Systems and methods for automatic scheduling of a workforce

(i9) United States

(12) Patent Application Publication

Fama et al.

US 20080004934A1

(io) Pub. No.: US 2008/0004934 Al (43) Pub. Date: Jan. 3, 2008

(54) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC SCHEDULING OF A WORKFORCE

(76) Inventors:

Jason Fama, Foster City, CA
(US); Uri Peleg, Santa Clara, CA
(US); Michael R. Bourke, San
Francisco, CA (US); Richard M.
Lawrence, Bainbridge Island, WA
(US); Sameet Vasant Joshi, Palo
Alto, CA (US)

Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling a workforce. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a shift activity template; receiving an association between the shift activity template and at least one worker; and scheduling a plurality of schedulable objects. The scheduling is performed in accordance with a workload forecast and schedule constraints. Each of the schedulable objects is based on the shift activity template. The shift activity template describes a worker activity performed during a shift. The template has range of start times and a variable length for the activity. The activity is associated with a queue.