--- sourceDocument: Australia Field Service Management sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/field-service-management Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Field Service Management ft:clusterId : - fsm bundleId : - fsm workflow : - Customer and Industry --- # Matching rules for prioritized intraday optimization # Matching rules for prioritized intraday optimization {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated September 2, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Matching rules for prioritized intraday optimization Matching rules in prioritized intraday optimization help ServiceNow customers filter and identify specific tasks and technicians impacted by prioritized events, such as urgent job reassignments or SLA breaches. These rules enhance control over job assignments by targeting only relevant tasks and technicians based on defined criteria. Note that matching rules require Territory-Based Optimization to be enabled and are incompatible with assignment group--based optimization configurations. Show full answer Show less ## How Matching Rules Work Matching rules apply filters to select a subset of tasks and technicians directly affected by prioritized events. For example, when a technician becomes unavailable, matching rules identify other technicians with matching skills to efficiently reassign tasks. The rules use configured matching dimensions to determine impacted entities and apply filters before generating optimization recommendations. ## Matching Dimensions Matching rules combine one or more of the following dimensions using **AND** logic (all must apply) within a single rule, while multiple rules combine with **OR** logic (any rule qualifies): * **Affected technician(s):** Technicians directly impacted by the event. * **Affected task(s):** Tasks directly impacted by the event. * **Retrieve technician(s) based on skills:** Technicians whose skills match those required by affected tasks. * **Retrieve task(s) based on skills:** Tasks whose required skills match those of affected technicians. * **Retrieve technician(s) within radius:** Technicians within a specified geographic search radius. * **Retrieve task(s) within radius:** Tasks within a specified geographic search radius. ## Handling Overlapping Territories When multiple territories overlap, optimization considers qualifiers from all relevant territories within the search radius, expanding the pool of available technicians and tasks. The maximum search radius and distance units can be configured per territory qualifier to control this scope. ## Demo Data and Customization ServiceNow provides example matching rules via the Field Service Management Demo Data plugin, such as filtering technicians or tasks for prioritized events. Customers can use these examples or create custom matching rules tailored to their operational needs. ## Configuration Guidance To implement matching rules in intraday prioritization, customers should enable the feature as part of their prioritized intraday optimization setup and create matching rules aligned with their business criteria. Detailed configuration processes are documented separately. Understand how matching rules identify and filter tasks and technicians affected by prioritized events. You can apply matching rules to prioritized event optimization for improved control over job assignments. Matching rules are only available when [Territory-Based Optimization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/kykUcMEjI4g98yADfT9QDA "Enable the Field Service Territory model to focus optimization on territories rather than assignment groups.") is enabled. [Territory-Based Optimization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/kykUcMEjI4g98yADfT9QDA "Enable the Field Service Territory model to focus optimization on territories rather than assignment groups.") can't be used with optimization configurations that use assignment groups. ## How matching rules work {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__section_i1k_3j3_lkc} Matching rules identify a subset of relevant tasks and technicians to optimize based on criteria such as search radius, required skills, and time thresholds. When matching rules are configured, they determine which tasks and technicians are directly impacted by a prioritized event. This includes pending dispatch tasks with SLA breaches or tasks that have a window end within the next four hours. For example, when a technician calls in sick, matching rules identify all technicians with similar skills as directly impacted. The optimization engine reassigns that technician's tasks efficiently. When a prioritized event occurs and creates a task event, the system generates a prioritized job. The configured matching rules are applied to filter assignment options before making recommendations. ## Matching dimensions {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__section_mfl_nj3_lkc} Matching rules work by combining one or more matching dimensions. Matching dimensions are the individual criteria or filters that determine which tasks and technicians are directly impacted by a prioritized event. The following matching dimensions are available: * Affected technician(s): Identifies technicians directly affected by the prioritized event. * Affected task(s): Identifies tasks directly affected by the prioritized event. * Retrieve technician(s) based on skills: Identifies technicians whose skills match those required by affected tasks. * Retrieve task(s) based on skills: Identifies tasks whose required skills match the skills of affected technicians. * Retrieve technician(s) within radius: Identifies technicians located within a defined search radius of the prioritized event. * Retrieve task(s) within radius: Identifies tasks located within a defined search radius of the prioritized event. {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__ul_pwb_f3x_3kc} Within a single matching rule, matching dimensions are combined using AND logic. AND logic means all criteria must match for a task or technician to be included. When you configure multiple matching rules in a single optimization configuration, the results are combined using OR logic. OR logic means matching any rule qualifies a task or technician for optimization. ## Overlapping territories {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__section_xyf_bk3_lkc} When optimizing with overlapping territories, Schedule Optimization considers qualifiers from overlapping territories within the configured search radius to expand the pool of available technicians and tasks. You can configure the maximum search radius and distance unit at the qualifier level to control the scope of optimization for each territory. ## Demo data and custom rules {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__section_spq_dk3_lkc} If you installed the Field Service Management Demo Data plugin, two example matching rules are available: Filter technicians for prioritized events and Filter tasks for prioritized events. These rules include criteria for affected technicians and affected tasks. You can use these example rules or create your own. ## Configuration overview {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__section_lqk_fn3_lkc} * To enable matching rules for your intraday configuration, see [Set up prioritized intraday optimization with matching rules](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/cV8uTfbikVBc_SGnsXVTlg "Configure prioritized intraday optimization to use matching rules that narrow job assignment decisions. Matching rules deliver focused, efficient job recommendations."). * To create your own matching rule, see [Create matching rules for intraday events](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/LuZ1SNuUksKLHX7xH4CVFA "Create matching rules to specify which tasks and technicians to include in prioritized intraday optimization runs."). {#matching-rules-for-prioritized-intraday-optimization__ul_c1p_gn3_lkc} **Related concepts** * [Configuring Schedule Optimization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/7a5Fh10ARrNdhXjj7hCMLQ "Use Schedule Optimization to automate task assignment, create efficient schedules, and respond to changing conditions as they occur throughout the day.") * [Optimizing technician schedules at set intervals](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/EC8Hq2ThCc0PkD3aupKChw "Efficiently reassign tasks and maximize productivity by continuously running schedule optimization at selected intervals throughout the day.") * [Optimizing technician schedules in response to urgent events](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Rgmt6IO4bfniAeMURJUIYQ "Resolve urgent scheduling changes quickly and efficiently by configuring prioritized event optimization. Prioritized event optimization responds immediately to critical events and targets only the specific technicians and tasks affected, without reoptimizing all tasks and qualifiers.")