Frequently Asked Questions

Field Service Management refers to solutions designed to manage field employees and resources. These solutions help organizations effectively schedule tasks performed away from the office – at customer sites or elsewhere in the field.

They help manage deadlines, employee working time, and resources such as vehicle fleets. They also improve the flow of information and communication throughout the process – between field employees, those assigning tasks (dispatchers, logistics coordinators, customer service representatives, and call center staff), and customers.

Field Service Management systems such as GeoTask increase efficiency and support day-to-day operations by optimizing task assignments, monitoring task completion, and standardizing the time required for different types of fieldwork.

GeoTask supports planners and dispatchers with tasks such as: 

• Planning tasks 

• Scheduling appointments 

• Optimizing task assignments 

• Monitoring task completion 

• Setting quantity-based parameters 

• Defining the skills required to complete a task 

More information about the application 

GeoTask also supports field employees by: 

• Providing an up-to-date task list 

• Displaying task details 

• Recording the task life cycle 

• Delivering notifications 

• Updating notes and attachments 

• Handling forms 

More information about the application 

We also encourage you to explore our Beyond Routing series, which discusses the most common challenges associated with fieldwork and explains how GeoTask helps solve them.

Yes. The mobile app for field employees is available on phones running Android and iOS. Browser-based access is also planned.

Tasks in GeoTask can be assigned manually or automatically. 

In automatic mode, tasks can be assigned according to one of two strategies: 

• Resource minimization—the system assigns as many tasks as possible to the smallest possible number of vehicles; or 

• Equal distribution among employees, resources, vehicles, or crews. 

Both strategies take the following factors into account:  

• Task priority 

• Customer business hours 

• Employee or driver working hours 

• Time required to complete the task 

• Travel time to the destination 

• Skills required to complete the task 

• Skills and capabilities assigned to the employee, resource, or vehicle 

• Vehicle capacity, including permitted weight and cargo space 

Previously planned routes can be recalculated or modified at any time by assigning a task to or removing it from a crew. This requires action by a logistics coordinator or planner, who can run the optimizer or make the changes manually.

Changes can also be introduced automatically based on predefined rules, for example, by configuring the schedule to refresh at regular times, such as every day at noon.

Yes. GeoTask can plan routes for trucks while accounting for road restrictions, including restrictions that apply specifically to heavy goods vehicles.

Optimization is configurable and can be run separately for a specific region, company, or time frame.

Yes. The system allows an emergency work order to be added to an existing schedule and the routes to be replanned on an ad hoc basis.

Yes. We have implemented extensions of this kind for our customers.

No. A technician may begin tasks in a different order from the one originally planned, but the system does not allow two tasks to be scheduled for exactly the same time, for example, two tasks scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

The system includes a mechanism for automatically creating tasks for permanent locations. Recurrence can be configured at regular intervals – for example, every X days – or based on specific days of the week within a month. A new task is created automatically after the previous one is completed.

Tasks submitted to the system are placed in a queue. At specified intervals, an algorithm processes them in batches and assigns them to technicians.

After the tasks have been assigned, the dispatcher manually selects “Send task to technician” to avoid overwhelming the technician with notifications. An additional recurring algorithm also distributes tasks.

There are two possible scenarios:

• The task is unassigned and returned to the pool of tasks awaiting assignment; or
• If the technician started but did not complete the task, it remains visible on that technician’s Gantt chart.

When a technician is marked as unavailable, the system highlights conflicting tasks in red. To resolve the issue quickly, the dispatcher can use the automatic optimization feature.

The system will unassign the tasks from the absent employee and reassign them to other available technicians while maintaining the established efficiency rules.

The standard version of GeoTask does not currently support assigning required equipment types to task types. This is an optional feature that can be implemented.

Learn more.

Yes. Working hours can be configured individually for each technician and each day.

Yes. This is configurable, and ad hoc changes can also be made.

Field employee availability schedules can be integrated with many systems available on the market, either directly through a REST API or through an enterprise service bus.

GeoTask provides access to statistics on completed tasks and the working time of each employee. The reporting module can be used to compare employee performance and efficiency.

Yes. The mobile app stores all entered data, photos, and status changes locally on the device. Once the internet connection is restored, the data is synchronized automatically while preserving the actual times at which the technician performed each activity.

Yes. Technicians can select additional work orders from the task pool available in the mobile app. They can also create new tasks and schedule appointments directly from their phones.

Yes. GeoTask allows you to create configurable forms and assign them to specific task types. You can specify which fields are mandatory, ensuring that structured field information is collected.

You can also define a list of activities (a checklist) within each task so technicians can confirm that individual items of work have been completed.

Yes. Uploaded photos are automatically optimized to take up less storage space.

Yes. The app includes a Tasks at this location tab with a configurable time range. Whether technicians can see their upcoming tasks at that location is also configurable.

Activities are reported in real time as technicians update task statuses while working. Technically, completion times can be entered the following day, but this will make the reporting less accurate.

The app can be installed on phones running Android 9.0 or later and iOS 15.6 or later.

Yes. Depending on your needs, dispatchers can supervise specific companies, regions, or any combination of those two parameters.

Each dispatcher will have access only to the tasks and crews that meet the conditions defined in the configuration.

