Self Scheduling Access Sequence

In order to be accessible for self scheduling, the first date of a scheduling period must fall within the self scheduling access period, which starts on or after the Self Schedule Begin Advance Days and ends on or before the Self Schedule End Advance Days values. If it falls in this window, the whole scheduling period is accessible for self scheduling.

When the first date of the scheduling period no longer falls between the Self Schedule Begin Advance Days and Self Schedule End Advance Days, the scheduling period is no longer accessible for self scheduling, even though some days in the schedule period may still fall in the access window.

Accessibility is the same for shift trading/offering, with the difference that the window is included even if the dates are not contained in a schedule period that has a begin date in the window.

When using both the Self-Scheduling and Shift Trading/Offering features, below is the sequence of access time frames. The access periods are calculated from the current date.

1. Self scheduling time frame opens, based on the Self Schedule Begin Advance Days.

   The number of days before the start of a scheduling period that opens that scheduling period for self scheduling.

2. Employees can self schedule, using the Open Self Schedule screen in the employee record. If self schedule groups are used, employees can only access self scheduling during the times set up for their group on the Self Schedule Group Order Table.
3. Self scheduling time frame closes, based on the Self Schedule End Advance Days. The manager review time frame begins on this same date.

   The number of days before the start of a scheduling period that locks that scheduling period from self scheduling. This is intended to allow the manager time to review and post the scheduling period before re-opening it up to employees for shift trading and/or offering.

   Note: If Organization Unit Indicator SS Solution Standard 7 is set to 'N', employees cannot view pending schedules during the manager review period.

4. The schedule is published.
5. The manager review time frame ends, based on the Self Schedule Review Period End Advance Days. Employees can view all self scheduling information.

   The number of days before the start of a scheduling period that the manager review period will end. During the manager review period, you can configure the system to not display pending schedules to self-scheduling employees. The first day of the review period is defined in the Self Schedule End Advance Days field.

6. The time frame opens for employees to transfer and/or offer shifts. Transfers and offers can occur in the same time frame.
   1. Employees can trade shifts, starting with date that is the number of days in advance of the shift date indicated by the Shift Trade Begin Advance Days.

      This value is used to determine the number of days before the start of the next schedule period to identify the first day that an employee can start trading shifts in the next schedule period.

      A common practice is to publish the schedule 14 days before the start of the next schedule period. Therefore, it is common to set this parameter to 14. In this example, an employee will be able to trade shifts anytime in the next schedule period starting 14 days before the next schedule period begins.

   2. Employees can offer shifts, starting with the date that is the number of days in advance of the shift date indicated by the Shift Offer Begin Advance Days. Employees can accept offered shifts up to this same date.

      This value is used to determine the number of days before the start of the next schedule period to identify the first day that an employee can offer shifts in the next schedule period.

      A common practice is to publish the schedule 14 days before the start of the next schedule period. Therefore, it is common to set this parameter to 14. In this example, an employee will be able to offer shifts anytime in the next schedule period up to 14 days before the next schedule period begins.

7. The time frame closes for employees to transfer and/or offer shifts.
   1. Employees cannot trade shifts, starting from the number of days before the shift date indicated in the Shift Trade End Advance Days field.

      The number of days before the scheduled shift that determines when it can be traded.

      Once a trade is submitted, a manager will usually need to review the request. To give managers the opportunity to review the request, enough time has to be allowed between the request and the time the shift is to be worked. A common practice is to allow 2 days to review the request. Therefore, it is common to set this parameter to 2.

   2. Employees cannot offer shifts, starting from the number of days before the shift date indicated in the Shift Offer End Advance Days field.

      This value determines the number of days from today that shifts become eligible to be offered and when any offered shifts are automatically set to cancel if they were not accepted by another employee.

      A common practice is to set this parameter to 2. This means than an employee cannot offer a shift if it occurs within the next 2 days.

      Also, the system cancels any offered shift that has not been accepted by the scheduled shift date less the value of this parameter. For example, if this value is set to 2 and the employee is scheduled to work at 07:00 on the 24th, the offer request must be accepted before 00:00 on the 22nd or the offer request is canceled.

      • When canceling the offered request the User that is associated with the cancellation record is "System".
      • A comment is also added indicating that the request was canceled by the system due to not being accepted in time.
      • A notification is sent to the employee that offered the schedule.

      Note: For more information on setting up the screens for self scheduling, see Feature Configuration> Self Scheduling Configuration.

Examples of Self Scheduling/Trading/Offering