
when searching for the best possible resource to do the job. Learn from this
procedure how to assign skills and skill levels to Tasks.
Use this procedure to assign skills and skill levels to tasks.
Prerequisites
Skills and skill levels are set up.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, choose Skills Assignment to Tasks. Alternatively, go
to Navigate on the tool bar and choose Skills Assignment.
The Find Tasks window is shown. The Skills Assignment window is opened
directly if a task is active only.
2. Enter the search criteria and click Find.
The Result Window form appears.
3. Select a task by double-clicking one of the Results lines or by selecting a line
and clicking OK.
The Skills Assignment window is opened for the selected task (the task details
are filled in the header part of the window).
4. Select the Task tab.
5. Select the Skill Type from the Skill Type list of values.

Assigning Skills to Task Templates
6. Select the Skill Name from the Skill Name list of values.
The Skill Description - if setup - is displayed automatically.
7. Select the Skill Level from the Skill Level list of values.
8. Check the Disable Skill checkbox only if Advanced Scheduler should not take
this skill into account.
9. Save your work.
10. Click the Next button to continue assigning skills for the next task from the
Results Window.
11. Click the Previous button to continue assigning skills for the previous task from
the Results Window.
12. Select the flashlight icon to open the Find Tasks window again.
2.7 Assigning Skills to Task Templates

If a task has skills assigned, Advanced Scheduler can take these skills into account
when searching for the best possible resource to do the job. Learn from this
procedure how to assign skills and skill levels to Task Templates.
Use this procedure to assign skills and skill levels to task templates.
Prerequisites
■ Skills and Skill levels are set up.
■ Task Templates are set up.
Responsibility
Navigation
(Alternatively) Field Service Dispatcher > Skills Assignment to Task > Task
Template tab
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, go to Navigate on the Toolbar and select Skills
Assignment.

Access Spares Management
2. Close the Find Task window and choose the Task Template tab on the Skills
Assignment to Task window.
3. Select the Task Template group name from the Task Template Group Name list
of values.
The Task Template Description, start date (From date field), and end date (To
date field) values are displayed automatically.
4. Select the Task Template from the Task Template list of values.
5. Select the Skill Type from the Skill Type list of values.
6. Select the Skill Name from the Skill Name list of values.
The Skill Description (if set up) is displayed automatically.
7. Select the Skill Level from the Skill Level list of values.
8. Check the Disable Skill checkbox only if Advanced Scheduler should not take
this skill into account.
9. Save your work.
2.8 Access Spares Management

Access to Spares Management from the Dispatch Center allows you to search for
parts. This is possible throughout all inventory organizations and subinventories.
Use this procedure to search for certain parts. From the Dispatch Center, go to
Navigate on the toolbar and select Spares Management. The Parts Search user
interface is opened.
For more information on Parts Search, see Section 4.3, "Use Parts Search Hierarchy".
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation

View Resource Addresses and Sub Inventories
2.9 View Resource Addresses and Sub Inventories

A typical field service organization may have hundreds and even thousands of field
service representatives. This window is designed to provide an efficient method for
viewing ship to addresses and subinventories for your field service representatives.
Perform the following procedure to view the ship-to addresses and sub-inventories
of a field service representative:
From the Dispatch Center, go to Navigate on the toolbar and select Resource
Addresses and Sub inventories.
Prerequisites
■ Field service representatives must be defined as employees.
■ Sub inventories must be defined.
■ Spares Management must be installed and setup.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, select Resource Addresses and Subinventories from
Navigate on the toolbar. Alternatively, from the Plan Board tab, right-click on a
resource name and choose Resource Addresses and Sub inventories.
The Resource Addresses and Sub-inventories window is opened. If you
right-clicked from the Plan Board, the window is populated with the selected
resource’s information.
2. To query a new resource, from the toolbar, choose Query By Example > Enter
and then enter a partial value for the Resource Type and/or Resource Name.
3. Navigate to Query By Example and select Run.
The window populates with the resource information. There are two tabs of
information: Addresses and Subinventories.
4. You can add or delete information at this time.
5. When you are finished, save your work.

Working with the Plan Board
2.10 View the Parts Requirement of a Task

When a field service representative requires additional parts to complete a service
request task, he usually notifies the dispatcher. The dispatcher then creates a
follow-up task and uses the functionality provided in the Spares Management Parts
Requirement form to generate an internal order for the required parts.
When parts are required to resolve a task, the Spares tab gives you an overview of
the needed spare parts. Use the following navigations paths to view the required
parts to resolve the task.
For more information on using the Parts Requirement UI, see Section 4.1, "Create
Parts Requirement".
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
There are several ways to navigate to the Parts Requirement UI:
■ Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Navigate > Parts Requirement.
■ Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Plan Board > Right-click on a task
(Tasks list) > Parts Requirement.
■ Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Right-click on a task (Tasks list) >
Parts Requirement.
■ Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Spares > Select Requirement
number (hyperlink) > Parts Requirement.
The Parts Requirement window is opened.
2.11 Working with the Plan Board

The Plan Board provides information on a service representative's schedule in a
daily view. From the Plan Board you can also start a debrief re port, assign a task,
send a message, access the source document, recalculate a trip, optimize a trip,
block / unblock a trip, view the required parts for a task, get the resource's
addresses and sub inventories, and get resource details.

Also Field Service’s advanced color coding feature makes the various tasks within
the Plan Board easily identifiable, by changing the colors of the cells in the plan
board, depending upon a number of factors, including the task’s priority, status
type or plan option. Color coding setup is done during implementation and can be
modified to fit your business needs.
For more information, see the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide. The
following procedure details how to use the Plan Board.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, select the Plan Board tab.
The tasks and trips for the current day for the group of service representatives
you are monitoring are shown.
2. Click More to enlarge the plan board.
3. Select Date to change the date to view.
4. Click Goto to focus on a specific service representative.
5. Choose the resource name you want to focus on from the list of values.
The service representative’s name is highlighted and visible on the plan board.
6. Right-click the service representative’s name on the plan board to display the
list of options available. Selecting each of these will result in a related pop-up
window.
a. Click Commit Schedule to commit the resource's schedule.
b. Click Resource Information to view service representative details such as
Name, Phone number, and Email address.

c. Click Resource Addresses and Subinventories to view the resource's

addresses and sub inventories. You can add an address for the resource at
this time.
d. Click Skills Management to view the resource's skills and corresponding
skill levels. The Resources tab of the Skills Management form is opened for
the selected resource. You can also navigate to the Skills and Skill Level tabs
for related information. See Section 2.5, "Managing Skills and Skill Levels"
for more details
e. Click Trips Management to view the resource’s current schedule. From the
Trips Management popup window, you can Unplan or Reschedule tasks, or
Block or Unblock trips for a specified day.
7. Right-click a task on the plan board to display the list of options available.
Selecting each of these will result in a related pop-up window.
a. Click Show Source Document to open the window the task is created from.
b. Click Debrief to report on or view a report of a performed task.
The Debrief window opens.
c. Click Send Message to send a message to another user.
d. Click Schedule Advise to assign a task to the service representative.
The Scheduling Advice window opens with the service representative’s
name populated in the My Suggestion field.
e. Select Parts Requirement to view the required parts for the selected task.
The Parts Requirement window is opened for the selected task.
8. Right-click a departure task on the plan board to bring up a popup menu.
a. Click Block this Trip to block a trip. As a result, the trip will no longer be
available when scheduling a task. This function is available only for an
empty trip (so not containing any tasks) that is not yet blocked.
b. Click Unblock this Trip to undo the block of a trip. This function is available
only for an empty trip (so not containing any tasks) that is blocked.
c. Click Optimize Trip to optimize the trip. This might affect the tasks order in
the trip. This function is available only when Advanced Scheduler is
installed.

Working with the Gantt
d. Click Recalculate Trip to eliminate time conflicts within the trip. The tasks
order in the trip will not be altered. This function is available only when
Advanced Scheduler is installed.
9. To view other service representatives, choose Select Territories from the
Navigate menu on the tool bar.
2.12 Working with the Gantt

Use the gantt to view progress on the service representative schedules or for task
assignment. A time line is shown to indicate the current date and time. Use this
procedure to explore the different tools and options available for task management
through the use of the gantt.
In previous releases of Field Services colors for task were hard coded with the
following configurations: Shifts were indicated in yellow. Scheduled tasks showed
up in blue bars, escalated tasks showed up in red bars, and travel time was shown
as a transparent beginning of a scheduled task (Advanced Scheduler functionality).
Although you can still configure your Dispatch Center to display that configuration
(by setting the "CSF: Use Custom Color Coding Scheme" profile option to No), you
can now use enhanced color coding for tasks, which is user extensible and available
for the following conditions:
■ Task Type
■ Task Priority (i.e. Task Assignment Status)
■ Plan option
Use the scroll bars in the Resource section and gantt chart to view more details or
dates.
Prerequisites
None
Responsibility
Navigation

Working with the Map
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, select the Gantt tab.
Service representatives, along with their shifts and assigned tasks, are
displayed.
2. Click More to enlarge the gantt.
3. Select a date at From and To to define a date range you want to view.
4. Click Goto to focus on a specific service representative’s schedule.
The service representative’s name is highlighted and visible.
5. Right-click the date or time on the Gantt chart header to change the view of the
Gantt chart.
You can choose from one of the following options: 15 Minutes, 30 Minutes,
Hours, Three Hours, Six Hours or Days.
6. View a task description by moving the mouse over a task. Wait a moment and a
task description is shown.
7. To view task details, double-click a task.
The source document opens, showing the task details. For example, for a
service request task the Service Request window opens.
8. To view task-related details, navigate the mouse over the task bar you want to
view, right-click and choose Task Related Info.
The Task Related Info popup window displays information relating to the
specific task including product, task customer, and required skills information.
It also contains both planned and actual start and end time information.
9. You can optionally move a task from one service representative to another by
dragging and dropping it.
Note: When you use drag and drop, no check is performed to

confirm whether it is the best option or even a possible option.
2.13 Working with the Map

The Dispatch Center provides a geographical representation of a territory that
includes a display of the service technicians you are managing. This display
includes an easy-to-view status for the current date.

Working with the Map
The map facility of the dispatch center allows the dispatcher to see a full range of
views, from the highest level view of the map area, to the most detailed level.
At the highest level, the map details states and countries outlined, major roads and
waterways and label names of state capitols and major cities. At the detailed level,
the map displays all roads (name included), including on and off ramps, city area
definitions, regional features, and major landmarks.
Use this procedure to learn the possibilities of using the map. You can use the map
for monitoring as well as scheduling purposes.
Prerequisites
A spatial data product must be installed and running for map display.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center select the Map tab.
The service technicians you are managing are shown.
2. You can also click Reset to show the map in its entirety when only a fragment is
shown.
3. To change the map, choose it from the list of values in the Service Area.
4. Click More to enlarge the map.
5. Click Goto to focus on a specific service technician.
6. In the Zoom section, you can use the In and Out buttons to control the detail of
the area of the map display.
7. The four arrow buttons in the Navigate section, enable you to change the visual
display of the map by moving it up, down, left or right.
You can also draw a box on the map with your mouse to zoom in to that
particular area.
8. To view a task or tasks on the map, select them from the task list by checking
them and click Show from the Tasks area.

Scheduling Tasks
The selected tasks, along with their locations, are shown on the map.
9. Double-click on a task for details.
The Service Request window opens, showing the Task tab.
10. To assign a task to a service technician, check a task from the task list and
choose a service technician.
The Schedule Advise UI or Oracle Advanced Scheduler (if installed) opens. The
service technician is defaulted as the option for My Suggestion.
11. Click Clear to remove the tasks from the map.
Note: The tasks remain checked in the task list.
12. Click Save to save your current map settings.

This is used to display the map the next time you use the map.
2.14 Scheduling Tasks

There are different ways to schedule tasks from the Dispatch Center. Choose one of
the following options to learn more about scheduling tasks.
Options for scheduling are:
■ Scheduling a Task Manually
■ Selecting a Schedule Option:
■ Scheduling Using the Unassisted Option
■ Scheduling Using the Assisted Option
■ Scheduling Using the Window to Promise Option
■ Scheduling Using the Intelligent Option
■ Scheduling a Task for Multiple Resources
■ Scheduling a Task or Tasks Automatically
■ Viewing Failed Autonomous Schedule Assignments
■ Optimizing a Service Representative's Trip
■ Recalculating a Service Representative’s Trip

Scheduling Tasks
■ Recalculating All Trips

■ Canceling a Scheduled Task
■ Re-assigning a Scheduled Task
■ Re-assigning a Scheduled Task from the Gantt chart
■ Re-assigning a Scheduled Task from the Plan Board
2.14.1 Scheduling a Task Manually

You can manually assign a task to one or more field service representatives in three
ways:
■ From the Plan Board (right-click on a task)
■ From the Dispatch Center (Advise button)
■ From the Tasks list (right-click on a task)
The Scheduling Advice window is always opened to assist you in the assignment.
When the Advanced Scheduler is installed all options for scheduling are available
to you. When the Advanced Scheduler is not installed only the Assisted and
Unassisted options are available and you make use of Schedule Advise UI
functionality.
When scheduling from the plan board or map, you make a suggestion for a field
service representative to be taken into account when the scheduling criteria are
applied. When based on the scheduling criteria no suitable service representative
was found, your suggestion is still presented as an option. When scheduling from
the Dispatch Center (Advise button) only those service representatives that are
suitable based on the scheduling criteria applied are presented to you. It could
happen no service representatives are found.
Use this procedure to schedule a single task manually.
Prerequisites
Make sure you read Section 1.8, "The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process" to
understand this procedure.
Responsibility

Scheduling Tasks
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, populate the Tasks list with tasks.
2. There are several options to plan manually, choose one of the following:
■ In the Tasks list, select the checkbox next to the task you want to schedule
and click Advise
■ In the Tasks list, right-click the task you want to schedule and select
Schedule Advise from the popup menu
■ From the Plan Board, right-click the task you want to reschedule and select
Schedule Advise from the popup menu
The Scheduling Advice window is opened.
3. Choose an Assistance Level to help you with the assignment. For more
information please refer to Selecting a Schedule Option or choose one of the
following options directly:
■ Scheduling Using the Unassisted Option
■ Scheduling Using the Assisted Option
■ Scheduling Using the Window to Promise Option
■ Scheduling Using the Intelligent Option
2.14.2 Scheduling Using the Unassisted Option

Use the Unassisted option to assign a task to a resource of your choice. None of the
criteria or Advanced Scheduler features are applied. This means that if parts are
required for the task, you need to order them separately.
Prerequisites
Make sure you read Section 1.8, "The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process" to
understand this procedure.
Responsibility

Scheduling Tasks
Navigation
Steps
1. Navigate to the Scheduling Advice window.
2. Select the Preferences tab.
3. Click Unassisted.
4. In the My Suggestion region make an entry for the resource Type or Name.
5. Click Search. The resource or resources are displayed in the Advice tab.
6. Double-click on a resource of your choice. The Start and End fields are
populated with the scheduled date.
7. Click Schedule. A task assignment is created.
8. The plan board and gantt are refreshed.
2.14.3 Scheduling Using the Assisted Option

Use the Assisted option to assign a task to a resource based on a selection of criteria
using Schedule Advise UI functionality. Spare parts availability is not taken into
account. This means that if parts are required for the task, you need to order them
separately.
Prerequisites
Make sure you read Section 1.8, "The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process"
topic.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps

Scheduling Tasks
3. Click Assisted.
4. In the Resources region make a selection of Territory Qualifiers, a preferred
resource defined in Contracts, a resource recommended from Installed Base or
Skills. Also select if you want to check resources availability.
5. In the My Suggestion region enter a resource Type or Name if you want it to be
considered as a plan option in addition to previous selections made.
6. Click Search.
The qualified resources found are displayed in the Advice tab. Already
assigned tasks show up in blue, schedule options show up in green.
8. Click Schedule.
A task assignment is created and the plan board and gantt are refreshed.
2.14.4 Scheduling Using the Window to Promise Option

The Window to Promise option is only available when Advanced Scheduler is
installed. Use the Window to Promise option to assign a time slot to a resource
based on a selection of criteria using Advanced Scheduler functionality. Displayed
are possible time slots to offer a customer with related cost.
After task assignment with the Window to Promise a time slot is reserved for a
customer and the Planned Start and End dates are set accordingly. A time slot is
also assigned to a resource but later in the process you can choose to optimize the
assignment by assigning it to another resource or by optimizing the resources trip.
Prerequisites
Advanced Scheduler is installed. Make sure you read Section 1.8, "The Scheduling
and Task Assignment Process" topic.
Responsibility
Navigation

Scheduling Tasks
Steps
3. Click Window to Promise.
Skills. Also select if you want to check resources availability.
6. In the Spares region choose an Availability Condition from the list of values. For
more information on availability conditions please refer to Understanding
Advanced Scheduler.
7. Click Search. The possible time slots with related cost are displayed in the
Advice tab.
8. Select an option from the list of values at View Window to view only the
options for a certain time slot.
9. Select a time slot of your choice and click Schedule. The Planned Start and End
date for the task is set accordingly. A task assignment is created.
10. The plan board and gantt are refreshed.
Guidelines
The time slot with the lowest cost addressed is in most cases the best option to offer
your customer.
2.14.5 Scheduling Using the Intelligent Option

The Intelligent option is only available when Advanced Scheduler is installed. Use
the Intelligent option to assign a task to a resource based on a selection of criteria
using Advanced Scheduler functionality.
Prerequisites
Advanced Scheduler is installed. Make sure you read the The Scheduling and Task
Assignment Process topic in Section 1.5, "What is the Field Service Dispatch
Center?"

Scheduling Tasks
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
3. Click Intelligent.
Skills. Also, select if you want to check resources availability.
6. In the Spares region, choose an Availability Condition from the list of values.
For more information on availability conditions, please refer to Understanding
Scheduler.
7. Click Search.
The qualified resources with related cost found are displayed in the Advice tab.
Already assigned tasks show up in blue, schedule options show up in green.
Travel time in between tasks are transparent.
2.14.6 Scheduling a Task for Multiple Resources

You can assign a task to multiple resources, this can only be done assisted by the
Schedule Advise UI and has to be done manually.
Use this procedure to assign a task to multiple resources.

Scheduling Tasks
Prerequisites
Make sure you read Section 1.8, "The Scheduling and Task Assignment Process"
topic.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
3. Click Assisted.
resource defined in Contracts, or a resource recommended from Installed Base.
Also select if you want to check a resources availability.
6. Click Search.
The qualified resources found are displayed in the Advice tab. Already
assigned tasks show up in blue, schedule options show up in green.
7. Select a resource of your choice and to add it to an already assigned task, check
the Add Resource checkbox.
2.14.7 Scheduling a Task or Tasks Automatically

You can schedule a single task or multiple tasks automatically directly from the
dispatch center. The scheduling criteria applied come from Advanced Scheduler
and use default settings. It is also possible to run a concurrent program,
Autonomous Scheduler, that schedules tasks automatically in the background
without interference of a dispatcher. This is setup at implementation.
Use this procedure to schedule a single task or multiple tasks automatically from
the Dispatch Center.

Scheduling Tasks
Prerequisites
Advanced Scheduler is installed. Make sure you read Section 1.8, "The Scheduling
and Task Assignment Process" topic.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, populate the Tasks list with tasks.
2. Check the box next to the task you want to schedule. To check all tasks at once
choose Select All Tasks from the Tools menu on the toolbar.
3. Click Auto Schedule.
The plan board and gantt are refreshed. When during the scheduling process an
assignment for a task fails, you are prompted with an error message telling you
why scheduling failed. Resolve the issue for the task. The Auto Schedule
process needs to be re initiated to schedule the remainder of the tasks.
2.14.8 Viewing Failed Autonomous Schedule Assignments

Use this procedure when a concurrent program, Autonomous Scheduler, is active
that schedules tasks automatically in the background without involvement of a
dispatcher. The program picks up tasks to schedule at set time intervals. This is
Advanced Scheduler-specific functionality.
When Advanced Scheduler is not able to schedule a task for some reason, the task
status is set to Auto Rejected. This enables you to find failed tasks more easily from
the Dispatch Center. An output file is generated with a problem description for the
failed task. When the problem for the task has been resolved, change the status back
to a can be scheduled status.
Use this procedure to view the output file with the problem description for the task.
Prerequisites
Advanced Scheduler is installed.

Scheduling Tasks
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Other > View Requests
Steps
1. Open the Find Requests window.
2. Click Submit a New Request.
The Submit a New Request window is opened.
3. Choose the Single Request option.
4. Click OK.
The Submit Request window is opened.
5. At Name, choose Autonomous Auto Schedule from the list of values and click
OK.
6. Click Submit.
The Decision window is opened.
7. Click No.
You will return to the Find Requests window.
8. Click Find.
The Request window is opened.
9. Look for the requests with the Name Autonomous Auto Schedule. Check the
Phase and Status. If Phase is Completed and the Status is something other then
Normal, something went wrong during the process of assigning a task to a
resource when executing the Autonomous Auto Schedule program.
10. Click View Output to view the output file with the problem description for the
task.
2.14.9 Optimizing a Service Representative's Trip

Use this procedure to optimize a service representative's Trip. This might affect the
task’s order in the trip.

Scheduling Tasks
Prerequisites
None
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, open the Plan Board tab.
2. Right-click on a departure task and choose Optimize Trip.
The function is carried out immediately.
2.14.10 Recalculating a Service Representative’s Trip

Use this procedure to update and optimize a service representative’s trip after task
assignment and before task commitment. This will eliminate time conflicts within
the trip and reset the scheduled start times of all tasks in the trip, accordingly.
Prerequisites
Advanced Scheduler must be installed.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, choose the Plan Board tab.
2. Select the service representative’s name and right-click it.
The popup menu appears.
3. Click Recalculate Trip.

