WFM schedules can update and change rapidly, and keeping track of changing availability can be time-consuming.
Dialpad WFM automatically optimizes the schedule to adapt to changing agent availability, so you can spend your time focusing on what matters.
Who can use this
Dialpad WFM is available to all Dialpad users and as a standalone product.Contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss adding Dialpad WFM to your plan.
Types of optimizations
Dialpad WFM automatically optimizes the schedule when:
An agent’s Dialpad call overruns into their break
An agent’s calendar event removed or rescheduled
Optimizations are applied to draft and published schedules (if applicable). If the schedule was previously published, then the optimized schedule will be shared automatically; you do not need to publish again.
Dialpad call overruns into a break
If an agent’s Dialpad call overruns into their scheduled break, then Dialpad WFM will automatically move their break when their call ends.
This means the agent gets the rest they need, and you don’t have to make any manual edits.
Optimization details
Once the call ends, WFM will calculate how much of the break the call overran and then move the break by that amount.
The break will be moved by the exact amount of time the call overran, up to the full duration of the break itself.
For example, if a 15-minute break is scheduled and a call overruns by 10 minutes, the break will be moved 10 minutes later. If the call overran by 20 minutes, the break would be moved to a maximum of 15 minutes later.
Activity Plan rules for breaks or other activities are not taken into account when optimizing breaks.
The system will move breaks of any length; there is no minimum or maximum duration.
When a break is moved, the subsequent scheduled activity or activities will be shrunk to accommodate the moved break.
If the moved break completely consumes the following activity, that activity will be removed, and the activity after it will be adjusted accordingly.
For example, if a 1-hour break is moved by 40 minutes and the next activity is 30 minutes, that 30-minute activity would be removed, and the activity after that would be shortened by 10 minutes.
Limitations & constraints
This optimization only applies to calls made through Dialpad. Any calls made through other integrations are not applicable.
The agent must be in adherence for the overrunning call. If an agent is on a call which is not adherent to their schedule (e.g. a personal call), optimization will not apply and the break will not be moved.
This includes Adherence Exceptions. If an agent was in adherence due to an exception, the break will still be moved.
If an agent goes into “wrap up” after their call ends, this will not affect the optimization. The break will be moved when the call ends.
Breaks cannot be moved over a calendar event, the end of a shift, or another scheduled break. If it is not possible to move the break due to these constraints, the break will be moved by as much as possible.
The break is only moved within the schedule once the call officially ends. There won't be a continuously moving or extending block while the call is ongoing.
Calendar event removed or rescheduled
If an agent’s calendar event is removed or rescheduled, then Dialpad WFM will automatically fill the gap left n their schedule.
This enables teams to optimize agent’s planned occupancy while adapting to their changing availability.
Optimization details
If the removed / rescheduled calendar event duration was less than 15 mins:
If there is an activity before or after the gap:
The queue activity will be prioritised to fill the gap.
If there is a different activity before and after the gap, then the queue activity with the greatest coverage gap will be scheduled.
If there are no queue activities, we will extend the activity they were scheduled on before the synced calendar event.
If there was a break before the removed block time event, the activity after the synced calendar event, will be optimized for.
If the gap is at the start of the shift:
The next activity (scheduled after the gap), will be extended to fill the gap.
If the gap is at the end of a shift:
The previous activity (scheduled before the gap), will be extended to fill the gap.
If there is no activity surrounding the gap:
No optimization will take place
If the removed / rescheduled calendar event duration was more than 15 mins:
If the agent is skilled in at least 1 queue activity, and the gap is within the queue’s business hours:
The activity with the greatest deficit in coverage and which the agent is skilled on, will be scheduled.
The activity with the greatest absolute deficit will fill the gap.
If the agent has no queue activity skills, or the agent is skilled in queue activities, and the gap is outside of queue’s business hours:
The activity they were scheduled on closest to the gap will be extended to cover the gap.
If the gap is at the end or start of a shift, this is the same behaviour.
Limitations & constraints
This optimization only applies when calendar events previously synced into the schedule via [email protected] or the Google Calendar integration are then removed or rescheduled.
If the event length is updated, e.g. a 1 hour meeting is reduced to 30 minutes, then no optimization will occur.
Any time off (e.g. holiday, PTO etc.) added via a time off iCal link is not applicable.
Any custom activities created in Dialpad WFM to represent a meeting are not applicable.
If the calendar event is rescheduled, the optimization will only apply to the gap left after the calendar event is moved. It will not reoptimize activities or breaks around the rescheduled calendar event.
The optimization will take place after the calendar event is removed from Dialpad WFM, not when it is removed from the originating calendar. This can take up to 15 minutes.
An optimization will only apply if the date and time of the calendar event is in the future. If a calendar event is removed retrospectively, no optimization will occur.
If there are no other activities or breaks scheduled in the shift the calendar event was removed from, then no optimization will occur, as the shift is empty.
If an activity was previously scheduled before the calendar event was added, then this activity will be restored and no optimization will occur.
Breaks will not be extended or reduced as a result of a calendar event optimization.
Enable or disable optimizations
Each type of optimization can be enabled individually, giving you full control.
Once enabled, optimizations will apply to all agents and teams within the account.
To enable optimizations:
Go to Settings
Select Optimizations
Switch the toggle on next to the optimizations you want to enable
That’s it! The optimization will now be active and will start working right away.
View optimizations
Admins can view optimized activities or breaks from within the schedule.
Any activities or breaks that are changed by an optimization are marked with a sparkle icon.
To view why an optimization occurred, select the activity or break, then select Review optimization.
Revert an optimization
You can revert an optimization to return the schedule to its original state.
To revert a optimization, go to the Activity view of the schedule:
Select the optimized block
Select Review optimization
Select Revert
That’s it! The optimization will now be reverted, and the agent’s schedule will return to its previous state.
This will apply to the draft and published schedules (if applicable). If the schedule was previously published, the reverted schedule will be shared automatically; you do not need to publish again.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to publish the schedule after an optimization has occurred?
If the schedule was previously published, then the optimization will be automatically published to the affected agent.
If the schedule was not previously published, then it will remain in draft.
Note
Optimizations will not trigger a Dialbot or Slack notification to be sent to agents. We’re working on bringing this capability soon.
Can I edit an optimized activity or break?
Yes, any activities or breaks that were changed by an optimization can be edited as normal.
The optimization sparkle will be removed after the optimized activities or breaks is manually edited.
How will the “Dialpad call overruns into a break” optimization affect adherence?
While the agent’s call is overrunning into their break, the agent will appear as out of adherence.
However, after the optimization has taken place, the agent’s schedule and adherence timeline will be updated, marking them as in adherence for this time.
Are there any other types of optimizations available?
We’re working on bringing additional optimization triggers in the future, including automatic adjustments for added or removed time off.