Schedules & Shifts
Updated
A schedule is a container for shifts, usually for one department or location over a period of time. A shift is one block of work: a service, a start and end time, a location and the people assigned to it.
Creating a schedule
- Open Schedules in the sidebar
- Click New Schedule (or press
⌘ N) - Fill in the details:
- Schedule Name
- Start Date, and an end date if the schedule doesn't run indefinitely
- Department and Location (optional)
- Notes (optional)
- Click Save
Then add shifts one at a time, or set up a recurring pattern to create them for you.
To have Apple Intelligence draft a schedule from a description, click Create with AI instead. See Apple Intelligence.
Filter the schedule list by Department, or by Status (Published or Draft).
Adding a shift
Click Add Shift on a day in the schedule, or New Shift on the Dashboard.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | What the shift is called, for example "Evening Office Clean" |
| Open Shift | Post the shift for eligible employees to request instead of assigning someone. See Open Shifts |
| Service | The kind of work. Sets the billing rate, the estimated duration and which employees can be assigned |
| Start Time and End Time | When the shift runs |
| Break | How long the break is, in minutes |
| Notes | Instructions for the team (optional) |
| Job Site | Where the work happens. By default the shift uses the schedule's location. Choose another location, or No restriction to allow clock-in from anywhere |
Assigning employees
Under Employee Assignment, click Add Employee. You'll only see employees with an active pay rate for the shift's service, so choose the service first.
On Pro and Business, click Suggest Best Matches to have Apple Intelligence rank who's the best fit for the shift.
If someone can't make a shift they're on, click Find Swap Coverage. See Shift swaps.
Recurring patterns
A recurring pattern creates shifts for you on the same days each week, so you don't have to add them one by one.
- Open a schedule and click Add Recurring Pattern
- Give the pattern a name and choose a Pattern Type: Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Rotating or Custom
- Choose the Service, the Start Time, End Time and break
- Pick the Days of Week
- Choose how long it runs:
- Fixed Duration uses the schedule's end date
- Open-Ended keeps going. Kwilio creates shifts a few months ahead, then auto-extends the pattern when it gets close to running out (by default when 30 days are left, adding 3 more months)
- Add the employees to assign to every shift, or turn on Post as Open Shifts to let your team request them
- Check the preview and click Create Pattern
Click Manage Patterns on the schedule to see every pattern, how far ahead it's created shifts and how many days are left. Click Extend to add more months now, or Check & Auto-Extend to extend every pattern that needs it.
Assigning employees in bulk
To put the same people on every shift in a schedule:
- Open the schedule and choose Assign Employees to All Shifts
- Search for and select the employees
- Turn on Replace existing assignments if you want to clear who's already on the shifts
- Click Assign to All Shifts
Employees without an active pay rate for the service can't be selected.
Checking for conflicts
Choose Check Conflicts on a schedule to look for problems:
| Conflict | What it means |
|---|---|
| Double Booked | Someone is on two shifts at the same time |
| Overlapping Shifts | Someone's shifts overlap |
| Excessive Hours | Someone is scheduled for too many hours |
| Insufficient Rest | Not enough time between someone's shifts |
Each conflict has a severity, so you can fix the serious ones first. Compliance rules set the limits for hours and rest.
The schedule also highlights shifts that Need Coverage because nobody is assigned.
The Calendar
Calendar shows every team member's day on one hourly timeline, one row per person. As employees clock in, their shifts update live.
- Use the arrows to move between days, or click today's date to jump back
- Filter by Department, or type a name to find a team member
- Open shifts appear in their own row. Click one to fill it
Editing and deleting
Click any shift to see who's on it, their clock-in and clock-out times, and notes. Click Edit to change it.
To delete a schedule, choose Delete Schedule. This deletes every shift in it.