Real-time planning: extended visit (using patches)

This guide describes functionality that relies on the Patch feature, which is currently only available as a preview feature. If you’d like early access to this feature, please Contact us. For information about real-time planning without the Patch functionality, see Real-time planning.

There are many situations where Real-time planning with patches is necessary.

Sometimes visits take longer than expected.

Consider the following shift schedule:

Carl has three visits scheduled for the day: Visit E, Visit B, and Visit D.

However, Visit E takes much longer than expected.

As a result, Visit B and Visit D need to be rescheduled.

Prerequisites

Learn how to configure an API Key to run the examples in this guide:

Log in to Timefold Platform: app.timefold.ai.
From the Dashboard, click your tenant, and from the drop-down menu select Manage tenant, then choose API Keys.
Create a new API key or use an existing one. Ensure the list of models for the API key contains the current model.

In the examples, replace <API_KEY> with the API Key you just copied.

1. Batch schedule: extended visit

Carl’s original schedule was generated from the following input dataset during batch planning:

Input
Output

Try this example in Timefold Platform by saving this JSON into a file called sample.json and make the following API call:

curl -X POST -H "Content-type: application/json" -H 'X-API-KEY: <API_KEY>' https://app.timefold.ai/api/models/field-service-routing/v1/route-plans [email protected]

{
  "config": {
    "run": {
      "name": "Original shift plan: extended visit example"
    }
  },
  "modelInput": {
    "vehicles": [
      {
        "id": "Carl",
        "shifts": [
          {
            "id": "Carl-2027-02-01",
            "startLocation": [33.68786, -84.18487],
            "minStartTime": "2027-02-01T09:00:00Z",
            "maxEndTime": "2027-02-01T17:00:00Z"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "visits": [
      {
        "id": "Visit E",
        "location": [33.84475, -84.63649],
        "serviceDuration": "PT1H"
      },
      {
        "id": "Visit B",
        "location": [33.90719, -84.28149],
        "serviceDuration": "PT1H"
      },
      {
        "id": "Visit D",
        "location":  [33.89351, -84.00649],
        "serviceDuration": "PT1H"
      }
    ]
  }
}

To request the solution, locate the ID from the response to the post operation and append it to the following API call:

curl -X GET -H 'X-API-KEY: <API_KEY>' https://app.timefold.ai/api/models/field-service-routing/v1/route-plans/<ID>

