Abstract: Tasks (T) such as repair jobs on a telecommunications system, that are to be performed by a plurality of resources such as field engineers (E), at different locations in a geographical area (2), are scheduled by means of a scheduler (10) at a work manager server (5). The scheduler provides schedule data (11) corresponding to schedules of the tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, from task data (4) concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data (6) concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period. Not all the tasks are scheduled, resulting in unscheduled task data (11a). The schedule data (11) is downloaded to a workstation (7) together with the unscheduled task data. The downloaded data is analysed at the workstation to determine a candidate resource (E) to perform the task (T) corresponding to the unscheduled task data.

Abstract: Tasks (T) such as repair jobs on a telecommunications system, that are to be performed by a plurality of resources such as field engineers (E), at different locations in a geographical area (2), are scheduled by means of a scheduler (10) at a work manager server (5). The scheduler provides schedule data (11) corresponding to schedules of the tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, from task data (4) concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data (6) concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period. The scheduled tasks are provided with associated contingency values (C) which are each computed as a function of the difference between the time that a task is scheduled to start and the latest start time that is feasible for the task . The schedule data (11) is downloaded to a workstation (7).

Abstract: A plurality of resources, typically service operatives, are allocated to a plurality of tasks by a method in which initial information relating to the tasks to be allocated and the resources available to perform the tasks is provided. An initial series of schedules is first generated allocating resources to the tasks, and then modifying the individual schedule of at least one resource in response to updated information. Changes to individual schedules may be made in response to such updated information independently of the schedule generation. The initial, series of schedules may be generated in a two-stage process in which a rule-based system allocates tasks selected as being difficult to allocate (e.g., because they are linked to other tasks). then a stochastic (non-systematic) search system compiles the rest of the schedule.

Abstract: Tasks m such as repair jobs on a telecommunications system, that are to be performed by a plurality of resources such as field engineers (E), at different locations in a geographical area (2), are scheduled by means of a scheduler (10) at a work manager server (5). The scheduler provides schedule data (11) corresponding to schedules of the tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, from task data (4) concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data (6) concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period. The scheduled tasks are provided with associated contingency values (C) which are each computed as a function of the difference between the time that a task is scheduled to start and the latest start time that is feasible for the task . The schedule data (11) is downloaded to a workstation (7).

Abstract: Tasks (T) such as repair jobs on a telecommunications system, that are to be performed by a plurality of resources such as field engineers (E), at different locations in a geographical area (2), are scheduled by means of a scheduler (10) at a work manager server (5). The scheduler provides schedule data (11) corresponding to schedules of the tasks that individual ones of the resources are to carry out, from task data (4) concerning the tasks to be carried out and resource data (6) concerning characteristics of resources available to carry out the tasks over a given period. Not all the tasks are scheduled, resulting in unscheduled task data (11a). The schedule data (11) is downloaded to a workstation (7) together with the unscheduled task data. The downloaded data is analysed at the workstation to determine a candidate resource (E) to perform the task (T) corresponding to the unscheduled task data.