Update 20C

Revision History

This document will continue to evolve as existing sections change and new information is added. All updates appear in the following table:

Overview

This guide outlines the information you need to know about new or improved functionality in this update.

DISCLAIMER

The information contained in this document may include statements about Oracle’s product development plans. Many factors can materially affect Oracle’s product development plans and the nature and timing of future product releases. Accordingly, this Information is provided to you solely for information only, is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.

This information may not be incorporated into any contractual agreement with Oracle or its subsidiaries or affiliates. Oracle specifically disclaims any liability with respect to this information. Refer to the Legal Notices and Terms of Use for further information.

Administration

Glossary Translation Indication for Languages Shown on Display Screen

Starting with Update 20C, the Display screen shows the remark, 'Oracle does not provide glossary translation' for the languages for which Oracle doesn’t provide translations. 

Improvements in the Where Is My Technician Configuration

Starting with Update 20C, several improvements are available to you while configuring the Where is My Technician functionality. You can now configure these settings:

• Configure the field that you want to use for Arrival Time.
• Show or hide the customer’s address.
• Show the approximate position of the customer on the map.  
• Set the duration for which the technician’s position is unavailable on the map, after they have completed the previous appointment, or after they have activated their route.
• Configure the locale for the Where is My Technician screens.
• Set a custom domain for the Where is My Technician URL.

Removal of Deprecated Surveys Functionality

Starting with Update 20C, the deprecated Surveys functionality is removed from the Configuration screen. You can neither add it to the menu nor use it in Message Scenarios.

Removal of MD5 and SHA-1 from Login Policies

Starting with Update 20C, the 'Disable weak password hash' check box is removed for the Internal authentication method and the ‘Signature hashing algorithm’ option is removed for the SAML authentication method on the Login Policy screens.

Scan Multiple Barcodes in Forms and Standard Screens

Starting with Update 20C, you can scan multiple barcodes in series within a singel block. In addition, you can configure the ‘Barcode/QR code scanner’ check box for standard screens in addition to Forms.

Android and iOS Applications

Notification to Upgrade Oracle Field Service Mobile for Android and iOS Apps

Starting with 20C, if you log in to the Oracle Field Service Mobile application then a notification message to upgrade the app to the latest major version appears on the device.

Support File Download From All Screens and Hosted Plugins

Starting update 20C, the installed Android and iOS apps will now support downloading files of all native screens and files within hosted plugins. You can export the files from within Configuration screens, Reports and Forecasting.

APIs

Removal of SOAP APIs

Starting with 20C, these SOAP APIs are removed:

• Activity Management API
• Resource Management API
• Smart Location API
• GPS API
• History API

Find Matching Resources for Specified Access Schedule Information

Starting with Update 20C, you can use the ‘Find matching resources’ (POST /rest/ofscCore/v1/resources/custom-actions/findMatchingResources) function to find matching resources based on the access schedule specified in the request.

Identify the Relationship Between API Parameters and Field Labels

Starting with Update 20C, you can identify the relationship between an API parameter and its corresponding field label in Oracle Field Service using the ‘x-ofs-fieldLabel’ in the metadata-catalog schema for activities, resources, users, and inventories. For example the activity field with a label 'caddress' is represented in API functions by the parameter 'streetAddress'.

Improve Properties Collection for Metadata API

Starting with Update 20C, you can improve the response scope of the Metadata API functions that return a properties collection. You can use the ‘entity’ and ‘type’ query parameters for the ‘GET properties’ function. You can use the ‘language’ query parameter for the ‘GET properties’, ‘GET property’, and ‘GET  enumeration values of a property’ functions.

Retrieve the Last Known Position for All Resources

Starting with Update 20C, you can retrieve the last known position for all the resources using the ‘GET last known positions of resources’ (GET /rest/ofscCore/v1/resources/custom-actions/lastKnownPositions) function, by omitting the ‘resources’ parameter in the request.

Retrieve the Order of Fields in a Work Zone Key

Starting with Update 20C, the ‘GET work zone key’ (GET /rest/ofscMetadata/v1/workZoneKey) function returns the ‘apiParameterName’ and ‘order’ parameters, which provide information about the order of the fields in the work zone key.