{
  "metadata": {
    "id": "ID",
    "parentId": null,
    "originId": "ID",
    "name": "Original shift plan: extended visit example",
    "submitDateTime": "2025-09-11T05:58:27.042921076Z",
    "startDateTime": "2025-09-11T05:58:46.636403681Z",
    "activeDateTime": "2025-09-11T05:58:46.732047745Z",
    "completeDateTime": "2025-09-11T05:59:17.179322187Z",
    "shutdownDateTime": "2025-09-11T05:59:17.580697436Z",
    "solverStatus": "SOLVING_COMPLETED",
    "score": "0hard/0medium/-9547soft",
    "tags": [
      "system.type:from-request",
      "system.profile:default"
    ],
    "validationResult": {
      "summary": "OK"
    }
  },
  "modelOutput": {
    "vehicles": [
      {
        "id": "Carl",
        "shifts": [
          {
            "id": "Carl-2027-02-01",
            "startTime": "2027-02-01T09:00:00Z",
            "itinerary": [
              {
                "id": "Visit E",
                "kind": "VISIT",
                "arrivalTime": "2027-02-01T09:49:00Z",
                "startServiceTime": "2027-02-01T09:49:00Z",
                "departureTime": "2027-02-01T10:49:00Z",
                "effectiveServiceDuration": "PT1H",
                "travelTimeFromPreviousStandstill": "PT49M",
                "travelDistanceMetersFromPreviousStandstill": 54141,
                "minStartTravelTime": "2027-02-01T00:00:00Z"
              },
              {
                "id": "Visit B",
                "kind": "VISIT",
                "arrivalTime": "2027-02-01T11:29:33Z",
                "startServiceTime": "2027-02-01T11:29:33Z",
                "departureTime": "2027-02-01T12:29:33Z",
                "effectiveServiceDuration": "PT1H",
                "travelTimeFromPreviousStandstill": "PT40M33S",
                "travelDistanceMetersFromPreviousStandstill": 42300,
                "minStartTravelTime": "2027-02-01T00:00:00Z"
              },
              {
                "id": "Visit D",
                "kind": "VISIT",
                "arrivalTime": "2027-02-01T13:01:14Z",
                "startServiceTime": "2027-02-01T13:01:14Z",
                "departureTime": "2027-02-01T14:01:14Z",
                "effectiveServiceDuration": "PT1H",
                "travelTimeFromPreviousStandstill": "PT31M41S",
                "travelDistanceMetersFromPreviousStandstill": 34290,
                "minStartTravelTime": "2027-02-01T00:00:00Z"
              }
            ],
            "metrics": {
              "totalTravelTime": "PT2H39M7S",
              "travelTimeFromStartLocationToFirstVisit": "PT49M",
              "travelTimeBetweenVisits": "PT1H12M14S",
              "travelTimeFromLastVisitToEndLocation": "PT37M53S",
              "totalTravelDistanceMeters": 165335,
              "travelDistanceFromStartLocationToFirstVisitMeters": 54141,
              "travelDistanceBetweenVisitsMeters": 76590,
              "travelDistanceFromLastVisitToEndLocationMeters": 34604,
              "endLocationArrivalTime": "2027-02-01T14:39:07Z"
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "unassignedVisits": []
  },
  "inputMetrics": {
    "visits": 3,
    "visitGroups": 0,
    "vehicles": 1,
    "mandatoryVisits": 3,
    "optionalVisits": 0,
    "vehicleShifts": 1,
    "visitsWithSla": 0
  },
  "kpis": {
    "totalTravelTime": "PT2H39M7S",
    "travelTimeFromStartLocationToFirstVisit": "PT49M",
    "travelTimeBetweenVisits": "PT1H12M14S",
    "travelTimeFromLastVisitToEndLocation": "PT37M53S",
    "totalTravelDistanceMeters": 165335,
    "travelDistanceFromStartLocationToFirstVisitMeters": 54141,
    "travelDistanceBetweenVisitsMeters": 76590,
    "travelDistanceFromLastVisitToEndLocationMeters": 34604,
    "totalUnassignedVisits": 0,
    "totalAssignedVisits": 3,
    "assignedMandatoryVisits": 3,
    "assignedOptionalVisits": 0,
    "totalActivatedVehicles": 1,
    "workingTimeFairnessPercentage": 100
  }
}

modelOutput contains Carl’s shift itinerary.

2. Real-time planning update: extended visit

The plan needs to be updated to reflect the situation in the field.

Visit E took a total of 4 hours, which is 3 hours longer than expected.

The serviceDuration for Visit E needs to be updated to 4 hours.

The following shows the required input and the patch operation that will change the original input:

Input
Patch

{
  "id": "Visit E",
  "location": [33.84475, -84.63649],
  "serviceDuration": "PT4H",
  "minStartTravelTime": "2027-02-01T00:00:00Z"
}

{
  "op": "replace",
  "path": "/visits/[id=Visit E]/serviceDuration",
  "value": "PT4H"
}

The departure times for visits that have already occurred and that technicians have already begin traveling to can be frozen by adding freezeTime and including the time when the freeze is implemented.

The following shows the required input and the patch operation that will change the original input:

Input
Patch

{
  "modelInput": {
    "freezeTime": "2027-02-01T14:10:00Z"
  }
}

{
  "op": "add",
  "path": "/freezeTime",
  "value": "2027-02-01T14:10:00Z"
}

Because Carl finished Visit E at 13:48 and is already traveling to Visit B at the freezeTime, this will keep Visit B scheduled after Visit E with a new arrival time.

Submit the full patch to modify the original input dataset to the following endpoint. Replace <ID> with the dataset ID:

v1/reoute-plans/<ID>/from-patch/

When submitted, solving is triggered to generate a new revision of the plan.

Patch
Output

Try this example in Timefold Platform by saving this JSON into a file called patch.json and make the following API call:

curl -X POST -H "Content-type: application/json" -H 'X-API-KEY: <API_KEY>' https://app.timefold.ai/api/models/field-service-routing/v1/route-plans/<ID>/from-patch [email protected]

{
  "config": {
    "run": {
      "name": "Real-time planning: extended visit example"
    }
  },
  "patch": [
    {
      "op": "add",
      "path": "/freezeTime",
      "value": "2027-02-01T14:10:00Z"
    },
    {
      "op": "replace",
      "path": "/visits/[id=Visit E]/serviceDuration",
      "value": "PT4H"
    }
  ]
}

To request the solution, locate the ID from the response to the post operation and append it to the following API call:

curl -X GET -H 'X-API-KEY: <API_KEY>' https://app.timefold.ai/api/models/field-service-routing/v1/route-plans/<ID>

