Job Tray & Dispatch | FieldCamp

The Job Tray and dispatch workflow is how you turn unassigned work into scheduled, dispatched visits. Every morning, your job is the same: look at what needs to go out, figure out who should do it, and get it on the calendar. FieldCamp's dispatch tools — the Job Tray, drag-and-drop scheduling, conflict detection, and AI suggestions — make that process fast and visual.

This guide walks through the complete dispatch workflow, from the Job Tray at the bottom of the calendar to the moment a technician gets their assignment.

Start with the Command Centre

Open the Command Centre with Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) and dispatch with plain language:

• "Assign the Henderson job to Mike" — assign a specific job to a technician
• "Move all of Carlos's jobs to Susan" — bulk reassign when someone calls in sick
• "What's unassigned for today?" — see everything in the Job Tray that needs dispatching
• "Schedule the AC repair for tomorrow at 10am with David" — create and assign in one step
• "Who has the lightest schedule today?" — find the best technician for a new job

The AI handles assignment, conflict checks, and notifications automatically. For everything the Command Centre can do, see the AI Skills guide.

The Job Tray

The Job Tray sits at the bottom of the Calendar screen. It holds all work that needs attention — unassigned visits, pending requests, and jobs waiting to be scheduled. Think of it as your dispatch inbox.

Two Modes: Visits and Requests

The Job Tray has two toggles at the top:

Visits mode shows job visits organized by status:

Requests mode shows incoming service requests:

Job Cards in the Tray

Each job card in the tray displays:

• Client name and service address
• Job type and description
• Estimated duration (if set)
• Job number (e.g., JOB-71)
• Priority indicator for urgent work

The Dispatch Workflow

Here's the morning routine most dispatchers follow:

Step 1: Open the Timeline View

Switch to the Timeline view to see your team's entire day laid out horizontally. Each technician gets a swim lane — you can instantly see who's booked, who has gaps, and where there's room for more work.

Step 2: Check the Job Tray for Unassigned Work

Look at the Unassigned tab in the Job Tray. This is your dispatch queue — everything here needs a technician and a time.

Step 3: Drag Jobs to the Right Technician and Time

Click and hold a job card from the tray, then drag it onto the calendar grid. Drop it on the technician's row at the time you want the visit to start.

When you drop a job, a confirmation modal appears showing:

• The assigned technician
• The scheduled time
• Any conflicts with existing visits
• Estimated drive time from their previous job

Step 4: Confirm the Assignment

Review the details in the modal and confirm. The job moves from the tray to the calendar, and the technician receives a notification on their mobile app.

AI Dispatch Suggestions

When you have unassigned work and available technicians, FieldCamp's AI may show a suggestion banner recommending assignments. These suggestions consider:

• Technician location and current route
• Skill match for the job type
• Workload balance across the team
• Drive time between jobs

You can accept the suggestion with one click or ignore it and assign manually.

Bulk Reassignment

When a technician calls in sick or has an emergency, you need to move their entire day to someone else. FieldCamp supports bulk reassignment:

1. Select the technician whose work needs to move
2. Choose the target technician (or let the AI recommend one)
3. Confirm — all visits transfer to the new person with updated times

You can also do this from the Command Centre: "Move all of Mike's jobs today to Sarah."

Conflict Detection

Every time you drop a job on the calendar, FieldCamp checks for conflicts automatically:

• Double-booking — the technician already has a visit at that time
• Insufficient travel time — not enough gap between jobs given the drive distance
• Missing address — the job doesn't have a service address, so it can't be routed

Conflicts are shown as blocking issues (you can't proceed until resolved) or warnings (you can override and proceed).

Tech Status Bar

At the top of the calendar, a status bar shows your team's current state at a glance:

• Available — technicians with open time
• Dispatched — technicians with assigned work but not yet started
• Working — technicians actively on a job
• Idle — technicians with no upcoming work

This helps you spot underutilized team members instantly.

Activity Center

The Activity Center is a real-time feed of what's happening across your schedule:

• Job assignments and reassignments
• Status changes (started, completed, on hold)
• Technician check-ins and check-outs
• Schedule modifications

Use it to stay aware of changes happening in the field without checking each job individually.

Rescheduling and Moving Jobs

Jobs already on the calendar can be moved the same way:

1. Click and hold a scheduled job block
2. Drag it to a new time slot or a different technician's row
3. Drop and confirm

The system rechecks for conflicts and updates all affected parties.

Mobile Dispatch

Technicians see their dispatched schedule on the FieldCamp mobile app. When you assign or reassign a job, they get a push notification with the updated details. They can view their daily route, check job details, and update statuses from the field.

Related Articles

• Calendar Overview
• Calendar Views
• Route Optimization
• Job and Visit Statuses
• AI Skills Guide