Welcome to Through the Spyglass! In this series, we’ll be previewing some of the cutting-edge features coming to Helm CONNECT. Not only will you be getting an exclusive insight into what’s to come, but we’d also like to invite you to reach out and share with us what you think. This blog series will give you a look at what’s coming, but it’s your feedback that will truly drive the value of what we’re building, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your account manager!
*Development is always a work in progress and is not guaranteed for inclusion in future updates, as priorities and resources are subject to change.
Introducing Job Based Crewing
Revolutionizing Crew Management for the Maritime Industry
Are you ready for a game-changer in crew management? Say hello to Job Based Crewing, Helm CONNECT’s latest innovative feature designed to transform the way jobs are dispatched, crewed, and managed in the maritime industry. With a suite of powerful workflows and cutting-edge features, Job Based Crewing ensures seamless operations, optimized scheduling, and efficient payroll processing. Let’s dive into the future of maritime crew management with Job Based Crewing.
What is Job Based Crewing?
At its core, Job Based Crewing is an integration between our Jobs and Personnel products, designed to bridge the gap between the Dispatch and Crew Scheduling modules, providing you with clarity and simplicity when it comes to creating jobs and assigning crew to them. To do this, we’ve started by automating our schedule tab, in Personnel, to reflect any orders created in Jobs – minimizing time spent on manual entry and eliminating the possibility of human error when re-creating that order in your schedule.
But that’s not even the best part. From Schedule > Settings > Asset Configuration, you can create and edit crewing requirements based on the trip type (berthing, docking, escort, etc.). Once you’ve configured your crewing requirements, you can create/edit crewing groups based on those requirements, allowing you to further reduce entry time by assigning your trip’s crew by group rather than individually. Now that the heavy lifting is done, with your crewing requirements set for each trip type, and crewing groups created, you can simply click on the desired order from the Schedule tab, assign your crewing group for the respective crew requirements, and click apply!
“But what if I need to make a change to the order?”
Any edits made to the order from the Dispatch tab will automatically reflect on the Schedule tab. Should that change necessitate new crew requirements, it will adjust accordingly and you only need to assign the required crew for the new open positions or simply select a crewing group made for that trip type. Just like that you’ve got a seamless integration between your orders and crew assignments as well as a newfound clarity across workflows. If that doesn’t get you out of your seat, just wait until you hear about what’s to come a bit further down the line… for that, let’s take a look through the spyglass.
Jobs Dispatcher Workflow
Simplifying Crew Assignments
Imagine a world where crew management is as simple as a few clicks. With Job Based Crewing’s Jobs Dispatcher Workflow, that world is now a reality. This workflow empowers Jobs Dispatchers to plan and assign crews effortlessly, ensuring that all assets are fully crewed based on their requirements.
Workflow Overview:
Crew Planning Made Easy: Navigate to Dispatch > Trips on Helm CONNECT and instantly see if jobs have the necessary crew assigned. Should there be any changes required, you’ll be able to take care of those crew adjustments in an instant, from the Dispatch tab – with any changes reflecting directly onto Schedule.
Flexible Crew Assignment: Assign crew members to jobs even before a tug boat is assigned. Whether it’s Shift Crew, who work various jobs throughout the day, or Callout Crew, who are paid per job, Job Based Crewing handles it all.
Accurate Time Tracking: After a job is completed, crew timesheets are submitted, and actual crew on/off times are logged. This includes converting to sea days, banking leave, and other timesheet specifics.
Jobs Dispatcher + Captains Workflow
Collaboration at Its Best
Collaboration between Jobs Dispatchers and Captains is crucial for smooth operations. The Jobs Dispatcher + Captains Workflow in Job Based Crewing enhances this collaboration, ensuring that crew times are logged accurately and reviewed thoroughly.
Workflow Overview:
Coordinated Crew Planning: Jobs Dispatchers plan the crew for the day, while Captains log the actual crew times, including any custom fields specific to their crew.
Accurate Log Entries: Captains log the planned crew change upon arrival at the asset, including actual crew on/off times and additional timesheet details.
Comprehensive Review Process: Jobs Dispatchers review all logged crew times, ensuring accuracy before payroll release. This dual-layer verification process guarantees that all times are correct and ready for payroll.
Jobs Dispatcher + Crew + Captain Workflow
Empowering the Entire Team
Job Based Crewing takes crew management to the next level with the Jobs Dispatcher + Crew + Captain Workflow, where each team member plays a vital role in ensuring accurate time tracking and payroll processing.
Workflow Overview:
Holistic Crew Planning: Jobs Dispatchers plan the crew, who then log their own timesheets via My Helm, a user-friendly interface designed for seamless interaction.
Self-Logging for Crew: Crew members log their actual on/off times and other custom field information as they arrive for work. This self-logging feature enhances accuracy and accountability.
Captain’s Review: Before leaving, Captains review all crew logs, ensuring that all times and custom fields are correctly entered.
Final Dispatcher Review: Jobs Dispatchers perform a final review of all crew times, using custom fields or an approval process to release the timesheets for payroll.
Why Job Based Crewing?
Job Based Crewing is not just a hot new feature from Helm CONNECT; it’s a revolution in crew management. By automating and streamlining the entire process, this integration reduces administrative burden, minimizes errors, and ensures that crews are always where they need to be, when they need to be there. From planning and logging to reviewing and payroll, Job Based Crewing covers it all.
What Do You Want to See in Helm CONNECT?
That’s it for this Through the Spyglass! Do you have something you’d like to see in Helm CONNECT? Don’t hesitate to share your comments, questions, or concerns by contacting your account manager today. Until next time, happy Helm-ing!
For more Helm CONNECT sneak peeks, check out our previous issue, Through the Spyglass: The Future of Logbook.