{
  "metadata": {
    "id": "ID",
    "parentId": "ORIGIN-ID",
    "originId": "ORIGIN-ID",
    "name": "Real-time planning: extended visit example",
    "submitDateTime": "2025-09-11T06:16:09.054382562Z",
    "startDateTime": "2025-09-11T06:16:21.0399514Z",
    "activeDateTime": "2025-09-11T06:16:21.077235415Z",
    "completeDateTime": "2025-09-11T06:16:31.233669592Z",
    "shutdownDateTime": "2025-09-11T06:16:31.652761537Z",
    "solverStatus": "SOLVING_COMPLETED",
    "score": "0hard/-10000medium/-7038soft",
    "tags": [
      "system.type:from-patch",
      "system.profile:default"
    ],
    "validationResult": {
      "summary": "OK"
    }
  },
  "modelOutput": {
    "vehicles": [
      {
        "id": "Carl",
        "shifts": [
          {
            "id": "Carl-2027-02-01",
            "startTime": "2027-02-01T09:00:00Z",
            "itinerary": [
              {
                "id": "Visit E",
                "kind": "VISIT",
                "arrivalTime": "2027-02-01T09:49:00Z",
                "startServiceTime": "2027-02-01T09:49:00Z",
                "departureTime": "2027-02-01T13:49:00Z",
                "effectiveServiceDuration": "PT4H",
                "travelTimeFromPreviousStandstill": "PT49M",
                "travelDistanceMetersFromPreviousStandstill": 54141,
                "minStartTravelTime": "2027-02-01T00:00:00Z"
              },
              {
                "id": "Visit B",
                "kind": "VISIT",
                "arrivalTime": "2027-02-01T14:29:33Z",
                "startServiceTime": "2027-02-01T14:29:33Z",
                "departureTime": "2027-02-01T15:29:33Z",
                "effectiveServiceDuration": "PT1H",
                "travelTimeFromPreviousStandstill": "PT40M33S",
                "travelDistanceMetersFromPreviousStandstill": 42300,
                "minStartTravelTime": "2027-02-01T00:00:00Z"
              }
            ],
            "metrics": {
              "totalTravelTime": "PT1H57M18S",
              "travelTimeFromStartLocationToFirstVisit": "PT49M",
              "travelTimeBetweenVisits": "PT40M33S",
              "travelTimeFromLastVisitToEndLocation": "PT27M45S",
              "totalTravelDistanceMeters": 125661,
              "travelDistanceFromStartLocationToFirstVisitMeters": 54141,
              "travelDistanceBetweenVisitsMeters": 42300,
              "travelDistanceFromLastVisitToEndLocationMeters": 29220,
              "endLocationArrivalTime": "2027-02-01T15:57:18Z"
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "unassignedVisits": [
      "Visit D"
    ]
  },
  "inputMetrics": {
    "visits": 3,
    "visitGroups": 0,
    "vehicles": 1,
    "mandatoryVisits": 3,
    "optionalVisits": 0,
    "vehicleShifts": 1,
    "visitsWithSla": 0
  },
  "kpis": {
    "totalTravelTime": "PT1H57M18S",
    "travelTimeFromStartLocationToFirstVisit": "PT49M",
    "travelTimeBetweenVisits": "PT40M33S",
    "travelTimeFromLastVisitToEndLocation": "PT27M45S",
    "totalTravelDistanceMeters": 125661,
    "travelDistanceFromStartLocationToFirstVisitMeters": 54141,
    "travelDistanceBetweenVisitsMeters": 42300,
    "travelDistanceFromLastVisitToEndLocationMeters": 29220,
    "totalUnassignedVisits": 1,
    "totalAssignedVisits": 2,
    "assignedMandatoryVisits": 2,
    "assignedOptionalVisits": 0,
    "totalActivatedVehicles": 1,
    "workingTimeFairnessPercentage": 100
  }
}

modelOutput contains Carl’s updated shift itinerary.

Visit E took much longer than expected, Visit B is scheduled for later in the day, and Visit D must be assigned to another technician or be rescheduled for another day.

See Real-time planning: reassignment (using patches) for more details.

See the full API spec or try the online API.
Learn more about field service routing from our YouTube playlist.
Learn about real-time planning.
Real-time planning with pinned visits.
Real-time planning and emergency visits.

Real-time planning: extended visit (using patches)

Prerequisites

1. Batch schedule: extended visit

2. Real-time planning update: extended visit

Next