For field service techs
Plan service calls around fixed windows
Typical route setup
- Route size
- Your scheduled jobs plus the start and any required finish
- What drives the order
- Appointment windows first, drive time second. A two-hour job at 9am fixes most of what follows.
- Where the list comes from
- A dispatch board, a scheduling tool, or a text message the night before.
Why service routes are a different problem
Delivery routes are often driven mostly by stop order. Service routes also depend on appointment windows and job duration. A 10am-to-noon visit and an uncertain diagnostic can determine much of the day before distance is considered.
That changes what a route planner is good for. It cannot resolve your schedule. It can compare the flexible jobs on road drive time and expose an unnecessarily long leg.
A workflow that fits the constraints
1. Place the fixed jobs first
Put every committed window in its required position before optimizing. These jobs cannot move, so the flexible calls must fit around them.
2. Let the planner order what is left
Identify the calls that can move, such as a filter change, follow-up or quote. Those are the stops the optimizer can use to reduce backtracking between fixed commitments.
3. Read the leg times, not the total
The per-leg drive times are the useful output. An unexpectedly long leg between two jobs may mean the sequence needs work or that one visit belongs on another day.
4. Add the job time yourself
The estimate counts driving only. Six jobs at an average of 45 minutes add four and a half hours of work to the drive-time estimate. Add service time before deciding whether another call fits.
Keep job details with each stop
Which unit to visit. The breaker panel is in the garage. Bring the 3/8 fittings. Park on the street, not the drive.
Every one of these lives in someone’s head or a text thread, and none of it is in the address. Attaching it to the stop puts it on the printed sheet and on the phone when you arrive.
When you need field service software
If you are dispatching several techs, assigning jobs by skill, tracking parts inventory or enforcing real time windows, you need field service management software. This planner is intended for one person arranging one day of calls.
Frequently asked questions
Can I set appointment times or time windows?
The optimizer does not enforce time windows. Place jobs with hard windows manually, then let the planner order the flexible calls around them.
Can I account for how long each job takes?
Service durations are not modeled, so the estimated finish time only counts driving. Add the duration you expect at each job before deciding whether the schedule fits.
Is this useful for only eight stops?
It depends on geography and the order you already have. Compare the estimated total before and after optimization; tightly clustered jobs may change little, while a spread-out list may show avoidable backtracking.
Can I keep notes for each job?
Yes. Notes appear in the planner, printout and mobile route mode. They pass through the site's route endpoint and can be included in shared URLs, although external geocoding and routing providers receive only the address text or coordinates they need. Do not put passwords or sensitive personal data in notes.
What about an emergency call mid-day?
Add the address to the remaining stops and re-optimize from your current location. Processing time varies, so do this while parked and review the revised commitments before continuing.
Does it handle truck restrictions?
No. Routing assumes a car or van. Bridge heights, weight limits and hazmat restrictions are not modeled, so use a vehicle-appropriate routing product if those restrictions apply.
Try it on tomorrow's list
Paste the addresses you already have and compare the order against the one you would have driven.
Open the planner