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PowerLocator Rules

PowerLocator is a component of Emplifi Agent that provides consumer affairs representatives access to “Where to Buy” information. PowerLocator correlates caller address information to store and company locations. It operates on a rules basis, using selected criteria, and determines the closest company location to the caller.

If PowerLocator rules exist, they appear under the PowerLocator Rules folder in the function bar. Individual rules may be selected for viewing and editing by double-clicking a rule in the function bar or single-clicking a rule on the page. Rules can be added or deleted using standard Emplifi Agent interface methods.

To access the PowerLocator Rules screen: 

  • In Administration, select Company Setup > Workflow / Process Automation > PowerLocator Rules.

To create a new PowerLocator Rule:

  • From the PowerLocator Rules page, click the New Rule button. The system creates the PowerLocator rule and assigns a numeric code.

Only address records with the Where To Buy check box and the Active check box selected are evaluated for inclusion in the result set for PowerLocator.

PowerLocator Rule

The following fields are found on the PowerLocator Rule tab:

Column

Description

Priority

Determines the order that the rules are evaluated. Priority 1 is evaluated before priority 2.

Type

  • All Locator Addresses: (SubType 0) Returns all addresses that have the "Include in PowerLocator" check box on the address record checked (address.where_to_buy value equal to “Y”). If Category ID 1 and 2 are both empty (null), the Suggestion codes are not used, but if category 1, or 1 and 2 contain values, results are returned where there is a code match in the suggestion, the suggestion Reference ID is not used. When in Territory mode, latitude & longitude are not evaluated.

  • Specific Addresses: (SubType 1) One or two categories, and a code-section of the rule must be set up for the categories. The codes that populate the issue must fall within the code-section definition; the Reference ID of the rule’s code must be the Address Code of an address that is to be in the result set. A value need not be present in the Address Category, On Hand, Source, and Source Date columns of the code section of the rule. When in Territory mode, latitude and longitude are evaluated in addition to Territory.

  • Match Address Category: (SubType 2) Both an Address Category and Reference ID must be present in the rule code section. The rule returns addresses that match the Address category plus Reference ID value. When in Territory mode, latitude and longitude are evaluated in addition to Territory.

  • Inventory Locator: (SubType 3) The requirements from “Specific Addresses - subtype 1” above apply plus an “On Hand” value greater than zero. It is assumed one of the Categories on the rule relates to the product.

  • All Locator Plus Custom 6: (SubType 6) AA: processes like sub-type zero, then calls a custom Web service, passes a product code, and returns a list of quantity by store. If Web service is not configured a warning message displays, then reverts to sub-type zero behavior. Emplifi Agent executes custom logic. The web URL is set via Configuration in the Custom view. For further information about this setting, contact your Emplifi account manager or the Emplifi Professional Services team for assistance.

  • Web Service Provider: Categories are not required but can be used. The search is processed against a third-party Web service interface to obtain information, such as, retailer locations where a product has been recently sold. The service determines what information is returned.

Description

Optional 40-character non-unique text used to describe the rule.

Search Company ID

The result set contains addresses that have this code as their company ID.

Category 1 name

The first of two possible categories. When a category is specified, that category in the current issue must have a qualifying value to allow the PowerLocator rule to return results.

Level 1

The hierarchy level at which the qualifying code must be found.

Category 2 Name

It functions like “Category 1 Name”, except this is a second, optional category. If specified, both category values must be present on the current issue.

Level 2

The hierarchy level at which the qualifying code must be found. (For category two.)

Active

When not checked, the rule is not used. When checked the rule is used.

Web Service Provider

Select the Web Service provider to use with the Web Service Provider Type. This is the third-party service to use for the search.

Start Search Radius (mi)

The minimum distance in miles away from the caller's longitude and latitude that is searched.

Increment Search Radius (mi)

The number of miles to add to the starting and current search radius to search for addresses.

A user clicks the Increment Radius button on the All Locations window to view a wider range of results that fall within the new radius (calculated by the current radius plus the value in this field). The user can click the Increment Radius button until the radius reaches the maximum allowable distance.

Maximum Search Radius (mi)

The maximum distance in miles away from the caller’s longitude and latitude that is searched.

Display Radius (mi)

This field indicates the maximum distance, within the Search Radius, in miles from the caller’s address for which matches are displayed. An agent can click the Show button on the Locator Results screen, which ignores the value in this field and displays all results that fall within the Search Radius.

Display Row Count

The initial number of results that are displayed.

