Shift Management
How to create, assign, and manage employee shift schedules with calendar and table views.
Shift Management is the core of the Work Schedule module. It provides the tools you need to build shift schedules, assign employees to specific shifts, and make adjustments as operational needs change throughout the week or month.
Navigation: HR > Work Schedule > Shift Management
Schedule Views
The Shift Management page offers multiple ways to view and interact with the schedule:
Calendar View
The calendar view displays shifts as colored blocks on a weekly or monthly grid. Each block represents one employee's shift on a given day.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Rows | One row per employee |
| Columns | One column per day of the week (or month) |
| Shift Block | A colored block showing the shift type, time, and employee name |
| Color Coding | Each schedule type has a distinct color for easy visual identification |
| Empty Cells | Days with no shift assigned (off days, unscheduled, or leave) |
Table View
The table view presents the same data in a traditional list format:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | The shift date |
| Employee | The assigned employee |
| Department | Employee's department |
| Schedule Type | The shift template applied |
| Start Time | When the shift begins |
| End Time | When the shift ends |
| Break Duration | Scheduled break time |
| Net Hours | Working hours minus break time |
| Status | Confirmed, Pending Swap, or Needs Coverage |
Assigning Shifts
Individual Assignment
To assign a shift to a single employee:
- Click on an empty cell in the calendar view, or click Add Shift in the table view.
- Fill in the assignment details:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | Yes | Select the employee from the dropdown |
| Date | Yes | The date for this shift (pre-filled if you clicked on a specific date) |
| Schedule Type | Yes | Choose from your configured schedule types |
| Start Time | Auto | Pre-filled based on the selected schedule type (can be overridden) |
| End Time | Auto | Pre-filled based on the selected schedule type (can be overridden) |
| Notes | No | Optional notes about this specific assignment |
- Click Save to confirm the assignment.
When you select a schedule type, the start time, end time, and break duration are automatically filled from the template. You can override these values for a specific assignment if needed -- for example, to extend a shift by one hour.
Bulk Assignment
To assign shifts for multiple employees or multiple days at once:
- Click Bulk Assign at the top of the page.
- Configure the bulk assignment:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule Type | Yes | The shift template to apply |
| Date Range | Yes | Start and end date for the assignments |
| Employees | Yes | Select one or more employees |
| Repeat Pattern | No | Apply to specific days of the week (e.g., Mon-Fri only) |
| Exclude Dates | No | Skip specific dates (e.g., public holidays) |
- Click Preview to see the resulting assignments.
- Review and click Confirm to create all assignments.
Bulk assignment will flag conflicts where an employee already has a shift on the same date. You can choose to skip conflicting dates or overwrite existing assignments.
Editing Shifts
To modify an existing shift assignment:
- Click on the shift block in the calendar or the row in the table view.
- Update the fields you need to change (schedule type, times, or assigned employee).
- Click Save to apply the changes.
Reassigning a Shift
If you need to move a shift from one employee to another:
- Open the shift detail.
- Change the Employee field to the new employee.
- Optionally, add a note explaining the reason for the change.
- Click Save.
The original employee's calendar will be cleared for that date, and the new employee will see the shift on their schedule.
Removing Shifts
To remove a shift assignment:
- Open the shift detail.
- Click Delete or Remove Shift.
- Confirm the removal.
The date will return to an unscheduled state for that employee.
Handling Coverage Gaps
A coverage gap occurs when a shift needs to be staffed but no employee is assigned. Common causes include:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Employee on leave | Assign another employee to cover or leave the shift with a "Needs Coverage" status |
| Employee resigned | Reassign the shift or hire a replacement |
| Shift swap not yet resolved | Approve the pending swap request or assign a different employee |
Shifts with a "Needs Coverage" status are highlighted in the calendar view so managers can quickly identify and address gaps.
Publishing the Schedule
After building or modifying the schedule, you may need to publish it so employees can see their upcoming shifts:
- Review all assignments for the period.
- Ensure there are no unresolved "Needs Coverage" flags.
- Click Publish Schedule at the top of the page.
- Employees will receive a notification with their upcoming shift assignments.
Publishing the schedule sends notifications to all affected employees. Aim to publish at least one week in advance so employees can plan their personal commitments around their work schedule.
Best Practices
- Plan one week ahead -- Build the schedule for the upcoming week by the end of the current week. This gives employees predictability.
- Use schedule types consistently -- Leverage your pre-configured schedule types instead of manually entering times for every assignment. This reduces errors and ensures consistency.
- Check for conflicts -- Before publishing, review the schedule for double-bookings, excessive overtime, and coverage gaps.
- Communicate changes promptly -- When a shift change is necessary, update the system and notify the affected employee as soon as possible.
- Balance workload -- Distribute shifts fairly among employees to prevent burnout. The table view can help you compare total hours across team members.