PowerSolver Quick Start Guide

Welcome! This guide walks you through 5 real planning problems step-by-step. By the end, you'll be able to solve your own planning challenges with confidence.

Before You Start

What You'll Learn

Key Concept: BASIC vs LIST Variables

Before you begin, understand this critical distinction:

Tutorial 1: Task Assignment

The Business Problem

Scenario: You're a project manager at a software company. You need to assign 12 development tasks to 6 developers, scheduling each task into a specific time slot over a 2-week sprint.

Goals:

• Every task gets assigned to a qualified developer
• Each task is scheduled in a time slot
• Developers don't work on multiple tasks at the same time
• Skills must match task requirements
• Balance workload fairly

Step 1: Define Your Problem

Step 2: List Your Entities (Tasks)

Create 12 tasks with these properties:

Properties to fill:

• ID (required): Unique identifier
• Name (required): Task description
• Skills (for skill constraint): Comma-separated required skills
• Duration (for cost constraint): Hours to complete

Step 3: Define Your Values

Variable 1: Developers

Variable 2: Time Slots (20 slots over 2 weeks)

Step 4: Define Constraints

Step 5: Skip (No Pinned Assignments)

Unless you have pre-committed assignments, skip this step.

Step 6: Solver Settings

Step 7: Solve!

Click "Solve Now" and wait. Expected result:

Score: 0hard / 0medium / -2500soft

Sample assignments:
  T01 (API Security) → Alice + W1-MON-AM
  T02 (Database Schema) → David + W1-MON-AM
  T03 (React Dashboard) → Carol + W1-MON-AM
  ...

What Success Looks Like

• ✅ 0hard = All tasks assigned, skills matched, no conflicts
• ✅ Soft score = Cost and balance optimization applied

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Tutorial 2: Employee Rostering

The Business Problem

Scenario: You're scheduling nurses at City General Hospital. You need to assign 10 nurses to shifts across a 2-week period, ensuring they're placed in appropriate hospital units with proper supervisor oversight.

Goals:

• All nurses assigned to shifts
• Nurses work in units matching their certifications
• Supervisors oversee their assigned units
• Respect availability and max shifts per week
• Honor preferences when possible

Step 1: Define Your Problem

Step 2: List Your Entities (Nurses)

Step 3: Define Your Values (3 Variables)

Variable 1: Shifts (42 shifts = 7 days × 3 shifts × 2 weeks)

Variable 2: Units (4 hospital units)

Variable 3: Supervisors (3 supervisors)

Step 4: Define Constraints

Steps 5-7: Configure and Solve

• Timeout: 120 seconds (larger problem)
• Expected Score: 0hard / 0medium / -Xsoft (feasible with soft penalties)

What Success Looks Like

• ✅ All nurses scheduled
• ✅ ICU and ER only have RNs (no LPNs)
• ✅ Supervisors only oversee their assigned units
• ✅ No one exceeds 5 shifts per week

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Tutorial 3: Maintenance Scheduling

The Business Problem

Scenario: You manage maintenance at a manufacturing plant. You need to schedule 6 maintenance tasks, assigning each to a technician, time slot, plant zone, and toolset.

Goals:

• All jobs assigned to qualified technicians
• Jobs scheduled in appropriate time slots
• Jobs performed in zones with correct equipment
• Jobs use toolsets with required capabilities

Step 1: Define Your Problem

Step 2: List Your Entities (Maintenance Jobs)

Step 3: Define Your Values (4 Variables)

Variable 1: Technicians

Variable 2: Time Slots

Variable 3: Zones

Variable 4: Toolsets

Step 4: Define Constraints

Steps 5-7: Configure and Solve

• Timeout: 60 seconds
• Expected Score: 0hard / 0medium / 0soft (often perfect for small problems)

What Success Looks Like

MAINT-1 (Motor) → John + Monday AM + Production Floor + Electrical Toolkit
MAINT-2 (Conveyor) → Mary + Monday AM + Production Floor + Mechanical Toolkit
MAINT-3 (Panel) → John + Monday PM + Control Room + Electrical Toolkit
MAINT-4 (Press) → Mary + Tuesday AM + Production Floor + Mechanical Toolkit
MAINT-5 (Hydraulic) → Tom + Monday AM + Production Floor + Specialized Toolkit
MAINT-6 (PLC) → Lisa + Monday AM + Control Room + Specialized Toolkit

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Tutorial 4: School Timetabling

The Business Problem

Scenario: You're creating a university timetable. You need to assign 6 lessons to rooms, time slots, teachers, and equipment setups.

Goals:

• All lessons scheduled
• Rooms match lesson requirements (lab vs lecture hall)
• Teachers only teach their subjects
• Equipment matches lesson needs
• No conflicts (same teacher/room at same time)

Step 1: Define Your Problem

Step 2: List Your Entities (Lessons)

Step 3: Define Your Values (4 Variables)

Variable 1: Rooms

Variable 2: Time Slots

Variable 3: Teachers

Variable 4: Equipment

Step 4: Define Constraints

Steps 5-7: Configure and Solve

• Timeout: 60 seconds
• Expected Score: 0hard / 0medium / 0soft

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Tutorial 5: Vehicle Routing

The Business Problem

Scenario: You manage a delivery fleet at SecureBank. You need to route 4 service vehicles to visit 15 bank branches, ensuring each branch is visited exactly once by the appropriate vehicle.

Goals:

• Every branch visited exactly once
• Vehicle capacity not exceeded
• Service capabilities match branch needs
• Time windows respected

Step 1: Define Your Problem

Step 2: List Your Entities (Vehicles)

In Vehicle Routing, entities are the vehicles, not the stops!

Step 3: Define Your Values

Variable 1: Visits (LIST of branches)

This is the key difference. The visits variable is of type LIST, meaning each vehicle gets assigned a list of branches to visit.

Step 4: Define Constraints

Steps 5-7: Configure and Solve

• Timeout: 120 seconds (routing is complex)
• Expected Score: 0hard / 0medium / -Xsoft

What Success Looks Like

Score: 0hard / 0medium / -15000soft

V1 (Armored Van 1) → [BR04, BR08, BR12, BR01, BR06]
V2 (Armored Van 2) → [BR02, BR10, BR15]
V3 (Service Van) → [BR03, BR05, BR09, BR13]
V4 (Audit Van) → [BR07, BR11, BR14]

Each vehicle gets a list of branches in visiting order.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Summary: Choosing the Right Approach

The Golden Rules

1. If each entity needs ONE value → BASIC
2. If each entity needs MULTIPLE values in order → LIST
3. Vehicle Routing almost always needs LIST
4. Everything else usually needs BASIC

Next Steps

Now that you've completed these tutorials:

1. User Guide — Full reference for all features
2. Concepts Guide — Deep dive into planning concepts
3. Wizard User Guide — Screen-by-screen reference
4. Templates — Import pre-built templates from /timefold-templates

Need Help?

• Click the ? icon in the wizard for context help
• Use the AI Advisor panel for suggestions
• Email: support@planningpowertools.com