Shift Templates and Patterns
Templates save your usual shift times. Patterns put templates on days of the week and generate draft shifts for chosen workers over a date range. They are two separate pages.
Last checked against the product:
Before You Start
Who can do this, and where.
Before you start
- Agency console: the Admin access level, a super admin, or the Coordinator preset (anyone who can create and change shifts).
- Client dashboard: the Admin role (tenant_admin) only.
- Make templates first. A pattern is built from templates.
Templates or Patterns?
Two different jobs.
| Template | Pattern | |
|---|---|---|
| Page | Agency console and client dashboard: Schedule > Templates | Agency console and client dashboard: Schedule > Patterns |
| Holds | A name, start and end time, break and colour. No days. | Which templates run on which days of the week, for one client and site. |
| Makes shifts? | No. You pick it when you add a requirement or shift. | Yes. Generate Shifts creates draft shifts for the workers and dates you choose. |
Create a Template
Schedule, Templates.
Open Templates
Agency console: Schedule > Templates. Client dashboard: Schedule > Templates. You can also click Manage Templates on the Shifts board.
Fill in Add Shift Template
Enter the Template Name (for example Early Shift), Start Time and End Time. An end time before the start time is an overnight shift. Add the Break (minutes) and pick a Color.
In the agency console, choose a Client (optional) to keep the template to one client, or leave it for all clients.
Save
Click Create Template. It appears under All Templates with its paid hours and how many shifts use it.
To change one, click Edit, make the change and click Save Changes. Shifts already made keep their own times. To stop using one, click Disable. It stays on the list and can be turned back on with Enable.
Use a Template
On the Shifts board.
Create a Pattern
Schedule, Patterns.
Open Patterns
Agency console: Schedule > Patterns. Client dashboard: Schedule > Patterns. On the Shifts board the link is Recurring Patterns.
Fill in Create Pattern
Enter the Pattern Name (for example Standard Week). Choose the Location (and in the agency console the Client).
Tick the weekly schedule
Under Weekly Schedule, tick the template or templates to run on each day. Leave a day empty for no shift.
Save
Click Create Pattern. It shows under Saved Patterns, where you can Disable, Enable or Delete it.
Generate Shifts
Turn a pattern into draft shifts.
Pick the pattern and dates
Under Generate Shifts from Pattern, choose the Pattern, the From date and the To date. They default to next week.
Pick the workers
Tick the Workers, or click Select all / none.
Generate
Click Generate Shifts. A message says how many shifts were made and how many were skipped.
Check and publish
Open Schedule > Shifts for that week. The shifts are drafts, so nobody has been told. Check them, then click Publish All Drafts.
Limits
Worth knowing.
Troubleshooting
Common messages.
| You see | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Select at least one shift template for at least one day." | Tick at least one template in the weekly schedule. |
| "No shift templates yet." | Create a template on Schedule > Templates first. |
| "Select at least one worker." | Tick the workers to generate for. |
| Some workers were skipped | They were not eligible on those dates. Open the day on the Shifts board to see why. |
Know who turned up, and pay every hour right.
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