ServiceBox offers several ways to optimize job scheduling based on geographic location and employee assignments. Here are three effective methods that companies commonly use to streamline their scheduling process.

Method 1: Pre-Designated AM/PM Service Areas

Some companies divide their service areas by time slots, assigning specific regions of the city for AM or PM service over a set period (such as a two-week or 10-day cycle). Here’s how they manage this process:

  1. Set Up Pre-Designated Areas: Assign specific communities or neighborhoods to morning or afternoon slots for each day in the cycle. This creates a rotating schedule where technicians service certain areas consistently during specified times.
  2. Populate the Scheduler: Use the ServiceBox Scheduler to fill in job appointments according to the designated areas and time slots. When there are open slots, additional jobs nearby can be added to fill gaps.
  3. Optimize with Postal Code Search: Use the postal code search feature to find extra jobs within a specific distance from scheduled appointments. This allows companies to make the most of available openings in the schedule.

Method 2: Dynamic Scheduling Based on Postal Code Clustering

If you don’t use predefined service areas, you can dynamically create clusters of work orders based on postal code concentration. Here’s how to implement this approach:

  1. Schedule Work Orders: Start scheduling work orders across your service area without predefined zones.
  2. Cluster by Postal Code: Use the postal code search feature with the smallest allowable distance setting that your team is comfortable with. Check the Scheduler in Week or Month view to identify days where there’s a high concentration of work orders in similar postal codes.
  3. Drag and Drop to Optimize: Drag and drop work orders within the Scheduler to consolidate jobs by area and time. Assign jobs to the dispatcher initially and, if needed, adjust assignments by:
    • Moving work orders directly to a technician on the Normal mode Scheduler.
    • Or, switching to Dispatcher mode, viewing who is already scheduled in that area, and then reassigning the work order from the dispatcher’s schedule to the appropriate technician.

Method 3: Using Groups to Organize Technicians by Area

If you regularly assign technicians to specific geographic areas, ServiceBox’s Groups feature can simplify the process. Here’s how to make it work:

  1. Set Up Groups: Create groups based on geographic areas (e.g., Downtown, Northeast, Northwest, Outskirts) and assign technicians to work predominantly within these areas.
  2. Filter by Group in Scheduler: Use the group filter in either Normal or Dispatcher mode to display only the employees who cover a specific area. This allows for targeted scheduling within each geographic group.
  3. Assign Work Orders by Group: With only the relevant technicians displayed, you can easily assign work orders to the appropriate person covering that area.


Each of these methods provides a unique approach to scheduling and can be tailored to fit your company’s operational needs. Whether you choose pre-designated areas, postal code clustering, or group filtering, ServiceBox’s flexible scheduling tools allow you to optimize job assignments efficiently.