> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fentufsm.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Technician Management

> Creating and managing technician profiles

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/fentu/hwQj1zN52k4D8yBe/images/fentu-fsm/workforce/technicians-list.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=hwQj1zN52k4D8yBe&q=85&s=2e1bad7c4576468c78f8a54d70a08f0d" alt="Technicians List View" width="1280" height="720" data-path="images/fentu-fsm/workforce/technicians-list.png" />

## Overview

Technician Management is where you create and maintain profiles for all field service technicians. Each profile contains contact information, skills, certifications, vehicle assignments, and scheduling details.

<Note>
  Complete and accurate technician profiles enable skill-based dispatching, ensuring the right technician is sent to each job.
</Note>

## When to Manage Technicians

Access this module when:

* **Onboarding** - Adding new technicians to the system
* **Updating Profiles** - Changing skills, certifications, or contact info
* **Assignment Changes** - Updating team, vehicle, or territory assignments
* **Performance Review** - Reviewing technician details and history
* **Offboarding** - Deactivating departing technicians

***

## Technician Information

Each technician profile includes:

### Basic Information

| Field           | Description                           |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **Employee ID** | Internal employee number              |
| **Name**        | Full name                             |
| **Email**       | Work email address                    |
| **Phone**       | Mobile phone number                   |
| **Address**     | Home address (for route optimization) |
| **Start Date**  | Employment start date                 |
| **Status**      | Active, Inactive, On Leave            |

### Work Information

| Field           | Description               |
| --------------- | ------------------------- |
| **Branch**      | Service branch assignment |
| **Team**        | Team membership           |
| **Manager**     | Reporting manager         |
| **Role**        | Job title/role            |
| **Hourly Rate** | Labor rate for billing    |
| **Cost Rate**   | Internal cost rate        |

### Skills & Certifications

| Field                    | Description                       |
| ------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| **Skills**               | Competencies the technician has   |
| **Skill Levels**         | Proficiency levels for each skill |
| **Certifications**       | Professional certifications held  |
| **Certification Expiry** | When certifications expire        |
| **Training Completed**   | Training courses completed        |

### Assignments

| Field         | Description                  |
| ------------- | ---------------------------- |
| **Vehicle**   | Assigned service vehicle     |
| **Territory** | Geographic service area      |
| **Warehouse** | Mobile inventory location    |
| **Tools**     | Assigned tools and equipment |

***

## Creating Technicians

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Technicians">
    Go to Workforce > Technicians
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Create">
    Start a new technician profile
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Basic Information">
    Provide name, contact details, and employee ID
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Work Information">
    Set branch, team, and manager
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign Skills">
    Add skills and certification records
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Assignments">
    Assign vehicle, territory, and tools
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Schedule">
    Configure working hours and availability
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create User Account">
    Set up system login if technician will use mobile app
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Technician">
    Save the complete profile
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Technicians need a user account to access the mobile app or technician portal. Create the user account as part of onboarding.
</Warning>

***

## Managing Skills

### Adding Skills

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Technician Profile">
    Select the technician to update
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to Skills Section">
    Navigate to skills and certifications
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Skill">
    Select skill from available skills list
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Proficiency Level">
    Choose skill level (Basic, Intermediate, Expert)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Documentation">
    Attach training records if applicable
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Changes">
    Save the skill assignment
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Skill Levels

| Level            | Description                        | Assignment       |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| **Basic**        | Can perform simple tasks           | Simple jobs only |
| **Intermediate** | Can handle most situations         | Standard work    |
| **Expert**       | Full proficiency, can train others | Complex work     |

### Certification Tracking

For certifications that expire:

* Enter certification date
* Set expiration date
* System alerts before expiration
* Expired certifications affect dispatch eligibility

<Info>
  Configure alert thresholds for certification expiration (e.g., 30, 60, 90 days before). This allows time to schedule recertification.
</Info>

***

## Schedule Configuration

### Working Hours

Set standard working hours for each technician:

| Setting               | Description                 |
| --------------------- | --------------------------- |
| **Work Days**         | Days of the week worked     |
| **Start Time**        | Daily start time            |
| **End Time**          | Daily end time              |
| **Break Time**        | Scheduled breaks            |
| **Overtime Eligible** | Whether overtime is allowed |

### Availability

Track technician availability:

* **Regular Schedule** - Standard working hours
* **On Call** - Available for emergency calls
* **Leave** - Planned time off
* **Training** - In training, not available for dispatch
* **Unavailable** - Temporarily unavailable

<Tip>
  Set realistic schedules that account for travel time and administrative tasks. Over-scheduling leads to missed appointments and frustrated technicians.
</Tip>

***

## Assignments

### Vehicle Assignment

Link technicians to their service vehicles:

1. Select vehicle from fleet
2. Set assignment type (permanent, temporary)
3. Configure vehicle warehouse access
4. Enable mobile inventory features

### Territory Assignment

Define service areas:

* Geographic boundaries
* ZIP codes or postal codes
* Distance from home
* Branch coverage area

### Team Assignment

Add technicians to teams for:

* Dispatch grouping
* Management hierarchy
* Skill coverage
* Workload balancing

***

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Complete Profiles" icon="user-check">
    Fill in all profile fields. Incomplete data limits dispatch optimization and reporting accuracy.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Keep Skills Current" icon="refresh">
    Update skills as technicians gain experience. Accurate skill data improves dispatch matching.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Track Certifications" icon="certificate">
    Maintain certification records with expiration dates. Stay ahead of renewals to avoid gaps.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use Home Addresses" icon="home">
    Enter accurate home addresses. This enables route optimization from home for first calls.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Configure Realistic Schedules" icon="calendar">
    Set working hours that reflect actual availability. Include buffer time for travel and admin.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Deactivate, Don't Delete" icon="archive">
    When technicians leave, deactivate rather than delete. This preserves historical records.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Common Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can technicians update their own profiles?" icon="question">
    Permissions control what technicians can edit. Typically they can update contact info but not skills or pay rates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I handle technicians with multiple skills?" icon="question">
    Add all applicable skills with appropriate proficiency levels. Dispatch can then match any combination of required skills.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens when a certification expires?" icon="question">
    The technician may be excluded from dispatch for jobs requiring that certification, depending on system configuration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can one technician belong to multiple teams?" icon="question">
    Configuration determines this. Some setups allow multiple team membership for flexible dispatch.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I track subcontractors?" icon="question">
    Create technician profiles for subcontractors with appropriate type designation. This enables dispatch and tracking same as employees.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the difference between user and technician?" icon="question">
    A user is a system login account. A technician is a workforce record. Technicians need user accounts to access the mobile app.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related Documentation

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Skills" icon="star" href="/workforce/teams/skills">
    Managing skill definitions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Teams" icon="users" href="/workforce/teams/teams">
    Team management
  </Card>

  <Card title="Vehicles" icon="truck" href="/inventory/vehicles">
    Vehicle assignment
  </Card>

  <Card title="User Management" icon="user-shield" href="/administration/users/user-management">
    Creating user accounts
  </Card>
</CardGroup>