Systems and methods for automatic scheduling of a workforce
First Claim
1. A method of workforce scheduling to handle an expected workload, the method comprising:
- in an instruction execution system, receiving a first workforce schedule describing existing assignments of a plurality of workers to a plurality of shifts, each of the shifts being associated with a time range and a day;
in response to a variance in the expected workload, selecting a modification to the first workforce schedule required to handle the variance in the expected workload during the day; and
in the instruction execution system, identifying a time period during the day during which to accommodate the modification for a worker of the plurality of workers based at least in part on the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker, wherein the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker comprise overtime placement preferences and voluntary time-off placement preferences of the worker; and
producing, by the instruction execution system, a second workforce schedule that modifies the length of at least one of the plurality of shifts that is associated with the worker to accommodate the modification to the first workforce schedule during the identified time period.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling overtime and time-off for a workforce. In one embodiment, a method of workforce scheduling to handle an expected workload comprises, in an instruction execution system, receiving a first workforce schedule describing existing assignments of a plurality of workers to a plurality of shifts, each of the shifts being associated with a time range and a day; in response to a variance in the expected workload, selecting a modification to the first workforce schedule required to handle the variance in the expected workload during the day; and producing a second workforce schedule that modifies the length of at least one of the plurality of shifts to accommodate the modification to the first workforce schedule.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of workforce scheduling to handle an expected workload, the method comprising:
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in an instruction execution system, receiving a first workforce schedule describing existing assignments of a plurality of workers to a plurality of shifts, each of the shifts being associated with a time range and a day; in response to a variance in the expected workload, selecting a modification to the first workforce schedule required to handle the variance in the expected workload during the day; and in the instruction execution system, identifying a time period during the day during which to accommodate the modification for a worker of the plurality of workers based at least in part on the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker, wherein the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker comprise overtime placement preferences and voluntary time-off placement preferences of the worker; and producing, by the instruction execution system, a second workforce schedule that modifies the length of at least one of the plurality of shifts that is associated with the worker to accommodate the modification to the first workforce schedule during the identified time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for workforce scheduling to handle an expected workload, comprising:
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an interface that receives a first workforce schedule describing existing assignments of a plurality of workers to a plurality of shifts, each of the shifts being associated with a time range and a day; a processor coupled to the interface that, in response to a variance in the expected workload, selects a modification to the first workforce schedule required to handle the variance in the expected workload during the day, identifies a time period during the day during which to accommodate the modification for a worker of the plurality of workers based at least in part on the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker, wherein the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker comprise overtime placement preferences and voluntary time-off placement preferences of the worker, and produces a second workforce schedule that modifies the length of one of the plurality of shifts that is associated with the worker to accommodate the modification to the first workforce schedule during the identified time period. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer system, direct the computer system to:
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receive a first workforce schedule describing existing assignments of a plurality of workers to a plurality of shifts, each of the shifts being associated with a time range and a day, and to receive worker-specific scheduling preferences associated with the plurality of workers; and in response to a detected variance in an expected workload, select either an overtime modification to the first workforce schedule or a time-off modification to the first workforce schedule to handle the variance in the expected workload during the day, identify a time period during the day during which to accommodate either the overtime modification or the time-off modification for a worker of the plurality of workers based on the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker, wherein the worker-specific scheduling preferences that are associated with the worker comprise overtime placement preferences and voluntary time-off placement preferences of the worker, and produce a second workforce schedule that modifies the length of one of the plurality of shifts that is associated with the worker to accommodate either the overtime modification or the time-off modification to the first workforce schedule during the identified time period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification