Some ideas I had for work

Copper Contributor

Hi all

 

I had a couple of ideas for work I didn't want to leave unshared so joined this forum to pass them on. Here's a bit about them, and what they're for:

 

1) Breaks Allocator

 

Problem: A team of call handlers with a range of different working hours are assigned to different lines. How do you figure out when certain people can go on a break or lunch, which allows each line to maintain sufficient coverage?

 

Solution: Attached file, Breaks Allocator. Given start and end times of everyone's shift (hours and minutes in separate cells), if you sort them collectively by line (Column B) then arrival (Column C then D) you can see how best to spread out their breaks.

 

The squares in the grid to the right will show every 15-minute interval when they are on their specific line unless the specified square falls either before or after their shift, or has been taken up by the break times you give them, in which case it looks like this "██". Lunches occupy 4 cells from the time given. The number of people on each line for each interval is counted and charted underneath. 

 

Our in-house version referenced everyone's working hours according to an existing rota spreadsheet for the entire year, so putting the date in A1 populated staff names and their working hours columns from that.

 

2) Radar

 

Problem: Google Maps makes it easy to find out where the nearest sources of a particular service are, but doesn't tell you much about them after that without a lot of clicking on each result. In a business environment it also puts extra strain on bandwidth.

 

Solution: Attached file, Radar (UK specific). Enter the first half of the postcode of the location you are concerned with, and the rows below it will list as-the-crow-flies distances from the centre of that postcode to the centre of each of the others, based on their longitudes and latitudes (columns B & C, hidden).

 

This can be redesigned to list specific locations of interest, which as well as being sorted according to their linear proximity could list such things as phone numbers, opening hours and what facilities they have or don't have, e.g. ramp access for disabled customers, a nearby railway station, vegan menu, shotgun under the counter, etc etc.

 

Chris

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