MB-230 Practice Question: Configure Representative Experience and Routing
A customer service manager wants to ensure that when a case is escalated to the 'Tier 2' queue, it is automatically assigned to the agent who has been idle the longest, rather than the agent with the fewest active cases. Which queue assignment method should you configure?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse longest idle with round robin, assuming both distribute evenly, but only longest idle explicitly tracks idle duration.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
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Longest idle
The longest idle assignment method routes work to the agent who has been idle for the longest period. This ensures equitable distribution of cases and prevents agents from being overburdened while others remain underutilized. Round robin and highest capacity focus on rotation or capacity, not idle time, and preferred agent routing is based on customer-agent relationships. Only longest idle directly addresses the requirement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Preferred agent
Why it's wrong here
Preferred agent routing assigns work based on a predefined relationship between the customer and a specific agent, such as an account manager. It does not consider idle time. This method is used for personalized service, not for equitable distribution based on idle duration, so it does not satisfy the scenario.
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Highest capacity
Why it's wrong here
Highest capacity assigns work to the agent with the greatest available capacity, often based on the number of active sessions or cases. It does not factor in idle time. An agent who just became available might have high capacity and receive the case, even if another agent has been idle longer. This fails the stated requirement.
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Round robin
Why it's wrong here
Round robin distributes work evenly in a fixed rotation, but it does not consider how long an agent has been idle. It simply cycles through available agents in order, which could assign to an agent who just finished a case while another has been waiting longer. This does not meet the requirement of selecting the longest-idle agent.
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Longest idle
Why this is correct
Longest idle is designed to assign work to the agent who has been waiting the longest without an assignment. This directly matches the manager's requirement to prioritize idle time over case count. It helps balance workload by ensuring agents who have been available longer get the next case, improving fairness and reducing agent burnout.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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