This example walks through re-optimizing an existing schedule for a customer support team. It illustrates when to use each optimization mode and how the available configuration options affect the result.
For full reference documentation, see Auto Scheduling.
Scenario
A two-week schedule has already been generated for the customer support team. After reviewing it, the supervisor notices that breaks and lunches are clustered in the early afternoon, leaving the Voice queue understaffed between 13:00 and 15:00. The shift boundaries are correct and should not change. Only the internal activity distribution needs to be adjusted.
The supervisor decides to run a Partial optimization for the first week only, targeting the affected people.
Selecting the Optimization Mode
Click Optimize Schedule and configure the Optimize Type field as follows:
|
Field |
Value |
Reason |
|---|---|---|
|
Optimize Type |
|
Shift boundaries are correct. Only the activity distribution within existing shifts needs to change. |
|
Date from |
|
Start of the first week of the schedule. |
|
Date to |
|
End of the first week only. The second week is unaffected. |
|
Optimize activities within the selected time range |
|
All shifts starting within the selected range are optimized in full, not just the activities that fall inside it. |
Selecting People
In the Available People section, filter and select people as follows:
|
Field |
Value |
|---|---|
|
Teams |
|
|
Queues |
|
|
Selected people |
|
Configuring the Relaxation Toggles
Because Partial mode is selected, two additional toggles appear at the bottom of the panel. Configure them as follows:
|
Toggle |
Value |
Reason |
|---|---|---|
|
Break Relaxation |
|
Allows the system to place breaks and lunches outside their standard time windows, giving it the flexibility needed to resolve the coverage gap. |
|
Consecutive Activity Time Relaxation |
|
The minimum and maximum consecutive time limits set in the shift template are still valid for this team and should be respected. |
Break Relaxation scope: Enabling Break Relaxation does not remove break and lunch constraints permanently. It only allows the system to deviate from those constraints for the current optimization run. The shift template configuration is not modified.
Running the Optimization
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Review all settings in the Optimize Schedule panel.
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Click Optimize. The schedule enters view-only mode while the process runs.
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Wait for the Auto Scheduling in progress icon to disappear from the Scheduling Studio screen.
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Review the updated schedule and make any final manual adjustments.
Key Points Illustrated by This Example
This example demonstrates several non-obvious behaviors described in the Auto Scheduling reference page:
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Optimization mode determines what can change. Partial mode preserves shift start times, end times, and break placement. Only the distribution of activities within the shift is adjusted. Use Full mode only when a complete rebuild is needed.
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The date range controls which shifts are included. With the Optimize activities within the selected time range toggle disabled, all shifts that start within the defined range are fully optimized, not just the portion that falls inside the range.
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Relaxation toggles are run-level settings, not permanent changes. Enabling Break Relaxation gives the system more flexibility for this run only. The underlying shift template constraints remain unchanged.
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Pinned activities are never moved by optimization. Any activities pinned before running the optimization, such as manually scheduled training sessions or meetings, remain in place regardless of the mode selected.