Scheduling Tasks
2.14.11 Recalculating All Trips

Use this procedure to update and optimize all service representatives trips shown
on the plan board after task assignment, and before task commitment. This will
eliminate time conflicts within the trip and reset the scheduled start times of all
tasks in the trip, accordingly.
Prerequisites
Advanced Scheduler must be installed.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
Make sure all the service representatives you want to recalculate the trips for
are shown on the plan board.
Refer to Section 2.4, "Selecting Territories" to reference the procedure to do so.
2. From the Tools menu select Recalculate All Trips.
2.14.12 Canceling a Scheduled Task

To cancel a scheduled task you need to cancel all task assignments for the task.
Once a task is canceled you can choose to schedule it again or close it.
Use this procedure to cancel a scheduled task or task assignment.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation

Scheduling Tasks
Steps
1. Populate the Tasks list with the task.
2. Select the task.
3. Select the Resources tab.
4. Change the task assignment Status for each resource to Cancelled.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Refresh, the task status is changed accordingly.
2.14.13 Re-assigning a Scheduled Task

Use either of the following procedures to assign an already assigned task from one
service representative to another.
■ Section 2.14.13.1, "Re-assigning a Scheduled Task from the Gantt chart"
■ Section 2.14.13.2, "Re-assigning a Scheduled Task from the Plan Board"
2.14.13.1 Re-assigning a Scheduled Task from the Gantt chart
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, select the Gantt tab.
2. Select a task in the service representative’s trip, drag and drop it onto the
service representative you want to assign the task to.
Note: When using drag and drop, no check is performed if it is

the best or even a possible option.

Identify and Change Invalid Addresses
3. Click Undo to cancel the drag and drop action.
2.14.13.2 Re-assigning a Scheduled Task from the Plan Board
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
2. Right-click on Task and choose Scheduling Advise.
The Scheduling Advice window is opened.
2.15 Identify and Change Invalid Addresses

When scheduling tasks, often times a dispatcher will encounter situations where the
customer’s address in the system is invalid. For example, if the address was entered
incorrectly by a representative in a call center. As a result, if you are using automatic
scheduling through Oracle Advance Scheduler, the application can’t link up a
technician with a task and the task remains unscheduled.
To address this issue, Field Service provides a program that identifies invalid
addresses and allows a dispatcher to modify the addresses to correct the problem.
Field Service takes into account the following address criteria when determining
whether or not it is invalid:
■ Address
■ City
■ State
■ Zip code
■ Country

Identifying and changing invalid addresses is a three-step process, whereby you

runt the Find Invalid Address concurrent program to identify the addresses, query
the system from the dispatch center to identify all the invalid addresses for that
appear for a particular day, and then change and validate the addresses.
The following sections detail this process:
■ Section 2.15.1, "Run Invalid Addresses Concurrent Program"
■ Section 2.15.2, "Change Invalid Addresses"
2.15.1 Run Invalid Addresses Concurrent Program

To run the Invalid Addresses concurrent program, follow these steps.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Field Service Setup > Find Invalid Addresses
Steps
1. Open the Find Invalid Addresses concurrent program.
You can either schedule the program to run automatically, or run it on demand.
2. To run the program, click Submit.
There are no parameters to fill.
3. You will see a confirmation popup window with the service request number.
Write down the number and click No.
4. Check the status of the concurrent program by navigating to View > Requests in
the toolbar.
5. Run the Find Requests query.
6. When the request is completed, you can query the invalid addresses from the
Dispatch Center.

2.15.2 Change Invalid Addresses

To change invalid addresses, follow this procedure.
Prerequisites
You must run the Field Invalid Addresses concurrent program.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Change Invalid Address
Steps
1. In the tasks section of the Dispatch Center, choose Invalid Address in the View
By field.
This displays all the tasks that have been identified as having an invalid
address associated with them for the day that the query is run (i.e. today).
2. Right-click the task for which you want to change the address and select
Change Invalid Address.
This opens the Change Invalid Address window, which contains the
information for the specific task that you selected. Alternatively, if you call the
Change Invalid Address window from the main menu (Field Service Dispatcher
> Change Invalid Address), the spread table will contain all tasks with invalid
addresses, which you can select and change one at a time.
3. In the Address tab, the current invalid address is displayed along with the error
message. The fields you can edit are Address1, City, State, Zip Code and
Country. Make the appropriate changes to the addresses.
4. Once you have made changes, click Validate Address to ensure that the new
values you entered represent a valid address.
5. Click the Logged Errors tab to see a detailed error message regarding the
invalid address.
Once you have changed and validated the address, the task will be removed
from the spread table that displays all the invalid addresses.

Manage Field Service Resource Availability
2.16 Manage Field Service Resource Availability

Through the Trips Managment UI, a dispatcher can easily block the trips of a single
field technician or multiple technicians, temporarily freezing the schedule in the
process. You can also unplan or reschedule the technician’s tasks. This function is
necessary in the event that a field technician unexpectedly becomes unavailable. In
this case, the dispatcher can not only unplan and/or reschedule tasks, but can block
Scheduler from automatically scheduling any further tasks for the technician.
By default, the Trips Management UI displays all the field technicians associated
with the selected territory for the dispatcher. If you navigate to this window by
right-clicking on a resource (in the Plan Board or Gantt) the Trips Management UI
will contain only the resource selected.
This section covers the following procedures:
■ Block Trip
■ Unplan Task
■ Reschedule Task
■ Unblock Trip
2.16.1 Block Trip for Technician

From the Trips Management UI, a dispatcher can block a single trip or multiple
trips, the latter by entering a date range. This action prevents new assignments
being made for a technician and temporarily freezes the task assignments in the
blocked trip. Use the following procedure to block a technician’s trip.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Use the following navigation paths to access the Trips Management UI:
Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Navigate > Trips Management
Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Plan Board tab or Gantt tab >
Right-click Resource Name > Trips Management

Note: If you navigate to the Trips Management UI from the Plan

Board or the Gantt, only the resource you selected will be
displayed.
Steps
1. From the Trips Management UI, select the technicians that you want to block
trips for by choosing the Selected checkbox next to the resource name.
You can select as many technicians as you like to block trips for. If you want to
block trips for all technicians, click the Select All check box.
2. In the Trips section, choose the Start and End dates and times for the trips you
want to block.
The entire block of time within the start and end date and time will be blocked.
3. In the Actions section of the UI, choose Block in the Trips field.
4. Click OK.
The trips for the date range you specified are blocked and reflected in the Plan
Board and the Gantt.
Guidelines
You can block trips and unplan or reschedule tasks at the same time through the
Trips Management UI.
2.16.2 Unplan Task for Technician

If a task assignment has not been completed or "closed," it can be unplanned from
the Trips Management UI. If an assigned task has been committed to a field
technician’s mobile device, the task can be unplanned and rescheduled. Unplanning
such asks will automatically send cancellations to the mobile device.
Use the following procedure to unplan tasks.
Prerequisites
A task must be schedule and assigned to a technician and it must have a status
other than "completed" or "closed."
Responsibility

Navigation

displayed.
Steps
1. From the Trips Management UI, select the technicians that you want to unplan
tasks for by choosing the Selected checkbox next to the resource name.
You can select as many technicians as you like to block trips for. If you want to
unplan tasks for all technicians, click the Select All check box.
2. In the Trips section, choose the Start and End dates and times for the tasks you
want to unplan.
The entirety of the task must fall within the start and end dates and times that
you choose.
3. In the Actions section of the UI, choose Unplan in the Tasks field.
4. Click OK.
A popup window displays a message confirming that you are unplanning one
or more tasks.
5. If you are sure you want to unplan the tasks, click OK on the popup message.
A second message confirms the number of tasks you unplanned.
6. Click OK to close this window.
The tasks are unplanned.
Note: You can block trips and unplan tasks during the same
specified period at one time by choose Block and Unplan at the in
the respective Actions fields.

Guidelines
To unplan a specific task for a technician, you can right-click the task in the Plan
Board and choose the Unplan Task option.
2.16.3 Reschedule Technician’s Tasks

In the event that tasks have been scheduled and assigned to a technician who, for
some reason, becomes unavailable, a dispatcher can reschedule the task or tasks
through Trips Management. You can also reschedule tasks for multiple technicians
and multiple task for a specified period of time.
Use the following procedure to reschedule tasks.
Prerequisites
At least one task must be assigned to a technician.
Responsibility
Navigation

displayed.
Steps
1. From the Trips Management UI, select the technicians that you want to
reschedule tasks for by choosing the Selected checkbox next to the resource
name.
You can select as many technicians as you like to reschedule tasks for. If you
want to reschedule tasks for all technicians, click the Select All check box.
2. In the Trips section, choose the Start and End dates and times for the tasks you
want to reschedule.

The entirety of the task must fall within the start and end dates and times that
you choose.
3. In the Actions section of the UI, choose Unplan in the Tasks field.
4. Click OK.
A popup window displays a message confirming that you are unplanning one
or more tasks.
5. If you are sure you want to unplan the tasks, click OK on the popup message.
A second message confirms the number of tasks you unplanned.
6. Click OK to close this window.
The tasks are unplanned.
Note: You can block trips and reschedule tasks during the same
specified period at one time by choose Block and reschedule in the
respective Actions fields.
2.16.4 Unblock Technician Trips

Using Trips Management functionality, you can unblock trips for technicians that
have previously been blocked. You can unblock at the trip or technician level and
you can also unblock trips for a specified date range, for multiple technicians, or
both.
Use the following procedure to unblock technician trips.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation

Committing the Schedule

displayed.
Steps
1. From the Trips Management UI, select the technicians that you want to unblock
trips for by choosing the Selected checkbox next to the resource name.
You can select as many technicians as you like to unblock trips for. If you want
to unblock trips for all technicians, click the Select All check box.
2. In the Trips section, choose the Start and End dates and times for the trips you
want to unblock.
The entire block of time within the start and end date and time will be blocked.
3. In the Actions section of the UI, choose Unblock in the Trips field.
4. Click OK.
The trips for the date range you specified are unblocked and reflected in the
Plan Board and the Gantt. Once unblocked, the technicians that were previously
blocked become automatically available for task and trip assignments,
including automatic scheduling by Scheduler.
2.17 Committing the Schedule

You have to commit the schedule so it gets communicated to the service
representatives. Also at commitment, any parts reservations created by Advanced
Scheduler at task assignment are ordered when the schedule is committed.
Committing the schedule can be done manually as well as automatically. For
automatic commitment a concurrent program runs in the background. This is setup
at implementation.
Use this procedure to change task status for all tasks for a selected date manually.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility

Committing the Schedule
Navigation
Any of the three following navigation paths will open the Commit Schedule
window:
Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Navigate > Commit Schedule
Field Service Dispatcher > Commit Schedule (main menu)
Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Plan Board tab > Right-click resource
name > Commit Schedule
Steps
1. From the Commit Schedule window, select the Schedule tab.
2. Indicate the date to the commit schedule for at Time Frame.
This could be for schedules created in the past hour, but also for one or more
days.
When the function has been started by right-clicking a resource name in the
plan board, the 'From' date field contains the active date of the plan board. In
the other cases, the 'From' date contains the current date. In all cases, the default
'To' date is the 'From' date + 1.
When this area is left blank, all schedules found for the selected task status are
committed.
3. At Resource define a specific resource or a resource group to commit the
schedule for.
When starting the function by right-clicking a resource name in the plan board,
the resource name is filled in already. When this area is left blank, all schedules
for the selected task status are committed.
4. Select the Options tab.
5. Make a selection from the list of values at From and To to define the tasks status
transition at commitment.
6. Click OK.
The schedule is committed. The Task Status is changed to the status defined at
To in the previous step.

Reporting on Tasks
2.18 Reporting on Tasks

In Debrief you can report on labor time, parts used, expenses made, and record
counter readings.
Use this procedure to start or open a Debrief for a task from the Dispatch Center.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps.
2. Select the task you want to report on and right-click it.
The popup menu appears.
3. Click Debrief.
The Debrief window is opened with the task information populated.
For more information, see Chapter 3, "Using Debrief".
2.19 Viewing Service History

Field Service provides an extensive search mechanism to view service history
relating to several potential areas of interest, including customer, site, product,
problem or resolution. Furthermore, you can make extensive text searches based on
key words for both Summaries and Notes.
Service history is valuable when determining whether or not to increase or decrease
a customer’s service agreement and to determine if multiple calls are related.
Furthermore, it can be used to determine if there is significant hardware or software
failure, which is leading to multiple service requests.
You can query service history for a particular customer linked to an open task from
within the Dispatch Center. The profile option CSF: Default Service History Display

Viewing Service History
determines which query is executed. For example, if you have the profile option set
to Customer, all service requests associated with the particular customer will
appear. Other possible values include: Site, Item, or Instance.
Two other profile options -- CSF: Service History Time Frame Number and CSF:
Service History Time Frame UOM -- determine the default amount of time for
which you want to retrieve the service history. For example, if you set 30 for the
number, and Days for UOM, then your service history search will cover the past 30
days. UOM values include: Days, weeks, months, years.
Once you perform a search, the results are displayed in the spread table. In this
table, you can see request number, creation date, item, item description, customer
name and number, item instance, problem and resolution codes, summary, request
type, status, severity, urgency and contact name. You can click the service request
number of any of the service requests you want to view. This will open the Service
Request form.
Use this procedure query and view service history.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Service History
Field Service Dispatcher > Dispatch Center > Navigate > Service History
Steps.
1. Open the Service History window through the above navigation options.
2. Choose a search criteria.
If you choose more than one search criteria, for example customer name and
item, both criteria must be met to return a value.
3. Click Search.
The Results spread table is populated with the service requests that meet your
search criteria.

Viewing the Service Request Details
4. Click the Service Request number hyperlink to view a particular service

request.
5. To perform a search using different criteria, click Clear and enter the new
criteria and click Search.
6. If you want to change the Time Frame of your search, enter a number and
choose a new UOM.
2.20 Viewing the Service Request Details

When the task originates from a service request, the Service Request form can be
accessed to view all details from the Dispatch Center. Use this procedure to access
the Service Request form.
Also covered in this section is the following topic:
■ Section 2.20.1, "Close Task Automation"
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Dispatch Center, right-click on a Task number in the tasks list for
which you want to see the service request.
2. Select Show Service Request from the options list.
The Service Request form is shown, which displays all the information
associated with the Service Request for which the task is assigned. For more
information on Service Requests, see the Oracle Teleservice User’s Guide.

2.20.1 Close Task Automation

Under certain circumstances, tasks are closed automatically upon closure of the
service request for which they are associated. There are several conditions that must
be met to allow automated closure:
■ Tasks must have a Task Type attribute of ’Field Service Rule’ and have the
’Schedulable’ flag set.
■ Tasks with the following statuses can be automatically closed: Assigned,
Working, Schedulable, Accepted, Rejected, On Hold, Approved, Completed, or
Canceled.
For more information on setting up tasks and task types, see the Oracle Field
Service Implementation Guide.
■ Tasks cannot have open debrief lines.
The CSF: Default Auto Close Task Status profile option determines what status will
be assigned to any task that is closed automatically. The default value is ’closed.’
Field Service makes several validations to ensure that only appropriate tasks are
closed automatically. The validation of the automated closure always ensures that
the tasks comply with the Field Service state transitions that are applied to tasks
during set up. Furthermore, if a task has the open debrief lines, it will not be closed.
For tasks that need to be closed but haven’t been scheduled yet, there is no debrief
line check.
Scheduled tasks that have only the scheduled start date but need to be closed, will
be unplanned during the task automated closure process as long as no actual
debrief lines exist.


3
Using Debrief
The Debrief module allows field service representatives to access, view, update and
report on their individual task assignments. They also can report on materials used
at the customer site to resolve the issue, labor time spent, and incurred expenses.
The data gathered in the service debrief is used for generating an invoice for the
customer, updating the customer’s installed base and maintaining the field service
representative’s trunk stock.
This module also gives service managers the capability to capture, access, and
update the debrief information on behalf of their representatives. This topic group
provides process-oriented, task-based procedures for using Debrief.
Topics covered are:
■ Section 3.1, "Accessing a Debrief"
■ Section 3.2, "Viewing and Creating Notes"
■ Section 3.3, "Accessing your Calendar"
■ Section 3.4, "Entering Material"
■ Section 3.5, "Entering Expenses"
■ Section 3.6, "Entering Labor Time"
■ Section 3.7, "Recording Counter Readings"
■ Section 3.8, "Viewing Onhand Quantity"
■ Section 3.9, "Viewing Parts Requirement"
■ Section 3.10, "Viewing Service Request"
■ Section 3.11, "Updating the Task Assignment Status"
■ Section 3.12, "Viewing a Pro Forma Invoice"
Using Debrief 3-1

Accessing a Debrief
3.1 Accessing a Debrief

You can open a debrief either as a Field Service Representative, in which case you
can view and update your own tasks, or as a Field Service Manager, where you
have access to the tasks of all your resources.
Use this procedure to create or open a Debrief for a task.
Responsibility
Field Service Representative
Field Service Dispatcher
Navigation
Field Service Representative > My Tasks
Field Service Manager > Field Service Dispatcher > Debrief
Field Service Dispatcher > Debrief
Prerequisites
A service request and task to report on.
Steps
1. As a Field Service Representative, if you navigate to My Tasks, the Debrief
window opens with the list of all the tasks assigned to the service representative
with scheduled start dates less than or equal to the system date.
2. As a Field Service Manager, if you navigate to Debrief from Field Service
Dispatcher > Debrief, the Find Tasks window is opened.
3. To use the Find function, place your cursor in any of the fields and select the
desired search criteria from the list of values, or enter it.
To search for an Assignee, first choose "Employee" as Assignee Type from the
Assignee Type list of values.
4. Click Find.
A spread table with the list of tasks assigned to the specified resource appears
in debrief header region. The Debrief number column shows if a debrief has
already been created or not.

Viewing and Creating Notes
5. Depending on the record selected in the debrief header, the debrief detail is
populated automatically.
Guidelines
Field Service does not allow technicians to create a debrief for those tasks that have
the "schedulable" flag enabled. If a technician queries a task where the assignment
status has the schedulable flag enabled, the Debrief UI will appear in read-only
mode. This feature prevents technicians from entering debrief lines for tasks that
have been assigned, but not committed to them yet. For example, if the assignment
status "In Planning" has the Schedulable flag enabled, than any task with a task
assignment of "In Planning" will be unavailable for debrief update.
3.2 Viewing and Creating Notes

At any time during the process of scheduling service requests, assigning tasks and
debriefing, a field service representative or call center agent can add a note to a task.
In the Debrief window, a field service representative can not only add a Note to a
task, but can also view notes that have been associated with a service request task.
This feature allows a consolidated view of a task and all the related notes added
during the lifecycle of the task. The user also has an option to search on additional
notes by clicking the Find icon on the menu and specify the search criteria. (For
example, to search on Installed base notes, enter the source as "installed base" and
click enter.)
Use the following procedure to view and create notes in Debrief.
For complete details on creating Notes, see the Oracle Common Application
Components User’s Guide.
Prerequisites
Notes button on the debrief window is enabled only if the debrief number is
generated.
Responsibility
Using Debrief 3-3

Viewing and Creating Notes
Navigation
Field Service Manager: Field Service Dispatcher > Debrief > Find Tasks > Debrief
Field Service Representative: My Tasks
Field Service Dispatcher: Debrief > Find Tasks > Debrief
Steps
1. Navigate to the Debrief window.
2. Click Notes.
The Notes window is opened.
Note: The Notes button on the Debrief UI is enabled only after the
Debrief number is generated.
When a note was created for this task, you can view it here. In the left panel of
the window under the Notes tabs, all notes are listed, including the date the
note was entered, who entered the note, the source of the note (task, debrief,
etc.), the status, and a brief summary of the note.
3. To view details of a particular note, select the note and it’s details appear in the
right panel.
4. To create a new note for the task, click New.
The Notes window refreshes. Debrief defaults in the Source Field and the date
and Number also are populated.
5. Enter your note in the Text box.
6. Optionally, choose a Type for the note from the list of values.
7. Choose a Status for the Note.
8. Optionally, choose what the note is Related To from the list of values.
9. Select a context value in the Value field from the list of values.
10. To add more details to your note, click More and enter the text in the Detailed
Note box.
11. Save your work.

Entering Material
3.3 Accessing your Calendar

At any time you can access your Calendar from Debrief. The Calender is a
scheduling tool used to define and view available and non-available time for a
resource or group of resources.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Debrief > Find Tasks > Debrief
Steps
Use this procedure to open your calendar:
1. Navigate to the Debrief window.
2. Click Calendar.
The Calendar window is opened.
Guidelines
You can edit existing tasks and Todo lists or add new ones to the calendar. For
detailed instructions, see the Oracle Common Application Components User Guide.
3.4 Entering Material

When working out in the field, a field service representative needs to report on the
materials used. This information is necessary to maintain an adequate supply of
materials, maintain the customers installed base, and to be able to invoice the
Using Debrief 3-5

Entering Material
customer for the materials used. You enter materials information at the line level
and update inventory, installed base, and charges for a specific line.
The first time that a technician accesses the material tab, the Service Activity Code
value defaults from the CSF: Default Debrief Service Activity Code profile option.
Debrief also uses a validation to ensure that a technician has sufficient trunk stock
of an inventory item to fill an order entered on the debrief line. If a technician enters
a quantity number greater than available trunk stock, an alert message appears. If
an organization allows negative balances, this alert will be a warning message. If
the organization does not allow negative balances, however, the technician gets an
error message and is not allowed to continue creating the debrief line.
If your field service operation uses temporary parts in place of those parts in need
of repair, you can account for these transactions in debrief. For details, see
Section 3.4.1, "Using Loaner Transactions".
Use the following procedure to report on material transactions for a task.
Prerequisites
A service request and task to report on. The setup for service activity code should
be complete. The item setup should be complete and the items should have the
"Service Billable Flag" set to material. The resources should have sub inventories
assigned to them. In the case of trackable items, instance number should be
generated. The items also need to have a price list associated with it.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Debrief window, select the Materials tab.
2. Choose a Service Activity Code from the list of values.

Entering Material
This is the activity you are going to perform for the material you are reporting
on. Based on this selection, fields need to be populated further down the
material line. Fields that are white are optional and fields that are yellow are
mandatory.
3. The item LOV is filtered based on the service activity code. In case the Update
IB flag is checked for a service activity code, the items LOV will display both
trackable and non-trackable items else it will display only non-trackable items.
4. The UOM is defaulted, but you can select a different UOM from the list of
values, if necessary.
5. Enter the amount of the material used at the Qty field.
In the case of serialized items, Qty is 1.
Note: If a technician enters a quantity number that exceeds that

which is available in the current trunk stock, an alert message will
inform him that he does not have sufficient quantity to fulfill the
order.
6. The LOV for Subinventory is dependent on the line category code defined in
the service activity code setup form.
In case the line category code is defined as "Order" the sub inventory gets
populated with the default usable sub inventory. The LOV will then display
only usable subinventories. In the case where the line category code is "return"
the sub inventory gets populated with the default defective sub inventory.
However, the LOV for sub inventory will display both usable and defective sub
inventories.
7. Enter the Serial Number, Lot, Locator, Revision, and Instance Number details
depending on the item attributes.
The LOV for these fields are validated based upon the Item and Subinventory
combination.
8. Choose a Service Date from the date list of values.
The system date is defaulted.
9. Optionally, choose a Reason for the material transaction from the list of values.
10. The Disposition field is defaulted once the Item is selected.
Using Debrief 3-7

Entering Material
11. In case an item is Installed base trackable and the line category code on the
service activity code setup form is "Order," the parent product and the
recovered product field is enabled.
The parent product LOV displays the list of all the instances installed at the
customer location. In case of line category code "Return" the recovered product
field is enabled.
12. Optionally, the user can update the parts status on the debrief line.
13. Enter the return reason for the recovered transaction.
14. Click Save.