Capacity Management

Consider Final Travel Time in Capacity Calculations

Starting with 20C, the Start of day travel time is included in the Used time and End of day travel time is included in the Used time fields are added to Oracle Field Service Core Application. These fields enable you to include or exclude the resource’s first and final travel of their route for each travel type independently. The used capacity is calculated based on the first and final travel time you configure.

Core Application

Assignment Assistant

Starting with Update 20C, the user interface of the Move screen in mobility is improved. It's now called as the Assignment Assistant and it includes additional features such as highlighting idle slots, the ability to preview the impact of the move on the route, and the ability to visualize the position of the activity on the route.

Enable Redwood Theme in the Core Application

With Update 20C, you can use the new Redwood theme supported by Oracle products. When the new Redwood theme is applied, Core Application shows the new design based on the Redwood theme. In Legacy Manage, screens show the Classic theme.

Improved Navigation on Other Screens

Starting with Update 20C, these navigational improvements are implemented:

• The Add Activity and Edit Details screens within Shifts are based on the Visual Form Editors configured for Core Application, instead of the ones configured for Legacy Manage.
• The Resource Preferences and Messages screens are displayed for all users in Core Application, regardless of the permissions set in Legacy Manage.
• The visibility of group actions such as Change, Move, and Cancel in the List view of Dispatch Console is based only on the way you configure the List View context layout structure for Core Application.
• The header in resource hints has been updated and will be displayed by default in Core Application, independent of other settings (i.e. "End of section").

Improved Navigation on Resource Screens

Starting with Update 20C, the main header is displayed on these resource-related screens, so that you can access the frequently used screens easily:

• Resource Info
• Resource Calendar
• Locations
• Work Skills
• Work Zones
• Resource History

Link a Segmentable Activity with a Segmentable Activity

Starting with Update 20C, you can link a segmentable activity with another segmentable activity using the same link types that you use to link a regular activity with a segmentable activity.

Resource Management Improvements

Starting with Update 20C, these improvements are available to you while managing resources:

• You can navigate to an organization unit or a bucket on the Manage, Calendar, and Map screens without having to create a group.
• You can display the names of schedules on the Calendar screen.
• You can manage more than 50 resources (max of 950) on the Manage, Calendar, and Map screens.
• You can use travel keys on the resource location.
• You can search resources by Login.
• You can set the User Type for multiple resources.
• You can filter resources by User Type.

Work Zones Visualization Improvements

Starting with Update 20C, you can search for work zones on the Resource Work Zones screen. Temporary work zones are highlighted with a special icon and recurrence details are displayed as well.

Update Access Schedule in Core Application

Starting with Update 20C, you can edit the Access Schedule fields in Core Application, if you have added them to the required Visual Form Editors.

View Resource History in Core Application

Starting with Update 20C, you can view, sort, filter, and export your resources’ history in Core Application.

Core Manage

Removal of Legacy Manage Notice

Starting with Update 20C, the "Legacy Manage" section of the Screen Configuration screen shows the ‘Removal and Support’ notice, indicating that the functionality is deprecated. If you try to edit a context layout in this section, a warning appears.

Plugin Framework

Remove Plug-In API Contexts

Starting with Update 20C, if you have plug-ins that use the Plug-In API, but you haven't yet configured the plug-ins to use the "Available properties" section on the "Forms & Plugins" screen, your plug-ins are automatically updated. As part of this change, you can now choose from a larger set of properties to add to the plug-ins. You can add some of these properties with the read-write visibility and some with the read-only visibility.

Send User and Team Data in Plug-In API

Starting with Update 20C, you can use the user data within the Plug-In API framework. The response of the 'open' method now includes the data about users and teams, and about the activity and inventory lists, when they are available.

Routing

Routing Report Improvements

With 20C, you can view the Routing report in full screen view and download the data via XML, CSV or Excel formats for additional analysis. The Routing report now displays a new column, Routing Run ID. The report also includes standard resources and activities hints. You can now sort the Execution summary table for pagination, sorting and filtering using relevant fields.