The auto assignment feature can be enabled for requests or tasks, depending on the Service Management (SM) application's configuration settings.

Configuration overview

When auto assignment is enabled and a task is qualified or marked as Ready for Work, an appropriate agent is automatically assigned to the task and it is moved to the Assigned state. If the task cannot be auto-assigned, a user with the dispatcher role must adjust the values in the request or task form and then save the record.

  • If the Requests are assigned via auto-assignment option is enabled, requests are automatically assigned.
  • If the Tasks are assigned via auto-assignment option is enabled, the tasks in a request are automatically assigned.

Auto assignment criteria

The system uses the following criteria to assign agents automatically.
Table 1. Auto assignment criteria
OptionDescription
Geolocation You can configure whether an agent's home location should be considered when auto-assigning a task.

To calculate the estimate time it takes for an agent to get to the task location, consider the following:

  • If the Use Google Maps API for travel time estimates geolocation property is enabled, then you can select Google Maps API or straight-line estimates in the properties for calculating estimated travel time and distance.
  • If the Use Google Maps API for travel time estimates is not enabled, then the system uses the value in the Estimated Travel Duration field in the work order task to determine task assignment for the agent.
  • For more information, see Components installed with Field Service Management.
Note: Set up the following configurations:
  • Enable Use agent or task scheduling to calculate the estimated time to arrive.
  • Enable Auto-selection of agents will consider location of agents to configure the agent’s home location.
For more information about enabling the configurations, see Global domain configurations.
Skills You can configure whether an agent's skills should be considered when auto-assigning a task.

If you are assigning tasks to agents based on mandatory skills requirements, you cannot auto-assign tasks if the agent does not have the mandatory skills required to perform the task.

Note: The work.management.use.mandatory.skills system property must be enabled to configure the agent's skills.
Availability Auto-assignment considers an agent's existing schedule when auto-assigning additional tasks.
Task windows Auto-assignment attempts to schedule within configured task windows. If a window cannot be scheduled for any available agents, auto-assignment fails.
Task dependencies Auto-assignment considers any predecessor (upstream) task dependencies when auto-assigning a task.

Auto-assignment supports Finish to start advanced dependency with no minimum or maximum lag time, when Field Service Task Dependency (com.snc.fsm_task_dependency) plugin is activated.
Agent schedules Auto-assignment considers agents schedules from Workforce Optimization for Field Service application to auto-assign a task only if the Enable Shift Scheduling for FSM to Determine Availability property is enabled. For more information, see Global domain configurations.

Auto assignment of a request and a task

Automatically assign a task to a dispatch group when the Requests are assigned using auto-assignment option is set in the SM application's configuration.

Before you begin

Role required: wm_qualifier, wm_initiator

Procedure

  1. In any SM application, do one of the following:
    • Open a request in the Awaiting Qualification state, or one that has been qualified automatically, and then open a task in the Draft state.
    • Open a task in the Ready for Work state.
  2. Select an Assignment group.
  3. If the Tasks are assigned via auto-assignment and Auto-selection of agents will consider location of agents configuration options are set, enter a location.

    Auto-dispatch will fail unless the task contains a valid location.

  4. If the Tasks are assigned via auto-assignment option is enabled, create a schedule for this task in the Planned section, or let the system determine the times.

    By default, ServiceNow enters the current date and time in the Window start field. If you do not create a schedule or a fixed window, ServiceNow uses the start value to look for an agent who has that time slot open.

    For instructions, see Creating Work Order Tasks.

  5. Click Qualified or Ready for Work.

    The view returns to the previous page, and a success message appears. The system assigns an agent to the task, enters the agent's assignment group in the task record, and moves the state to Assigned.

    If auto-assignment fails, the message indicates either that no agent was available or that the task did not specify a location. The system moves tasks that fail auto-assignment to the Remain in the Pending Dispatch state.

  6. To auto-assign a task that failed previously, enter any missing information or change the schedule, and save the record.