The material line is saved.
Guidelines
For more details, refer to Section 3.11, "Updating the Task Assignment Status".
You can create multiple material transaction lines before saving and updating. For
replacements you always need at least two material transaction lines, one for the
part taken out/removed, and one for the part put back in/installed.
After you have performed an update, you can’t modify the transaction lines that
have been successfully updated. You can however still add new material transaction
lines and update them.
However, Field Service Debrief does not allow you to add new lines in cases where
the task assignment status has been closed.
3.4.1 Using Loaner Transactions

Some field service operations provide temporary parts to a customer in place of a
part that must be repaired. Field Service Debrief accounts for this scenario by
capturing equipment usage details of loaner equipment.
Loaner transactions are identified in debrief based upon the service activity code
assigned to them. When a technician is logging a material line with a service
activity code of type "loaner" then there will be no change of ownership, as the part
is still owned by inventory and not the customer. The customer may be expected to
return the by a certain date once the defective part is fixed and shipped to the
customer.
In this transaction type, the material line has an enabled Return Date field. A
technician can enter the expected date that the loaned part should be retrieved from
the customer.

Entering Expenses
Once the material line is logged, the installed base is updated to reflect that the
"instance" owner is still inventory, but the location is the customer site.
Prerequisites
A service request and task to report on. The setup for service activity code should
be complete.
The item setup should be complete and the items should have the "Service Billable
Flag" set to material. The "Return Reqd" checkbox in Installed Base Transaction type
must be enabled to identify the Service Activity Code as a loaner. Also, the Change
Owner must be deselected and the Change Owner To field must be blank.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
The steps to log a material line for a loaner part are the same as those used to log a
regular material line (Section 3.4, "Entering Material").
You must choose a Service Activity Code that supports a loaner transaction, as
defined in the prerequisites above. The only exception is that the Return Date field
is enabled and the technician has the option to enter a date in which the part is
expected to be returned.
3.5 Entering Expenses

You can use the Expenses tab to report any expenses accrued during a customer
visit. Expenses may include a meal, driving costs, etc.
Use the following procedure to enter expenses.
Using Debrief 3-9

Entering Expenses
Prerequisites
A task with a status to report on.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Manager: Field Service Report > Find Tasks > Debrief
Steps
1. From the Debrief window, select the Expenses tab.
This is the activity you are going to perform for the expense you are reporting
on.
3. Select the Item you are going to create an expense line for.
The Item Description field is populated with an extended description for the
item. The UOM is defaulted after selection.
4. You can either enter the UOM and Quantity, or the Amount and Currency.
Quantity and Amount are mutually exclusive.
6. Optionally, choose a Justification for the expense from the list of values.
7. The Channel Code field is populated automatically.
It shows whether the resource that created the debrief is a connected user or a
disconnected user. A disconnected user created the debrief from a mobile
device.
8. Click Save.

Entering Labor Time
The expense line is saved.
Guidelines
Please refer to Section 3.11, "Updating the Task Assignment Status" for more details.
You can create multiple expense lines before saving and updating. When you have
performed an update you can’t modify the expense lines that have been
successfully updated. You can however still add new expense transaction lines and
update them. However, Field Service Debrief does not allow you to add new lines
in cases where the task assignment status has been closed.
3.6 Entering Labor Time

When at work out in the field, you need to record the hours spend on a task.
Debrief’s labor line functionality enables this scenario.
By default, a technician cannot enter overlapping actual start and end times for
various assignments during a work shift. You can set the CSF: Allow Overlapping
Labor Lines profile option to Yes, if you want to allow overlapping labor times.
Use this procedure to enter detailed labor information.
Prerequisites
A service request and task to report on. If a technician wants to allow overlapping
labor times, the CSF: Allow Overlapping Labor Lines profile option must be
enabled.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Manager: Field Service Report > Find Tasks > Debrief
Using Debrief 3-11

Entering Labor Time
Steps
1. From the Debrief window, select the Labor tab.
This is the activity you are going to perform for the labor you are reporting on.
3. Select the Item you are going to create a labor line for.
item.
4. The UOM is defaulted but you can choose to select a different UOM from the
list of values.
5. Enter the Start and End time for the labor.
6. The duration is populated based upon the start and end time.
Optionally, you can enter any two values and the third value will be displayed
automatically.
8. Optionally choose a Reason for recording the labor line from the list of values.
9. The Channel Code field is populated automatically. It shows whether the
resource that created the debrief is a connected user or a disconnected user. A
disconnected user created the debrief from a mobile device.
10. Click Save.
The labor line is saved.
Guidelines
Please refer to Section 3.11, "Updating the Task Assignment Status"Updating the
Task Assignment Status for more details.
You can create multiple labor lines before saving and updating. When you have
performed an update you can’t modify the labor lines that have been successfully
updated. You can however still add new labor transaction lines and update them.
However, Field Service Debrief does not allow you to add new lines in cases where
the task assignment status has been closed.

Recording Counter Readings
3.7 Recording Counter Readings

Optionally, you can record counter readings. Counter readings can only be recorded
for customer products defined in the installed base which have an counter assigned
to them. When the button is grayed out, no counter readings are associated with the
product.
With Service Requests created against a product that has a counter associated with
it, upon completion of the task assignment, debrief will generate an alert reminder
to the technician that the product has a counter. Debrief generates this alert when a
task assignment is changed to either "completed" or "closed."
In the case where a single task has been assigned to multiple resources, the alert
message is displayed as long as the counters have not been updated between the
scheduled start time and the system time by any one of the assigned resources.
Use this procedure to capture counter readings.
Prerequisites
The installed base item against which a service request has been created must have
a counter group setup and counters associated with it.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Debrief window, click Counters.
The Counters window is opened.
2. Select the counter within the counter group of your choice and double-click it.
The Capture Counter Reading window opens.
3. Enter a value for the counter reading.
Using Debrief 3-13

Viewing Onhand Quantity
4. Click OK.
The value is saved.
3.8 Viewing Onhand Quantity

You can view the on-hand quantity for items within a selected inventory
organization.
Prerequisites
Oracle Inventory is implemented.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Tools menu in the Debrief window, click View Onhand Quantity.
2. Pick the organization from the LOV for which you want to view onhand
quantity.
The Find On-hand Quantities window is opened.
3. Enter the criteria that you want to use to limit the results of your search and
click Find.
The Item On-hand Quantities window is opened and a list of items that match
your search criteria with on-hand quantity is displayed.
4. Click on the Sub Inventories button on the onhand quantity form to view sub
inventories for the specified organization.

Viewing Service Request
3.9 Viewing Parts Requirement

Use this procedure to view and create parts requirement for a specified task.
Prerequisites
You must first create a task.
Steps
1. From the Tools menu in the Debrief window, click Parts Requirement.
The Parts Requirement window opens with the service request, task and the
resource information populated in the header region.
2. The details region is populated in case there are any parts associated with the
task.
3. Optionally the user can also create new Parts Requirement from this window.
For more information, see Section 4.1, "Create Parts Requirement".
3.10 Viewing Service Request

Use this procedure to view service request details for a specified task.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Using Debrief 3-15

Updating the Task Assignment Status
Steps
1. From the Tools menu in the Debrief window, click Service Request.
The Service Request window is opened with the service request and task details
populated.
2. You have the ability to create an additional task from the service request
window.
3. Optionally, you can also navigate to charges to submit the charges for debrief.
3.11 Updating the Task Assignment Status

Use this procedure to update the assignment status and push information to
inventory, installed base, and charges.
Prerequisites
A service request and task to report on. Status transition engine must be setup for
tasks.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Debrief window, in the Assignment Status field, select the new task
status from the list of values.
2. Click Save.
A concurrent program "CSF: Update Debrief Lines" is enabled. The concurrent
program will push information to inventory, installed base and charges only if

Updating the Task Assignment Status
the task status has one of the following flags enabled in the tasks status setup
form:
■ Completed
■ Closed
■ Cancelled
■ On Hold
■ Rejected
3. Optionally, you can run this program manually by specifying the debrief
number.
4. Depending on the status of the concurrent program, the debrief status on the
debrief window is populated.
The debrief status can have the following values:
■ Complete - indicates the debrief lines have been pushed to inventory,
installed base and charges successfully.
■ Running - indicates the concurrent program is still running

■ Pending - indicates the concurrent program is still running
■ Completed with errors - the concurrent program completed with error. The
details error information can be viewed in the error column on debrief lines
5. Verify by logging into inventory, installed base and charges to view the
processed information.
Guidelines
If there are multiple task assignments related to a task, then all task assignments
must be closed in order for the task to be closed. This occurs when multiple field
service representatives are assigned to the same task.
With Service Requests created against a product that has a counter associated with
it, upon completion of the task assignment, debrief will generate an alert reminder
to the technician that the product has a counter. Debrief generates this alert when a
task assignment is changed to "completed" or "closed."
Using Debrief 3-17

Viewing a Pro Forma Invoice
3.12 Viewing a Pro Forma Invoice

Prior to sending an invoice to a customer after a debrief is completed, you can
review a summarized view of the invoice by using the Field Service Pro Forma
Invoice feature.
This report details the charges for the service performed at the customer site and
includes such information as customer name, contract number, service request
number, item, quantity, amount, and currency.
Use the following procedure to view a Pro Forma Invoice.
Prerequisites
A task must be completed.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Tools menu in the Debrief window, select Pro Forma Invoice.
The Pro Forma Invoice window opens.
2. View the details of your invoice, which includes the service activity, item and
contract numbers, unit price, list price, quantity and charge amount.
3. After review, if you are satisfied with the invoice close the form and return to
the Debrief window.

Part II
Spares Management
Part II of the Oracle Field Service User Guide contains the following chapters:
■ Chapter 4, "Using Spares Logistics"
■ Chapter 5, "Using the Planner’s Desktop"
■ Chapter 6, "Loop Planning, Notifications and Reporting Hierarchy"
4
Using Spares Logistics
Sections in this chapter include:

■ Section 4.1, "Create Parts Requirement"
■ Section 4.2, "Create an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation"
■ Section 4.3, "Use Parts Search Hierarchy"
■ Section 4.4, " Order Parts Using Move Orders"
■ Section 4.5, "View Parts Order Status"
■ Section 4.6, "Execute Routine Replenishment"
■ Section 4.7, "Return Excess Parts"
4.1 Create Parts Requirement

Required
A parts requirement defines specific parts needed for a product and task. If you are
using Advanced Scheduler functionality from the Oracle Field Service suite, the
Parts Requirement is used to automate the process of assigning and scheduling
tasks to a technician, based on both parts and technician availability.
You can create the parts requirement manually. For example, a field technician
might be assigned a task to fix a broken copy machine. Once he arrived at the
customer site, however, he found that he didn’t have some of the required parts in
stock. The technician can call into the Dispatch Center and request the needed parts.
The dispatcher or field manager then creates a parts requirement and, subsequently,
may use the Parts Requirement to create an Internal Order. See Section 4.2, "Create
an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation" for details.
Using Spares Logistics 4-1

Create Parts Requirement
The Parts Requirement can also be created automatically when the service request
and task are created as long as the parts required for a task template and product
have been predefined in Spares Management.
You can also access the Parts Search Hierarchy UI directly from the Parts
Requirement UI by clicking the Parts Search button. This functionality enables the
dispatcher to quickly locate parts in a scenario when ATP functionality is not
finding availability in the normal supply chain.
There are two methods to create a Parts Requirement outlined in this section:
■ Section 4.1.1, "Create Parts Requirement Manually"
■ Section 4.1.2, "Create Parts Requirement Automatically"
4.1.1 Create Parts Requirement Manually

You can create a Parts Requirement manually, by accessing the UI directly and
entering the appropriate information. The Parts Requirement UI is divided into four
parts:
■ Header Information (Service Request number, resource name, requirement
number, etc.)
■ Ship To Address: This block can be populated with one of the field technician’s
ship to addresses, one of the customer addresses, or a special address, which is
entered at the time the Parts Requirement is created.
■ Items to be added to the Parts Requirement: There can be multiple items
associated to a particular Parts Requirement.
■ If you do not know the Item number, you can enter a "dummy" part number
(which needs to be set up in Oracle Inventory), and then enter an item
description in the Item Scratchpad field. This information can be used to
research the item to find the item number in the Item Master. Once you find it,
substitute the actual item number for the place holder number.
Prerequisites
Parts must be defined for the task.
ATP must be setup.
Addresses and subinventories must be defined for the resource.

Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Parts
Requirement
Steps
Follow these steps to manually create a Parts Requirement:
1. Open the View Parts Order Status form.
To search for existing Part Requirements, use this form as a Find function. If
you have to modify an existing Parts Requirement, you can search for it here.
2. To create a new Parts Requirement, click the New button.
The Parts Requirement window opens.
3. If you are creating the Parts Requirement for a specific service request or task,
enter the service request number. (If you know the Task number, enter it and the
Service Request number attached to the Task is automatically entered.)
Resource type and name will automatically be entered if a resource has been
assigned to the task. The destination organization, subinventory and address
will automatically be entered if they have been set up for the resource.
4. If not already populated, enter the Resource Type and Resource Name that you
want to associate with the Parts Requirement.
You can only enter these fields if a Service Request and Task is not associated
with the Parts Requirement. You can leave these fields blank if you are using
the Scheduler integration functionality. This will be done automatically through
scheduler.
5. Select an organization from the Destination Organization list of values.
This is the organization that contains the location to which the item will be
shipped. If the Resource Name (i.e. the field technician) is associated with a
subinventory, this field will be populated with the organization associated with
the subinventory. The Destination Subinventory field is also populated.
6. Enter a date in the Need By date field.
7. The Order Type field can be selected from the list of values, although it defaults
to the order type defined in the "CSP: Order Type" profile option.

8. In the Ship To block, select the radio button of the address you want to ship the
parts to, either Engineer, Customer, or Special.
The default selection is Engineer and the engineer’s default address is
displayed. If you want to change addresses, click the Addresses button and
choose the address where you want to ship the parts.
If you choose the Special radio button, enter the address and click Save. This
address will be added to the engineer’s list of addresses.
9. In the Required Item field of the Requirement tab, choose the item number of
the part you want to assign to this Parts Requirement from the list of values.
10. In the Required Quantity field, enter the quantity needed to fill the Parts
Requirement.
11. Repeat steps 9-10 for each item you want to add to the Parts Requirement.
12. Optionally, navigate to the Order tab to view order details such as Supplied
Item, Source Type, and Document Number.
13. Click Save to create a Parts Requirement.
This will create a Requirement Number, which you can use to access the Parts
Requirement at a later time if you need to view or modify it.
Guidelines.
To set up a Parts Requirement, the minimum required is a Destination Organization
and an item. If you are creating a Parts Requirement for scheduler integration, you
do not need to enter a Resource Type or Resource Name. These values are assigned
by scheduler at a later time, based upon parts and technician availability.
4.1.2 Create Parts Requirement Automatically

In many field service operations, field technicians have certain maintenance tasks
that they execute frequently and the parts required are well defined.
You can create a Parts Requirement automatically when you create a service request
for a product using a Task Template where parts have been pre-defined in Spares
Management for the product and template. See the Task Template and Task Parts
setup sections in the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide for details.
Prerequisites
Task Parts definition must be created. Sub-inventories must be defined and
assigned to specific organizations.

Create an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Service Request > Service Requests > Create Service
Request
Guidelines
When you create a service request, you must associate a task to it using the task
template functionality. After you have created a basic service request, navigate to
the Task tab, and click the Use Template button to create a task based on a template.
In the Create Tasks from Template Group window, choose the Template Group that
corresponds to the task template you want to use. You define items associated with
products and a task template during Spares Management implementation.
For more information on creating a service request and creating tasks from a task
template, see the Oracle Support User Guide.
4.2 Create an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation

Once you create a Parts Requirement, you can manually create an internal order or
create a reservation on a technician’s trunk stock.
An internal order to fill a parts requirement allows you to ship the necessary parts
to a field technician at the specified "ship to" address. You can check for part
availability within the supply chain. If you set the "CSP: Include Alternates" profile
option to Always, your Availability search will automatically include alternate
parts. These alternates include both substitute and supersession parts. Other values
for the profile option include: Never, Parts Requirement only, or Scheduler Only.
Internal orders are tracked using the Internal Order Number, which is created for
each item of the Parts Requirement that is part of the order. Internal Orders allow
you to ship parts between two organizations.
If a technician has the parts available in his trunk stock, you can also use the
Availability feature to create a reservation for the parts, which automatically
allocates them to the specific task that requires the parts. This ensures that the same
parts aren’t assigned to separate tasks.
Although often times you will create an internal order or reservation at the same
time that you create the Parts Requirement, this is not required. You can create an

Create an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation
internal order at any time after a Parts Requirement has been created. For details on
creating a Parts Requirement, see Section 4.1, "Create Parts Requirement"
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Parts
Requirement
Steps
The following steps will guide you through the creation of an internal order or a
reservation:
1. From the Parts Requirement page, query the Parts Requirement for which you
want to create an internal order.
If you know the Requirement Number, query using that number, which will
populate the Parts Requirement window with the relevant information.
Otherwise, use the View Parts Order Status Find function to search for a
requirement. If a Parts Requirement does not already exist, you can create it at
the same time as you create the Internal Order.
2. If the part does not already have a value, enter the Required Quantity for the
part.
3. If there are multiple items that you want to ship together on the same internal
order, enter the identical number for each item in the Ship Set field.
For example, if you have two items entered and you want both items to ship
together enter "1" for the Ship Set. If you have four items and you want items
one and two to ship together and items three and four to ship together, enter
ship set of "1" for items one and two and a Ship Set of "2" for items three and
four.
4. If you want to manually choose the sourcing for the part (optional), click the
Source tab.
5. Enter the Source Organization and Source Subinventory.
6. Save your work.

Use Parts Search Hierarchy
7. At this point, you can click Create Order to create an Internal Order.
You can view this internal order or reservation by clicking the Source tab.
8. Optionally, if you want to view sourcing options for creating the order or
reservation, click the Availability button.
If the quantity ordered for the part is available (or a suitable substitute or
superseded part), the following fields automatically populate using ATP
functionality:
■ Item Required, Required Quantity, Item Supplied, Available Quantity
Source Type, Source, Order Quantity, Shipping Method, Arrival Date.
If multiple options are available, the Availability window displays all of them.
In this way, all alternate parts and the availability of the parts, as defined by the
sourcing rule used by ATP, are displayed.
If the technician has parts available in the trunk stock, the Source Type reads
Reservation. If the parts are available in a warehouse, the Source Type reads
Internal Order. The options available for Source Type depend upon the
configuration of the supply chain.
9. To create an order or a reservation, choose the Select checkbox next to the
option that you want to use.
10. Click Order.
Once the order or reservation is create, the main Parts Requirement window
populates with the appropriate information. You can cancel an order by
navigating to the Order tab and selecting the Cancel checkbox. You must also
enter a Cancel Reason.
You can view this internal order or reservation by clicking the Source tab.
When an order is successfully created, the order status is set to "Booked," and
the Document Number field will be populated with the internal order number
used in Order Management.
4.3 Use Parts Search Hierarchy

Optional
Spares Management uses the Parts Search Hierarchy to locate parts for field
technicians. This functionality can be used in the Parts Requirement UI to search
beyond the normal supply chain when the Availability button does not find a
source.

Parts Search Hierarchy uses a sophisticated Find functionality that not only finds all
the organizations and subinventories that have the parts you need, but also narrows
the search to display only those organizations and subinventories that have the
necessary quantity on hand that you need to complete the task. By using the
"expression" and "condition" functionality, you can narrow your search to only
those subinventories that meet your specified criteria.
For example, a technician needs to fill a parts requirement for a particular item and
needs a quantity of 15. In the Find function, you can include the part number with
an expression of "usable on hand" and a condition of "more than" and an expression
of "14." With this expression, your search results will display only those
organizations and/or subinventories with at least 15 of your required part on hand.
With any search, the Parts Search Hierarchy’s tree structure collapses to display
only those organizations and subinventories that meet your search requirement.
You can also search by location to see all parts that are in the requested location.
You can view parts information at the organization, subinventory, or the node level.
With the Display Alternate Items feature in the Find Items window, you can include
substitutes and supersessions in the results.
Prerequisites
The tree functionality must be set up in the Planner’s Desktop and the concurrent
program to create part availability data must be run. The tree can only be updated
in the Planner’s Desktop.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Part Search
Hierarchy
Steps
Follow these steps to search for a location that contains a sufficient quantity of a
part so that you can process an internal order for the part:
1. Click the hierarchy node, organization, or subinventory from which you want
to search for the part.
2. To search for a specific part from the top level of the hierarchy, click the
flashlight in the tool bar.

The Find Items window opens.

3. Enter a part number in the Item field.
You can select the Display Alternate Items check box include substitutes and
supersessions in the results. You can also use a conditional expression to narrow
the search results.
4. Click Find.
The Parts Status tab displays status for the nodes that contain the part for which
you searched.
The Drill Down tab displays the details of the warehouses and the
subinventories beneath the node in which you searched. This displays such
information as Node Name, Item, Usable Onhand, Excess, and so on.
5. Click node names to see the subinventories or organizations that contain the
part for which you searched.
6. Click a subinventory, warehouse, or node name to see the on hand and order
status for this part.
On the spread table, the On hand column shows the quantity as of the last time
the Create Part Availability Data program was run. The updated values are
displayed at the bottom of the window. The On Hand quantity includes
reserved quantities. The Available quantity does not include reserved
quantities.
7. If you want to create an Internal Order from this window, click Order Part.
The Order Part button is enabled only when you are in a subinventory or a
warehouse.
Click the Order Part button to bring up the Parts Requirement window.
Note: You can navigate to a specific node or subinventory first

before you search for a part.
Guidelines
You can display selected nodes and subinventories in the navigator tree. A red X in
front of a subinventory indicates a defective subinventory. A green checkmark in
front of a subinventory indicates a usable subinventory.

