Configuring Auto Assignment scheduling

The auto assignment feature can be enabled for requests or tasks, depending on the Service Management (SM) application's configuration settings.

When auto-assignment is enabled and a task is qualified or marked as Ready for Work, the system automatically assigns an appropriate agent to the task and moves it to the Assigned state. If the task can’t be auto-assigned, a user with the dispatcher role must adjust the values in the request, or task form and then save the record.

• If the Requests are assigned via auto-assignment option is enabled, requests are automatically assigned.
• If the Tasks are assigned via auto-assignment option is enabled, the tasks in a request are automatically assigned.

The system uses the following criteria to assign agents automatically.

Table 1. Auto assignment criteria

Option	Description
Geolocation	You can configure whether an agent's home location should be considered when auto-assigning a task. To calculate the estimate time it takes for an agent to get to the task location, consider the following: If the Use Google Maps API for travel time estimates geolocation property is enabled, then you can select Google Maps API or straight-line estimates in the properties for calculating estimated travel time and distance. If the Use Google Maps API for travel time estimates isn’t enabled, then the system uses the value in the Estimated Travel Duration field in the work order task to determine task assignment for the agent. For more information, see Components installed with Field Service Management. Note: Set up the following configurations: Enable Use agent or task scheduling to calculate the estimated time to arrive. Enable Auto-selection of agents will consider location of agents to configure the agent’s home location. For more information about enabling the configurations, see Global domain configurations.
Skills	You can configure whether an agent's skills should be considered when auto-assigning a task. If you’re assigning tasks to agents based on mandatory skills requirements, you can’t auto-assign tasks if the agent doesn't have the mandatory skills required to perform the task. Note: The work.management.use.mandatory.skills system property must be enabled to configure the agent's skills.
Availability	Auto-assignment considers an agent's existing schedule when auto-assigning additional tasks.
Task windows	Auto-assignment attempts to schedule within configured task windows. If a window can’t be scheduled for any available agents, auto-assignment fails.
Task dependencies	Auto-assignment considers any upstream task dependencies when auto-assigning a task.
Agent schedules	Auto-assignment considers agents schedules from Workforce Optimization for Field Service application to auto-assign a task only if the Enable Shift Scheduling for FSM to Determine Availability property is enabled. For more information, see Global domain configurations.

Auto assignment of a request and a task

Automatically assign a task to a dispatch group when the Requests are assigned using auto-assignment option is set in the SM application's configuration.

Before you begin

Role required: wm_qualifier, wm_initiator

Procedure

1. In any SM application, do one of the following:
   • Open a request in the Awaiting Qualification state, or one that has been qualified automatically, and then open a task in the Draft state.
   • Open a task in the Ready for Work state.
2. Select an Assignment group.
3. If the Tasks are assigned via auto-assignment and Auto-selection of agents will consider location of agents configuration options are set, enter a location.

   Auto-dispatch fails unless the task contains a valid location.

4. If the Tasks are assigned via auto-assignment option is enabled, create a schedule for this task in the Planned section, or let the system determine the times.

   By default, ServiceNow enters the current date and time in the Window start field. If you don’t create a schedule or a fixed window, ServiceNow uses the start value to look for an agent who has that time slot open.

   For instructions, see Creating Work Order Tasks.

5. Click Qualified or Ready for Work.

   The view returns to the previous page, and a success message appears. The system assigns an agent to the task, enters the agent's assignment group in the task record, and moves the state to Assigned.

   If auto-assignment fails, the message indicates either that no agent was available or that the task didn’t specify a location. The system moves tasks that fail auto-assignment to the Remain in the Pending Dispatch state.

6. To auto-assign a task that failed previously, enter any missing information or change the schedule, and save the record.