What is Flexible Shift Scheduling?

1. The ability for any user to create their own ad hoc shifts is a feature called "Flexible shift scheduling" and can be turned on by the iCarol Support Team upon request.
2. It allows users who are not Admins or Supervisors to:
1. create one-time shifts in the future, on whatever day they want with their own start and end times, as long as the shift calendar time period is open to them, and are not at defined maximum staff level.
2. modify the start and end time of an existing, open shift on the calendar (optional).
3. The shift name is automatically set to “Self-created shift”, and the person who created it will automatically be assigned.
4. (iCarol won’t let someone self-create a shift that would conflict with an existing shift to which they are assigned).
5. If your agency uses Programs, and the person belongs to one or more Programs, they can also indicate which Program the shift is for.
6. Once created, the shift is treated with all the normal shift features (email reminders, substitutions, unregistration windows, etc). The only exception is that if someone un-registers themselves from a self-created shift, it also deletes the shift.
7. If you are using Flexible Shift Scheduling, Admins and Supervisors can still create, modify and delete one-time and recurring shifts as usual.
8. Statistics and reports about shifts will also include self-created shifts.
9. When turning this feature on, your input is needed on the following controls to ensure that users cannot create these flexible shifts in ways that might exceed your agency's capabilities: 
1. Maximum number of concurrent shifts allowed (This prevents people from self-creating a shift that would exceed the capacity of your phone room) NOTE: a normal shift can only be concurrent with an On Call Shift, not a Messaging (Normal) shift.
2. Maximum length of a flexible shift (in hours and minutes),
3. Earliest hour of the day on which a flexible shift may start (if your phone lines are not answered 24 hours a day)
4. Latest hour of the day by which a flexible shift must end (if your phone lines are not answered 24 hours a day)
5. Whether or not the person can actually modify the start and end times of an existing, open shift on the calendar.
1. If an existing open shift can be modified by the user, decide whether or not iCarol should create new open shifts for the remaining time frames of the original shift.
6. Decide if current and future calendar days should always be colored green (even if all of the existing shifts on a particular day are taken). This is recommended if your agency doesn’t have a set pattern of recurring shifts set up by an Admin or Supervisor, and uses only Flexible Shift Scheduling.
   

1. Click on "Shifts" in the right hand menu.
2. Look up and select the day that you want to add your shift in
3. Click on the "Add a new shift" button.
4. It opens up a screen that pre-polulates some information that cannot be edited and gives the opportunity to fill out the following shift details:
1. Program (if applicable for your ageny) allows you to specify what program this shift is for - or choose "all programs".
2. Shift Name – The Shift name is automatically called "Self Created shift" 
3. Start Time and Duration – The time that the shift will start, and how long it will last (in Hours:Minutes format – so “1:30” means 1 hour and 30 minutes). Please note that there may be system controls available that limit the time frame and the maximum of shift length allowed. 
4. Person assigned - the system automatically assigns you to the shift you created.
5. Click on the Add Shift(s) button to put this shift on the calendar, or Cancel to keep the calendar the way it is without this new shift.

Troubleshooting: Unable to create a new flexible shift

If you get the following message while trying to create a new shift: “There are already X shifts during that time. To prevent later sign-up that would exceed the maximum shift capacity, please ask the staff to remove one of them before proceeding”.

It means that you tried to schedule the shift outside pre-defined parameters set by your agency. This is a safeguard to prevent users from creating shifts that fall outside of the capacity of the agency. The system controls the maximum amount of concurrent shifts, the time frame window and a maximum length of shift that you can create.

Please enter a  different time or shift length and try again or contact your Admin for details on the rules.