Order Parts Using Move Orders
When using the Find function, you can display all available parts, including
alternates, by selecting the Display Alternate Items checkbox when you conduct
your search.
You can access the Parts Search Hierarchy UI directly from the Parts Requirement
UI by clicking the Parts Search button. This functionality enables the dispatcher to
quickly locate parts in a scenario when ATP functionality is not finding availability
in the normal supply chain.
4.4 Order Parts Using Move Orders

Simple move orders for parts within a single inventory organization can be
processed using the Move Order process that is located under Move Orders in the
Navigator. Field service representatives, as well as dispatchers and managers, can
process Move Orders.
This section on Move Orders includes the following topics:
Section 4.4.1, "Create Move Orders"
Section 4.4.2, "Create Reservations"
Section 4.4.3, "Print Picklists"
Section 4.4.4, "Confirm Picklists"
Section 4.4.5, "Create Packlists"
Section 4.4.6, "Receive Shipments"
Section 4.4.7, "View the Status of Move Orders"
4.4.1 Create Move Orders

Move Orders are used to transfer parts between subinventories within the same
inventory organization. The following features are available when creating a move
order:
■ You can ship parts on a Move Order to a one-time address, if needed.
■ You can override the automatic receipt setting at the Move Order level.
Automatic receipt is typically set at the subinventory level.
■ You can change the source subinventory after the Move Order is approved.
■ You can reference a service request and task number.

Prerequisites
A move order can move parts only between subinventories within one inventory
organization.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Spares Move
Order > Create Move Orders
Steps
1. If the Select Organizations window appears, select an inventory organization
that you want to access.
This opens up the Move Orders window for the specified inventory
organization.
2. Optionally, enter the Source Subinventory and Destination Subinventory in the
Default section of the Move Order window if you want this information to
default to your move order lines.
This default feature is useful when you are entering multiple lines with the
same source and destination subinventories.
3. Enter the part number in the Item field.
Note: If you entered the Move Order window from Parts Search
Hierarchy, the part number defaults into the Item field.
When you choose an item, the Unit of Measure (UOM) field and the Date
Required fields automatically populate with default values.
4. You can change the Date Required value by using the list of values or by
entering a new date.
5. Enter the move order quantity in the Quantity field.
6. Click on the Source tab and enter or select a source subinventory from the list of
values.

If you entered the Move Order window from Parts Search Hierarchy, the Source
Subinventory defaults.
7. Optionally, enter Locator, Lot Number, Serial From and Serial To, if your part is
using these features from Oracle Inventory.
8. In the Destination tab, select a destination subinventory from the list of values.
Note: The Project and Task tab and the Control tab are not used
for Spares Management.
9. In the Service Controls tab, optionally select the Service Request and Task
numbers from the list of values.
10. Optionally, enter the Customer PO and Comments.
11. If you want to override the automatic receipt setting for this move order, click
the Special Ship To button. Check or uncheck the Auto Receipt check box. The
default value comes from the destination subinventory. The automatic receipt
feature is used when the shipment needs to be automatically transacted into the
destination subinventory at the Confirm Ship step. Automatic receipt is often
used along with a special ship to address when a drop shipment is required.
12. If you want to ship the parts to a one time address, click the Special Ship To
button.
The Special Ship to address is used when the Move Order needs to ship to an
address other than the standard address assigned to the destination
subinventory. You can enter a special address or click the Address button and
select from a list of addresses previously entered for customers or locations.
13. Optionally, select the Shipment Method and Carrier from the list of values.
14. Click OK to close the window.
15. Save your work.

The Move Order number is displayed.
16. Click Approve to change the status of the Move Order to Approved.
The Move Order must be in an Approved status for further processing to
continue. If you click Approve before saving your move order, the save and the
approval both occur.

Guidelines
You can update existing move orders by navigating to the Create Move Orders
window and querying the move order number you want to update. You can also
find your move order on the View Move Order Status window.
If your move order is not approved, you can update any field in the move order. If
your move order is approved, you can update any field except Quantity and
Destination Subinventory. Once you complete your changes, save your work.
4.4.2 Create Reservations

Optional
Allocations are used to reserve parts in a specific subinventory location for a move
order. The allocation is the link between the Move Order and inventory. This
functionality is typically used to ensure that the Move Order which has been
generated to support a service request task will be shipped as a priority if
inventories are limited.
This process is optional because the Create Picklists process allocates the inventory
automatically. When creating manual allocations, you can:
■ View On-hand and Available quantities.
■ Allocate the inventory with two mouse clicks if you do not need to view the
quantities.
Prerequisite
The Move Order must be in an Approved status to create an allocation.
Responsibility
Navigation
Order > Reservations
Steps
Follow these steps to view inventory quantities and then create a manual allocation
for a move order.
1. Navigate to the Create Allocations window.

2. If the Select Organizations window appears, select an inventory organization.

The Find Move Order Lines window opens.
3. Enter the Move Order number in the Number field of the Headers tab.
4. Click Find to open the Create Allocations window for the inventory
organization that you choose in step 2.
5. Mark the Select checkbox to the left of the Move Order Line.
6. Click Allocations.
7. Click View/Update Allocations to open the Transact Move Order Line
Allocations window.
8. Scroll right and enter a quantity in the Quantity field.
9. Click Update.
Note: Steps 7-9 are only required when you need to change the
quantity of an allocation.
10. Optionally, click View/Update Details again to verify the allocated quantity.
The allocation was created successfully if the Allocated Quantity field displays
the allocated quantity.
4.4.3 Print Picklists

Optional
Picklists are used to produce a report that specifies the parts to be picked from their
location in the warehouses and shipped. Printing the picklist changes the Move
Order status to Printed.
Furthermore, if an allocation was not previously created, printing the Picklist
creates the allocation automatically. You can print a picklist for an individual move
order or you can print a picklist for a batch of move orders.
Prerequisites
The Move Order must be in an Approved status. The quantity on hand must be
greater than or equal to the quantity ordered on the Move Order.

Responsibility
Navigation
Order > Print Picklists
Steps
Use this procedure to print picklists:
The Submit Requests window opens.
2. To print a picklist for an individual Move Order, enter a Move Order number
and click OK.
3. To print picklists for a batch of Move Orders, enter appropriate values in one or
more of these parameters: Source Subinventory, Destination Subinventory, Date
Required and Requestor. Click OK.
4. Click Submit to run the concurrent program that creates the picklist.
5. Click No in the Decision window if you are finished printing picklists.
6. Optionally, verify that the picklist was created by navigating to the Move Order
Status window.
7. Enter your move order number in the Find window and click Find. The line
status should indicate Printed and the Picklist number should be assigned to
the Move Order and the picked quantity should display the correct quantity.
4.4.4 Confirm Picklists

You must confirm Picklists so that the correct quantity actually picked is verified
before packing and shipping the parts. You must confirm the Picklist so that the
Picklist will be available for inclusion on the Packlist. Confirming the Picklist
changes the Move Order line status to Confirmed.
With this feature, you can change the picked quantity during the confirmation step
if it is different than the picklist. You also can split picklist lines into multiple lines
for shipping.

Prerequisites
The Picklist must be in Printed status before it can be confirmed.
Responsibility
Navigation
Order > Confirm Picklists
Steps
Follow this procedure to confirm a picklist:
1. If the Select Organizations window appears, select an inventory organization
The Find Picklists window opens.
2. Enter a picklist number or select from the list of values and click Find.
The Confirm Picklist window opens and is populated with data from the
selected picklist.
3. Optionally, enter the Quantity Picked if it is different from the original picklist
quantity.
4. Optionally, click Split Line to split your shipment into more than one line.
A new line is added and you can enter a quantity for the next line.
5. Click Confirm Pick to confirm the Picklist.
6. You can optionally verify that the picklist was confirmed by navigating to the
View Move Order Status window.
7. Enter your move order number or your picklist number in the Find window
and click Find.
The line status should indicate Confirmed and the picked quantity should
display the correct quantity.
4.4.5 Create Packlists

Optional

A packlist is used to define the contents of a box and to execute the physical
shipment. Picklists are assigned to boxes and packlists are created for each box.
Packlists must be printed and then confirmed.
The confirmation process transacts inventory out of the source subinventory,
relieves the allocated quantity and transacts inventory into the destination
subinventory if the auto receipt feature is enabled. If auto receipt is disabled, the
shipment is transacted into the in-transit subinventory. With this functionality you
can:
■ Find consolidation opportunities by viewing all pick lines destined for the same
ship to address.
■ Assign multiple pick lines to one box.
■ Split pick lines into multiple boxes.
■ The ship to address from the Picklist is automatically assigned to the packlist
header.
■ You can print the packlist and confirm the shipment from the same window.
Prerequisite
The Picklist must be in a Confirmed status to be available for selection in a packlist.
Responsibility
Navigation
Order > Packlists
Steps
Follow this procedure to confirm a packlist:
The Packing Lists navigator tree appears.
2. Click the "+" sign in front of Packing Lists node. The Packing Lists folder
expands to display the Open, Received and Shipped status folders.
3. Click the "+" sign in front of the Open folder to display open packing lists.
4. Click the Open folder and then right-click it.

A pop-up menu appears.

5. Select Create Packing List.
The Create Packlist window appears with the Packlist Details tab displayed.
6. Optionally, enter shipping information including Carrier, Shipment Method,
Waybill, Comments, Ship to Subinventory and Location Address.
Note: You can also enter this information later when you are
finalizing your packlist.
7. Save your work to create the Packlist.

Your packlist appears under the Open folder.
8. Click the "+" sign in front of your packlist to display Box 001.
9. Click Box 001 to open the Box Details tab.
You can enter the weight here.
10. Open the Picked Items tab.
The Find Picklists window opens.
11. Enter the picklist number and click Find, or leave the picklist number blank and
click Find to execute a blind query for all picklists that have not been previously
assigned to a packlist.
12. Select from the spreadtable the picklist item to be added to the box.
You can select multiple items, if required.
13. Click Add to assign the selected lines to the box.
The selected pick line disappears from the Picked Items tab and is transferred to
the selected box. All other pick lines that are assigned to a ship to address that
differs from the pick line just selected, disappear from the Picked Items tab.
14. To add more pick lines to the same box, repeat steps 10 through 13.
15. To add a second box to your packlist, click your packlist folder and then
right-click it.
A pop-up menu appears.
16. Select Create Box, optionally enter the weight in the Box Details tab and click
Save.

Your new box number appears under your packlist.

17. To split the quantity on a pick line into more than one box, click the quantity
value of a pick line in the Picked Items tab.
The Split Quantity window opens.
18. Enter the quantity to be assigned to the first box and click OK.
19. To add the remaining quantity to another box, click on the other box number.
20. Click the picklist number containing the remaining quantity and click Add.
21. To finalize the packlist, click the packlist number.
22. Enter values for carrier, shipment method, waybill and comments in the Pack
List Header tab if you did not previously enter these values.
23. Save your work
24. Enter the box weight in the Box Details tab if you did previously do so.
25. Save your work to create the packlist.
26. Click Print in the Pack List Header tab to the print the Packlist.
The Submit Request window opens.
27. Click Submit to print the Packlist and click No in the Decision window.
28. Click Ship Confirm in the Pack List Header tab to confirm the shipment.
4.4.6 Receive Shipments

Optional
Receiving parts is executed automatically if the auto receipt flag is enabled. If the
auto receipt flag is disabled, use the Receive Parts window to receive parts
manually. Receiving is performed at the packing list level. The receipt transaction
relieves the in-transit subinventory and increments the destination subinventory.
With this process, you can:
■ Correct the quantity received if it differs from the quantity shipped.
■ Or, if the quantity received is correct, you can receive the entire shipment with
one mouse click.
■ Close the receipt with a short quantity, in the case of lost parts, for example.

Prerequisite
The Packlist must be in a Shipped status for receiving.
Responsibility
Navigation
Order > Receive Shipments
Steps
Follow this procedure to manually record a receipt of parts:
1. Navigate to the Receive Shipments window. The Find Packlists pop-up window
opens.
2. Enter a Packlist and click Find or leave the Packlist field blank and click Find to
execute a blind query.
The Receive Parts window opens with a list of shipments that match your
search criteria.
3. If the quantity shipped is the same as the quantity received, select all the lines
and click Receive.
4. If the quantity shipped is different from the quantity received, click the quantity
value under the This Receipt column.
5. Enter the actual quantity received and click Receive.
6. Optionally, close the partially received line by selecting the line and clicking
Close Line. To activate the Close Line button, you must set up an inventory
account alias, named CSP_RECEIPT, in the relevant organization.
For information about setting up the account alias, refer to the Oracle Field
Service Implementation Guide section on setting up inventory organizations.
4.4.7 View the Status of Move Orders

The View Move Order Status window allows you to view the move order status
and details at every step in the logistics process.
This window also allows you to:
■ Track Move Order quantities throughout the logistics process.

View Parts Order Status
■ View the date and time of each step of the logistics process.
■ View details such as picklist number, packlist number, carrier and waybill
number.
■ Navigate directly to the Move Order window by clicking on the move order
number.
■ View multiple move orders by using combinations of the parameters in the
Find window, including Move Order number, Source Subinventory, Destination
Subinventory, Picklist number, Packlist number, Waybill number and Line
Status.
Responsibility
Navigation
Order > Move Order Status
Steps
Follow this procedure to view the status of one or more move orders:
1. Navigate to the View Move Order Status window.
The Find window opens.
2. Enter the criteria that you want to use to limit the results of your search in the
Find window and click Find.
A list of move orders that match your search criteria is displayed.
3. Scroll to the right to view all details for move orders.
4. Optionally, click on a move order number to navigate to the Move Order
window.
4.5 View Parts Order Status

The View Parts Order Status window allows the viewing of parts requirements and
internal order details at every step in the logistics process.
This window enables you to:
■ Track Internal Order quantities throughout the logistics process.

View Parts Order Status
■ View the date and time of each step of the logistics process.
■ View key logistic details such as carrier and waybill number.
■ Navigate directly to the Parts Requirement window by clicking on the
Requirement number hyperlink.
■ View multiple internal orders by using combinations of the parameters in the
Find window, including Order number, Source Organization, Status, Item
Number, Order By Date, Promise Date, Service Request, Need by Date,
Resource, Task, Requirement, Waybill number and Line Status.
■ Check whether or not an internal order has been created for the Parts
Requirement.
■ View whether or not a service request and task have been assigned to the Parts
Requirement.
Prerequisites
You must have created a Parts Requirement and/or an Internal Order.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Parts Order
Status
Steps
Follow this procedure to view the status of one or more Parts Requirements and/or
internal orders:
1. Once you navigate to Parts Order Status, the View Parts Order Status window
opens.
2. Enter the criteria that you want to use to limit the results of your search in the
Find window and click Find.
A list of parts requirements that match your search criteria is displayed.
3. Scroll to the right to view all details of the Parts Requirement.
4. To view a specific Parts Requirement, either select the Parts Requirement and
click OK, or click the Requirement Number hyperlink.

Execute Routine Replenishment
The Parts Requirement window opens. See Section 4.1, "Create Parts
Requirement" for details.
4.6 Execute Routine Replenishment

Technicians and field service warehouses need to be periodically replenished with
parts used by the technician or shipped by the warehouse. Replenishment for field
technicians and warehouses is accomplished by running the Oracle Inventory Min -
Max Planning Report concurrent program.
The program can be run in two modes: automated or manual. The automated mode
will automatically create the internal order, move order, or purchase requisition,
depending upon the sourcing used. The manual mode provides a report that can be
reviewed by the planner before the orders or requisitions are created.
Parts replenishment is done at either the organization or subinventory level.
Note: You can launch this report from the Planning tree by
territory or field service manager or any other logical grouping that
is defined by a node in the tree by right-clicking on the desired
node and selecting the Create Min-Max Planning Report concurrent
program.
Prerequisites
Authorized Stock Lists must be defined.
Responsibility
Inventory
Navigation
Dispatch Center > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Reports and Programs
> Create Min-Max Report
(Alternatively) Planner’s Desktop > Right-click node or subinventory you want to
replenish
Steps
1. When you select the Min-Max Planning Report concurrent program, the
Parameters window opens.

Return Excess Parts
2. Select Subinventory or Organization in the Planning Level field.

3. If you chose Subinventory, select the Subinventory in the Subinventory field
from the list of values.
4. Select Yes in the Restock field if you want to run in the automated mode. Select
No if you want to run in manual mode.
5. Review other parameters and change from the default values as required.
For more information regarding these fields, see the Oracle Inventory User’s
Guide.
6. Click OK in the Parameters window.
7. Click Submit in the Min-Max Planning window to submit the request.
8. When you are asked if you want to submit another request, click No in the
Decision window to close the main Min-Max Planning concurrent program
window and return to the Tools menu.
9. To check the status of your concurrent request, select View from the Tools menu
and select Requests.
10. Click Find to view all of your concurrent requests.
11. To view the output of the Min - Max Planning Report, select this request and
click View.
4.7 Return Excess Parts

Spares Management provides a process for managing the return of excess parts
from either field technicians or warehouses.
You can define business rules so you can focus only on the excess parts that have
the highest cost impact. Excess parts are defined as those parts whose available
inventory balance is greater than the maximum level defined in the ASL. If the
maximum level is null, a zero quantity is assumed. Internal orders, or
inter-organization transfers for excess parts, are created when the return of excess
parts is approved.
There are three steps to the process of returning excess parts, two of which are
required and one is optional. These are:
■ Run the Create Excess List Concurrent Program (Required)
■ Run the Print Excess List Concurrent Program (Optional)

Return Excess Parts
■ Return Excess Parts (Required)
Run the Create Excess List Concurrent Program (Required)

You can create excess lists for both usable and defective parts. Run the Create Excess
List concurrent program to identify the excess parts and to apply your excess rules
to filter for high impact excess parts.
Note: You should run the Create Excess List Concurrent Program
just prior to initiating the return excess parts process to ensure that
the latest updates are included in the excess parts data.
You can create excess part lists at any node level on the planning tree, depending
upon whether you are managing lists for field technicians or warehouses. You make
this choice when you run the Create Excess Lists concurrent program when the
program prompts you to enter parameters.
The Planning Node field displays a list of values that mirrors your organization
structure as built on the Planning Tree in the Planner’s Desktop. You can choose to
run excess lists at the node, warehouse or technician level. All other parameters
available when you run the Create Excess List request are optional and contain
default values.
Excess lists rely on Excess Rules, which you define during implementation. Excess
rules allow you to create lists based upon "real world" considerations. For example,
you may not want to return excess parts if the on-hand stock maximum is set at 50
and the field technician has 51 on hand. You define excess rules to handle this type
of situation. See the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide for more information.
Excess Rules apply only to the determination of excess in a usable subinventory or
warehouse. For a defective subinventory, all parts are considered excess.
Run the Print Excess List Concurrent Program (Optional)

You can also run a concurrent program to print excess lists, which can be used by
the field technician to review the excess list before execution.
Return Excess Parts (Required)

You can use the Return Excess window to view and approve excess parts for return.
You can search for Excess Lists by specific Organization, field technician,
subinventory, or item. Once you retrieve an excess list, after reviewing it, Spares

Return Excess Parts
Management allows you to move it to Return Lists table where you can then create
an inter-org transfer or internal order to return the parts.
You can return all of the excess parts, or only part of the excess by manually
entering the Current Return Quantity number before ordering the parts return. This
will move the excess parts into the Return Lists box.
The bottom region of the window is called Return Lists and displays excess lines
that have been approved for return.
Prerequisites
You have to run the Create Excess List concurrent program (steps below).
Excess Rules are recommended, but not required.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management >Reports and Programs (Use this
path to run the concurrent programs)
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Spares Logistics > Excess Returns
Steps
To Return Excess Parts, follow these steps.
1. First, from either the Planning Tree or the Navigator, run the Create Excess Lists
concurrent program.
In the Parameters window, select the node, warehouse, or technician for which
you want to create an excess list. For all other parameters, review and change
from default as required.
2. Click OK to save your entries and close the Parameters window.
3. Click Submit to submit the request for this concurrent program.
4. Optionally, you can next run the Print Excess List concurrent program.
Use the same navigation path as above, and choose the Print Excess Lists
concurrent program.
5. Choose the Organization ID for the Excess List you want to print from the list of
values.

Return Excess Parts
6. Choose the Subinventory for the Excess List from the list of values.
7. Click OK to close the Parameters window and return to the Submit Request
window.
8. Click Submit to run the concurrent program.
9. Finally, initiate the Excess Return process by navigating to the Excess Lists
window.
10. From the Excess Lists window, use the Find function to display the excess lists
you want to access.
You can search for excess lists by entering values in any of the following fields:
Resource Type, Resource Name, Organization, Subinventory, or Item.
11. If you want to include Defective or Usable parts in the search, select the
appropriate checkbox.
To search for all excess lists, select both checkboxes for Defective and Usable
parts.
12. Click Find.
The excess lists that fit your search criteria are displayed in the Excess Lists box.
Each excess list displays identifying information such as, Item Number, Current
Excess Quantity, Organization Name, Subinventory Code, Condition Type, etc.
The excess quantity number is the quantity that is in excess of the maximum
quantity as defined in the ASL after applying the excess rules. The number in
the current excess quantity is a hyperlink, which you can use to alter the
number of items you want to return.
13. To change the return quantity, click the hyperlinked Current Excess Quantity
number.
The Return Quantity window appears with the value of the Current Excess
Quantity displayed in the Return Quantity field.
14. Change the value in the Return Quantity field to the number you want to
return.
15. Click OK.
The Excess List is automatically moved to the Return Lists box and the value
you just entered is displayed in the Current Return Quantity field.
16. Alternatively, if you do not want to change the Current Excess Quantity
number, you can move the excess list to the Return Lists box by selecting it and
clicking the Add button.

