Abstract: Schedules are generated that satisfy the objectives of a field services provider given a set of resources and a set of work orders. More particularly, work orders are identified, as well as the identity of resources that are capable with fulfilling one or more of the work orders, are obtained. Feasible paths are established for each resource that identify a sequence of one or more work orders that can be fulfilled by the resource over the course of the resource's work shift and which reflect one or more scheduling objectives. These feasible paths are established in a series of iterations, with each iteration identifying additional paths. After each iteration, it is determined if a pre-selected time limit has been exceeded, and whenever the time limit has been exceeded, path generation ceases. Schedules are established for the resources using the generated paths and are then provided to the field service provider.

Abstract: A synchronization system provides a generic synchronization mechanism in which copies of data of an entity maintained by different applications can be synchronized through application-specific entity adapters. An entity adapter for an application receives from the synchronization system a synchronization request to synchronize an entity of the application and interacts with the application to ensure the entity is synchronized as requested. Each application that takes an action on an entity provides a transaction to the synchronization system. Upon receiving a transaction, the synchronization system stores an indication of the transaction in a synchronization store. The synchronization system waits until any sent synchronization transactions for an entity complete before sending subsequent synchronization transactions for that entity to ensure that the same transaction ordering is used by the target applications.

Abstract: A synchronization system provides a generic synchronization mechanism in which copies of data of an entity maintained by different applications can be synchronized through application-specific entity adapters. An entity adapter for an application receives from the synchronization system a synchronization request to synchronize an entity of the application and interacts with the application to ensure the entity is synchronized as requested. Each application that takes an action on an entity provides a transaction to the synchronization system. Upon receiving a transaction, the synchronization system stores an indication of the transaction in a synchronization store. The synchronization system waits until any sent synchronization transactions for an entity complete before sending subsequent synchronization transactions for that entity to ensure that the same transaction ordering is used by the target applications.