Create and edit a shift
:::tip Many shifts at once? Use the CSV/XLSX Import — download the template, fill it in, and import all shifts in one step. :::
The "Create new shift" dialog is the central input form of the planning area. In it you define property, times, staffing, recurrence and the attendance checks. The same dialog opens wherever shifts are created or edited: on the Planning → Shifts page (calendar), in the Duty roster (matrix), in the Shift list and in the property tab Time tracking.
:::info Prerequisite To create shifts you need Create time tracking, to edit them Edit time tracking. :::
:::note Template, shift, assignment A template is the reusable shift type, a shift the (possibly recurring) series created from it, an assignment the individual occurrence. The "Repeat this shift" toggle turns a single shift into a recurring series — both use the same dialog. :::
The create dialog (2 steps)
Step 1 — choose a template. The "Create new shift" dialog starts with a choice:
- Start without template — create a shift from scratch, or
- choose a template — from the searchable list (adopts the template's property, times and settings as starting values).
Step 2 — fill in the shift. Then complete the form:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Property | Location of the shift |
| Name | Shift name (e.g. "Night shift") |
| Customer order (optional) | Links the shift to a customer order — target services and staffing demand are taken from the order. The field only appears with the LiteBill package. |
| Date / Start / End / Duration | Date and times; duration between 1 minute and 24 hours |
| Assign employees (staffing) | The planned TARGET staffing — with a workload indicator per person ("planned / contract hours" of the week) and warnings for absence or double booking. Alternatively, staff the shift later in the duty roster. |
| Repeat this shift | Toggle → turns the shift into a recurring series (see below) |
"Repeat this shift" (recurring series)
The toggle reveals the recurrence options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Recurrence | Presets Daily, Mon–Fri, Sat–Sun, Weekly or Monthly — with Weekly/Monthly you pick the weekdays or days of the month |
| Repeat every | Interval in days, weeks or months (e.g. every 2 weeks) |
| On public holidays | Treat normally, Skip on holidays or Only on holidays |
| Ends | Never or On date (end date of the series) |
The system automatically generates the assignments of the series for the next 90 days in advance. New assignments are continuously generated afterwards. Duplicate entries are prevented.
The following sections explain the individual settings in detail.
Advanced settings: the attendance checks
"Advanced settings" opens the Attendance checks block. Each row has three states: Standard (inherits the value from the property's shift defaults or the main settings — the dialog shows where the value comes from, e.g. "Standard: … — from property"), Custom values or Off. Without a custom choice the defaults apply — you do not have to configure anything.
Check-in and check-out windows
- Check-in window — how many minutes before/after the shift start a check-in counts as on time.
- Check-in required — enables the evaluation: "Expected are [Minimum/Exact] N check-ins". On deviation, the selected channels are notified: push notification, email, SMS, phone call.
- Check-out window — how many minutes before/after the shift end a check-out counts as on time; optionally "Use check-in requirements for check-out".
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Check-in window: 30 min before | Check-ins from 30 minutes before the shift start count as on time |
| Check-out window: 15 min after | Check-outs up to 15 minutes after the shift end count as on time |
The windows do not restrict when someone may check in — they determine the punctuality evaluation.
Requirements (target check-ins)
The requirement has two modes:
| Mode | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | At least N check-ins must occur; arriving earlier or leaving later is fine | "At least 3 people must check in" |
| Exact | Exactly N check-ins are expected — deviations from the exact times are reported | "Exactly 2 people, no over- or understaffing" |
Without an enabled requirement, every shift automatically counts as successful (simple attendance tracking without evaluation). The evaluation (Successful/Understaffed) is only assigned once the shift reaches the "Completed" phase. A full overview of the evaluation logic is available under Attendance Control.
:::info One target number for everything If the shift is linked to a customer order, the target staffing comes from its staffing demand. The "X of Y staff assigned" indicator in the duty roster, the automatic staffing and the evaluation all use the same target number. :::
Minimum duration
The minimum duration checks whether the attendance was long enough:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Minimum duration per visit | Duration each individual visit (check-in to check-out) must reach. Empty = no check. |
| Minimum total attendance | Minimum sum of all attendance times in the shift. Empty = no check. |
| Grace period (min) | Waiting time after shift end plus auto check-out before the evaluation runs — catches late check-outs and synchronisations. |
Shortfalls are reported after the evaluation. ⚠️ Without an active reaction rule for violations, nobody is notified on a shortfall — the dialog points this out and offers to choose a reaction rule or open the automation.
Auto check-out
Auto check-out if no check-out is recorded — the system checks the person out automatically X minutes after the shift end. If the automatic check-out time falls within the check-out window, the shift counts as fulfilled; outside the window the time is stopped but marked as not fulfilled and a notification may be sent.
Reaction on violation
Determines who is notified how in case of violations (missing check-in/check-out, requirement missed, minimum duration not met). Without a selection, the default ("notify supervision") or the inherited reaction default of the property or tenant applies. "Edit workflow" jumps straight into the workflow editor.
Proof-of-life check-in (lone working)
Requests a proof-of-life check-in from the lone worker at regular intervals during the shift. You set the interval between proof-of-life check-ins and the grace period before escalation; the Reaction on alarm row determines who is notified how on a proof-of-life alarm (without a selection, the standard escalation chain applies). Details: Proof-of-life check-in.
Instructions
Free text shown to the assigned people in the LiteLog app on the assignment — e.g. "collect the key at the gate". The series instruction applies to all occurrences; when editing a single occurrence you can additionally add an instruction "For this day only".
Holiday handling
Define how holidays and special days of the property are taken into account:
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Treat normally | Shifts take place on holidays as usual |
| Skip on holidays | No shift is generated on holidays |
| Only on holidays | Shifts take place exclusively on holidays |
:::warning Maintain holidays in property settings Holiday handling only works if holidays and special days are maintained in the property settings. Without maintained holidays this setting has no effect. :::
Notifications
Configure alarm channels (push, email, SMS, phone call), message templates with placeholders and recipients for this shift. Phone numbers, email recipients and message templates can be created directly from the dialog — without switching to the automation area.
→ Full guide: Notifications & Alarm Channels
Edit an existing shift (scope)
When editing an occurrence of a recurring series, you choose at the top of the dialog what the change applies to:
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| This day only | Creates an exception for this occurrence — other occurrences remain unchanged. Series settings (requirements, channels, auto check-out) are locked in this mode. |
| From this day on | Changes the series from the chosen date — all future occurrences are regenerated. Already completed shifts remain unchanged. |
Past, running or already started shifts (with check-ins) open in a read-only view.
End and resume a series
"End series" lets you set the day of last execution — all planned assignments after that day are cancelled and the series ends. An ended series carries the "Ended on …" tag and can be continued from a chosen date via "Resume series", in its usual rhythm.
Duplicate a shift
Via the context menu of a shift in the calendar (Edit · Cancel · Duplicate) you use an existing shift as the starting point for a similar configuration — then adjust name, times and property. In addition, every recurring shift automatically appears as a template in step 1 of the dialog (and in the calendar's template sidebar).