Return Excess Parts
When you approve an excess line and move it to the Excess Return box, the
Status field changes to Modified.
17. To reject an excess list, select the list and click the Reject button.
This changes the Excess Status to Rejected.
18. If you want to move a list from the Return Lists box, back into the Excess Lists
box, highlight the list and click the Remove button.
19. Once you have approved an Excess List for return, highlight the list and click
the Return button.
The Return Item window opens. This window displays the Source Organization
and Source Resource information for this excess list.
20. For a resource, the Return Organization and Return Subinventory fields contain
default values if the resource has a Return To organization and subinventory
defined. Otherwise, for a warehouse, select an organization from the Return
Organization and Return Subinventory lists of values.
21. For a resource, the Transfer Type field can be either Direct or In transit. Direct is
used when the resource delivers the excess directly to the Return To location.
22. Optionally, enter a Carrier name and a Waybill number for the return.
23. Enter a Shipment Number for the return.
24. Click OK.

For a resource (a field technician), an Inter-Organization transfer order is
created. For a warehouse, an internal order is created.

5
Using the Planner’s Desktop
The Spares Management Planner’s Desktop allows field service operations to

maintain and monitor the status of their technician and warehouse inventories to
ensure that each is properly stocked with the parts necessary to service customer
needs. It also provides a planner a variety of tools to create automated min-max
recommendations for field technicians and warehouses.
The Planner’s Desktop leverages the notion of a Planning Tree, along with
point-and-click functionality, to enable you to easily configure, maintain, modify,
and use this application in accordance to your business needs. This easy-to-use UI
streamlines the planning and parts replenishment process.
Through the Desktop, a planner can make min-max recommendations based on the
personal usage of a specific technician, the "norm" for the territory, the "product
norm," which uses calculated failure rates and product populations, or a
combination of personal usage and territory norm or product norm.
The Planner’s Desktop UI consists of a combination of two windows: A Navigator
window, which is where the Planner’s Tree is located, and the Planning window,
which provides details of the node, warehouse, subinventory you are viewing.
Point-and-click functionality connects the two windows in such a way that the
Planning window always reflects the selected element on the Planning Tree.
When a node is selected, and this includes the top-level Spares Planning node, the
Planning window displays three tabs: Planning Parameters, Parts Status, and
Failure Rates.
When a subinventory selected, the Planning Window displays a Stock List and a
Recommendation tab along with the above three tabs. When a Warehouse is
selected, you see all five tabs displayed with the subinventory, along with an
additional Notifications tab.
Sections in this chapter include:
Using the Planner’s Desktop 5-1

Create and Maintain the Planning Tree
■ Section 5.1, "Create and Maintain the Planning Tree"

■ Section 5.2, "Create and Make Planning Recommendations"
■ Section 5.3, "Create Warehouse Notifications"
■ Section 5.3.4, "Managing Defective Parts With Depot Repair Integration"
■ Section 5.4, "View Parts Status on the Planner’s Desktop UI"
5.1 Create and Maintain the Planning Tree

Required
Spares Management’s planning functionality begins with the creation of a tree
structure that consists of any combination of nodes, warehouses, internal repair
depots, and field technicians that make up your field service operation. Planners
should construct the tree with appropriate business needs of their field service
operation in mind. As a rule, any supply chain entity that needs to be planned or
replenished with parts, or any entity where you need to view the inventory status,
should be included in the tree.
The Spares Management module of the Oracle Field Service application comes "out
of box" with a default Spares Planning node, which serves as the top level of the
tree. From this node, you can create "sub-nodes," which you can populate with
those organizations and subinventories (typically associated with field technicians)
used in your operation.
Creating a planning tree in accordance to your business design allows you to better
leverage Spares Management’s recommendation functionality because you can set
planning parameters at the node level, and the values set there will default down
through the tree. You can also set parameters at the subinventory or organization
level, which will override any parameters set higher in the tree.
Note: You can set planning parameters at the top-level Spares

Planning node, and they will filter down throughout the tree,
unless they are overridden at a subsequent level.
From the Spares Planning node, you can create sub-nodes only. But once you create
a node, you can create other nodes, organizations, or sub-inventories below that
node. Once a tree is created, you can use Spares Management’s point-and-click
functionality to plan, replenish, and track your inventories for the organization, or
subinventory.

When you set up your planning tree, each node, organization or subinventory you
create will require that some information be input in the Planning Parameters tab of
the desktop UI.
Spares Management allows you to create subinventories that handle both usable
and defective parts. Typically, a field technician will have at least one of each of
these subinventories assigned to him. For example, technician A, servicing a a
particular territory, could have "subinventory1" assigned to him, which has his
usable parts, and "subinventory2," which has the defective parts that he recovers
from the customer’s site.
Managing the Planning Tree is also necessary, as field service organizations are
constantly changing. Spares Management provides easy-to-use mechanisms for
updating the planning tree, including adding sub-inventories to the tree from an
organization, moving subinventories from node to node, or deleting subinventories
from a node.
For the steps detailing the process to manage subinventories, see Section 5.1.1,
"Managing Subinventories on the Planning Tree".
You can launch the following concurrent programs from the Planning tree by
right-clicking on the node you want to identify in the report and selecting the
appropriate concurrent program:
■ Create Min-Max Planning Report
For details on running this concurrent program see Section 4.6, "Execute
Routine Replenishment".
Create Excess Lists
For details on running this concurrent program see Section 4.7, "Return Excess
Parts".
Create Part Availability Data
For details on running this concurrent program see Section 6.2.1, "Create Part
Availability Data".
Prerequisites
Organizations and subinventories must be defined in Oracle Inventory.
Responsibility

Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop
Steps
Follow these steps to create your Spares Planning Tree:
1. To set planning parameters at the top level for your planning tree, select the
Spares Planning top node.
2. Within the Planning Parameters tab, you can enter parameters that you want to
default down through the planning tree.
The parameters include:
Forecast rules, service level, excess rules, choosing whether or not the node is
authorized for ASL, etc.
Note: Parameters entered at any node will default down the tree,
but can be overridden at any node.
3. To create your first node, from the Navigator, select the Spares Planning node
and right-click with your mouse.
4. From the drop-down list, select Add Planning Node.
The Planning Parameters tab refreshes and you can enter information here.
5. In the Planning Node field, enter the name of the Planning Node that you are
creating.
Use a naming convention for your nodes that will make it easy for you to
distinguish from one node to the next. Note, that in the Planning Parameters
area, default values appear (if any) and the node where they are "defaulted
from" is displayed.
6. Click Save.
The new node appears under the Spares Planning node in the navigator tree.
7. To add subinventories or organizations to the node, right-click the node you
created.
8. To add a subinventory, select Add Subinventory from the drop-down list.
9. Choose the Organization that the subinventory you want to add belongs to
from the list of values.

10. Choose the Subinventory you want to add to the node from the list of values.
11. In the Planning Parameters section, choose the Condition Type for this
subinventory.
A subinventory can either be for "usable" parts or "defective" parts. This is a
required field. To create a subinventory for defective parts, you must choose
Defective in the Condition Type field. On the planning tree, Usable Parts
subinventories will be distinguished by a green checkmark next to the
subinventory name. Defective subinventories will have a red X next to the
subinventory name.
Note: Other Recommendation Parameters are defaulted down

from either the Spares Planning node, or the node you just created.
You can override these parameters at the subinventory level, if
necessary.
12. Click Save to save this subinventory to your Planning Tree.

Alternatively, you can add multiple subinventories to the tree from a
particularly organization. See Section 5.1.1, "Managing Subinventories on the
Planning Tree" for details.
13. To add a warehouse to a node, right-click the node and select Add Warehouse
from the drop-down list.
14. Choose the Organization you want to add to the node from the list of values.
Typically, this would be the warehouse that you set up as an organization in
Oracle Inventory.
15. Enter the Notification Parameters for the warehouse, if necessary.
For more information on warehouse notifications, see Section 5.3, "Create
Warehouse Notifications".
16. Click Save to save this warehouse to your Planning Tree.
17. You can create as many subinventories and warehouses as necessary to meet
your business needs under each node. You can also create new nodes beneath a
node on your tree.
For example, you might create a node called "North American Ops" with
sub-nodes called West Region, Midwest Region, South Region, and so on. Each
sub-node can contain subinventories, warehouses, or a combination of both.

Guidelines
Remember that it’s best to create a tree structure that allows you to set planning
parameters at the highest level possible. This allows you to manage a large field
service operation without needing to set up every parameter for every field
technician and warehouse in your operation.
You can search the Planning tree by using the Find function. The following
parameters are available for search criteria: Resource type, Resource name, region
and Node name. The tree will automatically expand to display the appropriate
node, resource, or region when it is located.
5.1.1 Managing Subinventories on the Planning Tree

Field service operations require frequent maintenance to the tree structure as the
business needs change. For example, if an organization restructures its territories
and requires that some subinventories be moved from one node to another, while
others need to be deleted or added. Spares Management provides a subinventory
management UI to enable this maintenance.
Use the following procedures to add multiple subinventories from an organization,
to move subinventories from one node to another or to delete subinventories.
■ Section 5.1.1.1, "Add Multiple Subinventories to the Tree"
■ Section 5.1.1.2, "Move Subinventories from Node to Node"
■ Section 5.1.1.3, "Delete Subinventories"
Prerequisites
Organizations and subinventories must be defined in Oracle Inventory. A Planning
Tree must be created in the Planner’s Desktop.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop > Manage
Subinventories
5.1.1.1 Add Multiple Subinventories to the Tree

To add multiple subinventories to the Planning Tree, follow these steps.

Steps
1. From the planner’s desktop right-click the node you want to add the
subinventories to and choose Manage Subinventories.
The Manage Subinventories window opens. The Node Name that you
right-clicked appears.
2. Choose the Add radio button.
3. In the Organization field, choose the Organization from which you want to add
the subinventories to the tree.
4. Click Find.
The Selection Lists spread table populates with the available subinventories.
5. Select the subinventory you want to add by clicking on the appropriate line.
To select multiple subinventories to add, perform a shift-key and click on each
subinventory you want to add.
6. Choose the Condition type for the subinventories.
The options are Usable or Defective.
7. Click Add.
8. You will get a confirmation popup asking if you want to add the selected
subinventories to the selected node. If yes, then click OK.
Guidelines.
If you want the Manage Subinventories window to remain open after you perform a
process, select the Keep Window checkbox.
5.1.1.2 Move Subinventories from Node to Node

To move subinventories from one node to another on the Planning Tree, follow
these steps.
Steps
1. From the planner’s desktop right-click the node you want to move existing
subinventories from and choose Manage Subinventories.
The Manage Subinventories window opens with the name of the selected node
appearing in the Node Name field.
2. Select the Move radio button.

Create and Make Planning Recommendations
This changes the Condition field into a required Move To field.

3. Select the node into which you want to move the selected subinventories from
the list of values in the Move To field.
4. In the Selection Lists spread table, choose the files that you want to move from
one node to another.
5. Click Move.
6. You will get a confirmation popup asking if you want to move the selected
subinventories to the selected node. If yes, then click OK.
5.1.1.3 Delete Subinventories

To delete one or more subinventories from a node, follow these steps.
Steps
1. From the planner’s desktop right-click the node from which you want to delete
subinventories and choose Manage Subinventories.
The Manage Subinventories window opens with the name of the selected node
appearing in the Node Name field.
2. Select the Delete radio button.
3. In the Selection Lists spread table, choose the subinventories you want to delete
from the node.
4. Click Delete.
5. You will see a confirmation popup asking if you want to delete the selected
subinventories to the selected note. If yes, then click OK.
5.2 Create and Make Planning Recommendations

To automate the inventory planning of your field service operation you can produce
min-max recommendations that define stocking levels for your field technicians
and warehouses. Customer service agreements often require that parts inventories
are deployed in numerous locations, close to the point-of-use. Spares Management
planning defines what parts to be stocked, where, and in what quantities, for both
technicians and warehouses.
In a large field service operation that includes many technicians and warehouses, a
robust automated planning functionality is necessary to ensure that stocking levels

are accurate and up to date. Planner’s Desktop functionality is designed to handle

the planning scenarios unique to a field service environment.
A typical field service operation, with regional warehouses and a staff of field
technicians, must have the flexibility to create parts planning schemes that are
appropriate for all technicians. A seasoned field technician working in a stable
situation of a particular territory, for example, would have a well-defined profile of
usage history that could be used for planning. Another scenario might involve a
new technician who would not have any usage history, or a transferred technician
who would be carrying usage history that is not appropriate to the new territory.
In the above scenario, it might be appropriate to make parts recommendations for
the first technician based on what he normally uses to do his job. In this case, Spares
provides a method to account for a technician’s personal usage, and to figure that
usage into appropriate min-max recommendations. But for new or transferred
technician this method wouldn’t work because the technician hadn’t built up
enough history to make effective min-max recommendations.
In these cases, Spares provides two other methods to make recommendations: using
the "normal" usage figures of parts for all technicians in the territory, or by figuring
out "failure rates" of particular products. In very complex technician scenario, a
blended, combination of these recommendation methods may be necessary.
This planning process is driven by the concept of an Authorized Stock List (ASL),
which can be updated automatically through Spares Management’s
recommendation functionality.
The ASL functionality includes automated ASL recommendations for technicians
and warehouses, and flexible planning parameters, which can be defaulted from
higher level nodes. You can also handle complex planning scenarios that involve a
combination of planning methods with Spares.
Spares Management also provides a facility to automate min-max
recommendations. By setting up business rules, designed to automate the routine
changes to min-max levels, a planner can focus on reviewing larger changes based
on quantity and value.
The three basic planning methods covered in this section are as follows:
■ Section 5.2.1, "Set Up Personal Usage Recommendation Method"
■ Section 5.2.2, "Set Up Territory Norm Recommendation Method"
■ Section 5.2.3, "Set Up Product Norm Recommendation Method"
Four other functions related to planning are covered in this section:

■ Section 5.2.4, "Define Automated Min-Max Recommendations Business Rules"

■ Section 5.2.5, "Generate Stock List Recommendations"
■ Section 5.2.6, "Add or Modify Authorized Stock List"
■ Section 5.2.7, "Set Up Supersessions"
For more information on planning in Spares Management, see Chapter 6, "Loop
Planning, Notifications and Reporting Hierarchy".
5.2.1 Set Up Personal Usage Recommendation Method

Optional
Personal Usage is a recommendation method that uses the specific usage
transactions associated with a technician or warehouse for planning. This method is
used in the scenario where the technician is in a reasonably stable working situation
where the usage history for the technician is likely to represent what will occur in
the future.
The key drivers with this method are the forecast rule that you choose, combined
with the Service Level and the EDQ factor. The forecast rule defines four key factors
relating to a personal usage recommendation:
■ Forecast Method: Determines how you want to calculate the forecast. Choosing
"simple average," for example, means that you’ll make recommendations based
on averaging the part usage for the usage history of the part.
■ Period Size: This determines the length in days of the period used for a forecast.
For example, 7 would mean that each period translates into a week.
■ Forecast Periods: This determines how many periods you want project out.
■ History Periods: Represents how many periods of history you want to use for
your calculations.
You can set up the recommendation method at any level in your tree. All lower
nodes will use this method as the default unless you manually override it with a
new recommendation method.
Prerequisites
A forecast rule must be set up. Usage transactions must be created either in the
debrief process, or by using the transaction type "Field Service Usage" in Oracle
Inventory.

Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
Follow these steps to set up a personal usage recommendation method:
1. Expand the Planner’s Tree and select the node, warehouse or technician for
which you want to set the recommendation.
2. In the Planning Parameters tab of the main Planning Parameters tab, choose the
Forecast Rule from the list of values.
3. Enter a Service Level for the recommendation.
The service level represents the percent of time you want the technician or
warehouse to have the parts on hand when needed. This is used to determine
the Safety Stock levels.
4. Enter the Economic Delivery Quantity (EDQ) Factor.
This is a combination of carrying cost and ordering cost in the classical lot
sizing formula.
Note: Typically, an EDQ Factor in the range of 10-15 will produce

the desired results
5. To create a stock list for the technician or warehouse, select Yes in the
Authorized ASL field.
6. If you want to include Safety Stock in your recommendation calculations,
choose Yes in the Use Safety Stock field.
Generally, the use of Safety Stock is suggested for the warehouse
recommendations. For the technician, it’s dependent on user preference.
7. Optionally, you can choose the name of the Planner responsible for the node.
8. If you want to exclude a particular category set from being considered in
recommendations, choose the set from the list of values at the Exclude Category
Set field.

9. In the Recommendation Method field, choose Personal Usage from the list of
values.
10. Save your work.
Guidelines
The right column of the Planning Parameters tab (labeled Defaulted From) lists the
node where the existing values have defaulted from. If you want to allow lower
level nodes to override any of these parameters, the Override checkbox must be
selected next to this parameter. By default, the Override checkbox is selected for all
fields.
For details on using the Personal Usage method modified by population change, see
Section 5.2.1.1, "Use Personal Usage Recommendation Modified by Population
Change".
5.2.1.1 Use Personal Usage Recommendation Modified by Population Change

The Personal Usage recommendation method can be enhanced when you combine
it with product population changes. This method is primarily used to plan a
warehouse for major changes in population, but it also could be used for the
technician if a major population change has impact.
This modification is beneficial because product population changes can affect the
total usage on a part for a technician or a warehouse. For example, if a technician
routinely uses 10 parts a week of a specific part, that number is appropriate as long
as the part population in his territory remains static. But if there is a population
change -- either by gaining or losing customer’s contracts -- then the warehouse or
technician’s recommendation is modified either up or down.
Spares Management allows you to use the failure rate against the population
change, and apply the change in usage against the warehouse or technician’s
current usage. The adjusted usage will incrementally adjust the recommendation up
or down.
For details on setting up and using failure rates, see Section 5.2.3, "Set Up Product
Norm Recommendation Method".
Prerequisites
You must have set up and calculated failure rates for a specific product.

Steps
To set up a Personal Usage method that is modified by part population change,
follow the steps:
1. From the planner’s desktop, set up the personal usage method as detailed in
steps 1-10 of Section 5.2.1, "Set Up Personal Usage Recommendation Method".
Note: You must calculate failure rates at a higher node in the tree
then the warehouse or technician where you plan to employ them
in combination with personal usage planning.
2. Click the Failure Rates tab and in the Product field, choose the item for which
you want to consider failure rates in the technician’s personal usage formula.
3. Enter the Population Change figure (either a positive or a negative number) in
the appropriate field.
4. Save your work.
5.2.2 Set Up Territory Norm Recommendation Method

Optional
Territory Norm calculates usage that is average or typical for the planning tree node
the technician is assigned to. This method is used in the scenario that involves a
new technician or a transferred technician from another territory.
New or transferred technicians will have no relevant usage in the territory they are
coming into making it difficult to stock the technician with appropriate parts. By
calculating the normal usage of all the technicians in a given territory over a set
period of time, you can define min-max recommendations that represent what is
typical or average for a technician in the territory.
Note: This method is not used for planning a warehouse.
A simple example of the territory norm approach is illustrated in the following

scenario:
Say there are 100 technicians currently in the territory and that Part A has usage
equal to 2000, summarized for all technicians assigned to the node for the current
10-week period. The territory norm for Part A would be 2.0 per tech per week or
(2000 units / 100 techs / 10 weeks).

Using the territory norm method, Part A would have recommended min-max levels
based on usage equal to 2.0 per week for the new technician assigned to the
territory.
The assumption for this example is that all technicians had been in the territory for
the entire 10-week period. If this were not the case, technician weeks would be
accumulated based on the actual number of weeks each technician had been
assigned to the node during the defined period.
Usually, the Territory Norm method is used to get a technician started. Once a new
technician has worked long enough to create a personal usage history, for example,
you might want to switch to that method at a later time.
Note: This planning method should not be used unless all

technicians assigned to the node are performing similar tasks.
Prerequisites
Inventory.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
Follow these steps to set up a territory norm recommendation method:
1. Expand the Planner’s Tree and select the node, or technician for which you
want to set the recommendation.
This method is not used for a warehouse recommendation method.
2. In the Recommendation Parameters section of the Planning Parameters tab,
choose the Forecast Rule from the list of values.
The History Periods from the Forecast rule is used to determine how much
usage history to use in the average weekly usage calculation.

3. The Service Level field is not used in the recommendations when Territory
Norm is used. Leave the field null.
sizing formula.
5. To make this available for your authorized stock list recommendations, select
Yes in the Authorized for ASL field.
6. Safety Stock, which is derived from Service Level, is not used in the Territory
Norm Method.
recommendation parameters, choose the set from the list of values at the
Exclude Category Set field.
9. In the Recommendation Method field, choose Territory Norm from the list of
values.
10. Save your work.
5.2.3 Set Up Product Norm Recommendation Method

Optional
Product Norm is a recommendation method that uses product populations and
failure rates to plan the min-max levels for the warehouse or technician. The
product norm typically is used in the scenario where a new product is being
introduced or the population of an old product is being increased, decreased or
extended into a new area.
When using the product norm, failure rates are typically calculated at a higher level
node such as a territory, region or theater and used on a lower level node such as a
warehouse or technician. Failure rates are calculated from product population and
usage transactions collected from the field service debrief process where the service
request has defined the product being serviced.
Note: Calculating the failure rates at a higher level node

maximizes the population of parts and increases the accuracy of the
failure rates.

Failure rates in Spares Management are expressed in terms of usage per product per
week. Failure rates can be entered manually as in the case of a totally new product or
calculated for an existing product where usage experience is available and
population is known.
The failure rates are used along with the anticipated product population to
determine expected usage for the technician or warehouse. The population can
either be expressed as a new population or as a change to an existing product
population, either up or down.
To create a Product Norm recommendation, first you must calculate or enter failure
rates at a higher node level, then set up the Product Norm recommendation at the
warehouse or technician level, and then use those failure rates in Product Norm
planning.
Prerequisites
Inventory.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
Follow these steps to create a Product Norm recommendation:
1. To set up and calculate Failure Rates, click the Node in the Planning Tree where
you want to calculate the failure rates and select the Calculate Failure Rates
checkbox.
This method can be applied to any level on the planning tree, but as a best
practice, you should calculate Failure Rates at the highest feasible level.
2. Click the Failure Rates tab and, in the Product field, choose the product for
which you want to create failure rates from the list of values.
3. Enter the Current Population of the product for which you are creating failure
rates.

