AWA vs HR Assignment rules

[Vadla Srimaan]

Hello all,

I’m working on implementing Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) for HR Service Delivery (HRSD) and would appreciate help with the following:

1. What takes the priority if we configure both HR assignment rules and AWA assignment rules?
2. How can cases be reassigned when an agent goes offline?
3. How does skill-based routing work, and what are its practical benefits?

TIA

[pavani_paluri · Accepted solution]

Hi @Vadla Srimaan ,

1.What takes the priority if we configure both HR assignment rules and AWA assignment rules?

HR assignment rules are like the first filter — they decide who should get the case when it’s created.

AWA rules are the final decider — they actually hand the case to an available agent in real time.
So if both are set up, AWA wins in the end

2. What if an agent goes offline?

If the agent never accepted the case, AWA will give it to someone else automatically.

If the agent already accepted the case, it stays with them unless you build a rule or flow to reassign it.
Best practice is to set a timeout or escalation rule so cases don’t get stuck with offline people.

3. How does skill-based routing work, and why is it useful?

Each agent has skills (like “Payroll,” “Spanish language,” “Benefits”).

A case can require certain skills.

AWA then looks for an available agent who has those skills and assigns the case to them.
This means:

Cases go to the right expert the first time.

Less bouncing cases around.

Faster resolution and happier employees.

Workload is balanced so no one gets overloaded.

Mark it helpful if this helps you to understand. Accept solution if this give you the answer you're looking for

Kind Regards,

Pavani P

[Vadla Srimaan]

Hi @pavani_paluri ,

Thanks for your support!

We’re starting AWA implementation for HRSD in phases to help the team better understand its impact—especially how it can save agent time.

Any quick tips or best practices to keep in mind during rollout would be appreciated, especially around:

• Key components to prioritize
• Skill setup and routing
• Handling agent availability

Thanks!

[pavani_paluri]

Hi @Vadla Srimaan ,

As per my experience, below are the key points to be checked:

• Start with simple assignment rules before layering on complexity.
• Define clear queues (by COE / HR service type).
• Use capacity settings to avoid overloading agents.
• Enable real-time dashboards so leads can monitor load.
• Keep skill definitions simple (avoid too many granular skills at first).
• Map skills directly to common HR case types (e.g., payroll, benefits).
• Use proficiency levels only if business requires it, otherwise keep binary.
• Test routing with small pilot groups before full rollout.
• Train agents to set their state (Available, Away, Offline) consistently.
• Enable auto-reassignment when an agent goes offline.
• Monitor agent idle times to fine-tune capacity and availability rules.
• Set clear fallback rules (e.g., route to backup queue if no agent available).

Could you Please accept the solution if that solves your question.

Mark it helpful if this helps you to understand. Accept solution if this give you the answer you're looking for

Kind Regards,

Pavani P

[Vadla Srimaan]

HI @pavani_paluri 

Thank you so much for the detailed response — really helpful as we plan our phased AWA rollout.

Just one final question:
If an agent creates a case and wants to work on it, will AWA still pick up the case and route it to a queue, or is there a way for the agent to directly claim it?

Appreciate your insights!