In our last post we indicated that activity limits can have a major impact on the tour estimation by setting for example TourPeriodLimits for each territory. By setting activity limits in general you ensure that the sum of all its activities is roughly constrained. Because a territory can only have exactly one limit assigned, the entire territory will be limited by this single constraint on the basis of the sum of all its activities. Having multiple limits constraining one and the same territory is therefore not possible. Furthermore one limit has to be uniquely assigned to one territory.

Why is this useful?

• Limits give more fine-grain control over the calculation process during territory planning, location assignment and change territories by optionally limiting the sum of activities within territories.
• Limits constrain the sum of activities of territories (for each territory individually by a unique limit) to fit to individual site conditions or employee experience.

Activity limits when planning territories

The following sample scenario will help you to understand how territories can be limited right from their initial planning by using exact limit values.

1. There are three existing locations, each given with the following activity values:
   • Location A: activity = 60.0
   • Location B: activity = 50.0
   • Location C: activity = 30.0

   This totals to an overall sum of activity of 140.0 for all three existing locations.

2. Furthermore, the number of territories to be planned (not yet existing) are: exactNumberOfTerritories = 3.

3. Finally, the three activity limits (as many as exactNumberOfTerritories) that you want to be considered by the PTV xTerritory server for the three future territories are:
   • Activity limit for future territory I: maximumValue = 30.0
   • Activity limit for future territory II: maximumValue = 60.0
   • Activity limit for future territory III: maximumValue = 50.0

   All three activity limits must not carry any territory assignment, since there are no assignable territories yet.

Planning results

Since the limit values exactly fit the specified activity values, the expected result is that location A is assigned to territory II, location B is assigned to territory III, and location C is assigned to territory I.

There is also an use case documentation available if you need further information and additionally you can see the activity limits in our Code Sample Browser.

After getting to know about the activity limits of the PTV xTerritory Server, you will get a glance at considering of incompatibilities of locations and territories in the next post of our blog series tomorrow.