4. Save your work.

At this point, you’ve entered parameters to calculate failure rates, which will be
used to set your min-max recommendations at a lower level node in the tree
5. To calculate failure rates, select the node on the planning tree where you
entered your product and population information and right-click.
6. From the drop-down list, select the Calculate Failure Rates concurrent program.
A concurrent request ID number will appear in a popup box. This concurrent
request will update the failure rates for your product and parts. To check if the
concurrent program ran successfully, go to View > Requests and look up the
request ID number of the request you want to view.
You can override the calculated failure rates, by entering a value manually. You
might want to use this feature if the manufacturer of a part has published
failure rates, for example.
7. Expand the node for which you calculated failure rates and select the
warehouse or technician for which you want to use those failure rates in
Product Norm recommendations.
Note: You must calculate failure rates at a higher node in the tree
then the warehouse or technician where you plan to employ them.
8. In the Recommendation Parameters section of the Planning Parameters tab,

choose the Forecast Rule from the list of values.
The History Periods from the Forecast rule is used to determine how much
usage history to use in the failure rate calculation.
9. The Service Level field is not used in the recommendations when Product
Norm method is used. Leave the field null.
sizing formula.
11. To create a stock list, select Yes in the Authorized for ASL field.
12. Safety Stock, which is derived from Service Level, is not used in the Product
Method.

recommendation parameters, choose the set from the list of values at the
Exclude Category Set field.
15. In the Recommendation Method field, choose Product Norm from the list of
values.
16. Save your work.
5.2.3.1 Use Blended Method for Recommendations

Spares Management functionality enables you to set up "blended" methods for
determining stock list recommendations. This method, which combines personal
usage method with either territory norm or product norm, allows you to combine
two methods and assign weight to each on a percentage basis.
Territory Norm can be used in combination with Personal Usage and weighting
factors are provided to define the percentages to use for blending of the two
methods.
This blended method also could be used in the scenario where a technician has been
off the normal field service routine for a period of time due to training or a special
assignment. In this situation, the recent usage history would be understated due to
the absence from normal technician tasks and usage reporting routines. Personal
Usage, which is understated, would be used and supplemented with Territory
Norm.
As detailed in Section 5.2.1.1, "Use Personal Usage Recommendation Modified by
Population Change", you can use personal usage in combination with failure rates
to include population changes.
Steps
To set up a blended recommendation method, follow the steps:
1. From within the Planning Parameters tab, at the Recommendation Method
field, choose either:
■ Personal Usage and Product Norm
■ Personal Usage and Territory Norm
2. Enter a percentage, using a decimal point, in the Personal Usage > Norm field.
This is the weighted percentage that you want for personal usage.
3. Enter a percentage, using a decimal point, in the Personal Usage < Norm field.

4. Enter a percentage, using a decimal point, in the Personal Usage = Zero field.
5. Enter a percentage, using a decimal point, in the Norm = Zero field.
Steps 2-5 are mutually exclusive. Depending upon the usage during a given
period, Spares Management functionality will use one of the four parameters to
determine the Stock List recommendations.
6. Save your work.
5.2.4 Define Automated Min-Max Recommendations Business Rules

In field service operations where planners have large numbers of stocking level
recommendations to review and implement, it makes sense to automate routine
recommendations. This functionality reduces planning and technician costs and
frees up the planner to focus on high-impact situations.
In these situations, you can create business rules that automate this process based
on low value and/or quantity change, combined with good forecasting.
Rules are defined by providing values for the following parameters:
■ Value change and percentage
■ Quantity change and percentage
■ Tracking signal min-max levels for tracking forecast errors
Note: You can set values for as many or as few of the parameters
as you want. But for the automated process to be activated, ALL the
parameters that have been set must be met.
In the cases of value change and percentage, quantity change and percentage, and
tracking signal max, the actual value most be less than the value of the parameter to
meet the automation condition. For the tracking signal min parameter, the actual
value must be greater than the parameter value. To qualify for automation, all
parameters as entered must be met.
Use the following procedure to define business rules for automated min-max
recommendations.
Prerequisites
None

Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Setup > Business Rules
Steps
1. From the Business Rules window, click the Recommendation Rules tab.
2. Enter the Name of the Recommendation rule.
3. Enter an optional Description.
Note: For steps 4-9, you can enter values for as many or as few of
these parameters as you want, in accordance to your business rules.
For the automated process to be activated, however, all the
4. Enter a number for the Value Change.

This represents the difference between the current max value and the max
recommendation value.
5. Enter a number for the Value Change %.
recommendation value expressed as a percentage of the current max.
6. Enter a number for the Quantity Change.
recommendation value.
7. Enter a number for the Quantity Change %.
recommendation value expressed as a percentage of the current max.
8. Enter a Tracking Signal Min value.
This measures the forecast error when actual usage on a cumulative basis is
running less than what was forecast. This is a negative value.
9. Enter a Tracking Signal Max value.

This measures the forecast error when actual usage on a cumulative basis is
running more than what was forecast. This is a positive value.
10. Save your work.
5.2.5 Generate Stock List Recommendations

Once you have set up planning parameters for your field service operation, you can
create recommendations by running a concurrent program. The recommendation
can be reviewed and accepted, rejected, or modified.
If you accept a min-max recommendation, it will move into the Stock List tab where
it will become the current min-max levels used when you are replenishing parts for
a warehouse or technician.
When you review the recommendations in the Recommendations tab, the following
values are displayed in the spreadtable:
■ Delta Cost between current max and recommended max
■ Actual cost of current max
■ Actual cost of recommended max
■ Delta min between current min and recommended min
■ Delta max between current max and recommended max
■ Usage history and forecast can be viewed in the lower tabs
Note: The spreadtable in the Recommendations tab can be sorted

by any of the columns displayed. This is useful as you review the
recommendations because you can prioritize by relevant criteria
such as Actual Cost, Cost Recommended, Delta Cost, Delta
Minimum, Delta Maximum, etc.
Prerequisites
Planning Parameters must be entered.
Responsibility

Navigation
Steps
Follow these steps to make min-max recommendations:
1. In the Spares Planning Tree, right-click on the node, warehouse, or
subinventory for which you want to make ASL recommendations.
2. If there has been a usage change, run the Create Usage For Recommendations
and the Create ASL Recommendations concurrent programs.
A popup window displays the concurrent request ID number.
If the tree structure has changed, also run the Create Usage Rollup concurrent
program. If you need to consider supersession activity, run the Process
Superseded Items concurrent program.
3. View the requests (View > Requests) and make sure the concurrent program has
run successfully.
4. Right-click the same node, warehouse and subinventory and select the Generate
ASL Recommendations concurrent program from the drop-down list.
A popup window displays the concurrent request ID number.
5. Click the Recommendation tab and review the recommendation values
displayed in the spreadtable.
Note: If you are using the automated feature, those

recommendations will not appear in the spread table. They are
automatically accepted and implemented.
6. If you want to accept a Recommendation in the ASL, select the recommendation

and click the Accept button.
The recommendation is removed from the spreadtable and placed into the
Stock List tab spreadtable. Accepted recommendations automatically update
the Oracle Inventory table for min-max values.
7. If you want to reject a recommendation, select the recommendation and click
the Reject button.
The recommendation is removed from the spreadtable.

8. If you want to manually override the a stock list recommendation, select the
recommendation and click the Stock List tab.
9. Enter the values you want to recommend for the stock list in the Min Qty and
Max Qty fields.
10. Click Accept to save your new values.
Guidelines
You can also accept or reject multiple ASL Recommendations by selecting all the
lines of recommendations you want to accept (Shift key + down arrow, or Ctrl +
mouse click) and clicking the Accept or Reject button.
5.2.6 Add or Modify Authorized Stock List

Within the Stock List tab, the existing stock list is displayed in the spreadtable. You
can copy the stock list to another subinventory, or you can add and delete items to
this stock list.
Note: The spreadtable in the Stock List tab can be sorted by any of
the columns displayed. This is useful if you want to view the stock
list using different sorting parameters such as Item, Minimum
Quantity, Maximum Quantity, and so on.
Prerequisites
Planning Parameters must be entered.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
Follow these steps to modify or add to the existing stock list:
1. Navigate to the Stock List tab and select the line you want to modify.
2. In the lower portion of the window, select the Stock List tab.

This displays the existing stock list.

3. Enter the new values you want to add.
The fields you can modify include Min Quantity, Min Order, Max Quantity,
Max Order, Source Type, Organization, and Subinventory.
4. Save your work.
5. To add a part to the stock list, click the Add button in the upper Stock List tab.
The lower Stock List tab is refreshed and the fields are blank.
6. In the Item field, select the Part you want to add from the list of values.
The Unit of Measure and Cost values default in.
7. Enter the values you want to set for the part being added.
Optionally, you can select a Source Type. If you select a Source Type of
Inventory, you must select the Organization.
If the stock list was manually created, you can enter a reason for the manual
override. This reason is displayed in the Reason Code field.
8. Optionally, you can enter a value in the Fixed Lot Multiple field.
If there is a specific number of parts that are typically shipped in a package (i.e.
12 parts per box), you can enter that number here. Replenishment orders will be
rounded to the closest multiple of your Fixed Lot Multiple figure.
9. Save your work.
Guidelines
You can delete a min-max recommendation from the Stock List tab by selecting the
recommendation and clicking the Delete button.
From the Stock List tab, you can also view details about the part through the Usage,
Forecast, and Parts Status tabs.
You can also copy a stock list from one subinventory to another by selecting the line
in the stock list, clicking Copy, and then selecting the subinventory you want to
copy the stock list line to.
5.2.7 Set Up Supersessions

The supersession represents a supplier-driven business situation where one part has
been replaced by another part. The supplier typically notifies the customer that a

part has been replaced and is no longer available. All new orders should be placed
for the superseding part. In some cases, the supplier will dictate that existing orders
be converted to the superseding part.
Ideally, when a supersession occurs, the min-max levels are positioned on the top
part in the supersession chain. But in the scenario where inventory is available on
the superseded part, the best inventory utilization strategy would keep the
min-max levels positioned on the superseded part until the inventory is exhausted
in the supply chain. This will drive parts out to the technicians where the parts can
be used and the inventory depleted. Where to position the min-max levels in the
supply chain is determined by whether inventory is still available for the part that
has been replaced, and whether that inventory can be utilized based on the
disposition parameter.
Spares Management incorporates supersessions in both its Authorized Stock List
(ASL) recommendation functionality and Warehouse Notification functionality.
Supersessions have a major impact on ASL recommendations because Spares
Management automatically positions the min-max levels for a part in the
supersession chain to achieve maximum utilization of available inventory.
Depending upon the disposition of inventory on the part being superseded, Spares
Management produces the min-max levels for the appropriate part, either the one
being superseded, or the superseding part, depending on the inventory level in the
supply chain.
There are two disposition values: Scrap and Use to Depletion.
A disposition of Scrap indicates that inventory on the lower level part cannot be
used at all and should be scrapped. This disposition causes the Min-Max levels to
move to the superseding part as soon as the supersession is entered.
The Use to Depletion disposition indicates that inventory for the lower level part
can be used consistent with the rules defined by supersession type. This disposition
causes the Min-Max levels to transfer to the superseding part when the inventory is
exhausted.
To illustrate this latter scenario, consider a supersession where Part A is replaced by
Part B and the on-hand quantity for Part A at the central warehouse is 500 at the
time the supersession is entered. The central warehouse also has a Min level of 50.
In this scenario, Spares Management recognizes the need to utilize the 500 pieces of
inventory under the Use to Depletion disposition option. The Min-Max levels for
the technicians stay at Part A until the inventory at the Central Warehouse drops
below the reorder point (ROP) or the min level. This drives the parts out to the
technicians where usage occurs and inventory is depleted.

During the transition, while inventory on Part A is being depleted, Min-Max levels
are planned for Part B if there is usage history for Part B. When the central
warehouse inventory drops below the min level, the technician Min-Max levels shift
to Part B and are calculated based on the combined usage for both Part A and Part
B. Min-Max levels for the Central Warehouse shift to Part B when the supersession
was entered and are calculated based on the combined usage for both Part A and
Part B.
Similarly, planning warehouse stocking levels is designed to allow warehouses --
other than the central warehouse -- to deplete the inventory of superseded parts.
The central warehouse is always positioned at the top of the supply chain and, as
such, min-max levels are also positioned at the top part in the supersession chain.
Because supersessions are a supplier driven business scenario, the central
warehouse automatically switches its min-max recommendation to the superseding
part coming in because it will no longer be receiving any inventory for the
superseded part.
For an intermediate warehouse, on the other hand, min-max levels are coordinated
with the disposition parameters and supply chain inventories. This allows the
intermediate warehouse to deplete any leftover inventory of the superseded part
that might still exist at the central warehouse. If the disposition of a superseded part
is set to "Use to Depletion," then an intermediate warehouse can position min-max
level at the superseded part until the inventory is depleted. Once depleted, the
min-max level switches positions to the superseding part.
In this way, Spares Management supersession functionality enables a field service
operation to support supersessions and minimize obsolescence at the same time.
To set up supersessions, use the following procedure:
Prerequisites
There must be items set up in Inventory.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Setup > Define Supersessions

Create Warehouse Notifications
Steps
1. In the Find Supersessions popup window, enter a search criteria if you want to
locate some existing supersession relationships. To set up a new supersession,
close the window.
2. In the main Supersessions window, select the part that is being replaced from
the list of values in the Replaced Item field.
3. Choose the item you want to supersede the replaced item from the list of values
in the Superseding Item field.
4. Optionally, you can choose a Repair To Item value from the list of values.
This value defines the highest level in the supersession chain that the lower
level part can be repaired to. Ideally, the lower level part could be repaired to
the top part in the supersession chain. But this is not always technically or
economically possible. For example, Part A has been superseded by Part B but
Part A cannot be repaired to Part B. In this scenario the Repair-to part for Part A
would be Part A.
5. Choose a Reciprocal value for the supersession.
Options include: Bilateral or Unilateral. Bilateral is the scenario where an order
for Part B, the higher level part, can be filled by either Part A or Part B. In the
Unilateral scenario, an order for Part B can only be filled by Part B. The lower
level Part A can not be used to fill an order for Part B. An order for Part A can
always be filled with Part A unless the disposition is "scrap."
6. Choose a Disposition code for the superseded item.
This value defines how the disposition of inventory needs to be handled on the
lower level part. Options include: Use to Depletion or Scrap.
7. Enter optional start and end dates for the supersession.
8. Save your work.
5.3 Create Warehouse Notifications

Warehouse notifications are designed for the more complex replenishment planning
encountered at the warehouse where excess utilization, repair, and new-buy
recommendations need to be incorporated into an integrated replenishment
planning package.

While this functionality is typically used at the central warehouse, it can be used at
any warehouse in the supply chain where excess and/or repair need to be
considered.
The enhanced notifications process allows the planner to use a sequence of
utilization approach where unfilled need at the central warehouse would be
satisfied first by excess utilization, repair of defectives, and then new-buy.
To use notifications that incorporate excess and/or defective stock at a warehouse,
you must have an ASL for the warehouse, and associate an assignment set for either
the usable or the defective parts to the warehouse. The assignment set uses sourcing
rules from Oracle Purchasing to associate those warehouses you want to consider
for excess and defective parts for repair.
Once configured, you create warehouse notification results by running a concurrent
program that identifies parts replenishment needs in the warehouse, searches the
supply chain for existing excess and defective parts, and returns results that a
planner can review and execute a replenishment strategy that best fits the business
needs.
The planner has the option to fill the replenishment need by using existing excess
stock, using repaired parts from the defective parts, by ordering new parts from a
supplier, or by a combination of the three. The planner creates an internal order
and/or a requisition for a purchase order once a replenishment strategy is chosen.
Spares Management also provides a facility whereby a planner can create business
rules that allow the notification process to bypass the planner review process. In
cases of routine replenishment, such as those situations when forecast accuracy and
notification value are routine, the automated process frees up a planner to focus on
exception situations in the review process.
Note: Notifications can only be used for warehouses and not for
field technicians.
Also covered in this section:

■ Section 5.3.1, "Set Up and Create Central Warehouse Notifications"
■ Section 5.3.2, "Create Business Rules to Automate Warehouse Notifications"
■ Section 5.3.3, "Warehouse Replenishment Notifications"
■ Section 5.3.4, "Managing Defective Parts With Depot Repair Integration"

Prerequisites
An Authorized Stock List must exist for the warehouse. Also, if you are considering
excess and defective parts, assignment sets must be set up.
Responsibility
Navigation
5.3.1 Set Up and Create Central Warehouse Notifications

Use the following procedure to set up and create central warehouse notifications:
Steps
1. Expand the planning navigation tree and select the warehouse that you want to
set up for notifications.
2. Click the Warehouse Parameters tab.
3. Optionally, enter an EDQ Multiple.
The Economic Delivery Quantity (EDQ) is used to define order quantities. The
EDQ multiples are used as an on-order limit to define excess on order.
4. In the Assignment Usable field, choose the assignment set to define excess in
the notification from the list of values.
Assignment Sets are set up during implementation and define those
warehouses in the supply chain that you want the notification to use when
looking for excess parts. See the Oracle Purchasing Implementation Guide for
details on setting up assignment sets.
5. If you are using Spares Management’s Depot Repair functionality, choose a
Depot Repair assignment set, which along with sourcing rules, defines the
internal repair depot as a supplier for specific parts.
6. Optionally, enter a Min Value figure.
This is a minimum value for the excess on-order notification. A Min Value of
100, for example, would mean that a notification is kicked off only if the total
value of the excess on-order notifications exceeds $100.

7. In the Assignment Defective field, choose the assignment set that you want to
use to define defective inventories available for repair for notifications.
The assignment set, along with the sourcing rules, defines the defective
warehouses to use to define defective parts for the notifications.
8. If you are using business rules to automate routine notifications, choose the rule
you want to apply to this warehouse from the Notification Rule list of values.
9. Save your work.
At this point, you have configured your central warehouse to allow notification
functionality.
To generate a notification, continue with the following:
10. Run the Warehouse Notifications concurrent program.
Return to the main navigation tree and open Reports and Programs to access
this concurrent program.
5.3.2 Create Business Rules to Automate Warehouse Notifications

Creating business rules to automate warehouse notifications is beneficial when
planners have a large number of Warehouse Notifications to execute and when the
notification cycles need to be processed frequently to insure timely replenishment.
These rules are setup to address notifications that reflect a low notification value
combined with a good forecast reliability. You can create automation rules for the
following three new-buy notification types:
■ Internal Order - This represents transfer orders between warehouses.
■ WIP Order - This is used when manufacturing is required.
■ Requisition - This is used when purchasing is required.
In each of the above cases, you can enter excess value, repair value,
recommendation value, and min-max values for tracking signals.
■ Excess value -- This is the value of excess inventory that can be used to satisfy
the notification.
■ Repair value -- This is the value of defective inventory that, when repaired, can
be used to satisfied the notification.
■ Notification value -- This is the value of the notification recommendation.

■ Tracking Signal Min -- This measures the forecast error when actual usage on a
cumulative basis is running less than forecast.
■ Tracking Signal Max -- This measures the forecast error when actual usage on a
cumulative basis is running more than forecast.
Note: You can set values for as many or as few of the parameters
as you want. But for the automated process to be activated, ALL the
For all parameters with the exception of the tracking signal min, if the actual value
is less than the parameter value, the notification is triggered. In the case of the
tracking signal min, if the actual variance is more than the parameter value, the
notification is triggered.
Note: You can only set up one Notification Rule for each
warehouse.
To set up automated notification rules, follow this procedure.
Prerequisites
None
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Setup > Business Rules
Steps
1. From the Business Rules window, click the Notification Rules tab.
2. Enter the Name of the rule.
3. Optionally, enter a Description.
4. For the Internal Order Line, enter an Excess Value number.
5. Enter a Repair Value.

6. Enter a Recommended Value.

7. Enter Tracking Signal min-max values.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 for Requisition and WIP Order lines.
9. Save your work.
5.3.3 Warehouse Replenishment Notifications

Notifications are used for warehouse replenishment and provide additional
information on excess parts and defectives that, when repaired, can be used to
satisfy the notification.
When you open the Notifications tab, you will see a spreadtable that displays the
notifications for those parts where the on-hand available and on-order has dropped
below the established Min level for the part. The excess parts as defined by the
usable assignment set is displayed in the Total Excess column. The number of
defective parts, as defined in the defective assignment set, is displayed in the Total
Repair column.
The Notification Quantity column displays the quantity needed to replenish the
warehouse. When you select one of the notifications, the lower panel of the
Notifications tab displays the breakdown of what’s available to fill the
replenishment notification. For example, if there are excess parts and defective parts
available, there will be multiple lines displayed in the table:
■ Internal orders set up to utilize excess
■ The total available in repair or the repair depot order
■ The purchase requisition, WIP order, or internal order
The planner can review this information and create a replenishment order based on
what works best in this situation.
A planner can replenish a part from this UI by creating an internal order (if excess
stock is used), or by creating a requisition for a purchase order, or by creating
internal orders and a repair order to have the parts repaired at an internal depot.
Prerequisites
An Authorized Stock List must exist for the warehouse. Also, if you are considering
excess and defective parts, assignment sets must be set up.

Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
To replenish parts using excess, depot repair, and new parts, follow these steps:
1. In the Notification tab, select the Notification of the part you want to review.
A brief description of the part is displayed in the Description field.
In the lower panel of the Notifications tab, the breakdown of parts orders for
replenishment is displayed.
2. To use excess parts, navigate to source type "Excess" in the lower Notifications
tab and enter the Quantity of parts you want to use from the excess parts
available in the Order Quantity field.
This figure must be less than or equal to the Available Quantity.
3. To create a purchase requisition, navigate to source type "Purchase Order" and
enter the requisition quantity in the Order Quantity field.
4. Click the Order button to submit your request.
You will create an Internal Order for the excess stock that you plan to use and
you will create a requisition for a purchase order for those parts you plan to buy
from a supplier to fill the request.
Note: If a lower part in a supersession chain has defectives, those

are rolled into the total defectives for the higher part. For example,
if Part A has a "repair to" status of Part B, and there are eight
defective Part A’s and 10 defective Part B’s, then the Part B
notification will display a defective amount of 18 parts.
For more information on supersessions, see Section 5.2.7, "Set Up

Supersessions".

