Switch Lottery Options Overview
After adding candidates and selecting an assignment maximum, the switch lottery assignment’s options can be configured. Configuring options allows an administrator to fine-tune the algorithm used to assign candidates to facilities. For each switch lottery batch, the following options are available:
•Iterations: This value is the number of times the algorithm runs during the entire switch lottery process. Increasing or decreasing iterations may affect the assignment results.
The default value is 30. If the value is cleared, the algorithm will use a value of 30.
•Max Number of Moves Per Iteration: This value is the maximum number of candidate moves that can occur per iteration of the algorithm. Setting this value ensures that the algorithm does not run indefinitely.
The default value is 30. If the value is cleared, the algorithm will use a value of 30.
•Better Matches Found: This value is the minimum number of better matches required (during an iteration) to initiate the move process of the iteration. When the algorithm begins an iteration, it attempts to find better matches (to move candidates to a better-matching location).
For example: If the Better Matches Found value is set to 3, and the algorithm finds 3 or more possible better moves, then it will start the move process of the iteration. This functionality prevents the algorithm from randomizing the candidates when they have a good room match. The default value is 3. If the value is cleared, the algorithm will use a value of 3.
•Minimum Number of Moves Per Iteration: This value is the minimum number of moves attempted during the move process of an iteration. If the Better Matches Found condition is satisfied, and the move process is about to initiate, the algorithm will attempt to perform the minimum number of moves. The default value is 30. If the value is cleared, the algorithm will use a value of 30.
•Assignment Maximum: This option defines the assignment maximum used for the algorithm. Only assignment maximums for the current term or later are available. Assignment maximums for past terms are excluded.
•Disregard Gender: When this option is not checked, all spaces and patrons are split into separate data sets based on the patron genders and the gender limits of the assignment maximum for separate assignments. When checked, the data sets are combined together.
•Allow Max Preference Rank: This option enables the Maximum Preference Rank field.
•Maximum Preference Rank: This value defines the maximum patron preference rank to be used in the assignment. If set to 5, the algorithm will ignore preferences that are not in a patron’s top five. Any patrons that cannot be assigned to one of their top five locations are considered failed assignments.
Run a Switch Lottery Batch
After configuring options for a switch lottery batch, use the following procedure to run the switch lottery process from the Switch Lottery tab of the Switch Lottery page:
1. Select Switch Lottery from the Assignment section of the Patron menu. The List of Switch Lottery Batches grid is displayed in the Search tab of the Switch Lottery page.
2. If necessary, search for an assignment batch.
3. Click Select on the desired switch lottery batch, and then select the Switch Lottery tab.
4. Click Run to process the switch lottery batch and display the proposed assignments. The process may take up to a minute to begin running.
When the process is running, a Run Status window will be displayed on the screen. The Run Status window includes real-time information about the switch lottery algorithm’s process. The window may display the current settings for the batch, the success rate of each assignment, and the total statistics for the batch.
Once the switch lottery process has finished running, the Job Finished message will be displayed at the bottom of the Run Status window. Information in the Run Status window can be viewed at any time by visiting the Switch Lottery History page.
Note: If there are more patrons in the batch than spaces available, a random selection of patrons will be removed so that the number of patrons will match the number of spaces available. The batch will then run, and any removed patrons will be “failed” for the switch lottery batch.
5. After the switch lottery process has been ran, the results statistics can be viewed on the Switch Lottery Results page.