Schedule Conflicts

Learn how to identify, prevent, and resolve schedule conflicts to keep your team running smoothly.

What Are Schedule Conflicts?

Schedule conflicts occur when jobs overlap in time or when team members are assigned to multiple jobs simultaneously. Toolfy helps prevent and resolve these issues automatically.

Automatic Conflict Detection

Toolfy automatically detects potential conflicts when:

• Time overlaps: Jobs scheduled at the same time for the same person
• Double booking: Team member assigned to multiple jobs
• Back-to-back conflicts: Jobs scheduled too close together (no travel time)
• Resource conflicts: Equipment or vehicles double-booked

Conflict Warning System

Visual Indicators

• Red border: Direct time overlap with another job
• Yellow border: Potential conflict (tight scheduling)
• Orange warning icon: Team member availability issue
• Popup alerts: Immediate notification when creating conflicts

Conflict Details

Click on any conflicted job to see:

• Which jobs are in conflict
• Specific team members affected
• Suggested resolution options
• Alternative time slots

Resolving Conflicts

Quick Resolution Options

1. Drag to reschedule: Move one job to available time slot
2. Reassign team member: Assign different person to one job
3. Adjust duration: Reduce job time to eliminate overlap
4. Split jobs: Break large job into multiple appointments

Auto-Suggest Feature

When conflicts are detected, Toolfy suggests:

• Next available slot: For the same team member
• Alternative team member: Who's available at the same time
• Similar time slots: Same day, different hours
• Buffer time addition: Automatic travel time between jobs

Preventing Conflicts

Team Availability Settings

• Working hours: Set each team member's availability
• Time off: Mark holidays, sick days, or personal time
• Skills matching: Only assign jobs to qualified team members
• Location preferences: Consider travel time between jobs

Smart Scheduling

• Buffer time: Automatic travel time between appointments
• Job templates: Pre-set realistic durations for common services
• Capacity limits: Maximum jobs per day per team member
• Geographic clustering: Group nearby jobs together

Common Scenarios

Emergency Callouts

When urgent jobs arise:

1. Check team availability instantly
2. See which jobs can be rescheduled
3. Contact affected customers automatically
4. Update schedule with minimal disruption

Team Member Called in Sick

1. Mark team member unavailable
2. View all affected jobs for the day
3. Bulk reassign to available team members
4. Send notifications to customers if needed

Customer Requests Reschedule

1. Find alternative time slots
2. Check team member availability
3. Confirm new time with customer
4. Update job automatically

Mobile Conflict Management

Team members in the field can:

• Report delays: Update job status to prevent downstream conflicts
• Request backup: Alert office of potential issues
• View next job: See travel time and any conflicts
• Contact customers: Notify of delays directly

Best Practices

Daily Planning

• Review tomorrow's schedule every evening
• Resolve any conflicts before team starts work
• Build in buffer time for unexpected delays
• Check weather and traffic conditions

Weekly Planning

• Block recurring maintenance time
• Plan for equipment servicing
• Schedule team meetings or training
• Review workload distribution

Troubleshooting

Conflicts Not Detected

If the system isn't catching conflicts:

• Check team member assignments are set
• Verify job times are entered correctly
• Ensure working hours are configured
• Update job durations to realistic estimates

Too Many False Warnings

If you're getting too many conflict warnings:

• Adjust buffer time settings
• Update team member skills and availability
• Review job duration templates
• Consider your actual travel times