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Scheduling & Rostering

Scheduling & Rostering

Complete guide to employee scheduling, roster management, shift patterns, and availability constraints in Timesheet.

Scheduling & Rostering

Timesheet provides comprehensive scheduling and rostering capabilities designed for Australian businesses. The system supports complex shift patterns, availability constraints, automatic roster generation, and integration with timesheet tracking.

Overview

The scheduling system includes:

  • Roster Management - Create and manage employee rosters
  • Shift Patterns - Define recurring shift templates
  • Availability Constraints - Employee availability and preferences
  • Automatic Scheduling - AI-powered roster generation
  • Shift Swaps - Employee-initiated shift exchanges
  • Compliance Checking - Award compliance and break rules

Key Features

Flexible Scheduling

  • Multiple shift patterns and templates
  • Recurring and one-off shifts
  • Multi-location scheduling
  • Role-based shift assignment

Employee Availability

  • Availability preferences and constraints
  • Time-off requests and approvals
  • Blackout periods and restrictions
  • Automatic conflict detection

Roster Automation

  • Template-based roster generation
  • Demand forecasting integration
  • Fair distribution algorithms
  • Compliance validation

Integration

  • Seamless timesheet integration
  • Award compliance checking
  • Leave balance integration
  • Real-time roster updates

Scheduling Data Structure

Roster Schema

interface IRoster {
  employeeId: ObjectId        // Reference to Employee
  locationId: ObjectId        // Reference to Location Category
  roleId: ObjectId           // Reference to Role Category
  shiftDate: Date            // Date of shift
  startTime: string          // Shift start time (HH:MM)
  endTime: string            // Shift end time (HH:MM)
  breakDuration: number      // Planned break minutes
  status: RosterStatus       // Shift status
  notes?: string             // Shift notes
  createdBy: ObjectId        // User who created shift
  approvedBy?: ObjectId      // User who approved shift
  templateId?: ObjectId      // Reference to shift template
}

type RosterStatus = 
  | "scheduled"    // Shift is scheduled
  | "confirmed"    // Employee confirmed attendance
  | "completed"    // Shift completed with timesheet
  | "no_show"      // Employee didn't attend
  | "cancelled"    // Shift cancelled

Shift Template Schema

interface IShiftTemplate {
  name: string               // Template name
  locationId: ObjectId       // Location for shifts
  roleId: ObjectId          // Role for shifts
  startTime: string         // Default start time
  endTime: string           // Default end time
  breakDuration: number     // Default break minutes
  daysOfWeek: number[]      // Days template applies (0=Sunday)
  effectiveFrom: Date       // Template start date
  effectiveTo?: Date        // Template end date
  isActive: boolean         // Template status
}

Availability Constraint Schema

interface IAvailabilityConstraint {
  employeeId: ObjectId       // Reference to Employee
  type: ConstraintType       // Type of constraint
  dayOfWeek?: number         // Day constraint (0=Sunday)
  startTime?: string         // Time constraint start
  endTime?: string           // Time constraint end
  startDate?: Date           // Date range start
  endDate?: Date             // Date range end
  isRecurring: boolean       // Weekly recurring constraint
  priority: number           // Constraint priority (1-10)
  reason?: string            // Constraint reason
}

type ConstraintType = 
  | "available"      // Employee is available
  | "unavailable"    // Employee is not available
  | "preferred"      // Employee prefers this time
  | "avoid"          // Employee prefers to avoid

Roster Management

Creating Rosters

Manual Roster Creation

Administrators can create rosters manually:

POST /api/rosters
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "employeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "locationId": "location_object_id", 
  "roleId": "role_object_id",
  "shiftDate": "2024-01-15",
  "startTime": "09:00",
  "endTime": "17:00",
  "breakDuration": 30,
  "notes": "Training shift for new employee"
}

Template-Based Creation

Use shift templates for recurring schedules:

POST /api/rosters/from-template
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "templateId": "template_object_id",
  "employeeIds": ["emp1", "emp2", "emp3"],
  "startDate": "2024-01-15",
  "endDate": "2024-01-21",
  "overrides": {
    "2024-01-17": {
      "startTime": "10:00",
      "endTime": "18:00"
    }
  }
}

Bulk Roster Generation

Generate rosters for multiple employees and dates:

POST /api/rosters/bulk-generate
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "locationId": "location_object_id",
  "startDate": "2024-01-15", 
  "endDate": "2024-01-21",
  "shiftRequirements": [
    {
      "roleId": "role_object_id",
      "requiredStaff": 3,
      "shiftPattern": {
        "startTime": "09:00",
        "endTime": "17:00",
        "daysOfWeek": [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
      }
    }
  ],
  "preferences": {
    "distributeEvenly": true,
    "respectAvailability": true,
    "minimiseOvertime": true
  }
}

