Updates to the Field Contractors scheduling system on Flobot

The scheduling system is robust and has worked well for several years. But we need to add more functionality and tidy a few bits and pieces up.

1) The edit appointment tab needs to be fixed and go back in
2) We need to implement recurring appointments

Some ideas for how this will work: http://help.chi.ac.uk/creating-recurring-appointment-office-365 this is good and quitemcomprehensive | https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37115?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en very simple

This is good: http://www.kickserv.com/2014/08/27/recurring-jobs-better-ever/ and this is probably the most well thought out and comprehensive recurring appointment I have come across: https://help.getjobber.com/job-creation-and-basics/creating-a-recurring-contract-job

3) We need to be able to easily swap appointments from one FTM to another. So probably unticking the old appointment (like an edit) and ticking another FTM from the schedule – that then need to be recorded in the log
4) We need to allow multiple selections of FTMs. So, a job may have more than 1 FTM on it and we need to make it easy to select more than one at the same time. Probably means moving the confirm bottom to a prominent place for all ftms.
5) We need to be able to make custom choices in the settings for booking time off in the schedule. For both user and FTM. So for example, if the FTM wants to book time off for the doctors that can be entered. If the user want to book the FTM out for an office meeting that can entered etc.
6) When an appointment is deleted or edited it automatically greys out the slot. It needs to keep this slot as open by default when a change has been made

7) Auto reminders the day before an appointment is to take place (or configurable time in the settings). This would put us ahead of the competition, no-one else really does this.

8) An option in the settings to send the details of the contractor (FTM). So, information pulled from the contractor file. Name, telephone number, picture, van resistration umber (like uber) and maybe qualifications and checks. Proably on a tick box basis.

Further out goals

1) We need to write an API to make it work with Google calender and Outlook calender – not so much for the user (I can’t see why they would want to do that) but for the clients and ftms. So an appointment can gos right into their diary.
2) I have never been a massive fan of them because the schedule on Flobot is a 2 way thing. i.e. if you change the appointment in your diary somehow you have to let the other party know that you have moved it, but maybe we could think about a drag and drop graphical diary. A bit like Google calender for example? It might be a good alternative option along with the existing schedule for multi-drop or dispatch companies that decide their own time for arriving. e.g. man and a van companies, maintenance services like medicsal testing companies, delievry companies dropping off parcels.

3) A route planner. So, an API with Google maps to maps a route for the ftm’s daily schedule. Then if you did have number 2 above (i.e. drag and drop) you could easily move the appointment order to optimise the journey. or even press a button and have the software optimise it for you. There is probably some software out there that we could link to for this functionality?

 

Written By

Adrian Portsmouth