Swapping, reassigning and filling shifts when a worker calls in sick

Move a shift to another support worker in a few clicks, open it up for cover when nobody is obvious, and handle swap and drop requests that workers send from the app.

Before you begin

• Assign workers and See matched workers to reassign. Approve swaps to decide swap requests.
• The shift hasn’t started. Workers can only be changed on shifts that haven’t started.

Reassign the shift to another worker

1. Go to Roster → Roster board and select the shift (or open it from Roster → Live shifts on the day).
2. Select Swap or reassign. Workers are ranked by skills, credentials, preferences, distance and continuity, and every option is checked.
3. Select the replacement. A message confirms that the new worker has been sent the shift and the previous worker was told it was taken.
4. On the board you can also drag the shift chip onto another worker’s row.

Open the shift for cover

1. If nobody suitable is listed, select Make it open in the shift panel. The worker is released and the shift becomes open.
2. Select Broadcast to go to Roster → Open shifts with the shift selected.
3. Broadcast it by push and SMS and assign whoever accepts. See Publishing open shifts for workers to accept.

Decide swap and drop requests from the app

1. Workers can offer a shift to the team, ask to drop it, or swap with a colleague from the app. Nothing changes until a coordinator approves.
2. On Roster → Roster board, scroll to Swap and offer-up requests. Filter by Status or Kind (Swap, Offer up, Drop).
3. For a request with status Pending approval, select Approve or Decline.
4. If you decline, enter a Note to the worker (at least three characters) and select Decline. The worker keeps the shift.

Approving a drop or offer-up makes the shift open for cover; approving a swap gives it to the colleague named.

Line up cover when leave is approved

1. When a worker requests leave, go to Roster → Leave requests and open the request.
2. Each affected shift lists Suggested cover. Choose a worker for each shift.
3. Select Approve and assign cover to approve the leave and assign everyone in one step.

On the day

1. Use Roster → Live shifts to see shifts that are Late, Not checked in or Unfilled.
2. Use the call and SMS buttons to reach the worker; each contact is logged on the shift.
3. Select On-call roster to see who is on call.

Tips

• Workers can’t request swaps or drops close to the shift: by default requests close 24 hours before the start, so they will phone you instead.
• The replacement’s hours this week are shown next to their name, which helps avoid overtime.

If something goes wrong

“Workers can only be changed on shifts that haven’t started.”

The shift is in progress or finished. Fix the hours on the timesheet instead.

“This roster period is locked.”

The dates are in a locked roster period. Only people who can lock periods can reassign; ask them, or unlock the period with a reason under Periods.

The replacement is refused because of a credential

If you hold Override credential blocks, an override window opens; give a reason and choose the worker again. See Rostering against qualifications and credential expiry.