Automated Employee Scheduling System with Cost-Driven Ranking

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Creating a shift schedule that balances employee availability, employer requirements, and payroll constraints is challenging and often leads to complexity and unexpected costs due to frequent schedule changes among part-time employees in retail and restaurant settings.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for automating employee scheduling that generates shift schedules based on employee data, payroll constraints, and employer requirements, while considering employee availability, and allows for revisions to minimize payroll budget changes, using a cost-driven algorithm to rank and present schedules to employers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual scheduling methods are used to create shift schedules, then flexibility in accommodating employee preferences can be achieved, but the scheduling process becomes time-consuming and complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in accommodating employee preferencesVSAvoidtime-consuming scheduling process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical scheduling processes with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to generate shift schedules. The system automatically processes employee availability data, preferences, and business requirements to produce optimized schedules, eliminating the time-consuming manual coordination while maintaining flexibility through configurable parameters and employee input mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automated scheduling tools are used to streamline the scheduling process, then time efficiency is improved, but unexpected costs may arise from schedule changes and trades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime efficiency in schedulingVSAvoidunexpected costs from schedule changes

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system monitors and tracks schedule changes, employee trades, and associated costs. The system provides feedback to employers about the financial impact of schedule modifications and automatically adjusts schedules to minimize unnecessary changes. This feedback loop enables cost-aware scheduling decisions while maintaining the productivity benefits of automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a dynamic scheduling system that can adapt to changes while tracking their financial impact. The system allows controlled schedule modifications through employee requests and manager approvals, automatically recalculating costs and providing options that balance flexibility with cost management. This dynamic approach maintains time efficiency while reducing unexpected costs through informed decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple schedule revisions are allowed to accommodate employee needs, then employee satisfaction is improved, but schedule complexity and management burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of employee needsVSAvoidschedule management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the scheduling system into distinct functional modules: employee preference collection, automated schedule generation, change request processing, and approval workflows. Each module handles specific aspects of schedule management independently, reducing overall system complexity. Employees can submit preferences and change requests through standardized interfaces, while the system processes these segments separately before integrating final schedule updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Manufacturing precision

If comprehensive employee data collection is performed to optimize scheduling, then schedule quality is improved, but data processing complexity and time requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveschedule qualityVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary data collection where employees provide their availability, preferences, and constraints in advance through standardized forms. The system pre-processes this data into structured formats before schedule generation begins. By collecting and organizing employee information beforehand, the system reduces real-time processing complexity while maintaining high schedule quality through comprehensive consideration of all employee factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8744889B1Cost based employee scheduling

Publication Date: 2014.06.03 INTUIT INC

AI summary

A method for managing a shift schedule, involving obtaining employee data for employees, a payroll constraint for a time period, and an employer requirement for the shift schedule, and collecting an employee availability schedule from each employee. The method further involves generating shift schedules based on the payroll constraint, employee data, employer requirement, and employee availability schedules, determining a payroll budget associated with each shift schedule, ranking the shift schedules based on the payroll budget to obtain a ranked list of shift schedules, and presenting the ranked list of shift schedules to an employer.