Quick Shift Templates

 What is a Quick Shift Template?

Quick shift templates are premade shifts with a set start and end time that you can easily add into you schedule to quickly add shifts for staff. You can set a single shift or a split shift template.
 

These templates are meant to be frequently scheduled shift patterns that can be quickly added to your schedule. For a business that is open in the evenings or hold evening performances this might be a regular evening shift from 4pm - 11pm. To insert a quick shift template hover over any empty space in a staff member's schedule under Manage Shift Schedule.

Creating a Template

To start adding quick shifts, first you will need to set up you template details, including a title for your template that will make it easy to recognise. For an evening shift this could be ‘Night bar shift’ of 'Evening (busy)'. 

Then you can start adding in shifts, you must add a start and end time for your shifts. It is worth considering that these template shifts are meant to help you add quick single shifts (utilising frequently used times of day for your business). They will only apply to one staff member for one day (unless you select: add following day for overnight shifts). Common quick shift templates people might create might look something like this:

Mid Shift: 12:00 - 21:00
Opening Shift: 7:00 - 16:00
Evening shift: 16:00 - 22:00

These would all be separate templates and are examples of simple, but frequently used shifts, and wouldn't need to consider the linking or following day options.

Once you are happy, save your shift. From the 'Manage Quick Shift Templates' page you can quickly view, edit and copy templates across your current venues. 

Split Shifts

A helpful feature you can utilise when creating a template is the option to build a split shift. A split shift is used when a staff member has their workday divided into two or more distinct working periods. This might be separated by a gap or unpaid break period. 

When creating a template there is the option to link shifts. To link shifts for split shifts all that is needed is for both of the times to be added to the template and the Linked Shifts option set to Yes.  

When choosing the template on the Schedule View the system will automatically add both of the shifts in the template and link them together. If you have selected link shifts that will apply to all shifts.

Following day template

Quick Shift Templates now includes an option that allows the template to run across the following day. This allows for shifts that run overnight. For example, if a staff member was doing a 24-hour shift, you would first need to create two shifts and choose link the shifts option. Then, once added, select the following day option for the shift that will follow the earlier shift. This makes it clear which order your shifts will to go in and that they are being added to the correct day. 

An example of this for a 24-hour overnight shift might be 11pm - 8am and then the second shift is 8am - 11pm, with the second shift using the following day tick box. You will also want to select the linked shift option so the same staff member works all shifts.

Adding this as a template can be really helpful, like a split shift. Once it is in your templates, you can quickly add this with one click for an overnight shift (if you are not using the pay item option).

Copying Templates

Additionally, when you go to view your Quick Shift Templates (whilst editing under a Venue Group) there is a copy button. When pressed it will allow you to select a different venue to apply this to. This is helpful if you are wanting to copy your templates in bulk across to other templates

Adding Templates to your schedule

Once created, you can go back to Manage Shift Schedule schedule and quickly add these template shifts to a staff member’s schedule. To add a shift in Schedule View click on an empty space on the schedule and an option to add a shift will appear. 

The Quick Add option will show a drop down of all your saved schedule templates for easy access. 

It is important to note that, depending on what shifts are already scheduled in the system, you can only add a shift template that does not clash with those shifts.

If a shift is already assigned to a staff member you can assign it to another by selecting the shift transfer button. Under the ‘change to’ button, you can assign the extra/offered shifts to any suitable staff member or a specific staff member within a specific group. 

*Important to note - This is not the same as the templates you build in schedule creation, which have greater detail and fill options and can add . Quick shift templates can also take place over several days. You can find more information about them here.