Yes. GeoTask supports both multi-person and single-person crews.

Skills can be assigned either to a crew or to an individual employee, depending on your operating model. If technicians work independently rather than as part of crews, skills can be assigned directly to each technician.

Such tasks will never be assigned during the automatic assignment process.

If a task is assigned manually, the mismatch will be clearly highlighted in GeoTask. This allows the dispatcher to identify the issue immediately and correct the assignment if it was made by mistake.

Yes. In this case, the mismatch is clearly indicated on the Gantt chart.

Yes. The area visible to each dispatcher can be configured.

Yes. Although uncommon, this scenario is supported.

Different subcontractors can be assigned different regions, skills, and positions within the hierarchy. The structure is fully configurable.

You can read more about working with subcontractors in this article.

Yes. An operator can be given access to an interface for selecting available time slots.

GeoTask separates reports, assigned tasks, and task visibility among subcontractors.

Yes. The licensing model is based primarily on the number of field technicians rather than the number of subcontractors. This allows you to reproduce your business model in GeoTask without worrying about additional costs associated with adding subcontractors.

GeoTask can be configured to meet your requirements. Multiple dispatchers can have access to the same subcontractor.

It is also possible to create a dispatcher role with access to all companies performing tasks, effectively creating a super-dispatcher.

Data visibility is fully configurable. An operator can have access to only one subcontractor or to all companies operating within a specific region. GeoTask allows data visibility to be tailored to your needs.

The warehouse module is an optional GeoTask module. It is our proprietary solution and, like the rest of the application, can be adapted to your unique requirements.

Yes, including inventory held in a technician’s personal stock. Inventory can be tracked at a subcontractor’s site, with a technician, in a vehicle, or at a regional office.

Technicians cannot see stock levels at specific locations. They can see the equipment held in their own personal inventory.

During an installation, they can view all available equipment without a breakdown by warehouse or storage location.

If GeoTask is integrated with a Warehouse Management System, the WMS is the master source of inventory data. If there is no integration, GeoTask is the master system.

Yes. The history of equipment transfers can be reviewed by origin and destination, as well as by specific serial number.

Currently, the equipment issuance process is initiated by the warehouse employee and does not require confirmation from the technician. This feature is planned for GeoTask version 25.

Yes. The task report contains all information collected throughout the task life cycle, including the type and quantity of materials used.

Yes. GeoTask provides a REST API that can be used to automate the import of tasks from external CRM systems and send information about their completion back to those systems.

GeoTask can work with a warehouse system to prepare customer delivery plans and determine loading sequences.

Contact us to find out whether GeoTask can also be integrated with the system used by your company.

Yes. Direct access to the SQL database is available, as is API-based integration, for example, with business intelligence systems.

PostgreSQL is used by default, but other database engines, such as Oracle, are also supported.

Yes. A detailed list of the relevant areas is available upon request.
Read more here.

Yes. The specific integration requirements must be analyzed.

As standard, we support integration with GE Smallworld version 5. Some functions may work with version 4.3, but version 5 is required for full functionality.

Yes. This type of integration is possible and has already been implemented for our customers.

Yes, in two ways: we can build the necessary modules, or we can connect existing modules to GeoTask, making it a gateway through which technicians can access other processes.

Yes. We have experience with SAP integrations. The method and scope of the integration depend primarily on your requirements and the version of SAP you use.

Contact us—we will be happy to tell you more.

GeoTask is fully equipped for integration through a REST API. Depending on the situation and the systems involved, we also have experience using enterprise service buses.

This feature is not currently included in the standard version of GeoTask. It is a custom feature, but it can be implemented.

Learn more

Yes. For example, a form can be created containing a list of additional paid services. Field employees can then easily report which of those services they performed.

No. GeoTask does not impose such a limit.

During a free demonstration, our consultants use a live environment to show you how GeoTask works. The demonstration covers both the logistics coordinator/planner application and the mobile app used by field employees or drivers.

After the demonstration, we provide access to a GeoTask environment for a one-month paid trial.

Yes. We provide a test environment where users can explore the system independently. We also offer support while they become familiar with the platform.

Under the SaaS model, the license price includes all necessary system fees.

Under the on-premises model, in addition to a one-time license fee, there is a quarterly system maintenance fee that includes access to the mapping services required for GeoTask to operate.

Yes. GeoTask can be installed on your internal servers.

The minimum package includes access for 25 employees. A smaller package may also be purchased. Depending on the number of tasks performed, we tailor the proposal to your individual needs.

We enter into an open-ended agreement that can be terminated with one month’s notice.

If you assign tasks to more than 15 vehicles, crews, or field employees, and each of them completes more than 10 tasks, the system will generate savings exceeding the cost of GeoTask from the first month.

Yes. In addition to the ready-to-use standard solution, we can develop features that meet a customer’s individual requirements.

However, we recommend beginning with the standard version and then adding further features as needed. More information is available in the e-book A Field Workforce Management System—Effective Implementation.

Yes. For example, the technician can close the task as incomplete and indicate that an additional estimate is required.

The technician can also create an estimate task in the system, significantly speeding up the entire process.

This is not currently possible in the standard version of GeoTask. It is an optional feature that can be implemented.