Roster Status Management

Status Workflow

graph TD
    A[Scheduled] --> B[Confirmed]
    A --> C[Cancelled]
    B --> D[Completed]
    B --> E[No Show]
    C --> F[Rescheduled]
    F --> A

Status Updates

PATCH /api/rosters/{rosterId}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "status": "confirmed",
  "notes": "Employee confirmed attendance via mobile app"
}

Roster Approval Workflow

Approval Process

  1. Draft Creation - Manager creates draft roster
  2. Employee Review - Employees review assigned shifts
  3. Feedback Period - Employees can request changes
  4. Manager Approval - Final roster approval
  5. Publication - Roster published to employees

Approval API

POST /api/rosters/{rosterId}/approve
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "approvedBy": "manager_user_id",
  "approvalNotes": "Roster approved for week commencing 15/01/2024"
}

Shift Patterns

Pattern Types

Fixed Patterns

Regular, repeating shift schedules:

  • 9-5 Weekdays - Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Weekend Shifts - Saturday and Sunday shifts
  • Night Shifts - Evening and overnight shifts
  • Split Shifts - Multiple shifts per day

Rotating Patterns

Shifts that rotate between employees:

  • Weekly Rotation - Different shift each week
  • Monthly Rotation - Different shift each month
  • Seasonal Patterns - Shifts change by season

Flexible Patterns

Variable shifts based on demand:

  • Demand-Based - Shifts created based on forecasted demand
  • Employee-Driven - Employees choose from available shifts
  • Hybrid Approach - Combination of fixed and flexible

Pattern Configuration

Creating Shift Templates

POST /api/shift-templates
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Standard Weekday Shift",
  "locationId": "location_object_id",
  "roleId": "role_object_id", 
  "startTime": "09:00",
  "endTime": "17:00",
  "breakDuration": 30,
  "daysOfWeek": [1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
  "effectiveFrom": "2024-01-01",
  "isActive": true
}

Pattern Rules

  • Minimum Rest - Minimum hours between shifts
  • Maximum Hours - Maximum hours per day/week
  • Consecutive Days - Maximum consecutive working days
  • Break Requirements - Mandatory break periods

Advanced Patterns

Split Shifts

Shifts with breaks longer than standard meal breaks:

{
  "name": "Split Shift - Restaurant",
  "shifts": [
    {
      "startTime": "11:00",
      "endTime": "14:00",
      "breakDuration": 0
    },
    {
      "startTime": "17:00", 
      "endTime": "22:00",
      "breakDuration": 15
    }
  ],
  "totalBreakBetween": 180
}

On-Call Shifts

Shifts where employees are on standby:

{
  "name": "On-Call Weekend",
  "type": "on_call",
  "startTime": "18:00",
  "endTime": "08:00",
  "calloutRate": 2.0,
  "minimumCallout": 3,
  "availability": "phone_contact"
}

Employee Availability

Availability Types

Regular Availability

Standard weekly availability patterns:

POST /api/availability-constraints
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "employeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "type": "available",
  "dayOfWeek": 1,
  "startTime": "09:00",
  "endTime": "17:00", 
  "isRecurring": true,
  "priority": 8
}

Time-Off Requests

Specific dates when employee is unavailable:

POST /api/availability-constraints
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "employeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "type": "unavailable",
  "startDate": "2024-01-15",
  "endDate": "2024-01-19",
  "isRecurring": false,
  "reason": "Annual leave - family holiday",
  "priority": 10
}

Preferences

Employee shift preferences:

POST /api/availability-constraints
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "employeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "type": "preferred",
  "dayOfWeek": 6,
  "startTime": "10:00",
  "endTime": "18:00",
  "isRecurring": true,
  "reason": "Prefers Saturday shifts",
  "priority": 5
}

Availability Management

Employee Self-Service

Employees can manage their own availability:

  • Mobile App - Update availability on mobile devices
  • Web Portal - Full availability management interface
  • Bulk Updates - Set availability for multiple weeks
  • Template Application - Apply availability templates

Manager Override

Managers can override employee availability:

  • Business Needs - Override for critical shifts
  • Approval Required - Employee notification and approval
  • Audit Trail - Complete record of overrides
  • Compensation - Additional pay for overrides

Conflict Resolution

Automatic Detection

System automatically detects scheduling conflicts:

  • Double Booking - Employee scheduled for overlapping shifts
  • Availability Conflicts - Shifts outside available hours
  • Rest Period Violations - Insufficient rest between shifts
  • Maximum Hours - Exceeding daily/weekly hour limits

Resolution Strategies

  • Priority-Based - Higher priority constraints take precedence
  • Manager Review - Flag conflicts for manual resolution
  • Alternative Suggestions - Suggest alternative employees/times
  • Automatic Rescheduling - Move shifts to resolve conflicts

Automatic Scheduling

Scheduling Algorithms

Fair Distribution

Ensure equitable shift distribution:

  • Hour Balancing - Equal hours across employees
  • Shift Type Distribution - Fair mix of desirable/undesirable shifts
  • Weekend Rotation - Rotate weekend responsibilities
  • Holiday Fairness - Equitable holiday shift distribution

Demand Matching

Match staffing to predicted demand:

  • Historical Data - Use past data to predict requirements
  • Seasonal Adjustments - Account for seasonal variations
  • Event-Based - Special events and promotions
  • Real-Time Adjustments - Adjust based on current trends

Constraint Satisfaction

Respect all scheduling constraints:

  • Hard Constraints - Must be satisfied (availability, legal limits)
  • Soft Constraints - Preferred but can be violated (preferences)
  • Weighted Optimization - Balance multiple objectives
  • Iterative Improvement - Continuously improve schedules

Auto-Generation Process

Step 1: Requirement Analysis

POST /api/scheduling/analyze-requirements
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "locationId": "location_object_id",
  "startDate": "2024-01-15",
  "endDate": "2024-01-21",
  "includeHistoricalData": true,
  "considerSeasonality": true
}

Step 2: Employee Pool Selection

POST /api/scheduling/select-employees
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "locationId": "location_object_id",
  "roleIds": ["role1", "role2"],
  "dateRange": {
    "start": "2024-01-15",
    "end": "2024-01-21"
  },
  "includeAvailability": true,
  "includePreferences": true
}

Step 3: Schedule Generation

POST /api/scheduling/generate
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "requirements": {...},
  "employeePool": [...],
  "constraints": [...],
  "objectives": {
    "fairDistribution": 0.8,
    "demandMatching": 0.9,
    "employeePreferences": 0.6,
    "costMinimization": 0.7
  }
}

Step 4: Optimization

POST /api/scheduling/optimize
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "scheduleId": "generated_schedule_id",
  "iterations": 1000,
  "improvementThreshold": 0.01
}

Shift Swaps

Swap Process

Employee-Initiated Swaps

Employees can request shift swaps:

POST /api/shift-swaps
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "originalShiftId": "roster_object_id",
  "requestedEmployeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "reason": "Family commitment on original shift date",
  "offerCompensation": false
}

Manager-Approved Swaps

Managers can approve or deny swap requests:

PATCH /api/shift-swaps/{swapId}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "status": "approved",
  "managerNotes": "Swap approved - both employees qualified for shifts",
  "approvedBy": "manager_user_id"
}

Swap Rules and Validation

Eligibility Checks

  • Role Compatibility - Both employees qualified for swapped shifts
  • Availability - Employees available for swapped times
  • Hour Limits - Swap doesn't violate maximum hour rules
  • Rest Periods - Adequate rest between shifts maintained

Approval Workflow

  1. Employee Request - Initial swap request
  2. Peer Acceptance - Target employee accepts swap
  3. Manager Review - Manager approves/denies swap
  4. System Update - Roster automatically updated
  5. Notifications - All parties notified of outcome

API Endpoints

Roster Management

Get Rosters

GET /api/rosters?startDate=2024-01-15&endDate=2024-01-21&locationId=123

Query Parameters:

  • startDate - Start date for roster query
  • endDate - End date for roster query
  • employeeId - Filter by specific employee
  • locationId - Filter by location
  • roleId - Filter by role
  • status - Filter by roster status

Response:

{
  "rosters": [
    {
      "id": "roster_id",
      "employee": {
        "id": "employee_id",
        "name": "John Smith",
        "pin": "1001"
      },
      "location": {
        "id": "location_id",
        "name": "Head Office"
      },
      "role": {
        "id": "role_id", 
        "name": "Manager"
      },
      "shiftDate": "2024-01-15",
      "startTime": "09:00",
      "endTime": "17:00",
      "breakDuration": 30,
      "status": "scheduled",
      "notes": "Regular shift"
    }
  ],
  "total": 50,
  "summary": {
    "totalHours": 400,
    "totalShifts": 50,
    "employeeCount": 10
  }
}

