Method and apparatus for automated time banking and workforce scheduling

• US 8,290,804 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gong, Guoqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US12/852,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20110071870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.13
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group

Abstract

A method for automated time banking is provided. The method includes creating a time bank for an employee within an organization in a memory, and assigning the time bank to the employee. The method also includes determining base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked for the employee, and processing the base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked in a computer to determine time bank hours for the employee. The method further includes storing the time bank hours in the time bank, processing the time bank in the computer to determine a work schedule for the employee, and storing the work schedule in the memory.

Claims

1. A method for automated time banking:

creating a time bank for a workforce including a plurality of workers within an organization in a memory device;

assigning the time bank to the plurality of workers;

determining base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked for the plurality of workers;

processing the base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked in a computer to determine time bank hours for the plurality of workers;

importing a time bank plan including hours worked, expected hiring, expected attrition, expected incoming work volume for the organization, and shift assignment constraints;

processing the time bank plan to determine goal hours for the organization and for the plurality of workers, and to determine expected time bank totals for the organization and for the plurality of workers;

storing the time bank hours in the time bank in the memory device;

processing the time bank and the goal hours in the computer to determine a work schedule for the workforce by scheduling the plurality of workers in a manner which optimizes time bank totals for the schedule with respect to the expected time bank totals and the goal hours while meeting the shift assignment constraints; and

storing the work schedule in the memory device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an adjustment to the time bank hours; and

updating the time bank based at least in part on the adjustment to the time bank hours.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking actual worked hours for the employee; and

adjusting the time bank based at least in part on the actual worked hours.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the shift assignment constraints include minimum work hours, maximum work hours, and overtime hours.

5. A system for automated time banking comprising:

a memory configured to store a time bank, and a work schedule; and

a processor coupled to the memory configured to;

create a time bank for a workforce including a plurality of workers within an organization;

store the time bank in the memory;

assign the time bank to the plurality of workers;

determine base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked for the plurality of workers;

process the base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked to determine time bank hours for the plurality of workers;

import a time bank plan including hours worked, expected hiring, expected attrition, expected incoming work volume for the organization, and shift assignment constraints;

process the time bank plan to determine goal hours for the organization and for the plurality of workers, and to determine expected time bank totals for the organization and for the plurality of workers;

store the time bank hours in the time bank in the memory;

process the time bank and the goal hours to determine a work schedule for the workforce by scheduling the plurality of workers in a manner which optimizes time bank totals for the schedule with respect to the expected time bank totals and the goal hours while meeting the shift assignment constraints; and

store the work schedule in the memory.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an adjustment to the time bank hours; and

update the time bank based at least in part on the adjustment to the time bank hours.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

track actual worked hours for the employee; and

adjust the time bank based at least in part on the actual worked hours.

8. The system of claim 5,

wherein the shift assignment constraints include minimum work hours, maximum work hours, and overtime hours.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for operating a computer system, wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer system, direct the computer system to:

create a time bank for a workforce including a plurality of workers within an organization;

store the time bank in a memory;

assign the time bank to the plurality of workers;

determine base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked for the plurality of workers;

process the base hours, vacation hours, and hours worked to determine time bank hours for the plurality of workers;

import a time bank plan including hours worked, expected hiring, expected attrition, expected incoming work volume for the organization, and shift assignment constraints;

process the time bank plan to determine goal hours for the organization and for the plurality of workers, and to determine expected time bank totals for the organization and for the plurality of workers;

store the time bank hours in the time bank in the memory;

process the time bank and the goal hours to determine a work schedule for the workforce by scheduling the plurality of workers in a manner which optimizes time bank totals for the schedule with respect to the expected time bank totals and the goal hours while meeting the shift assignment constraints; and

store the work schedule in the memory.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further direct the computer system to:

receive an adjustment to the time bank hours; and

update the time bank based at least in part on the adjustment to the time bank hours.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further direct the computer system to:

track actual worked hours for the employee; and

adjust the time bank based at least in part on the actual worked hours.