Staff Scheduling

Create and manage shift schedules, rotation templates, shift swaps, handover notes, and geofencing for location-based verification.

Shift Management

Define the shifts your organization operates and assign staff to them. Navigate to Workforce > Scheduling > Shifts.

Creating a Shift

1. Click Create Shift
2. Enter shift name (e.g., "Morning Shift", "Night Shift", "Weekend Coverage")
3. Set start time and end time (e.g., 08:00 — 16:00)
4. Select applicable days (Monday through Sunday)
5. Set the branch/location this shift applies to
6. Define break duration (e.g., 60 minutes lunch break)
7. Set maximum staff capacity for this shift
8. Click Save Shift

Rotation Templates

For organizations with rotating schedules (e.g., weekly rotation between morning and night shifts), create rotation templates:

1. Navigate to Scheduling > Rotation Templates
2. Click Create Template
3. Name your rotation (e.g., "2-Week Morning/Night Rotation")
4. Define the rotation cycle length (e.g., 14 days)
5. Map each day in the cycle to a shift
6. Set the rotation start date
7. Assign staff groups to rotation slots (Group A, Group B, etc.)

The system automatically rolls the schedule forward, ensuring fair distribution of shift types across all assigned staff.

Assigning Staff to Shifts

Assign individual staff or groups to shifts:

1. Open the target shift from the shift list
2. Click Assign Staff
3. Search and select staff members from the directory
4. Set assignment duration: Permanent, Temporary (with end date), or Rotation-based
5. Staff receive a notification of their new schedule assignment

Shift Coverage View

The coverage dashboard shows a calendar view of all shifts with:

• Color-coded blocks for each shift type
• Staff count per shift vs. required capacity
• Understaffed shifts highlighted in red
• Overstaffed shifts highlighted in yellow
• Gap detection for unassigned time slots

Shift Swaps

Staff can request to swap shifts with colleagues through the self-service portal:

Request Process

1. Staff member submits a swap request specifying which shift they want to swap and who they want to swap with
2. The target colleague receives a notification to accept or decline
3. If accepted, the request goes to the manager/HR for final approval
4. Once approved, both schedules are automatically updated

Admin Approval

Managers can approve or reject swap requests from Scheduling > Swap Requests. Rejection requires a reason that is communicated back to both staff members.

Handover Notes

Enable shift handover notes to ensure smooth transitions between shifts:

1. At the end of a shift, the outgoing staff member writes handover notes (pending tasks, issues, important updates)
2. The incoming staff member receives the handover notes when they clock in
3. The incoming staff must acknowledge receipt of the handover before their shift is marked as started
4. Unacknowledged handovers are flagged to management

Geofencing Setup

Geofencing restricts clock-in to specific physical locations, ensuring staff are actually at their assigned workplace:

1. Navigate to Settings > Geofencing
2. Click Add Location
3. Enter the location name (e.g., "Head Office", "Warehouse")
4. Set GPS coordinates (latitude, longitude) — use the map picker for easy selection
5. Define the allowed radius in meters (e.g., 100m, 200m, 500m)
6. Assign this geofence to specific shifts or branches

When staff attempt to clock in, their GPS location is compared against assigned geofences. Clock-in is blocked if they are outside the allowed radius, with a clear error message showing their distance from the expected location.