The Shifts feature within iCarol allows administrators to create a schedule of when and how many volunteer or staff users are needed at any given time. Volunteer or Staff users can be assigned to Shifts or can be allowed to sign up for Shifts of their own choosing. Shifts can exist as a single-time period, for example, a Shift today from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., or as a series of recurring times such as every Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., or weekday mornings Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Volunteer-staff users can filter available shifts, sign up for shifts, and view their scheduled shifts. All Shifts are created from Shift Templates, which administrators create and manage. Administrators determine what shifts are needed, when shifts should start, how long the Shift is for, if they should repeat, and how many people are needed for each Shift. 

1. Only users with permission to do so can create shifts
   
2. Every Vols-Staff member (unless they are a Trainee or where removed from this privilege) can assign themselves to shifts they have access to
   
3. You can differentiate between a "normal shift" or "on call/support worker" shift and specify credit hours for serving the shift (which may be different than the actual hours of the shift).
   
4. Once set up they will appear on the shift calendar in iCarol.
   
5. Shift preferences can be set up by clicking Admin Tools in the left-hand menu to control when people can sign up for (or un-register from) shifts, what type of automatic email notifications you want to enable and much more.
   
6. Additional email notifications related to Shifts are configured on the Notifications panel in each users Vols-Staff profile
   

Shift Settings

The settings controlling the Shifts area of iCarol are all located by clicking Admin Tools in your left side menu, then clicking the 'Shifts' tab. In addition to the settings shown here, there are additional settings related to Shifts for each user on their Advanced Security Settings page in their vols-staff profile.

Important Note: In 2024, iCarol released an update to the Shifts feature within iCarol. This update includes a mobile responsive design, modernized and simplified workflows, and enhancements for filtering and viewing the Shift Calendar.  iCarol Support is working with individual customers to upgrade their Shifts to the new functionality. Please reach out to iCarol Support if you are interested in an upgrade. The instructions below are specific to the Shifts upgrade. If your iCarol system has not yet been upgraded, please view the legacy Shifts knowledge base articles. 

Managing Shift Templates

How to Add a new Shift Template

1. Logging into iCarol as an Administrator or user with permission to create Shift Templates

2. Click on “Shifts” from the left menu

3. Click on the “text” gear icon from the top right of the Shifts pag

 

4. From the drop-down list of menu options, click “Add Template”

5. The “Creating Shift Template” menu will open, with various options and settings for the new Shift Template. The Options and Settings include:

a. Shift Name: The Name of the Shift that will display on the Shift Calendar

b. Color: The color of the Shift will appear on the Shift Calendar

c. Icon: The icon the Shift will have on the Shift Calendar

d. Program: The Program of the Shift. (Note: Program assignment only applies to those using Programs within iCarol.

e. Date and Time: The options under Date and Time include the:

i. Start Date (or first Date of the new Shift) (Tip: Enter the date using numbers or click on the Calendar icon   to choose from a Calendar)

ii. Start and End Time (Tip: Enter the hours and minutes using numbers or click on the Clock icon   to choose from a drop-down list.)

iii. Duration (hours) & (minutes): The Duration will automatically be calculated based on the Start and End time. Entering a duration before the End Time will also automatically calculate the End Time. (Note: You may use the up/down selection arrows, or type in a number)

iv. Shift Repeats: If the Shift should repeat, click on “This shift will repeat on multiple days”, this will open additional scheduling options:

 

1. Days: allowing you to choose the additional days of the week you wish this Shift to repeat on

2. Ends: allowing you to choose when the Shift should end. 

a. Choose “never” if this Shift should always exist. (Note: End Date will display at mm/dd/yyyy)

b. Choose “end of the month” to automatically set the end date to the last day of this month

c. Choose “specific date” to choose your own End Date, such as the end of the next month, the quarter or year (Tip: Enter the date using numbers or click on the Calendar icon to choose from a Calendar)

f. Shift details: are the options to future configure the Shift Template

Credit hours for serving the Shift:

1. When using Shift Credits (Link), this amount will be credited to the Volunteer-Staff user for this Shift
   

2. Worked: To include the Shift in hours worked calculations, this setting must be enabled
   

3. Paid: When using the Paid shifts, this will identify if this is a paid shift or not
   

4. Number of Workers Needed: The number of volunteer-staff users who are needed and can sign up for this Shift, the minimum is 1, but it can be any number
5. Type of Shift: Normal Shift which is worked by volunteer-staff users (default), or On Call / Support Worker
6. Default Assigned Worker: List of Volunteer-Staff users who will be assigned to this Shift by default. (Note: Only one (1) Default Assigned Worker can be assigned per Shift Template)
7. Training: Identifies if this is a Training Shift (link). (Note: Training Shifts require a trainer to sign up first, which then allows trainees to sign up)
8. Shift for: When subscribed to additional iCarol features such as Live Chat Messaging (link), SMS Messaging(link), or Online Forms (link) this option will be available and allow the staffing of this Shift to control if the messaging portal or online form is available to the public.

6. Once you have selected all settings and options for the new Shift Template, click the “+ Create Shift Template” button, or click “Cancel” to discard

 

Note: Clicking on “Settings” is a quick link to the Admin Tools area.

Example: New Shift called “Weekday Mornings” that starts on January 3, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. and will repeat on the Calendar Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday until the end of the year. This Shift also is included in hours worked reports, needs 2 workers, and is a normal shift.

How to View and Edit Existing Shift Templates

1. Apply any Calendar Filters you wish to use, such as “Include shifts that do not repeat” or “Include shifts that are no longer active”
   
2. Sort by any header by clicking the header name
   
3. Filter any column by clicking the  “filter” icon in the header, and apply any filters such as “Contains”, “Starts with”, etc. Click Clear or Apply to apply the filter to the template list
   

6. To edit a Shift Template, click anywhere in the Shift Template row to open the Shift Template window

TIP: To return to the Shift Calendar, click on “Shifts” from the left menu.

Editing an Existing Shift Template

When editing an existing Shift Template, all existing settings and configurations will be displayed to you in the Shift Template window. In addition, the total number of Future Assignments and Past Assignments will be displayed at the top of the Shift Template window.

 

 

Once a Shift Template has a shift assignment, only settings that will not impact future or past assignments may be updated. These include:

• Name
  
• Color
  
• Icon
  
• Shift End settings
  
• Credits
  
• Include in Shift and hours worked
  
• Paid
  
• Number of workers needed
  

Settings that could impact assignments, such as start date, start/end time, repeating pattern, program, default worker and Shift types may not be changed.

TIP: If you need to change a Shift Template setting for a shift with assignments, consider setting the Shift to “inactive” and creating the Shift.

Managing and modifying individual Shifts

Supervisors and administrators can modify individual shifts in a few limited ways. Modifying an individual Shift will not change the shift template, and changes will only apply to that one individual Shift.

 

Modifications that can be made to individual shifts include:

• Changing the Start and End Time
  
• Changing the Credits
  
• Marking shifts as paid
  
• Increasing or decreasing the workers needed
  

 To modify an individual Shift:

1. Log into iCarol as a supervisor or administrator
   
2. Click on “Shifts” from the left menu
   
3. Click on the Shift to modify, then modify:
   
1. Change the start time or end time
   
2. Increase/decrease the shift credits
   
3. Check the box to mark the Shift as paid
   
4. Click on “Increase workers needed” to add shift worker slots                                                                                                                                                                                                             
   
                  

5. Click on the trash icon  to remove a shift worker slot 

4. Click “Close”
   

Note: Changes made to the individual Shift, will be instantly saved.

Setting a Shift to Inactive

If the Shift Template you are setting to inactive has one (1) or more Future Assignments, you will be notified of this, and asked how you would like to proceed.

Choosing “Close and archive this template”, the worker will be removed from the future Shift, and all future shifts will be removed from your Shift Calendar.

Choosing “Cancel” will cancel the inactivation request.

Deleting a Shift Template

The  “Delete” button will be available when editing a Shift Template if no one has ever been assigned to Shift using the Template. If the Shift Template has one or more workers assigned in the past or future, the Shift Template can only be inactivated.