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Boost your team’s performance with the Adherence Tracker in Dynamics 365 Contact Centre

Boost your team’s performance with the Adherence Tracker (Real-time monitoring of service representative activity against scheduled shifts).

Real-time User Journey

This journey illustrates how a Supervisor uses the Adherence Tracker to maintain service levels throughout the day:

  1. Dashboard Review: The Supervisor logs into the Contact Center Admin Center and opens the Adherence Tracker dashboard.
  2. Visual Oversight: They view a Gantt chart showing a timeline of all service representatives. The chart displays “Scheduled” activities (e.g., Work, Break, Training) vs. “Actual” states.
  3. Deviation Alert: The Supervisor notices a red indicator on the Gantt chart for an agent. The tracker shows the agent has been in a “Lunch” state for 15 minutes longer than the “Scheduled” lunch period.
  4. Metric Analysis: The Supervisor checks the Adherence Percentage and Time Out of Adherence metrics for that agent to determine if this is a recurring pattern or an isolated incident.
  5. Corrective Action: Using the real-time data, the Supervisor sends a quick message to the agent to check if they need assistance or to remind them of the current high call volume.
  6. Performance Feedback: At the end of the week, the Supervisor uses the accumulated adherence reports to provide data-backed coaching to the team during their performance reviews.

Step-by-Step: How to Enable This Feature

To enable and configure the Adherence Tracker, administrators must perform the following:

  • Step 1: Enable Workforce Management

Ensure that the broader Workforce Management capabilities (Shift Planning and Scheduling) are enabled, as adherence tracking requires a schedule to compare against.

  • Step 2: Admin Center Access

Navigate to the Customer Service admin center or Contact Center admin center.

  • Step 3: Navigate to Adherence Settings

Go to Operations > Insights > Adherence Tracker (Preview).

  • Step 4: Map Presence to Activities

To ensure accuracy, map your custom Presence Statuses (e.g., “Available”, “On Break”, “Busy”) to the corresponding Shift Activities (e.g., “Work”, “Lunch”, “Training”).

  • Step 5: Configure Thresholds

Set the “Adherence Thresholds” (e.g., allow a 2-minute grace period before a state is flagged as “Out of Adherence”).

  • Step 6: Assign Supervisor Roles

Ensure supervisors have the Omnichannel Supervisor or a custom security role with read/write access to the adherence entities.

  • Step 7: Add to Workspace

Verify the Adherence Tracker report is added to the supervisor’s sitemap in the Agent Experience Profile.

Infographic: Key Components of Adherence Tracking

FeatureDescriptionOperational Value
Real-time Gantt ChartVisual timeline comparing schedule vs. actual state.Immediate identification of bottlenecks and “ghosting.”
Adherence PercentageA score showing how closely a rep followed their plan.Objective metric for performance reviews and bonuses.
State MappingLinks CRM presence status to scheduled shift blocks.Automated tracking without manual agent input.
Integration with ScheduleView adherence alongside the daily/weekly calendar.Contextual understanding of why deviations might occur (e.g., long training).
Trend AnalyticsHistorical reports on adherence patterns.Identifies systemic issues with shift timing or agent burnout.

References

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Manage time-off requests with Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Manage time-off requests with Dynamics 365 Contact Center (Streamlining leave management for service representatives and supervisors).

Real-time User Journey

This journey illustrates the end-to-end process of requesting and approving time off:

  1. Request Submission: An agent opens their Schedule Calendar in Dynamics 365 and identifies a date for leave. They click to create a new Time-Off Request, selecting the type (e.g., PTO, Sick Leave) and duration.
  2. Manager Notification: The supervisor receives a real-time notification of the pending request. They open the Time-Off Request tab to review the submission.
  3. Coverage Assessment: Before approving, the manager checks the Integrated Calendar to ensure that team coverage remains sufficient for that period.
  4. Decision & Sync: The manager approves the request. The agent is instantly notified via email or an in-app notification.
  5. Schedule Update: The approved time-off is automatically blocked out on the agent’s Personal Calendar and the Team Schedule.
  6. Routing Integration: The Unified Routing engine is automatically updated; it will not route any incoming customer interactions to the agent during their approved time-off.

