Overview
Regions in FieldAx represent the geographical service territories where your field service operations take place. Proper regional setup is essential for efficient job routing, service engineer assignment, and territory management. This section covers creating regions, defining boundaries, associating service engineers, and establishing regional hierarchies for optimal field service coverage.
Understanding Regions in FieldAx
Purpose of Regions
Regions serve multiple critical functions in field service management:
Territory Management
- Define clear service boundaries
- Prevent territory conflicts
- Ensure complete coverage
Resource Allocation
- Assign engineers to specific areas
- Balance workload across territories
- Minimize travel time and costs
Performance Tracking
- Monitor regional metrics
- Compare territory performance
- Identify growth opportunities
Customer Service
- Ensure local expertise
- Faster response times
- Better customer relationships
Planning Your Regional Structure
Regional Hierarchy Design
Before creating regions, plan your structure:
Single-Level Structure (Simple)
Company
├── North Region
├── South Region
├── East Region
└── West Region
Multi-Level Structure (Complex)
Company
├── North Zone
│ ├── Chicago Metro
│ ├── Milwaukee Area
│ └── Madison Territory
├── South Zone
│ ├── Houston Metro
│ ├── Dallas-Fort Worth
│ └── Austin Area
Factors to Consider
When defining regions, consider:
- Geographic boundaries (states, cities, zip codes)
- Customer density and distribution
- Service engineer locations
- Travel time between customers
- Local regulations or requirements
- Language or cultural considerations
Creating Regions
Step 1: Access Region Management
- Open the FieldAx Admin app from App Launcher
- Navigate to the Regions tab
- Click New to create a region
Step 2: Basic Region Information
Fill in the required fields:
Region Details
- Region Name: North Chicago Metro (required)
- Region Code: CHI-NORTH (unique identifier)
- Description: Covers northern Chicago suburbs including…
- Status: Active
Geographic Information
- Country: United States
- State/Province: Illinois
- City: Chicago
Setting Up Regional Hierarchies
Parent-Child Relationships
For multi-level structures:
Create Parent Region
- Create the parent region first (e.g., “North Zone”)
- Leave Parent Region field empty
- Set Region Type: Zone
- Click Save
Create Child Regions
- Click New for child region
- Fill in details for “Chicago Metro”
- In Parent Region field, select “North Zone”
- Set Region Type: Territory
- Click Save
Regional Hierarchy View
After creating relationships:
- Go to parent region record
- Check Child Regions related list
- Verify hierarchy is correct
Set Regional Inventory Locations
Link inventory warehouses to regions:
- In Region record, scroll to Inventory Locations related list
- Click New Inventory Location
- Create or link existing warehouse:
- Location Name: North Chicago Warehouse
- Address: Complete warehouse address
- Primary Location: Yes
- Click Save
Best Practices for Regional Setup
Naming Conventions
Use consistent naming:
- Zones: [Direction] Zone (North Zone)
- Regions: [City/Area] [Type] (Chicago Metro)
- Territories: [Specific Area] Territory (Lincoln Park Territory)
Documentation
For each region, document:
- Special customer requirements
- Local competition
- Growth opportunities
Regular Review
Monthly regional review:
- Analyze performance metrics
- Adjust boundaries if needed
- Balance workload
- Update resources
Troubleshooting Regional Issues
Common Problems and Solutions
Jobs Not Assigning to Region
- Check region status is Active
- Ensure no overlapping regions
Engineers Not Available
- Confirm engineer region assignment
- Verify skills match requirements
Cross-Regional Issues
- Review overflow settings
- Verify permissions for shared resources
Next Steps
With regions properly configured:
- Set Up Job Management – Configure job types for each region
- Create Service Engineers – Assign engineers to regions
- Configure Dispatch Board – Set up regional views
- Test Regional Workflows – Verify all processes work correctly
Proper regional setup ensures efficient territory management, optimal resource utilization, and excellent customer service across all service areas.