5.3.4 Managing Defective Parts With Depot Repair Integration

Spares Management provides a mechanism to handle the repair of defective parts
through an internal depot. In this case, parts that are owned by the field service
operation can be repaired internally and returned. This provides a low-cost source
of parts replenishment and results in a reduction of obsolete inventory. This
requires that the Oracle Depot Repair application is installed at the internal depot.
Typically, the following Spares Management supply chain scenario is addressed by
this solution: A repair depot, enabled by Oracle Depot Repair software, is
positioned in the supply chain to repair defective parts. This relationship is defined
in sourcing rules where the internal repair depot is defined as a repair supplier.
In this situation, field technicians recover defective parts at the customer site, which
are then transacted into the technicians’ defective subinventories. At that point, the
technicians transfer the parts into a defective warehouse for consolidation. The
consolidated defectives then can be integrated into the warehouse replenishment
planning presenting the planner with a notification when defective parts need to be
repaired at the internal depot.
Once this notification is approved, it automatically creates an internal order to ship
the defectives to the internal depot, a repair order for the depot, and an internal
order for shipping the repaired parts back to the field service warehouse.
In the repair depot, the defective parts are received against the initial internal order,
repaired, and shipped against the second internal order.
Spares Management also enables a planner to create a depot repair order from the
Parts Status tab on the Planner’s Desktop in those cases where a planner needs to
repair parts without a Warehouse Notification for replenishment.
To repair parts based on a Warehouse Notification and using the depot repair
functionality, follow this procedure.
Prerequisites
Oracle Depot Repair and Oracle Order Management must be installed. You must
provide an assignment set value for the Depot Repair Suppliers field for the
warehouse that is integrated with Depot Repair.
Also, the internal depot must be defined as an organization, along with a sourcing
rule that defines an internal depot.
Responsibility

View Parts Status on the Planner’s Desktop UI
Navigation
Steps
1. In the planning tree, click the warehouse for which you want to view
notifications.
2. Click the Notifications tab.
This displays all the notifications related to the selected warehouse.
3. Select the notification for which you want to create a depot repair order.
4. If the quantity that you want to order is different than the actual quantity on the
notification, enter the new value.
5. Click Order to execute.
5.4 View Parts Status on the Planner’s Desktop UI

Within the Planner’s Desktop there are two tabs that provide a planner with
easy-to-access information that is crucial in the Spares Management process.
These two tabs are:
■ Parts Status
■ Order Detail
Parts Status
The Parts Status tab displays information for the parts on hand at the warehouse or
subinventory selected. A spread table displays such information as part number,
usable on-hand, defective on-hand, parts in transit, requisitions, purchase orders,
and so on. You can update the information on the Parts Status tab by right-clicking
on the warehouse or subinventory and running the Parts Availability Data
concurrent program.
You can order parts from this tab by selecting the part you want to order and
clicking the Order button. This action brings up the Parts Requirement page, where
you can create a parts requirement and an order.
On the bottom panel of the Parts Status tab, there are four sub-tabs:
■ Usage
■ Forecast

View Parts Status on the Planner’s Desktop UI
■ Parts Status
■ Stock List
■ Order Details
Each of these tabs displays information pertaining to the selected item in the Parts
Status tab. The Parts Status and Stock List sub-tab correspond with the same tabs on
the top panel of the Parts Status tab.
Order Details
The Order Details tab provides a view of incoming orders for an item at the
subinventory or organization level. This tab is a sub-tab viewable in both the Parts
Status tab and the Notifications tab. If there is no order associated with the
organization or subinventory, the tab will not be enabled.
The Order Details tab displays the following information: Item, quantity, UOM,
expected delivery date, source name, order type, order number, status and line type.

6
Loop Planning, Notifications and Reporting
Hierarchy
Spares Management also supports the alternative planning approach where

individual sub-inventories can be grouped into Planning Loops for control of the
total inventory across all sub-inventories in the loop. This is sometimes referred to
as aggregate planning where the planning loop is used to coordinate planning and
execution activities across multiple locations.
Spares Management has the flexibility to configure multiple planning loops within
a single service operation. The planning loop can include sub-inventories from
different inventory organizations. The loop can al so include both usable and
defective sub-inventories.
Spares Management uses a Master Stock List to define the plan for the Loop. The
MSL defines the parts and total quantities to be stocked in the loop. In addition, the
MSL provides for a minimum usable quantity to insure that the loop maintains a
reasonable balance of usable parts.
Notifications can be generated by running a concurrent program when the total
available is above or below plan conditions as defined in the Master Stock List.
Notifications will also be generated when the level of usable parts has dropped
below the minimum usable on-hand level as designated in the Master Stock List.
The Planner's Desktop provides for an organized presentation of the functionality
used for planning and execution at the location and loop levels, by including icons
that you can point-and-click to change the UI. Although the view defaults to the
Planner’s Desktop UI, navigation icons included on the desktop are the loops,
reporting hierarchies and notifications icons.
In the Reporting Hierarchy area of the Planner’s Desktop, you can create hierarchies
that can be used to summarize inventory balances, view on-order quantities, and
Loop Planning, Notifications and Reporting Hierarchy 6-1

Define Parts Loops
view usage and forecast information. Reporting hierarchies also provide a tool for
parts searches.
Reporting hierarchies consist of a group of virtual nodes, designed around your
organizational or geographical reporting structure. Each node can contain other
nodes or subinventories. Each subinventory can belong to only one reporting
hierarchy.
The following sections are covered in this chapter:
■ Section 6.1, "Define Parts Loops"
■ Section 6.2, "Create and Use Loop Notifications"
■ Section 6.3, "Create Reporting Hierarchy Nodes"
6.1 Define Parts Loops

The parts loops is a group of subinventories that is planned together as a single
entity. A parts loop can cross more than one inventory organization and more than
one operating unit. At least one parts loop must be set up if the planning
functionality of Spares Management is used.
These are the steps required to set up parts loops:
■ Section 6.1.1, "Create a Parts Loop"
■ Section 6.1.2, "Assign Subinventories to a Parts Loop"
■ Section 6.1.3, "Define Master Stock List"
6.1.1 Create a Parts Loop
Prerequisites
Define calculation rules. Define planners. Define forecast rules.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop> Parts Loop
(icon)

Define Parts Loops
Steps
1. Highlight the Parts Loop folder in the navigator tree.
2. Right click the Parts Loop folder to open a pop-up menu.
3. Select Create Parts Loop in the menu to open the Loop Details tab.
4. Enter a parts loop name in the Loop Details tab.
5. Optionally enter a description for the parts loop.
6. Select a planner from the Planner list of values.
7. Select a calculation rule from the Calculation Rule list of values.
8. Select a forecast rule from the Forecast Rule list of values
9. Save your work.
Your new parts loop appears in the navigator tree.
6.1.2 Assign Subinventories to a Parts Loop

When you assign subinventories to a parts loop, you must specify whether the
subinventory is for tracking usable or defective parts. You can also choose to use the
Auto-receipt feature for this subinventory. With Auto-receipt enabled, shipments
are received automatically at the source subinventory during the ship confirm
process.
Prerequisites
Define the parts loop.
Responsibility
Navigation
(icon)
Steps
1. Click the + sign next to the Parts Loop folder in the navigator tree.
2. Right-click the parts loop to which you want to add subinventories.

Define Parts Loops
3. Select Add Subinventory from the pop-up menu. The Location Details tab
opens.
4. Select an organization name from the Organization list of values.
5. Select a subinventory from the Subinventory list of values.
6. Select a condition type of Usable or Defective from the Condition Type list of
values.
7. Optionally select the Auto-receipt check box.
If you select this feature, parts shipments are received automatically during
Ship Confirm at the destination subinventory.
8. Select the Spares Location check box.
The Spares Location check box has no functionality at this time.
9. Save your work.
6.1.3 Define Master Stock List

A Master Stock List is the component of a parts loop that defines the allowable
quantity of usable and defective parts.
The Master Stock List (MSL) defines the part numbers and corresponding quantities
that are stocked in the parts loop. The MSL is required if parts are stocked on a
planned basis in a parts loop.
The Loop Quantity represents the total quantity that is required in the loop and
includes the availability elements as defined in the calculation rule. The Minimum
Usable quantity represents the Usable On-hand quantity that is required in the loop.
Notifications to the planner are generated when either of these quantity criteria are
not met.
Prerequisites
You must define a parts loop before you can create a master stock list.
Responsibility
Navigation
(icon)

Create and Use Loop Notifications
Steps
1. Highlight the appropriate parts loop in the Navigator tree.
2. Open the Master Stock List tab.
3. Enter an item number or select an item from the list of values that you want to
add to the Master Stock List. The Item field is case sensitive.
4. Select the revision from the list of values, if applicable.
5. Select a planner from the Planner list of values.
6. Enter the desired loop quantity for this item.
7. Optionally enter the minimum usable quantity for this item in the Minimum
Good field.
8. The Plan Type field defaults based on the item definition.
9. Save your work.
6.2 Create and Use Loop Notifications

Planning at the loop level involves the comparison of actual loop quantities to the
Master Stock List quantities. When the available quantities of parts are greater than
or less than the inventory levels defined for the parts loop, a notification is created
for review and processing by the planner.
In the Parts Loop area of the Planner’s Desktop, you can administer the Master
Stock List for the loop. You can define and maintain the loop parameters such as
selecting the calculation and forecast rule. You can also view part availability for the
loop. Finally, you can assign, update and view the usable and defective
subinventories that are included in the parts loop.
Prerequisites
Define a Parts Loop.
Steps
The following steps for using parts loops are described in more detail:
■ Section 6.2.1, "Create Part Availability Data"
■ Section 6.2.2, "Create Usage History"
■ Section 6.2.3, "View Usage and Forecast Data"

■ Section 6.2.4, "Create Notifications"

■ Section 6.2.5, "Process Notifications"
6.2.1 Create Part Availability Data

The Create Part Availability Data concurrent program compiles part availability
data for the loop. This availability data is used to update summary quantities that
are displayed in planning loops and hierarchies. The summary data that appears at
the node levels in the Planner’s Desktop are updated only by this concurrent
program. The availability data is also used to determine whether notifications
should be generated.
Prerequisite
Parts loops must be defined.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Reports and Programs > Create
Part Availability Data
Steps
1. Open the Create Parts Availability Data concurrent program.
2. Click Submit.
3. Click No in the Decision window.
4. To see the status of your concurrent request, click View from the menu and click
Requests.
5. Click Find to view the status of all your requests.
6.2.2 Create Usage History

Usage activity is a component of planned inventory levels and is also used for
forecasting future usage activity. The Create Usage History concurrent program
gathers usage statistics, which can be viewed in the Planner’s Desktop.
The procedures for running the Create Usage History concurrent program follows.

Prerequisites
None
Responsibility
Navigation
Usage History
Steps
1. Open the Create Usage History concurrent program.
2. There are no parameters for this program, so click Submit.
4. To see the status of your concurrent request, click View from the menu and click
Requests.
6.2.3 View Usage and Forecast Data

A forecasting tool is available on the Planner’s Desktop to aid the planner in the
planning process. Multiple forecasting techniques are provided and the forecast for
the part is viewable by location, loop, and reporting hierarchy.
Prerequisites
Run the Create Usage History concurrent program to gather usage statistics.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop > Parts Loop
(icon)

Steps
Use this procedure to update the usage history information and view the forecast
and usage information.
1. Click the + sign next to Parts Loop.
2. Click on the parts loop for which you want to view forecasting information.
3. Open the Parts Status tab.
4. Click Find in the Find Items window to execute a blind query for all parts.
5. Click on an Item number and view the Usage/Forecast information in the
bottom of the window.
6. Open the Graph tab to view the usage data, represented by a red line, and the
forecast data, represented by a green line.
6.2.4 Create Notifications

The Create Notifications concurrent program compares the Available quantities that
are calculated by the Create Part Availability Data concurrent program to the
desired quantities that were defined by the MSL in the parts loop. Notifications to
the planner are created when one of the following conditions occurs:
■ The Available quantity for this part is above the total loop quantity by more
than the allowable percentage
■ The Available quantity for this part is below the total loop quantity by more
than the allowable percentage.
■ The usable quantity for this part is below the minimum usable quantity
Prerequisite
Run the Create Part Availability concurrent program first, so the notifications are
based on the most recent quantities.
Responsibility
Navigation
Notifications

Steps
1. Select the Create Notifications concurrent program.
2. Click Submit.
4. To see the status of your concurrent request, click View from the Tools menu
and click Requests.
6.2.5 Process Notifications

Notifications are used for advising the planner that the parts inventory is above or
below quantities defined in the Master Stock List. You can view and take action on
open notifications in the Planner’s Desktop. Notifications have a status of either
Open, Pending or Closed.
Prerequisite
Run the Create Notifications concurrent program.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop > Notifications
(icon)
Steps
1. Click the + sign in front of Notifications.
2. Click the + sign in front of the parts loop name to open the loop folder.
3. The notification categories are Above, Below and Not Enough Usable Parts.
Click the + sign in front of the notification category you want to view. Within
each notification category, you can choose Open, Closed, or Pending.
4. Click on the Item number in the Open folder to view the notification.
5. Open the Master Stock List tab to view the Master Stock List parameters for the
Item in the notification.

Create Reporting Hierarchy Nodes
6. Open the Parts Status tab to view the details of the part’s status. The detailed
view of the status includes the availability elements for the part.
7. There are five actions you can take on an open notification:
■ You can change the quantity on the Master Stock List.
■ You can create a move order to transfer parts to the location that needs
them.
■ You can create an external requisition to purchase an additional quantity of
parts.
■ You can create a WIP order to have the parts repaired internally.
■ You can create an external requisition to have the parts repaired externally.
8. After taking the appropriate action regarding the notification, you can update
the status of the notification to Pending or Closed.
6.3 Create Reporting Hierarchy Nodes

Creating reporting hierarchies is an optional step because reporting hierarchies are
not required for either the logistics or planning processes. However, even if you are
not going to use Spares Management Loop Planning, you must set up either one
parts loop or one reporting hierarchy. This loop or hierarchy is required to define
the additional attributes for the destination subinventories used in Spares Logistics.
The following required steps for setting up reporting hierarchies are described:
■ Create the nodes and relationships of the reporting hierarchy.
■ Assign subinventory locations to the nodes.
Prerequisites
Subinventories must be defined so you can add subinventories to your reporting
hierarchy. Hierarchy nodes must be created from top to bottom.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop > Reporting
Hierarchy (icon)

Steps
To create reporting hierarchy nodes:
1. Click the + sign next to the Reporting Hierarchy folder to open it.
2. Right-click the Reporting Hierarchy folder to open a pop-up menu.
3. Select Create Reporting Hierarchy to open the Hierarchy Details tab.
4. Enter a node name.
5. Save your work. Your new node appears in the navigator.
6. To add a node to your new node, right click your new node and follow steps 4
through 6.
6.3.1 Assigning Subinventories to Nodes

When you assign subinventories to a reporting hierarchy node, you must specify
whether the subinventory is for tracking usable or defective parts. You can also
choose to use the Autoreceipt feature for this subinventory. With Autoreceipt
enabled, shipments are received automatically at the source subinventory during
the ship confirm process.
Prerequisites
Create reporting hierarchy nodes.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Dispatcher > Spares Management > Planner’s Desktop > Reporting
Hierarchy (icon)
Steps
1. Click the + sign next to the Reporting Hierarchy folder to open it.
2. Click the + signs in your reporting hierarchies nodes until you reach the node to
which you want to assign a subinventory.
3. Right click the node to which you want to assign a subinventory to open a
pop-up menu.
4. Select Add Subinventory to open the Location Details tab.

5. Select an inventory organization from the Organization list of values or accept

the default value.
6. Select a subinventory from the Subinventory list of values.
7. Enter a Location Name. A location field is populated from the address or
location assigned to a subinventory in Oracle inventory application.
8. The location address and country are entered automatically from default values.
9. Select a condition type of Usable or Defective from the list of values.
10. Optionally select the Autoreceipt check box if you want to use the auto-receipt
feature for this subinventory.
11. Select the Spares Location check box. The Spares Location check box has no
functionality at this time.

Part III
Field Service Portal
Part III of the Oracle Field Service User Guide contains the following chapters:
■ Chapter 7, "Configuring Field Service Portal"
■ Chapter 8, "Using Field Service Portal"
7
Configuring Field Service Portal
This topic group provides an explanation of the elements comprising the Field
Service Portal and provides process-oriented, task-based procedures for configuring
the Dashboard. This chapter includes the following:
Section 7.1, "Elements of the Dashboard"
Section 7.2, "Customizing the Dashboard"
7.1 Elements of the Dashboard

The field technician’s dashboard provides a fully customizable view of all the
assigned tasks, which can be filtered in a number of ways, and also includes other
elements that provide easy-to-use entry points into the application.
The dashboard is divided into five main components:
■ Search Area
■ Main View
■ Search Knowledge
■ Quick Links
■ Create Service Request
Search Area
The dashboard enables a technician to quickly search for a particular task or tasks
by customer name, service request number, or task number. By selecting the criteria
in the Search Task By field and entering a partial value in the search criteria field, a
technician can quickly access specific task information.
Configuring Field Service Portal 7-1

Elements of the Dashboard
Advanced Search functionality is also available. By clicking the hyperlink, a Search

Task window appears where more detailed criteria can be entered. You also can
create a search based on Scheduled Start Date of the task.
Main View
The Main View displays task information related to tasks assigned to a particular
technician. The View displays columns containing information related to the tasks
that you choose to display in the particular view. Field Service Portal has three
seeded views: My Tasks, Open Tasks, Escalated Tasks. In each of these, the search
criteria and the display columns is seeded and cannot be modified.
The seeded views display the following information in the spread table: task details,
service request number, customer name, task number, update task (icon), subject,
scheduled start date, planned effort, parts (if any), debrief (icon), and assignment
status.
The spread table associated with a view displays relevant task information for each
task that fits the search criteria for the technician. For example, the Tomorrow’s
Tasks view displays all tasks assigned to the technician scheduled to be worked on
the following day.
The technician chooses a particular view for the default display (for example, My
Tasks), but can access any of the views from the main page by selecting an
alternative view and clicking Go.
Some task information displayed in the view, such as changing the task assignment
status and updating the task, can be performed directly from the view. By clicking
the details show/hide link, you can display more task details, or hide them if the
particular task is expanded. Also, you can perform a debrief directly from the task
view screen by clicking the Debrief icon. If there are parts associated with the task,
an icon is displayed in the Parts column.
Search Knowledge
The Field Service Technician’s Portal allows easy access to the Oracle Knowlege
Management application. A user can make either a simple keyword search or an
advanced solution search from the Portal Dashboard. This functionality allows a
technician to access existing solutions for task-related problems.
Knowledge Management also can be accessed through the Update Task screen. In
this case, the Service Request Summary is defaulted into the keyword search field,
although it can be modified as needed.

Customizing the Dashboard
Quick Links
The Quick Links section provides navigation links to mission-critical field service
processes. By accessing these links, information is readily available and allows the
technician to browse, compare and update information as needed. The technician
will have the ability to access the following information from quick links:
■ Create Parts Order
■ Receive Shipments
■ Return Excess Parts
■ Return Defective Parts
Create Service Request

In normal field operations, technicians routinely discover situations where a new
service request must be logged to address a customer issue that wasn’t addressed in
the original service request. In these cases, Field Service Portal provides a direct link
to create a new service request by using existing service identifiers, such as part
serial number, tag number, instance address, account name, and so on.
The technician can enter problem information on the service request and save it.
7.2 Customizing the Dashboard

Field technicians can arrange their dashboards to meet their specific needs. Field
Service Portal comes with eight seeded views, which contain a set number of
columns of display information. Furthermore, the amount of tasks displayed is set
as well. But technicians can duplicate and modify the seeded views to personalize
them, or they create an entirely new view in which the task search criteria is
determined by the technician.
The following topics cover the dashboard customization:
■ Create a View
■ Personalize the View Display
7.2.1 Create a View

You can create a new view for the dashboard, which allows you to use any task
search criteria you want, and also allows you to display only the data you want to
see. New views are added to the list of existing views, which can be displayed at
any time. You also can choose to make a new view default view.

When creating a view, you can set the number of tasks to display, whether or not
should be the default view, what properties you want displayed in the columns,
and the search criteria to use to find specific tasks.
Use the following steps to create a new View for your dashboard.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Field Technician’s Portal
Navigation
Field Technician’s Portal > Field Technician’s Dashboard
Steps
1. From the main dashboard window, click Personalize.
The Personal Dashboard window appears. This displays a spread table with all
your views.
2. Click Create View.
The Create View window appears.
3. In the General Properties section, enter the View Name.
4. Choose the Number of Rows Displayed from the drop-down list.
This determines how many tasks you want displayed on the view.
5. If you want this to be your default view, select the Set as Default checkbox.
6. Enter a brief description of the view.
In the Column Properties section, all the columns that can appear in the view
will be listed in the Columns Displayed (In Order) dialog box.
7. Choose the columns that you don’t want to appear in your view from the
Columns Displayed (In Order) dialog box and remove them into the Available
Columns dialog box.
You can determine the order of the columns by using the up and down arrows
to move until you have the desired order.

8. In the Sort Settings section, choose the column you want to sort by and select
whether or not the sort should be in ascending or descending order.
You can sort up to three columns. By default, there is no sort order selected.
9. In the Search Query to Filter Data in Table, set your criteria for the task search.
10. You can choose to require all your search parameters be met, or any one of the
parameters be met by choosing the appropriate radio button.
The four default search parameters are service request, customer, task, or
subject. You can choose to use any one or all of these parameters.
11. Once you pick a parameter to add to your search criteria, choose the qualifier
you want to use to filter the parameter and then enter the a value in the field.
The possible search qualifiers are: is, contains, starts with, ends with. For
example if you want to set up a view that only displays your tasks associated
with a particular customer, you would use the following search criteria
construction:
Parameter Search Qualifier Value

Customer is <Customer name>
12. You can add a search parameter by choosing it from the list of values in the Add
Another drop-down list and clicking Add.
13. Click Apply to save the view.
7.2.2 Personalize the View Display

You can personalize any of the default views in the dashboard by duplicating the
view and then changing the parameters in the duplicate view to fit your needs.
Use the following procedure to personalize an existing view.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility

Navigation
Steps
1. From the main dashboard window, click Personalize.
2. In the spread table, select the radio button for the view that you want to
personalize.
3. Click Duplicate.
The Duplicate View window opens. In this window, all the values of the
original view are selected and displayed in the various fields and dialog boxes.
At this point, you can modify any or all of the display fields.
4. In the View Name field you will see the following: Duplicate of [View Name].
Edit the field to name the new view.
5. You can change any of the settings in the General Properties section (rows
displayed, whether or not to set the view as the default, and the description.)
6. Modify the columns that you want appear in your view by either moving them
from the Columns Displayed (In Order) dialog box to the Available Columns
dialog box -- to remove a column -- or move them from the Available Columns
dialog box into the Columns Displayed dialog box to add them to the view.
7. Optionally, you can rename the columns by clicking Advanced Settings.
8. Change the column names as desired and click apply.
9. Set new Sort Settings, if applicable.
10. You can add additional task search parameters to the view in the Search Query
to Filter Data in Table section.
11. When you have finished modifying the view, click Apply.
Guidelines
The new views that you create can be updated and modified at any time.