Step-by-Step: How to Enable This Feature

To set up and manage time-off requests, follow these administrative steps:

  • Step 1: Define Time-Off Types
    • Go to the Customer Service admin center or Contact Center admin center.
    • Navigate to Workforce Management > Time-off types.
    • Select New to create categories such as “Paid Time Off,” “Sick Leave,” or “Personal Leave.”
  • Step 2: Enable Agent Schedule Access
    • Go to Agent experience > Workspaces > Agent experience profiles.
    • Ensure the My Schedule or Calendar component is active in the sitemap for the relevant agent profiles.
  • Step 3: Configure Approval Workflows
    • In the Workforce Management settings, define which managers or roles have the authority to “Approve” or “Reject” time-off records.
  • Step 4: Verify Notifications
    • Ensure that Email Templates and In-app notifications are configured so that agents receive status updates (Pending, Approved, Declined) in real-time.
  • Step 5: Test Unified Routing Sync
    • Perform a test request to confirm that once a “Time-Off” block appears on the calendar, the agent’s status correctly prevents incoming work assignments.

Infographic: Time-Off Management Benefits

FeatureAgent BenefitManager Benefit
Intuitive SubmissionRequest leave directly from the workspace calendar.Reduces manual emails and offline tracking.
Real-time NotificationsImmediate clarity on leave status for better personal planning.Faster decision-making with staffing insights.
Integrated CalendarVisibility into personal schedule and upcoming absences.Accurate view of team availability and coverage gaps.
Routing SyncNo “accidental” work assignments during leave.Ensures SLAs are met by routing work only to active staff.

References

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Stay organized with the schedule calendar in Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Stay organized with the schedule calendar in Contact Center (Empowering service representatives with personalized, real-time visibility into their work schedules).

Real-time User Journey

This journey illustrates how an agent uses the new integrated calendar to manage their workday effectively:

  1. Morning Check-in: The agent logs into the Dynamics 365 Customer Service workspace. Instead of looking for an external email or PDF, they click the My Schedule icon in the site map.
  2. Daily Overview: The agent views their Personal Calendar, which displays color-coded blocks for their “Work” shifts, scheduled “Training,” and “Breaks.”
  3. Real-time Updates: A supervisor makes a last-minute change to the afternoon schedule to cover a volume surge. The agent’s calendar automatically refreshes in real-time, showing the updated shift.
  4. Activity Detail: The agent clicks on a specific “Training” block to see notes or links related to the session, ensuring they are prepared without leaving the workspace.
  5. Status Sync: As the calendar moves into a “Lunch” block, the agent updates their presence status. Because the calendar is integrated, the Unified Routing engine already knows not to assign new chats to this agent during this window.

Step-by-Step: How to Enable This Feature

To make the Schedule Calendar available to your service representatives, follow these administrative steps:

  • Step 1: Admin Center Access

Sign in to the Customer Service admin center or Contact Center admin center.

  • Step 2: Enable Workforce Management Settings

Navigate to Operations > Workforce Management. Ensure that the core Shift Planning and Scheduling features are enabled, as the calendar pulls data from these modules.

  • Step 3: Configure Agent Experience Profiles

Go to Agent experience > Workspaces > Agent experience profiles. Select the profile assigned to your service representatives (e.g., “Customer Service Representative”).

  • Step 4: Add the Schedule Component

In the Sitemap editor for the profile, add a new sub-area. Select Type: Entity and search for the Schedule or My Schedule component.

  • Step 5: Define View Permissions

Ensure the “Service Representative” security role has Read permissions for the msdyn_shift and msdyn_schedule entities so they can view their assigned time blocks.

  • Step 6: Save and Publish

Save the profile changes and click Publish. Agents will now see the “My Schedule” option in their navigation menu.

Infographic: Benefits of the Integrated Schedule Calendar

FeatureImpact on AgentImpact on Organization
Personalized ViewReduces “tool switching” by keeping the schedule inside the CRM.Increases employee satisfaction by providing clear expectations.
Real-time SyncAgents are instantly aware of shift changes or added meetings.Reduces missed shifts and “ghost” log-ins.
Activity BreakdownClearly distinguishes between productive work and “off-queue” time.Improves adherence to planned capacity and SLAs.
Unified Routing LinkAgents don’t have to worry about receiving calls during scheduled breaks.Ensures workload is only distributed to agents on an active “Work” shift.

References

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Shift planning and scheduling in Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Shift planning and scheduling in Dynamics 365 Contact Center (Integrated Workforce Management to align agent availability with operational demand).

