Linked Shifts

  1. What are Linked Shifts?
  2. Linked Shift in Shift Pattern Manager
  3. Linked Shifts in the live rota
  4. Linked Shifts in the Allocation Wizard and Web Bookings

What are Linked Shifts?

When two shifts are Linked if a staff member is entered as the Confirmed Person in the parent shift that same person will automatically be added into the child shift. Shifts are initially linked in the Shift Pattern Manager but do not have to have a Default Person assigned at this stage

💡What are parent and child shifts? The parent shift is the first in the sequence of the linked shifts and will always come before the child shift. If you want to link a morning and afternoon shift to ensure the same person works both the morning shift will have to be the parent.

Linked Shifts in Shift Pattern Manager

The link between shifts can only be created in the Shift Pattern Manager, to create the link select the first shift in the link, or parent shift, double click to edit the shift and click on the Linked Shift tab

Type in the Shift Code for the shift you would like to link. This shift will then become the parent shift, the link can only be edited on the parent shift, ticking Make the linked shift the parent shift will mark the second shift in the link as the parent

💡The Shift Code is a unique code automatically assigned to every shift created in the Shift Pattern Manager and is found in the Code column

Once the Shift has been Linked you will be able to see the Link on both shifts by going to Linked Shift in the Edit Shift window:

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Linked shifts in the live rota

Linked Shifts can be identified on the Live Rota by opening the shift and clicking on Linked Shifts, this will give you information on what shift it is Linked to:

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If you want to manually add a staff member to a Linked Shift you will be informed that staff member has also been added to the Linked Shift:

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Removing a staff member from a Linked Shift will trigger a notification asking you if you would like to remove the staff member from the second shift:

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Linked shifts in the Allocation Wizard and Web Bookings

If a staff member tries to book or log availabilities for a Linked Shift they will be warned the shift is linked and they will be put into both shifts and asked if they want to continue:

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When a staff member has been allocated a parent shift via Web Bookings they will automatically be assigned the child shift. 

If you are running the Allocation Wizard, either personnel or availability, there is a setting in the Fairness and Allocation screen called "do not assign linked shifts if not worked by the same person" this will stop the system allocating a staff member a parent shift if they cannot work the child shift, or vice versa