Repeating shifts and edit scopes

Many shifts happen on the same days at the same times, week after week. Instead of adding each one by hand, you set up a template. The portal then plans the shifts for you.

This page is for administrators. If you are planning one-off shifts, start with Plan the roster.

Add a template

1. Open Roster, then the Templates tab.
2. Choose Add template.
3. Choose the Shift type.
4. Under Repeats, choose Every week or Every 2 weeks.
5. Tick the Days it happens on.
6. Choose the Start and End times. As with a single shift, an end earlier than the start means the shift ends the next day.
7. Tick the Workers who are on it by default, or leave them empty to start each shift open.
8. Choose the First day. You can also set a Last day. Leave it empty and the pattern carries on until you end it.
9. Add an Admin note if you want one.
10. Choose Add template.

While you fill in the form, Next shifts lists the dates the pattern will produce, so you can check it before you save.

Every 2 weeks

For a fortnightly pattern the form tells you which week is an "on" week, in words like The week of Mon 5 Oct is an on week, then every second week. Check it matches the weeks you mean before you save.

How far ahead shifts appear

The portal plans shifts about 12 weeks ahead and adds more as time goes on. New shifts appear on the Week view like any other shift, marked with a repeat symbol.

Two ways to change a repeating shift

When you open a shift that came from a template and change it, you are asked what the change is for. You have two choices.

This shift. Only this one shift changes. It stops following later changes to the pattern, and it shows Edited so you can see it was changed on its own.

This and all following. This shift and every later one in the pattern change. Before anything happens you see a preview of what will change, and how many shifts that is. You choose Update shifts (the button shows the number) to confirm, or go back.

Some shifts are always left as they are when you choose This and all following:

• shifts you have already edited individually,
• cancelled shifts,
• shifts that have already started,
• shifts that a worker has linked to a shift note.

The preview counts these separately, so you can see what was updated and what was kept, and why. Earlier shifts are never changed.

If you change the date of a shift, the change applies to that one shift only.

Change the whole pattern

On the Templates tab, choose Edit on a template. Use Apply changes from to say the date the change starts. Shifts before that date are not changed. You see the same preview before you confirm.

End a pattern

On the Templates tab, choose End template and pick the Last day. Shifts after that day are cancelled, and they stay on the roster marked as cancelled. Nothing is deleted. The preview shows how many shifts will be cancelled before you confirm.

Cancelling one shift in a pattern only cancels that shift. To stop the whole pattern, end the template.

Ended templates are hidden. Switch on Show ended templates to see them.

Repeating appointments work the same way. See Appointments.