Automatic rotas
Repeating patterns make the weeks ahead, fill them with people and can publish them, all by themselves.
Once Rota is set up, it can make your rota by itself.
Repeating patterns
A pattern says which shift templates run on which days, every week or over a cycle of up to 8 weeks. Every night it keeps the next few weeks made as drafts (4 weeks unless you change it in Settings, Automation). Running it again never makes a second copy, and a shift you deleted is not made again.
On each pattern you choose:
- Fill them with people automatically: people are chosen for the open drafts.
- Publish 7 days ahead when nothing needs a look: when every shift in the week has someone and nothing breaks a rule, the week is published a week before it starts. Otherwise managers are told Next week's rota is ready to check.
How people are chosen
Filling looks at the hardest shifts first (those fewest people can work). For each it keeps only people with the job role and location, who are not on time off, not already working, with enough rest since their last shift, and under their weekly hours. It then prefers people who said they prefer that time, who are under their contracted hours, who have worked least lately, and whose shifts sit next to each other. It never puts anyone into overtime unless you allow it in Settings, Pay and rules.
A shift nobody can take stays open, with the reasons, such as "3 on time off, 2 would have too little rest". Nothing is hidden.