Troubleshooting Smart Plans in Fullcast

Smart Plan Basics

When creating and troubleshooting a Smart Plan, there are two basic principles that underline the functionality:

1. Layer Cake: Allocating accounts and balancing territories is like building a layer cake in that each criterion is a layer built on top of another.  

2. Conflict Resolution: If multiple criteria suggest different territories for an account, then Smart Plan uses a prioritized list to determine the correct territory. The criterion with the highest priority will be used to resolve the conflict.

Scoping a Smart Plan

Before you start building a Smart Plan, it can help to work backward. Consider what your reporting needs will be and any metrics you will include in the balancing criteria.

1. Start with Reporting: Define the reports you want to show sales leaders first. Then, build the Smart Plan criteria to match those reports. This ensures you are measuring what you are adjusting.

2. Verify Metrics: Ensure your reporting metrics accurately reflect the Smart Plan criteria you plan to use. For example, you have a metric called “Number of Tier A Accounts". If you will be factoring in account hierarchies you may need multiple versions of that metric, such as “Number of Tier A Parents” and “Number of Tier A Subsidiaries”.

Account Limit and Distribution Troubleshooting

1. Account Limits: Be aware of account limits set in the smart plan. These limits can prevent territories from reaching their full capacity, even if there are eligible accounts.

2. Distribution Logic: Understand how the platform distributes accounts when limits are in place. Exceeding the limit in one territory can affect the distribution in other territories.

Troubleshooting Smart Plans in Fullcast

Troubleshooting a Smart Plan boils down to figuring out why an account is landing in a territory other than the one you would expect it to.

1. Access your Fullcast instance and switch to the appropriate plan.

2. Navigate to the appropriate territory and click the hierarchy menu (three-dot menu) in the top right corner of the hierarchy.

3. Select Edit from the dropdown menu.

4. Review the Basic Configuration section and determine if the max number of accounts per territory is set.  

   If…	Then…
   Max number of accounts per territory is set	Remove the limit set. Rerun rules and test. If the test passes the issue is with the limitation on records that’s configured. Adjust or remove the max number of accounts per territory. If the test fails, proceed to Step 5.
   Max number of accounts per territory is not set	Proceed to Step 5.

   

   Note

   In Figure 1, the Smart Plan is being configured to automatically generate three child territories within a parent territory. Each of these new territories will be populated with a maximum of 100 accounts.

5. Review the Balancing Criteria section and determine if the Smart Plan has multiple criteria.

   If…	Then…
   Multiple criteria is set	Adjust the order of precedence and rerun rules to test. If the test passes, the issue is with the order in which the criteria is set and should be adjusted accordingly. If the test fails, proceed to Step 6.
   Multiple criteria is not set	Proceed to Step 7.

   

   Note

   In Figure 2, the Smart Plan prioritizes accounts in Austin and then applies weighted criteria. The order of these criteria can impact how accounts are displayed. Adjusting it can help identify if the sequence of execution is causing unexpected results.

6. Isolate the criteria by removing all but the most basic and run the rules.

   If…	Then…
   The most basic configuration worked	Systematically add back each criterion and observe the changes in account distribution. If the issue is resolved the problem is with the criteria. Review criteria and make changes as appropriate. If the issue persists, proceed to Step 7.
   The most basic configuration did not work	Proceed to Step 7.

7. Determine how unassigned accounts are treated.

   If…	Then…
   Unassigned accounts are configured to be left in the unassigned node	Accounts not meeting the configured criteria will reside in the Unassigned node. Proceed to Step 8.
   Unassigned accounts are to be distributed	Accounts not meeting criteria will be distributed to the configured territories provided there is not a maximum number of accounts per territory amount present that would limit the number of accounts reported.

   

   Note

   In Figure 3, the Smart Plan offers two options: either move non-matching accounts to the “Unassigned” node, or, by selecting “Distribute them among the territories,” distribute all accounts, even those that don't fit the criteria, into the created territories.

8. Review the account family settings to determine if an established parent/child relationship is causing the issue.  

   If…	Then…
   A parent/child relationship exists	Proceed to Step 10.
   A parent/child relationship does not exist	Contact Fullcast Customer Support.

   

   Note

   By default Fullcast prevents child accounts from being reassigned to the same segment as their parent, ensuring all records remain unique. If children are set to follow parents, an account might be in an unexpected territory because its parent is owned by that territory's owner, even if the subsidiary itself would otherwise qualify for a different territory.

   For more information on Account Families, refer to the Smart Plan Overview article.

9. Check for “pinned,” named accounts and exceptions.

   If…	Then…
   Accounts are pinned
   Accounts are not pinned

   img

   Note

   A named account is an account that Fullcast knows to keep in its current territory. Even if another territory has more matching records or a higher-ranking ultimate parent, the named account will not be moved.

10. Navigate to the account details and use the Acount Hierarchy tab to visualize the relationship between parent and subsidiary accounts.

    If…	Then…
    The account is a subsidiary	Proceed to Step 11.
    The account is the ultimate parent	Verify the accuracy of the ultimate parent field.

    

11. Identify its parent account and determine territory and ownership

12. Verify the accuracy of the ultimate parent field.

    If…	Then…
    The ultimate parent field is not accurate	Update the ultimate parent field and test. If the test passes the issue is with the accuracy of the ultimate parent field. If the test fails, contact Fullcast Customer Support.
    The ultimate parent field is accurate	Contact Fullcast Customer Support