How to Schedule a Visit Plan vs a Standalone Activity
When managing your scheduling activities in BriqSafe, it is important to understand when to use a bundled visit plan that groups multiple activities into a single visit versus scheduling a standalone recurring activity on its own. This article explains the key differences, use cases, and step-by-step guidance to help you make the right choice for efficient operations.
When to Schedule a Bundled Visit Plan
Use a bundled visit plan when you have multiple activity types that share the same frequency and can logically be performed together in a single visit. For example, a monthly engineer visit might combine temperature checks and flushes into one grouped visit.
Key Benefits
- Streamlines multiple related activities into a single visit.
- Reduces scheduling overhead by managing one visit instead of multiple.
- Automates queuing of the next occurrence after completion, maintaining continuous scheduling cycles.
How to Schedule a Bundled Visit
- Navigate to Scheduler then select the To plan tab.
- Select the bundle occurrence you wish to schedule.
- Review the included activity types and the estimated jobs per in-scope asset.
- Optionally add or remove activity types for this occurrence. (Note: Adding activity types not in the default bundle will increase visit scope and duration, and the assigned engineer may lack competency for all added types.)
- Confirm the visit date within the allowed scheduling window.
- Click Assign Staffers, select staffers, and confirm.
- A single visit is created with all included jobs, the bundle status updates to "Scheduled," and the next occurrence is automatically queued as "To plan."
Important Considerations
- Removing activities from an occurrence does not change the default bundle template; it applies only to that scheduled visit.
- Ensure assigned engineers have the competencies required for all activity types included.
When to Schedule a Standalone Recurring Activity
Schedule a standalone recurring activity as a separate visit when the activity does not belong to a default bundle. This situation applies when the activity has a different frequency, distinct nature, or requires specialized personnel. Examples include an annual risk assessment or sensor placement visits.
Key Benefits
- Allows precise scheduling for unique or specialized activities.
- Enables individualized frequency, review requirements, and staff selection.
How to Schedule a Standalone Activity
- Go to Scheduler and open the To plan tab.
- Select the standalone activity you want to schedule.
- Review activity details such as type, frequency, scheduling window, in-scope assets, and estimated jobs.
- Choose a date within the allowed scheduling window. (If no dates appear, verify the activity’s frequency and last completion date to ensure a valid occurrence can be scheduled.)
- Toggle Requires review after completion if applicable.
- Click Assign Staffers, select engineer(s) filtered by competency if configured, and confirm.
- The visit is created, and the activity’s status changes from "To do" to "Scheduled."
Additional Features
- You can set a recurrence pattern during scheduling to automatically queue the next occurrence upon completion.
Summary: Choosing Between Bundled Visits and Standalone Activities
| Aspect | Bundled Visit Plan | Standalone Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Use case | Multiple related activities sharing the same frequency performed together | Single activity with unique frequency, nature, or specialist requirements |
| Scheduling workflow | Select bundle occurrence, confirm activities and date, assign staffers, schedule one visit | Select individual activity, confirm details and date, assign engineer, create single visit |
| Recurrence handling | Next occurrence auto-queued when visit completes | Option to set recurrence pattern manually to auto-queue next visits |
| Staff assignment | Staff assigned to entire bundled visit; added activities can affect competency needs | Engineer selected per activity type competency |
Additional Tips
- Configure bundle defaults per location via Organisation settings → Bundle Defaults to pre-populate assignees and responsible persons when scheduling bundled visits.
- Use the planner calendar in the Scheduler to get an overview of all scheduled visits by location or engineer to avoid conflicts or overload.
Choosing the appropriate scheduling method enhances operational efficiency and ensures visits are assigned to competent staff with proper frequency compliance.