Work Order Assignments and Routing

Overview

Automatically assign work orders to the right team members using routing rules based on issue type or category. Configure a Default Assignee, Work Groups, or both to control who is responsible for each work order and who receives notifications.

Routing rules can be configured individually or uploaded in bulk using a CSV file. See Bulk Upload Routing Rules.

• If you manage multiple buildings within a campus, you can route and assign the same work order issue type or category to different individuals or groups based on the building. See Routing by Building below.

Before You Start

Before applying routing rules to issue types and categories, complete these two steps:

1. Ensure that all building team members who will be assigned work are set as assignable in their user profile. This is what allows them to show up as assignable for work orders. 
   
2. Create Work Groups to give building team members visibility into the work most relevant to them. You can set up multiple work groups to ensure the right people get notified about the right tasks.

How Routing Rules Work

Each routing rule can set a Default Assignee, one or more Work Groups, or both. Your choice determines who is notified and where the work order appears:

Notifications are sent as push notifications and emails. When both are set, Work Group members can still see the work order on their New in My Groups page but aren't notified.

Example: Routing HVAC Work Orders

The Box Building wants to automatically route all HVAC – Too Cold work orders to the appropriate team members.

• Default Assignee + Work Group: Reza is assigned and notified. Engineering can view the work order without receiving notifications.

• Default Assignee Only: Reza is assigned and notified. No Work Group is associated with the rule.

• Work Group Only: All Engineering Work Group members are notified and can assign the work based on availability.

Set Up a Single Routing Rule

1. Navigate to Work Order Setup → Routing Rules. You will see a list of all your work order issue categories and issue types.
2. Click on the edit icon next to any category or issue type. This form will appear:

3. Select the following:

   • Routing: Choose Routing for All Buildings (Default) or Routing by Building. See Routing by Building below.
   • Default Assignee: Select one building team member to be automatically assigned new work orders for this issue type or category. If someone isn't listed, make sure they're set as assignable in their user profile.
   • Work Groups: Select one or more groups. If a group isn't listed, create it on the Work Groups page first.

   You can set a Default Assignee, Work Groups, or both.

4. Click Save to apply the routing rule to future work orders.

Routing by Building

Routing rules can apply across all buildings or be customized for individual buildings within a campus.

• Routing for All Buildings (Default): Apply the same Default Assignee and Work Groups across all buildings.
• Routing by Building: Configure different Default Assignees and Work Groups for each building.
  

Both options follow the same assignment and notification rules described above.

Bulk Upload Routing Rules

Building Admins can upload routing rules in bulk from a CSV file at the Site or Network level, instead of configuring each rule individually.

Before You Upload

• Make sure every building team member you plan to assign is set as assignable in their user profile.
• Make sure every Work Group in your file already exists in Cove.
• Issue types, categories, Work Groups and assignees in your file must match the existing values for each Site exactly. Each row is validated against those values.

Steps

1. Navigate to Work Order Setup → Bulk Uploads
2. Click Upload under Routing Rules.
3. (Network level only) Choose where the routing rules will apply, then click Continue:
   • All Sites in this Network: the rules apply to every site in the network.
   • Select Specific Sites: choose one or more sites. You must select at least one.
   • If you're uploading at the Site level, you won't see this step. The rules apply only to the site you're in.
4. Click Download CSV Template to get the routing rules template.
5. Complete the CSV template. Each row defines the routing rule for an Issue Type or Category, including a Default Assignee, one or more Work Groups, or both.
6. Upload your completed file.
7. Review any errors. If a value doesn't match what's in Cove, or a required field is missing, Cove will flag that row so you can fix it and upload again.

Good to Know

• Rules aren't retroactive. Routing rules, whether added individually or by bulk upload, apply only to new work orders submitted after the rule is saved. Existing work orders will not be updated.
• Uploading replaces rules for matching issue types and categories. If an issue type or category in your file already has a routing rule, the upload replaces its Work Groups and Default Assignee with the values in your file. If it has no rule yet, the upload creates one. Issue types and categories not included in your file keep their existing rules.
• The notification rules described above (default assignee vs. work group) work the same way for uploaded rules.