Tracking Time Automatically in Dynamics 365 Field Service

At the Perth Panthers, keeping the ice rink running smoothly is no small task. The team spends a lot of time working on maintenance and repairs, like fixing the ice plant or getting the Zamboni back in shape. Tracking the time spent on each task accurately is essential—not only for billing customers like the local council but also for ensuring everything runs efficiently.

In Dynamics 365 Field Service, there are features that automatically track how much time your team spends on a job. These tools—time entries, timestamps, and actuals—work together to make sure every minute is accounted for, saving you from the headache of manual time tracking. Let’s break down how these features work and how they make life easier for the Panthers’ Ice Crew.

What Are Automatic Time Entries?

Imagine every time your team starts a task, finishes a task, or even takes a break, the system logs that activity automatically. That’s exactly what automatic time entries do. Whenever there’s a change in the booking status of a work order—like when a technician starts traveling to a job or begins working on a repair—the system creates timestamps that record the exact time.

For the Perth Panthers Ice Crew, this means that from the moment they head out to the practice rink until the job is done, the system is keeping track of every minute. No more guessing or manually logging time—it’s all done for you!

How Does It Work?

The process of automatically tracking time starts with the booking status of a work order. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:

When the Status Changes, a Timestamp is Created:
- As your crew moves through different stages of a job, the system logs when each stage starts. This might include statuses like Traveling, In Progress, On Break, or Completed.
Time Entries are Automatically Created:
- After the job is done, the system looks at all the timestamps and creates time entries based on how long your team spent traveling, working, or on break. If someone else (like a manager) marks the work order as completed, the system still keeps the original timestamps to make sure the time is correct.
Actuals are Generated for Billing:
- Once the work order is marked as Closed, the system generates actuals based on the time entries and any parts or materials used. These actuals are crucial for billing your clients (like the local council in this case), as they reflect the true cost of the job—including labour and materials.

In short, as soon as the crew updates their work order status, the system handles the rest—automatically creating time entries and generating billing data without the need for manual input.

Example: How the Perth Panthers Ice Crew Can Benefit

Let’s look at a real-world example to see how this works for the Perth Panthers Ice Crew:

Scenario: Repairing the Ice Plant at the Practice Rink

The Ice Crew needs to repair the ice plant at a practice rink owned by the local council. This involves:

Traveling to the rink.
Using parts: 3 plant wires (£45 each) and 1 plant generator (£1,200).
Performing 4 hours of labour at a rate of £120/hour.

Step 1: The System Logs Booking Status Changes

As the crew works on this job, they update their booking status through the Field Service mobile app:

8:00 AM: The work order is assigned, and the status is set to Scheduled.
9:00 AM: The crew starts traveling, and the status changes to Traveling.
10:30 AM: They arrive at the practice rink and begin working, updating the status to In Progress.
12:00 PM: The team takes a lunch break, updating the status to On Break.
1:00 PM: Work resumes, and the status changes back to In Progress.
4:00 PM: The job is done, and the status is updated to Completed.

Each of these status updates creates a timestamp, capturing the exact time for each stage of the job.

Step 2: Time Entries Are Automatically Created

Once the job is completed, the system creates time entries based on the timestamps. These time entries include:

Travel Time: 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM (90 minutes).
Working Time: 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM (90 minutes) and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM (180 minutes).
Break Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (60 minutes).

Now, the operations team has a complete log of the time spent on each part of the job—no manual tracking required!

Step 3: Generating Actuals for Billing

Once the work order status changes to Closed, the system generates actuals based on the time entries and the parts used. These actuals are what you’ll use to bill the local council.

Here’s what the invoice would look like:

Parts (Inventory Product):
- 3 plant wires @ £45 each = £135.
- 1 plant generator = £1,200.
- Total parts cost = £1,335.
Labour (Service Product):
- Travel time is not billed in this case.
- Working time (4 hours @ £120/hour) = £480.
Total invoice = £1,815.

The system handles all of this for you—logging the time, calculating the cost, and generating the actuals needed for accurate billing.

How to Enable or Disable Automatic Time Entries

In Dynamics 365 Field Service, you can decide whether to have time entries created automatically or manually. If you want the system to handle time tracking automatically (which saves time and reduces errors), here’s how to turn it on:

Go to Settings:
- Navigate to Field Service > Administration > Field Service Settings.
Find the Time Entry Generation Setting:
- Look for the Time Entry Generation Strategy field under the Time Entry section.
Set the Time Entry Generation to Automatic:
- Choose Auto Generate from Booking Timestamps if you want the system to create time entries automatically.
- If you prefer manual control, set the value to Manual.

Once enabled, the system will automatically create time entries every time a technician updates their booking status.

Why This Matters for the Perth Panthers

For the Perth Panthers, having automatic time entries and actuals means:

Accurate Time Tracking: Every minute your Ice Crew spends on a job is automatically logged, ensuring accurate billing.
Efficient Billing: You don’t have to worry about missing time entries or underbilling customers. The system captures everything.
No Manual Work: Your team doesn’t need to manually log time or update spreadsheets—the system takes care of it, reducing errors and saving time.

This automation makes sure the Panthers can focus on maintaining their arena and ice facilities, while the system handles the time tracking and billing side of things.

Conclusion

Automatic time entries and actuals in Dynamics 365 Field Service are game-changers for teams like the Perth Panthers. By using timestamps to track booking status changes and automatically generating billing data, the Panthers can ensure accurate time tracking, efficient invoicing, and less manual work for their operations team. Whether it’s a small repair job or a major maintenance project, this system ensures that every hour and every part is accounted for, helping the team keep the rink—and their operations—running smoothly.