Real-time User Journey

This journey illustrates how a Workforce Scheduler moves from a theoretical capacity plan to an active, assigned shift schedule:

  1. Template Creation: The Scheduler creates a Shift Template that defines the “ideal” workday, including specific slots for work periods, lunch, and training sessions.
  2. Capacity Alignment: They link the template to a Capacity Plan (see previous feature) to ensure the number of shifts created matches the predicted customer demand.
  3. Automated Scheduling: The Scheduler uses the Automated Scheduling tool to bulk-assign hundreds of agents to shifts based on their skills, contracts, and preferred time zones.
  4. Intraday Adjustment: During the live shift, a sudden surge occurs. The Scheduler uses Manual Scheduling to quickly drag and drop an available agent into a “high-priority” shift slot to maintain coverage.
  5. Break Distribution: The system automatically staggers break times across the team so that there is never a moment where all agents are offline simultaneously, ensuring continuous customer service.

Step-by-Step: How to Enable This Feature

To set up shift planning and scheduling within your environment:

  • Step 1: Admin Center Access Sign in to the Customer Service admin center or Contact Center admin center.
  • Step 2: Access Workforce Management Navigate to Operations > Workforce Management > Shift plans.
  • Step 3: Define Shift Templates Select New to create a template. Define the start/end times and add “Shift Activities” like:
    • Work: For active customer handling.
    • Break/Lunch: To ensure compliance and well-being.
    • Training/Meeting: For non-operational tasks.
  • Step 4: Configure Shift Plans Create a Shift Plan record. Select the date range, the target Organization Units (teams), and the Shift Templates to be used.
  • Step 5: Run Automated Scheduling Within the Shift Plan, select Generate Schedule. The system will match agents to the required slots based on their profile data (skills and availability).
  • Step 6: Publish the Schedule Review the generated calendar. Once satisfied, click Publish. This makes the schedule visible to agents in their personal dashboards and ensures Unified Routing only sends work to agents currently on an active “Work” shift.

Infographic: Shift Planning & Scheduling Pillars

PillarFocusKey Benefit
Shift TemplatesStructured WorkdaysConsistent inclusion of breaks and training.
Automated SchedulingSpeed and ScaleReduced administrative work for large teams.
Skill MatchingQuality ControlEnsures specialized queues (e.g., Technical Support) are staffed by experts.
Break StaggeringContinuityEliminates “dead zones” in service coverage.
Unified IntegrationRouting AccuracyAutomatically prevents calls from being routed to agents on lunch.

References

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Predict workforce capacity needs in Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Predict workforce capacity needs in Dynamics 365 Contact Center (Staffing forecasting to align workforce availability with customer service demand).

Real-time User Journey

This journey illustrates how a Workforce Manager uses the tool to maintain service levels:

  1. Demand Assessment: The Manager opens the Capacity Planning dashboard to view the predicted number of agents needed for the upcoming month.
  2. Granular Analysis (Short-term): They drill down into “Short-term planning” to see agent requirements in 15-minute intervals for the following day, identifying a specific gap between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM.
  3. Channel Slicing: The Manager applies “Data Slicing” to see if the shortage is specifically in the Voice queue or the Chat queue.
  4. Strategic Shift Adjustment: Seeing a long-term upward trend in support requests, the Manager uses the “Long-term planning” view to justify a new hiring batch to the leadership team.
  5. Optimization: The Manager adjusts existing agent shifts to cover the identified 15-minute gaps, ensuring that the contact center remains optimally staffed without overspending on unnecessary overtime.

Step-by-Step: How to Enable This Feature

To activate and configure capacity planning, follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Admin Center Access

Sign in to the Customer Service admin center or Contact Center admin center.

  • Step 2: Navigate to Forecasting/Insights

Go to Operations > Insights > Capacity planning (Preview).

  • Step 3: Create a Planning Scenario

Select New to create a capacity plan. You must link it to an existing Volume Forecast (as the capacity plan uses volume data to calculate agent headcount).

  • Step 4: Define Service Level Goals

Input your target Service Level (e.g., 80% of calls answered in 20 seconds) and Average Handling Time (AHT). The AI uses these metrics to convert volume into “Required Headcount.”

  • Step 5: Configure Slicing Attributes

Select the dimensions you want to plan for, such as specific Channels, Queues, or Skills.

  • Step 6: Publish and Review

Save the configuration. The system will process the historical volume and your service goals to generate a staffing forecast. Review the interactive charts to finalize your workforce strategy.

Infographic: Capacity Planning Levels

Planning LevelGranularityPrimary Goal
Short-term15-minute intervalsReal-time agility; handling daily volume spikes.
Long-termDaily/MonthlyStrategic hiring and budget allocation.
Data SlicingChannel/Queue/SkillTargeted resource distribution across touchpoints.
Efficiency MetricsSLA & AHT basedBalancing operational cost with customer satisfaction.

References