Integrating GIS into SSP’s Workforce Management system (WFM) can allow you to streamline the creation of a service request. In this article I will demonstrate how a buffer can be used as a filter to search for nearby features. This functionality can be used with any feature to search for any other feature and then collect its attributes.
The resulting feature can then be used as a basis of a new service request.
In this example, I have created an ArcGIS TreeTool named ‘Create Service Request’ that attaches to a Transformer feature. Selecting this option from the right-click menu will begin a search for all Parcels within a 50ft area around the Transformer.
Once the features are found inside the buffer, the tool will select the closest Parcel and retrieve its address. A dialog box will pop-up displaying the address and will allow you to select the job type and department that will handle the service request.
Clicking on the ‘Create Service Request’ button will take you directly to WFM and automatically generate the location information for you.
This is one among many things that WFM can do when integrated with GIS. Stay tuned for future articles on useful and powerful GIS-WFM integration techniques.
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