Operations Key Features

The Operations module is a core component of day to day tasks pertaining to organization logistics. This article is intended to highlight some of the main features available within the Operations module to streamline workflows.

Filter Templates

Creating a handful of filter templates within the Operations module can improve the navigation experience and allow the system to surface relevant jobs more efficiently. Defining sub-sets of jobs per template and naming the template accordingly enables quick navigation between them.

For instance, as user within Operations I may want to see:

• Status - Entered, Accepted
• Type - Fertilizer Application

• Age of Order - Jobs <= 7 days old
• Type - Delivery Ticket
  • Delivery Method - Pick Up

• Geographical - Radius '10', click on the main office location on the map
• Type - Soil Sampling

Each of these filter sets could be saved as templates and be given a user defined name for reference. As one individual user, I could have all three of the above use cases saved as templates and switch between then based on the situation.

Job List & Dispatch Log Controls

The Job List and the Dispatch Log can a couple localized sort and display options giving users quick actions to alter the information at hand.

Job List

• At the top of the Job List, the Sort By multi-selection list allows the user to select the job attribute(s) they wish to use to sort the list
• To the right of Sort By is a button allowing the list to be toggled between ascending and descending display order

Selecting 'Job Number' then 'Status' and removing Workorder Number from the Sort By multi-select. Then sorting the list in descending order would present me with the desired view.

Dispatch Log

• The Dispatch Log allows users to sort dispatch lists oldest to newest, or vice versa. Limit dispatches to only those that are recent, and toggle between completed and active dispatch lists.
  • Using these available quick actions, users can modify the presentation of the dispatch log to present information in a way that suits them.

When navigating to Operations, sorting the dispatch log to 'Newest First' will present the highest dispatch number (newest) first.

Additionally, setting Account preferences for Only Most Recent and defaulting the sort order can further streamline workflows such as is.

Querying (Job List & Dispatch Lists)

In some instances, the jobs list can remain exhaustive even with a filter applied. Perhaps, as a user, a large quantity of jobs meet the filter criteria, or it is peak season and the weather is favorable. No matter the case, both the job list and dispatch list allow users within Operations to search for known job information.

As a dispatcher, maybe you have a filter template setup for all Chemical Application job types. However, if it is mid-Spring, there may be many jobs returned only filtering by job type. Ideally, if the salesperson knew the job number, this could be used to search. However, something as minimal as profile information can be enough.

In the case above, the context of "Home farm" may be enough to isolate yet a smaller subset of jobs. Regardless of the naming convention used, typing only "Home" in the job list could limit a list of 50+ jobs to a handful.

Similarly, the dispatch log can be queried to find a specific dispatch list based on known information. In this situation, if the applicator is known and assigned to the dispatch list, the applicator name can be used to search.

Common Blends

Group By options within Operations quickly provide users with jobs containing 'like blends' or 'like tank mixes' on application job types. This allows users to quickly identify jobs with like products and like rates and then dispatch them together. Once the jobs have been added to a dispatch list they can be visualized in the map area, re-ordered as stops, or removed if need be.

Common Blends will also identify 'similar' blends and tank mixes and denote them in separate blend sets. For instance, if there are four jobs with the same products, but one of them has a different product rate for one (or multiple) products. That one job with differing product rate(s) will be its own blend set. Allowing the viewer to decide whether or not that job should be dispatched amongst the others.

Things to keep in mind (Tips & Tricks)

• Any given job may only exist on a single dispatch list at a given point in time
  • In order to re-dispatch a job, it must be removed from the dispatch list it was last added to
• The left hand job list will always only present jobs that are not already on a dispatch list
  • Subsequently, the right hand dispatch log will only show active dispatch lists (filter and interaction dependent) containing dispatched jobs
• The Map area by default presents all jobs based upon filters applied within the module that have not been dispatched (represents the left hand job list)
  • The Map view can be toggled to show Dispatch Lists instead of the Job List if desired via the toggle in the upper right of the map

• When saving a new dispatch list, the default dispatch options will update the job status to Assigned, effectively indicating the job has been dispatched to be fulfilled
  • Removing jobs from a dispatch list, or deleting a dispatch list entirely, provides an opportunity to revert the job(s) status(es) back to Accepted
    • Jobs in any status can be reverted to Accepted via this action
    • This allows users to passively revert the job status to indicate that it is no longer on a dispatch list and should be re-dispatched if it is to be fulfilled

Within the Operations filter list, there is a filter option labelled 'Include Dispatch' near the bottom of the list of options. Toggling this on in the act of applying a filter (or saving it within a template), will additionally apply the other filters to the Dispatch Log.

If a filter is applied for:

Type - 'Chemical Application'

Application Timing - 'Early Pre-Emergence'

Only jobs of this Type with this App Timing will be returned on the left. Additionally, only dispatches with at least one job matching this criteria will be returned on the right.