This guide provides information on the User Interface for the SB-DispatchLink and the underlying functionality.


Basic Information

 

ServiceBench will provide you with a ServiceBench ID # as well as your web login and password.  These are vital bits of information you will need to set up your SB-DispatchLink successfully.  Other important information is your DealerLocation# if applicable to you and the two-letter initials for the ServiceDesk user you want the dispatch CallSheets to be assigned.   SB-DispatchLink is set to a timer, so it is consistently communicating with the ServiceBench Server. For this reason, your SB-DispatchLink must be on a computer or a profile that always is running.   This will help ensure your dispatches are received promptly and your updates getting sent out on time.

 

 

In the bottom left corner of the SB-DispatchLink, you will see the interval settings.  Set this to how often you want SB-DispatchLink to communicate with the ServiceBench server.   If you have many dispatches needing updates, it may be best to increase the time of the update intervals to allow for any updates to complete before SB-DispatchLink attempts to update again.  The Red number is a count down to the next update.

 

 

Needed Information for Setup:

  • ServiceBench ID#
  • ServiceBench User Name
  • ServiceBench Password
  • SD Zone’s Setup (Zone Setup)

 


Downloading of Dispatches

 

In the bottom right of SD, you will see a section of options labeled Downloading of Dispatches.  There are three main things to know about this section.

 

  1. This is the box in the top right.  By having this box checked, you indicated you want SB-DispatchLink to download Dispatches for you.
  2. This area is where you specify which dispatches you intend to download.
    1. The check box in the top right indicates you only want new dispatches
    2. Alternatively, the two grey boxes allow you to put a date range in telling SB-DispatchLink to grab all dispatches in that timeframe. (for this to be active, uncheck “or new only”)
  3. Here SB-DispatchLink will display the last time it downloaded a dispatch and the total it has downloaded today.

 

 

Uploading of Availability

 

 

 

  1. This box indicates you want SB-DispatchLink to upload your availability from ServiceDesk to the ServiceBench website.
  2. This option calculates availability to upload by referencing your “holdbacks based on total allocated” versus your true remaining availability.  In other words, the holdbacks will reference your default availability as set in your ZonePlanner.
  3. This option excludes any morning or afternoon availability when telling ServiceBench what your availability is.
  4. This option allows for flowing pipes to affect your uploaded availability.
  5. These options let you decide if you want to upload availability for weeks 3 and 4 and how often it updates that availability.
  6. This button uploads availability for weeks 3 and 4 immediately.

  

 

 

  1. This option will hold back (hide) a whole number of available jobs in every zone.  (ex: Zone 1 has ten available jobs, you say to hold back 2. ServiceBench will see you have eight available slots).
  2. This option is similar to the above, but instead, it will only transmit a percentage of available slots.  This means as you schedule jobs, the number of available slots uploaded will change to only show the percentage of available slots you set.
  3. This dictates when SB-DispatchLink will start uploading zero available jobs for the current day.
  4. This dictates when SB-DispatchLink will start uploading zero available jobs for the next day.

  

 

Uploading of JobStatus

  1. Selecting this option allows SB-DispatchLink to upload the status of dispatches.
  2. Selecting this option will add notes from the JobHistory as comments to ServiceBench.
  3. Selecting this option will include updates on special order parts (i.e., backorder).
  4. Selecting this option will upload changes to the scheduled appointment.
  5. Selecting this option will change the status of a dispatch to complete on the ServiceBench website when the JobRecord in ServiceDesk is archived during the Auto-Archive process.