Intraday Management: Actions
Objective. Understand the catalogue of corrective actions IDM can propose - overtime, VTO, skill moves, break shifts, holding - and the hard boundary that proposing or deciding an action is not executing it.
The actions screen is where a manager moves from reading the day to choosing a corrective move. It presents the levers available for a shortage or surplus and is the bridge between the what-if simulation and the action log.
See it in the demo
What this screen answers
'Given the gap I can see, what are my realistic options to fix it?' After locating a shortage on staffing or backlog, the manager comes here to consider the corrective levers - open overtime, offer voluntary time off, move a skill, shift breaks, or hold - and to set up the comparison that the what-if then quantifies.
The task
Scope to the shortage you are solving, review the available actions against it, and shortlist the one or two worth simulating. Each lever has a different cost and a different effect on coverage and backlog, so the task is to pick candidates that fit the specific gap and the operation's policy, then take them into the what-if to compare projected effects before committing.
How to read it
The decision engine proposes; the human disposes. An action appearing here, or being recommended, is a decision aid - it does not mean the action is right, approved or done. The critical boundary: selecting or deciding an action in IDM is not the same as executing the staffing change, which happens in the customer's own systems within their cost and policy rules. Never let a demo imply IDM runs overtime or VTO automatically - overstating this is the fastest way to lose credibility.
Honest limits
Which actions are available, and whether IDM can trigger any of them directly versus hand off to the customer's systems, is production- and policy-dependent - confirm with product exactly what executes where. Exact action labels, cost assumptions and the demo figures are SME-validation-pending. Policy and cost rules that constrain the options are the customer's own.
Interpretation check
Choosing or recommending an action in IDM is a decision aid, not execution - the actual staffing change happens in the customer's systems within their policy and cost rules. The engine proposes; the human disposes.
In the field
KnackGlobal (RCM): for an intraday spike on a time-sensitive claim queue, 'overtime vs pull a skill vs hold' are the realistic levers - but IDM decides and records the choice, it does not roster the overtime itself.
Practical task
On the demo, take one shortage, pick the two actions you would seriously consider, and write one line each on why it fits the gap and the explicit execution boundary you would state to the customer.
Self-check
The manager selects 'open overtime' on this screen. Has overtime been opened?
No. Selecting or deciding an action is not executing it. The actual change happens in the customer's systems within their policy and cost rules. IDM proposes and records the decision.
A recommended action is shown for the shortage. Does that mean it is the right choice?
No. A recommendation is a decision aid. The manager must weigh cost, policy and the what-if projection before deciding - and even then, execution is separate.
Why shortlist one or two actions rather than simulate everything?
Each lever has a different cost and effect and must fit the specific gap and the operation's policy. Shortlisting candidates that actually fit the shortage keeps the what-if comparison focused and credible.
A prospect asks 'so it automatically fixes the day?' What is the honest answer?
No. IDM proposes and recommends corrective actions and records the decision. Execution happens in the customer's systems. Confirm with product exactly what, if anything, IDM can trigger directly versus hand off.
Verified vs demo. Screen is live in the demo at /#/actions; exact action labels, cost assumptions, what executes directly versus hands off, and figures are SME-validation-pending.