Issue Territory Category

The issue category for which a territory has been defined for territory-based search rules (as opposed to longitude and latitude searches). The “search from” territory.

(info) PowerLocator rules can be set up to search by longitude and latitude or by territories. Territories are groupings of locations that are defined within the Territory Category. This and the Address Territory Category columns are used when defining Territory search rules. To use Territory searches rather than longitude and latitude, both the Issue Territory Category and the Address Territory Category fields must be populated. 

When using SubTypes 1, 2 and 3, and in Territory mode, longitude and latitude are evaluated in addition to Territory.

Address Territory Category

The rule’s code window Address Category (“Cat./ID”) column is automatically populated with this value when a new suggestion code is added.

(info) PowerLocator rules can be set up to search by longitude and latitude or by territories. Territories are groupings of locations that are defined within the Territory Category. This and the Issue Territory Category columns are used when defining Territory search rules. To use Territory searches rather than longitude and latitude, both the Issue Territory Category and the Address Territory Category fields must be populated.

When using SubTypes 1, 2 and 3, and in Territory mode, longitude and latitude are evaluated in addition to Territory.

Maximum Locations Set

The number of returned rows the system automatically selects to populate issues. The agent can manually override this automatic selection and select single or multiple rows from the result set. Emplifi Agent allows you to select multiple rows in a table or grid using standard Windows functionality.

  • To select a group of contiguous rows, select the first row in the group by clicking it once. Then hold down the [Shift] key on your keyboard while clicking the last row in the group.

  • To select multiple disconnected rows, select the first row by clicking it once. Then hold down the [Ctrl] key on your keyboard while clicking each additional row.

If a single row is selected, the current issue can be automatically updated with a value from the selected row. If multiple rows are selected, the current issue is updated with a value supplied by the first row, and the remainder of the selected rows create duplicates of the current issue.

Default Address Category

The address category for which a territory has been defined for territory-based search rules. The “search against” territory.

Suggestion ID

Displays the Suggestion ID for this rule.

Changed By

Displays the ID of the user who last updated the rule.

Date Changed

Displays the date that the rule was last updated.

Codes

The Codes tab displays codes defined for a PowerLocator suggestion. A new code can be added to a PowerLocator rule by clicking the New Suggestion Code button in the menu bar. Depending on the number of categories defined in the rule, either a single category window or a two-category window displays.

The following fields are found on the Codes tab:

Column

Description

Category 1 ID

Displays the category 1 for the rule. The Category type is selected in the Category 1 Name field on the PowerLocator Rule tab.

Category 2 ID

Displays the category 2 for the rule. The Category type is selected in the Category 2 Name field on the PowerLocator Rule tab.

Reference ID

Refer to the Type column description under the PowerLocator tab.

In Category

Refer to the Type column description under the PowerLocator tab.

Quantity

Displays the quantity on hand. This can be updated as required. This field is used by custom implementations of the functionality.

Source

This field is used by custom implementations of the functionality.

Source Date

This field is used by custom implementations of the functionality.

PowerLocator Usage

PowerLocator operates in two modes: Longitude/Latitude or Territory.

Longitude/Latitude Mode:

  • From the case, the address verification software that generates Longitude/Latitude values must be operational. The address verification software provides the data, and Emplifi Agent saves it as part of the address record when you create the case and address records.

  • The user must populate the caller’s zip code on the case.

  • If an address is missing the Longitude/Latitude, PowerLocator does not process the address during searches. Longitude/Latitude are provided by address verification software. The administrator must verify that the company is current on the software and that it is running properly.

Territory Mode:

  • An address category must be defined for Territory mode. The PowerLocator rule should have the Address Territory Category column populated with this category. Address records that should be included in PowerLocator result sets should have an appropriate code saved in the Territory Category.

  • An Issue category must be defined for Territory mode. The PowerLocator rule should have the Issue Territory Category column populated with this category. When cases are created, the issue Territory category should be populated with a code that is appropriate for the issue.

  • In its simplest form, the PowerLocator rule should use a subtype 0 - “All Locator Addresses”, with no suggestion categories specified. When the PowerLocator icon is clicked, a result set is created of addresses where the Territory category value is equal to the current issue territory category value. If subtype 1, 2, or 3 are used for the rule definition, the suggestion parameters and latitude/longitude also evaluate in building the result set.

Either Mode:

  • Addresses available to PowerLocator must have the “Include in PowerLocator” check box checked

  • Addresses must have the Active check box checked.

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