There are two methods an agency can use to allow Lucity to automatically calculate Units for Employee, Equipment, and Contractor resources. These calculations are based on the Res Start Date/Time and Res End Date/TIme values in the Resource records.
The fundamental difference between the two methods is in scope: In one, users opt whether or not to auto-calculate the Units value on each individual Resource record. This option is utilized by tools like the Work Clock. In the other, the preference to auto-calculate the Units value is applied system-wide by default.
Option 1: Check the "Auto Calc Units" Box on Each Resource Record
When a user checks the Auto Calc Units field on any Employee, Equipment, or Contractor Resource record, the system will calculate the Units field on that record.
Lucity calculates the Units value as the difference between the Res Start Date/Time and Res End Date/Time, rounding to the nearest 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minute mark. (See the "Units Rounding" section below for more details.)
The system recalculates the Units value if the Dates/Times later change.
Users cannot overwrite calculated Units.
If an agency uses the Lucity Work Clock, the system automatically checks the Auto Calc Units box on the applicable Employee or Equipment Resource record when the user starts the clock. Users cannot overwrite such values.
Units Rounding
When the Auto Calc Units check box is used to automatically calculate the Units value for Work Order Resources, Lucity rounds the value.
The strategy used to round the Units value is determined by the option an agency selects under Settings > Work Options > Work tab > Work Orders section:
Minutes to Round Calculated Time to - Directs the system to round the Units value to the selected time interval. Select 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes.
Round Calculated Time using Floor (F), Ceiling (C), or Away from Zero (R) - Controls how the system rounds the Units:
Floor - Directs Lucity to always round down. The Units will be rounded down to the nearest interval selected above.
Ceiling - Directs Lucity to always round up. The Units will be rounded up to the nearest interval selected above.
Away from Zero - Directs Lucity to apply standard rounding methodology to the Units calculation. In the system's terms, "zero" is actually the midpoint within the minute interval selected above. Values less than the midpoint are rounded down to the nearest time interval, while values that are greater than or equal to the midpoint are rounded up to the nearest interval.
Examples - The following example shows how the "Minutes to Round Calculated Time to" and "Round Calculated Time Using..." options are applied to Employee/EquipmentUnits.
Let's assume the Minutes to Round Calculated Time tois set to 15. In the illustrations below, each hour is broken into 15-minute intervals (labeled in black). The midpoint within a 15-minute interval is 7.5 minutes (labeled in orange).
One employee put in 32 minutes of work (in blue); the other put in 38 minutes of work (in red).
The three diagrams illustrate how the Units value would differ for each of the Round Calculated time Using... options.
Floor
The Units value for both employees would indicate 30 minutes of work.
Ceiling
The Units value for both employees would indicate 45 minutes of work.
Away from Zero
The Units value would be 30 for the employee who put in 32 minutes of work.
The Units value would be 45 for the employee who put in 38 minutes of work.
Option 2: Enable "Use Start and End Times..." Work Option
Agencies can set the "Use Start and End Times to Calculate Hour Units"Work Option to automatically calculate the Units field for all Employee and Equipment Resources. (Note: This option does not apply to Contractor Resources.)
Lucity calculates the Units value as the difference between the Res Start Date/Time and Res End Date/Time.
The system only calculates Units if the field is empty.
Users can overwrite calculated Units.
The system does not round the Units value in any way.
Note: The "Use Start and End Times to Calculate Hour Units"Work Option should be disabled if users are using using the Work Clock or Option 1 in any way.