Create Roster Entry

POST /api/rosters
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "employeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "locationId": "location_object_id",
  "roleId": "role_object_id", 
  "shiftDate": "2024-01-15",
  "startTime": "09:00",
  "endTime": "17:00",
  "breakDuration": 30
}

Availability Management

Get Employee Availability

GET /api/employees/{employeeId}/availability?startDate=2024-01-15&endDate=2024-01-21

Update Availability

POST /api/availability-constraints
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "employeeId": "employee_object_id",
  "type": "available",
  "dayOfWeek": 1,
  "startTime": "09:00", 
  "endTime": "17:00",
  "isRecurring": true
}

Shift Templates

List Templates

GET /api/shift-templates?locationId=123&roleId=456

Create Template

POST /api/shift-templates
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Standard Day Shift",
  "locationId": "location_object_id",
  "roleId": "role_object_id",
  "startTime": "09:00",
  "endTime": "17:00", 
  "breakDuration": 30,
  "daysOfWeek": [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
}

Best Practices

Roster Planning

  • Advance Notice - Provide rosters 2-4 weeks in advance
  • Consistency - Maintain consistent shift patterns where possible
  • Flexibility - Allow for employee preferences and life balance
  • Communication - Clear communication of roster changes

Employee Engagement

  • Self-Service - Enable employee self-service for availability
  • Feedback - Regular feedback on scheduling preferences
  • Fairness - Ensure equitable distribution of shifts
  • Transparency - Clear scheduling policies and procedures

Compliance Management

  • Award Rules - Ensure compliance with modern award requirements
  • Rest Periods - Maintain adequate rest between shifts
  • Maximum Hours - Monitor and prevent excessive working hours
  • Documentation - Maintain records for compliance auditing

System Optimization

  • Regular Review - Review and optimize scheduling algorithms
  • Data Analysis - Analyze scheduling patterns and outcomes
  • Performance Monitoring - Monitor system performance and user satisfaction
  • Continuous Improvement - Regularly update based on feedback

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Scheduling Conflicts

  • Double Booking - Check for overlapping shift assignments
  • Availability Violations - Verify employee availability constraints
  • Role Mismatches - Ensure employees are qualified for assigned roles
  • Hour Limit Breaches - Check daily/weekly hour calculations

Auto-Generation Problems

  • No Valid Solutions - Relax constraints or increase employee pool
  • Poor Quality Schedules - Adjust algorithm weights and objectives
  • Performance Issues - Optimize constraint complexity
  • Incomplete Schedules - Check requirement specifications

Employee Complaints

  • Unfair Distribution - Review fairness algorithms and metrics
  • Preference Violations - Check preference weights and priorities
  • Communication Issues - Improve notification and feedback systems
  • Change Management - Better change communication processes

Next Steps

Employee Management

Complete guide to managing employees, roles, assignments, and profiles in Timesheet.

Timesheet Management

Complete guide to time tracking, clock-in/out functionality, and timesheet reporting in Timesheet.

On this page

Scheduling & RosteringOverviewKey FeaturesFlexible SchedulingEmployee AvailabilityRoster AutomationIntegrationScheduling Data StructureRoster SchemaShift Template SchemaAvailability Constraint SchemaRoster ManagementCreating RostersManual Roster CreationTemplate-Based CreationBulk Roster GenerationRoster Status ManagementStatus WorkflowStatus UpdatesRoster Approval WorkflowApproval ProcessApproval APIShift PatternsPattern TypesFixed PatternsRotating PatternsFlexible PatternsPattern ConfigurationCreating Shift TemplatesPattern RulesAdvanced PatternsSplit ShiftsOn-Call ShiftsEmployee AvailabilityAvailability TypesRegular AvailabilityTime-Off RequestsPreferencesAvailability ManagementEmployee Self-ServiceManager OverrideConflict ResolutionAutomatic DetectionResolution StrategiesAutomatic SchedulingScheduling AlgorithmsFair DistributionDemand MatchingConstraint SatisfactionAuto-Generation ProcessStep 1: Requirement AnalysisStep 2: Employee Pool SelectionStep 3: Schedule GenerationStep 4: OptimizationShift SwapsSwap ProcessEmployee-Initiated SwapsManager-Approved SwapsSwap Rules and ValidationEligibility ChecksApproval WorkflowAPI EndpointsRoster ManagementGet RostersCreate Roster EntryAvailability ManagementGet Employee AvailabilityUpdate AvailabilityShift TemplatesList TemplatesCreate TemplateBest PracticesRoster PlanningEmployee EngagementCompliance ManagementSystem OptimizationTroubleshootingCommon IssuesScheduling ConflictsAuto-Generation ProblemsEmployee ComplaintsNext Steps