The Scheduler allows you to easily assign staff to clients and build your daily roster. Whether you need to quickly schedule routine visits or configure rosters with specific settings, creating a shift is fast and straightforward.
To add a shift, navigate to the Scheduler in the sidebar menu. There are two ways to create a shift: using the fast, inline Quick Shifts popover or using the full shift drawer.
Quick Shifts
Quick Shifts allows you to create routine bookings in seconds without ever leaving the calendar view.
Click on an empty cell on the Scheduler grid corresponding to the time and day of the carer/client you want the shift for.
A small popover will appear, pre-filled with the date and default times.
Fill in the essential details:
Shift Template (Optional): Selecting a template will automatically apply its defaults to all fields.
Client or Staff: Depending on your view mode (Staff View vs. Client View), you will be asked to select the missing person.
Price Book: The system will automatically pre-fill the client's default price book, but you can override this if needed.
Shift Type: Select the appropriate colour-coded shift type.
Start and End Times: Adjust the times if they differ from the default (9:00 AM – 10:00 AM).
Click 'Create Shift'.
The shift will be saved to your calendar.
If you are creating a shift and need more complex options (like adding shift instructions, changing the address, or adding more staff members), simply click 'More options' at the bottom of the popover. This will open the full shift drawer (see below) with all your current details pre-filled.
This feature can be turned on/off for your account by navigating to Account > Settings > Scheduler > Edit and toggling 'Quick Shifts' on or off.
The Shift Drawer
If you want to create a shift the standard way (or you have toggled Quick Shifts off), you can use the full shift creation drawer.
Click the '+ Add Shift' button in the top right corner of the screen or an empty cell on the Scheduler grid corresponding to the time and day of the carer/client you want the shift for.
Fill in the required sections. Read this guide for in-depth explanations of each specific section on the shift details page.
Click 'Save' or 'Save and Publish' in the upper right corner.
To access additional settings and further customise the shift, click 'Advanced edit'.
Scheduler Shortcuts and Right-Click Menus
To make scheduling faster for admin users and coordinators who spend their day building rosters, the Weekly Scheduler includes several efficiency upgrades. These features add faster, fewer-click ways to search, copy, move, and message staff directly from the Scheduler.
Right-Click Menus
Every part of the scheduler has a right-click menu. Instead of clicking into a shift and opening the full details drawer, you can right-click to access quick actions. The menu changes based on what you right-click on:
Empty Cell: New Shift, Paste Shift (only visible if a shift is copied)
Vacant Shift: Add Notes, Advertise by SMS, Cut, Copy, Copy Link, Cancel, Delete, or Assign Staff
Assigned Shift: Add Notes, Message, Cut, Copy, Copy Link, Cancel, Delete, or Edit Shift
The Copy and Delete options instantly perform the action. For recurring shifts, it will prompt you to choose whether you want to copy or delete a single shift or the entire series.
Copy, Cut, and Paste Shifts
The scheduler includes a built-in clipboard, making it easier to duplicate or move simple 1:1 shifts.
Copy: Right-click a shift and select 'Copy'. This picks up everything about the shift (client, time, shift type).
Cut: Right-click a shift and select 'Cut'. This acts as a "move" command. The original shift will display a dashed outline until you paste it into its new location.
Paste: Right-click an empty cell and select 'Paste'. When you paste a shift after copying, it does not instantly drop onto the calendar. Instead, it opens the Quick Shifts popover with all the copied details pre-filled (the shift drawer opens if Quick Shifts is not enabled). This allows you to quickly review or tweak the shift before clicking 'Create'.
Once you paste a shift after copying, your clipboard remains loaded, meaning you can paste the exact same shift into multiple cells without having to copy it again.
Important Note on Group Shifts: Because this feature is designed to speed up standard 1:1 shifts, group shifts (shifts with more than one client or staff member) cannot currently be copied or cut.
Quick Search Palette
You can instantly search and filter your Scheduler using the new command palette. Press Cmd+F (Mac) or Ctrl+F (Windows) (or click the staff/client search bar) to open the palette in the middle of your screen.
Type a name to search for specific Teams, Staff, or Clients.
Use your arrow keys (↑/↓) to move focus from the search bar to the list of results. Once a specific result is highlighted, press the space bar to toggle the checkbox.
You must use the arrow keys to focus on a result first. If you have typed something in the text field, pressing space will simply add a space to your search query.
Press 'Apply' or the Enter key to apply the filter and update the Scheduler. Adjusting the palette does not instantly filter the Scheduler. The calendar only updates when you press Enter or click 'Apply'.
You can easily clear your filters by clicking 'Clear Search’ or removing the filter chips from the search bar.
Advertise by SMS
When you right-click a vacant shift and select 'Advertise by SMS', a compose modal will open.
The system will automatically pre-write a message using the shift's details (e.g., "Hi, a domestic assistance shift on 21st May, 5 am-9 am at 19 Girling Street. Please respond if interested").
You can use the searchable dropdown menu to select specific staff members or teams to send the message to. A live character counter at the bottom will ensure your message stays under the 150-character limit before you click 'Send SMS'.
Message a Staff Member
You no longer have to leave the Scheduler to follow up with a worker on a shift.
If you right-click an assigned shift and select 'Message', the messaging drawer will slide in from the right side of your screen.
From here, you can select the staff member's conversation thread, type your message, and hit send, all without losing your place on the roster.
Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
Use these shortcuts to navigate the scheduler even faster:
For further assistance with Creating a Shift in the Scheduler/Roster, please contact our Support team using online chat when you're logged into ShiftCare, or email our Support team at support@shiftcare.com.