8
Using Field Service Portal
This chapter provides process-oriented, task-based procedures for using the Field
Service Portal to perform essential business tasks. Sections covered in this chapter
include:
■ Section 8.1, "Using Quick Links"
■ Section 8.2, "Update a Task"
■ Section 8.3, "Create Service Request"
8.1 Using Quick Links

The Field Service Portal provides technicians with quick access to key processes
they need to perform in their day-to-day activities.
This section provides the step-by-step procedures for the following functions:
■ Section 8.1.1, "Create Parts Order"
■ Section 8.1.2, "Receive Shipments"
■ Section 8.1.3, "Return Excess Parts"
■ Section 8.1.4, "Return Defective Parts"
8.1.1 Create Parts Order

Using the Field Service Portal, the field service technician has the ability to order
parts specific to a task or independent of the tasks for their trunk stock.
Alternatively, to order a part specific to a task, the user clicks the update task icon
from the dashboard, clicks the parts tab, and then clicks the order parts button.
Using Field Service Portal 8-1

Using Quick Links
Based on the sourcing rules and availability of parts within the technician's trunk
stock the order parts functionality results in creation of one of three following
scenarios:
■ Purchase Requisition
■ Internal order
■ Reservation
To create a parts order independent of a specific task, follow these steps.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Quick links section, click Create Parts Order.
The Create Parts Order window opens and a temporary Parts Requirement
number is automatically created for the order. This is the first of a three-step
process. The Parts Requirement number is not saved until you finish this
process.
2. Verify that the Default Organization is correct. If not, choose a different
organization from the list of values.
3. Verify the Address.
4. Select a Need By Date for the parts order.
5. Confirm the Destination Subinventory is correct. If it isn’t, choose a different
subinventory from the list of values.
6. Click Next.
The Create Parts Order: Parts window opens. This window displays all the
information you have already added to the parts order in a display-only mode.
7. Enter the Required Item for the parts order or search for it in the available
lookup table.

Using Quick Links
The UOM defaults after the item is selected.

8. Enter the Required Quantity.
9. Optionally, Enter the Ship Set value.
This value is set if you need to specify that certain items must be shipped
together. A ship set is a group of order lines, linked by a common number, for
which you want the full quantity to ship together
10. Click Next.
The Create Parts Order: Options window opens and displays the various
options available to you to create the parts requirement. This is when the
technician chooses the sourcing options for the parts order. The following chart
details the fields and their respective definitions during this step:
Field Name Definition

Required Item This field shows all Inventory items that can be used to create
the parts requirement.
Required Quantity This field indicates the quantity required to create the parts
requirement.
Supplied Item If the required quantity for the item is not available, then the
system checks for alternate parts like substitutes/superseded
items based on the item setups and sourcing rule. If alternate
items are available, then the order is created for them instead of
the required item.
Item Type The field indicates whether the supplied item is a substitute or
superseded item
Available Quantity This field displays the available quantity of the required item in
the source organization based on the sourcing rule.
Source Type This field indicates whether the order source is an outside
vendor or an internal warehouse/inventory
Source This field refers to the source organization in the cases of
Internal orders and Reservations, or the field is null in case of a
Purchase Order.
Shipping Method Based on the Delivery Times and Shipping Methods set up, this
field populates with the shipping method to be used to ship the
order.
Arrival Date Based on the lead times of shipping method and the order date,
this field populates with the arrival date of the shipment.

Using Quick Links
11. Choose the Select radio button for the sourcing option you want to use for the
parts order.
12. Click Finish to complete the transaction.
This action validates and saves the Parts Requirement number created in step 1,
creates the order number, and generates a parts order confirmation.
8.1.2 Receive Shipments

Technicians can receive and deliver shipment to a final destination in one
transaction using the Receive Shipments functionality of the Field Service Portal.
The technician receives all quantities "as shipped" by the specified default
destination subinventory. However, the technician also can update a shipment to
receive it in to a different subinventory.
When the technician opens this window, it lists all the shipments from a supplier
based on a purchase order, which is a shipment from inventory backed by an
internal sales order. The corresponding Carrier, Shipment Number, Waybill and
Packing Slip number should be displayed.
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Quick Links section, click Receive Shipments.
The Shipments window opens. The spread table displays all the incoming
orders and includes pertinent information associated to the order such as Order
Type, Vendor Number, PO Number, Shipment Number. expected receipt date,
waybill number, and so one.
2. To receive the shipment, click the icon in the Receive column for the order you
want to receive.
The Shipment Details window opens. This displays the item number and
description of the item along with other detail associated with the order.

Using Quick Links
3. Choose the Select radio button if you want to receive the shipment.
4. In the Quantity field, verify that the number displayed how many of the item
you want to receive. If the number is too many, you can edit it to reflect the
amount you want to receive.
5. Verify that the Subinventory into which you are receiving the order is correct. If
it is not, you can change it to reflect the correct sub-inventory.
6. Click Apply to accept the shipment.
8.1.3 Return Excess Parts

Field Service Portal provides an easy-to-use mechanism to return excess parts,
which may have been shipped to a technician for a task and not used. These parts
end up in excess to the technician's authorized stock level and can be returned to a
central warehouse.
Prerequisites
The Create Excess List concurrent program must be run to identify items where the
inventory balance is greater than the maximum level. This program generates the
list of excess parts, which you can access through the dashboard.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Quick Links section, click Return Excess Parts.
The Return Excess Parts:Parts window opens. This is the first of a three-step
process. This window displays a spread table with all the excess items
associated with the technician’s subinventories.
2. Choose the Select checkbox for the item that you want to return.
3. Verify that the quantity to be returned is correct. If it is not -- for example, if you
only want to return a portion of the excess -- edit this field to reflect the amount
you want to return.
4. Click Next.

Using Quick Links
The Return Excess Parts Details window appears. This spread table displays
pertinent information, such as the source organization, source subinventory,
item number, UOM and the return quantity.
5. If the parts are serialized, choose the serial numbers to be returned.
6. Optionally, enter Locator, Lot Number, and Revision Number, if your part is
These fields will only be enabled if the item is serialized, lot controlled, or has a
revision number.
7. Click Next.
If there are serial numbers or locator or lot numbers associated with the item, a
second line will appear in the spread table, which you can fill out at this time.
Otherwise, the Return Excess Parts: Destination window appears.
8. Enter a Waybill number, if applicable.
This field enables the technician to enter a waybill number in case of intransit
excess returns.
9. Verify the Destination Organization and change it, if necessary.
10. Verify the Destination Subinventory or select one, if necessary.
11. Optionally, select a Carrier name from the list of values.

This field enables the technician to select a Carrier in case of intransit excess
returns.
12. Enter the Shipment number for the excess part.
13. Click Submit.

This confirms the transfer and returns you to the portal dashboard.
8.1.4 Return Defective Parts

When a technician replaces a defective part with a new one, he must return the
defective to the warehouse for repair or disposal. Field Service Portal provides a
quick link to this process.
Returning excess defective parts uses a process which is similar to returning usable
excess parts. The only difference is in the definition of excess and the application of
business rules. Since defective sub inventories do not have min-max levels, all
inventory is considered excess. Excess business rules do not apply to defective
excess parts.

Using Quick Links
Prerequisites
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Steps
1. From the Quick Links section, click Return Defective Parts.
The Return Defective Parts:Parts window opens. This is the first of a three-step
process. This window displays a spread table with all the defective items
associated with the technician’s subinventories.
2. Choose the Select checkbox of the defective part you want to return.
3. Verify the quantity of defective parts you are returning or enter the quantity, if
necessary.
4. Click Next
The Return Defective Parts:Details window opens.
5. If the parts are serialized, choose the serial numbers to be returned.
6. Optionally, enter Locator, Lot Number, and Revision Number, if your part is
is a
7. Click Next.
If there are serial numbers or locator or lot numbers associated with the item, a
second line will appear in the spread table, which you can fill out at this time.
Otherwise, the Return Excess Parts: Destination window appears.
8. Enter a Waybill number, if applicable.
9. Verify the Destination Organization and change it, if necessary.
10. Verify the Destination Subinventory or select one, if necessary.
11. Optionally, select a Carrier name from the list of values.
12. Enter the Shipment number for the defective part.

Update a Task
13. Click Submit.
This confirms the transfer and returns you to the portal dashboard.
8.2 Update a Task

The technician’s dashboard displays a spreadtable with the tasks assigned to the
technician as defined by the view that has been selected. Field Service Portal allows
a technician to update an existing task by clicking the appropriate icon in the view
spread table. This enables the technician to add notes to a task, update a task
assignment status, perform a debrief, and to create a follow-up task.
To create a follow-up task, see Section 8.2.3, "Create a Follow-Up Task".
The user can alternatively click on either the parts icon, which will be enabled in
case there are any parts associated with the task, or the debrief icon. Depending
upon which icon a technician clicks, he will navigate to the corresponding sub-tab
on the Update Tasks window.
The header of the Update tasks window contains the following information:
Field Label Description

Task Number This refers to the sequence generated number for the task. It will
displayed as header on Update Tasks UI.
Task Name This refers to the subject of the task. It will be displayed as
header on the update tasks UI.
Task Type This refers to the type of task.
Task Status This refers to the task status (open, closed, etc.).
Task Priority This refers to the priority of the task.
Assignment Status This refers to the assignment status for that task (Accepted,
Cancelled, etc.).
Escalation Level This refers to the escalation level of the task.
Planned Effort This refers the estimated time it will take to complete the task.
Within the Update Tasks window, there are several sub tabs that the technician can
view and update. The following list defines the sub-tabs and what actions are
available to the technician within the tabs:

Update a Task
Update Tasks: Details tab

■ Ability to view and add the description associated with the task.
■ Ability to view existing notes and create new notes with source Task Manager
For a step-by-step procedure for updating task details, see Section 8.2.1, "Update
Task Details and Notes"
Update Tasks: Schedule and Assignments tab

■ Ability to view planned and scheduled start/end dates
■ Ability to view owner and assignee for a task.
Update Tasks: Parts tab

The user can invoke the parts sub tab either by clicking on the Parts icon on the
dashboard or by navigating to Update tasks, and clicking the parts sub-tab. The tab
will be enabled only if there are any parts associated with the task.
Note: When there are no parts associated with a task, the parts
icon and the sub-tab is disabled.
Within the parts tab, a technician can:

■ View additional audit information
■ Improve Problem History to show history based on customer and product
information
■ Remove functional gaps with the forms service request module
Update Tasks: Debrief tab

The field service technician has the ability to capture labor time, materials used to
perform the job at the customer site, and any expenses incurred on the task
assignment. A technician accesses Debrief by either clicking on the Debrief icon on
the dashboard or clicking on the Update Tasks icon on the dashboard and then
clicking the Debrief tab.
This action brings up the Debrief summary tab, which displays debrief lines that
have already been created against the existing task assignment. A technician can
create new labor, material, and expense lines by clicking on the appropriate create
button.

Update a Task
After the required information is entered on the create screen, the user can either
click Apply to commit the record details that were just entered, or click Add button
to create additional lines.
After these debrief lines have been created, the user has the option to either update
or delete these lines as long as they have are not submitted to charges. This action
can be performed by clicking Update or Remove on the Debrief summary tab.
For a step-by-step procedure to add or update a debrief, see Section 8.2.2, "Update
Debrief"
8.2.1 Update Task Details and Notes

To update task details and all notes to the task use the following procedure.
Prerequisite
None.
Responsibility
Field Service Technician Portal
Navigation
Field Service Technician Portal > Field Technician’s Dashboard > Update (icon)
Steps
1. From the dashboard main page, click the Update icon on the task you want to
update.
The Update Task window opens to the Details sub-tab.
2. If you want to add or change the description the task, enter text in the
Description text box.
3. To add a note, choose a Note Type from the list of values (for example, Callback,
General Note, etc.).
4. Choose the Visibility level for the note from the list of values.
Options include: Public, Private, or Publish.
5. Enter the text of the note in the text box.
6. Click Apply to save your work.

Update a Task
7. To view your note or any other notes attached to the task, click the + sign to the
left of Notes History.
This expands the note. From here, you can modify the Note Type or Visibility
level of the note.
8.2.2 Update Debrief

To update or add a debrief line to the task follow these procedures:
■ Section 8.2.2.1, "Add a Labor Line"
■ Section 8.2.2.2, "Add a Material Line"
■ Section 8.2.2.3, "Add an Expense Line"
For complete details on the entire Field Service Debrief process, see Chapter 3,
"Using Debrief".
Prerequisite
None.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Technician Portal > Field Technician’s Dashboard > Update Task >
Debrief
8.2.2.1 Add a Labor Line

To add a debrief labor line to a task, follow these steps:
Steps
1. From the Update Task window, click the Debrief link. Alternatively, from the
Dashboard main window, you can click the Debrief icon on the task for which
you want to add debrief lines.
2. In the Labor section, click Create.
This displays the Create Labor window, which contains all the labor lines, if
any, that you’ve already added to the task.

Update a Task
3. In the New Labor Line section, choose a Service Activity Code for the line from
the list of values.
4. Enter the amount of time spent working in the Duration field.
5. Enter the Start and End times for the activity.
6. Optionally, enter an item that the labor line is being logged against, if
applicable.
An Item Description defaults.
7. The UOM field defaults to the value associated with the Service Activity that
you selected. You can choose a different UOM from the list of values.
8. Optionally, enter a Reason for the labor line.
9. Enter the Service Date for which you performed the labor.
10. Click Add to save the labor line.
11. Click Apply to save your work.
8.2.2.2 Add a Material Line

To add a debrief material line, follow these steps:
Steps
2. In the Material section, click Create.
This displays the Create Material window, including all the material lines, if
any, that you’ve already added to the task.
3. Select a Service Activity from the list of values.
This is the activity you performed for the material you are reporting on. The
Item you select is filtered based upon the Service Activity Code you choose.
4. Choose the Item Number.
If the Update IB flag is checked for a service activity code (during item setup),
the items’ LOV displays both trackable and non-trackable items. Otherwise, it
displays only non-trackable items.

Update a Task
5. The UOM defaults from the selected item, but you can select a different UOM
from the list of values, if necessary.
6. Enter the amount of the material used at the Quantity field.
In the case of serialized items, Quantity is 1.
7. The LOV for Subinventory is dependent on the line category code defined in
the service activity code setup form.
In case the line category code is defined as "Order" the sub inventory gets
populated with the default usable sub inventory. The LOV will then display
only usable subinventories. In the case where the line category code is "return"
the sub inventory gets populated with the default defective sub inventory.
However, the LOV for sub inventory will display both usable and defective sub
inventories.
8. Enter the Serial Number, Lot, Locator, Revision, and Instance Number details
depending on the item attributes.
The LOV for these fields are validated based upon the Item and Subinventory
combination.
10. Optionally, choose a Reason for the material transaction from the list of values.
11. The Disposition field is defaulted once the Item is selected.
12. In case an item is Installed base trackable and the line category code on the
service activity code setup form is "Order," the parent product and the
recovered product field is enabled.
The parent product LOV displays the list of all the instances installed at the
customer location. In case of line category code "Return," the recovered product
field is enabled.
13. Enter the return reason for the recovered transaction.
14. Click Apply.
The material line is saved.
8.2.2.3 Add an Expense Line

To add a debrief expense line, follow these steps:

Update a Task
Steps
2. In the Expense section, click Create.
This displays the Create Expense window, including all the expense lines, if any,
that you’ve already added to the task.
This is the activity you are going to perform for the expense you are reporting
on.
4. Select the Item for which you are going to create an expense line.
item. The UOM is defaulted after selection.
5. You can either enter the UOM and Quantity, or the Amount and Currency.
Quantity and Amount are mutually exclusive.
6. The Currency field defaults to the functional currency defined in your set of
books, but you can change it, if necessary.
8. Optionally, choose a Justification for the expense from the list of values.
9. Click Add to temporarily save the expense line to your debrief.
10. Click Apply to save this line to the permanent record.
8.2.3 Create a Follow-Up Task

Field Service technicians can create follow-up tasks from the Update Tasks window.
A technician may find it necessary to create a follow-up task in order to complete
the work required by the Service Request.
Use the following procedure to create a follow-up task.
Prerequisite
A task must be assigned to the technician.

Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Technician Portal > Field Technician’s Dashboard > Update Task
Steps
1. From the Update Task window, click Create Follow-Up Task.
This opens the Create Task window.
2. Enter a Subject for the task.
3. Select the Type of task from the list of values (Diagnostic, Dispatch, Callback,
etc.).
4. Enter Planned Start/End times.
5. Choose the Task Assignment status (approved, working, etc.).
6. Choose a Priority level for the task (high, medium, low, etc.).
7. Enter a Planned Effort.
In this field, enter a numeric value in the free text field and then choose a
qualifier from the list of values (hours, minutes, days, etc.).
8. Enter a Description of the task.
9. If you want to add a note, choose a Note Type from the list of values.
10. Choose a Visibility level from the list of values.
11. Enter the note in the text box.

12. Click Apply to save the task.
8.3 Create Service Request

Field service technicians can create a new service request from the dashboard by
accessing the Create Service Request link. A new service request is typically
associated with an existing customer where the technician has performed a service.
If the technician determines a need for a new service request, he can locate existing
product registration based on serial number, tag number, Instance address, account
number, contact name or he can identify the customer to create a service request.

The Create Service Request windows allows you to enter contact information,
product information, a problem description, SR issues, incident address, shipping
information, contractual coverage, and the bill-to-address.
Note: In order to view and use the Service Request bin, you must
set the CSF: HTML Service Implemented profile option to Yes. Also
this profile option enables the Service Request hyperlink in the task
spread table to be enabled.
For complete information on logging a service request, see the Oracle Teleservice User
Guide.
Prerequisite
Oracle Teleservice must be installed.
Responsibility
Navigation
Field Service Technician Portal > Field Technician’s Dashboard
Steps
1. From the Create Service Request block in the dashboard main page, select a
Service Identifier from the list of values in the Search Key field.
Some examples of possible identifiers are customer name, instance serial
number, service request number, instance service tag, and so on.
2. Enter a Value for the search identifier. If you do not know the complete value,
enter a partial value followed by a wildcard character (%) and use the search
functionality to locate the value.
3. Click Go.
This opens the Create Service Request window and displays key information
such as the service identifier and related values.
4. To create Contact Information, enter values for all the applicable fields in the
following list: Contact Type, Name, Contact By, Account, Timezone, and
Language. The Current time is defaulted.

5. Click Create Contact to save your work.

6. To log Product Information, enter values for all the applicable fields in the
following list: Category, Item Name, Item, Item Instance, Component, and
Sub-Component.
7. Click Create Instance to save the product information for the service request.
8. In the Problem Description section, enter a Summary of the service request.
9. Optionally, enter a description.
10. In the Issues section, select a Request Type from the list of values. (For example,
Field Service).
11. Choose a Status. (For example, Open, Working, etc.)
12. Choose the Internal Severity Level of the SR.
13. Optionally, you can provide information such as Problem Type, Customer’s
Urgency, Error Message (text), Helpdesk Number, and Project number. The
Incident Date defaults to the current date, but can be changed.
14. Choose the assignment strategy for the SR by selecting the appropriate radio
button.
The options are: Automatically Assign, Assign to my Group, Assign to me and
my Group.
15. In the Incident Address section, choose where you want to use the Existing
Address or a New Address.
The Address field will display the default address, but you can select another
one, if applicable.
16. If you are entering a new address, select the appropriate radio button and fill in
the following fields: Address, City, State, Zip, and Country.
17. In the Shipping Information section, verify existing values or provide values for
the following fields: Customer, Contact, Account, and Address.
18. If there is Contractual Coverage associated with the SR, provide values for the
following fields: Contract, Expected Response Date, Expected Resolution Date.
19. In the Bill-To-Address section verify existing values or provide values for the
following fields: Customer, Contact, Account, and Address.
20. Click Create Address to save the address to the SR.
21. To create the Service Request, click Apply.

Guidelines
You can update shipping information, the bill-to-address, or the product
information. Make the necessary changes and click the appropriate update button.

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Oracle® Field Service

Part No. B13768-01

Copyright © 2002, 2004, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Send Us Your Comments ................................................................................................................... ix

1 Understanding Field Service

Part I Debrief and Dispatch Center

2 Using Field Service Dispatch Center

Part II Spares Management

4 Using Spares Logistics

5 Using the Planner’s Desktop

6 Loop Planning, Notifications and Reporting Hierarchy

Part III Field Service Portal

7 Configuring Field Service Portal

8 Using Field Service Portal

Welcome to the Oracle Field Service User Guide, Release 11i.

Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation

Oracle Applications User’s Guide

Guides Related to This Product

Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide

Oracle Self–Service Web Applications Implementation Guide

Oracle Common Application Components User Guide

Oracle Advanced Scheduler Concepts and Procedures

Oracle Field Service/Laptop Concepts and Procedures

Oracle Wireless Option for Service Concepts and Procedures

Installing Oracle Applications

Upgrading Oracle Applications

Maintaining Oracle Applications

Oracle Alert User’s Guide

Oracle Applications Developer’s Guide

Oracle Applications User Interface Standards for Forms-Based Products

Other Implementation Documentation

Oracle Applications Product Update Notes

Oracle Workflow Administrator's Guide

Oracle Workflow User's Guide

Oracle Workflow API Reference

Oracle Applications Flexfields Guide

Oracle eTechnical Reference Manuals

Oracle Applications Message Manual

1.1 Introduction to the Field Service Suite

Understanding Field Service 1-1

Suite Product Description

1-2 Oracle Field Service User Guide

Suite Product Description

1.2 The Field Service Process

The Field Service Business Process

Understanding Field Service 1-3

1-4 Oracle Field Service User Guide

Note: Depending on your organization these steps can be

How this Process Relates to the E-Business Applications Suite

Understanding Field Service 1-5

1-6 Oracle Field Service User Guide

Understanding Field Service 1-7

1.3 Overview of Field Service

Field Service Dispatch Center Features

1-8 Oracle Field Service User Guide

If Advanced Scheduler is installed, locating parts and creating reservations or

Field Service Debrief Features

Understanding Field Service 1-9