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Manage Rotas ​

Create, configure, and optimize staff schedules.

Overview ​

Manage Rotas provides comprehensive tools for creating and managing staff schedules. Set up recurring patterns, handle special requirements, manage labor budgets, and ensure optimal coverage.

Accessing Manage Rotas ​

Navigate to Rotas & Staff > Manage Rotas

Manage Rotas Overview

Creating New Rotas ​

Quick Create ​

Fast rota setup:

  1. Click Create Rota or +
  2. Select date range
  3. Choose venue
  4. Name your rota (optional)
  5. Save to begin scheduling

Create Rota

Rota Types ​

Standard Rota

  • Regular weekly schedule
  • Typical staffing pattern
  • Predictable needs
  • Most common type

Event Rota

  • Special event coverage
  • One-time occurrence
  • Specific requirements
  • Extra staff needs

Seasonal Rota

  • Busy/quiet periods
  • Holiday schedules
  • Summer/winter changes
  • Adjusted staffing levels

Emergency Cover

  • Unplanned absences
  • Last-minute needs
  • Fill-in scheduling
  • Urgent coverage

Rota Configuration ​

Basic Settings ​

Configure rota parameters:

Date Range

  • Start date
  • End date
  • Duration
  • Recurring pattern (optional)

Venue Assignment

  • Single location
  • Multiple venues
  • All venues
  • Venue groups

Status

  • Draft (work in progress)
  • Published (released to staff)
  • Archived (historical)
  • Template (reusable pattern)

Advanced Settings ​

Shift Rules

  • Minimum rest between shifts
  • Maximum consecutive days
  • Overtime thresholds
  • Break requirements
  • Labor law compliance

Budget Settings

  • Total labor budget
  • Budget per day/week
  • Cost alerts
  • Spending limits
  • Approval thresholds

Notification Settings

  • Auto-notify staff
  • Reminder schedule
  • Change notifications
  • Request alerts
  • Escalation rules

Auto-Scheduling ​

Intelligent Assignment ​

Automated shift allocation:

How It Works

  1. Define requirements (roles, hours, coverage)
  2. System analyzes staff availability
  3. Considers qualifications and experience
  4. Balances workload fairly
  5. Optimizes for cost
  6. Generates draft schedule
  7. Review and adjust
  8. Publish to staff

Optimization Factors

  • Staff availability
  • Role qualifications
  • Experience levels
  • Hour preferences (full-time/part-time)
  • Previous shift patterns
  • Labor costs
  • Rest period compliance
  • Fair distribution

Auto-Scheduling Settings ​

Configure automation:

Preferences

  • Prioritize cost savings
  • Prioritize staff preferences
  • Balance both
  • Minimum experience requirements
  • Maximum hours per person

Constraints

  • Cannot exceed budget
  • Must respect availability
  • Ensure role coverage
  • Minimum staff levels
  • Maximum shift length

Rules

  • Rotate unpopular shifts
  • Distribute weekends fairly
  • Balance day/night shifts
  • Avoid favorites
  • Fair overtime distribution

Manual Scheduling ​

Building Schedules Manually ​

Step-by-step creation:

1. Define Requirements

  • How many staff per shift
  • Required roles
  • Skill levels needed
  • Peak/off-peak coverage

2. Review Availability

  • Staff availability status
  • Time-off requests
  • Existing commitments
  • Preferences noted

3. Assign Shifts

  • Drag and drop (timeline view)
  • Select and assign (list view)
  • Use templates
  • Copy previous week

4. Check Coverage

  • Verify all shifts filled
  • Confirm role coverage
  • Check experience balance
  • Review costs

5. Resolve Conflicts

  • Address warnings
  • Fix overlaps
  • Check compliance
  • Adjust as needed

6. Publish Schedule

  • Final review
  • Publish to staff
  • Send notifications
  • Monitor responses

Templates & Patterns ​

Using Shift Templates ​

Apply predefined patterns:

Template Types

  • Daily templates
  • Weekly templates
  • Monthly templates
  • Event templates

Applying Templates

  1. Select date range
  2. Choose template
  3. Preview application
  4. Adjust if needed
  5. Apply to schedule

See Shift Templates for more details.

Copying Previous Rotas ​

Reuse successful schedules:

Copy Last Week

  1. Select current week
  2. Click Copy From
  3. Choose previous week
  4. Paste to current
  5. Adjust changes

Copy Pattern

  1. Identify pattern to copy
  2. Select source dates
  3. Choose destination
  4. Map changes (if needed)
  5. Apply pattern

Coverage Requirements ​

Setting Requirements ​

Define minimum staffing:

By Time Period

  • Hourly requirements
  • Service period needs
  • Peak vs. off-peak
  • Different day requirements

By Role

  • Number of managers
  • Chef coverage
  • Server quantities
  • Bartender needs
  • Host requirements

By Venue

  • Location-specific
  • Size considerations
  • Event requirements
  • Operating hours

Coverage Dashboard ​

Visual overview:

Metrics Displayed

  • Required vs. scheduled
  • Coverage percentage
  • Under-staffed periods
  • Over-staffed periods
  • Cost implications

Color Coding

  • Red: Under minimum
  • Amber: At minimum
  • Green: Optimal
  • Blue: Over-staffed

Budget Management ​

Setting Budgets ​

Define spending limits:

Budget Types

  • Weekly labor budget
  • Monthly labor budget
  • Per-shift budget
  • Department budgets
  • Venue budgets

Budget Parameters

  • Maximum spend
  • Target spend (ideal)
  • Minimum spend
  • Alert thresholds
  • Approval requirements

Cost Tracking ​

Monitor spending:

Real-Time Costs

  • Total scheduled cost
  • Cost per day
  • Cost per shift
  • Department breakdown
  • Venue breakdown

Comparison Metrics

  • Budget vs. actual
  • Percentage used
  • Remaining budget
  • Projected overage
  • Historical comparison

Cost Optimization

  • Identify expensive shifts
  • Suggest alternatives
  • Reduce overlaps
  • Rebalance coverage
  • Swap high/low cost staff

Overtime Management ​

Control overtime costs:

Overtime Rules

  • Hours threshold (e.g., 40/week)
  • Overtime multiplier (1.5x, 2x)
  • Approval requirements
  • Advance warnings
  • Maximum limits

Alerts

  • Approaching overtime
  • Overtime scheduled
  • Excessive hours
  • Budget impact
  • Alternative suggestions

Shift Swaps & Changes ​

Swap Requests ​

Handle staff swap requests:

Approval Workflow

  1. Staff requests swap
  2. Finds replacement
  3. Manager reviews
  4. Checks qualifications
  5. Approves/denies
  6. Updates schedule
  7. Notifies both parties

Smart Approval

  • Auto-approve matching qualifications
  • Auto-approve similar experience
  • Require approval for junior replacements
  • Block if coverage affected

Emergency Changes ​

Last-minute adjustments:

Common Scenarios

  • Staff calls in sick
  • Unexpected absence
  • Emergency coverage needed
  • Event cancelled/added
  • Weather closures

Quick Response

  1. Identify coverage gap
  2. Check available staff
  3. Send emergency request
  4. First to respond gets shift
  5. Update schedule
  6. Confirm coverage

Publishing & Communication ​

Publishing Schedules ​

Release to staff:

Pre-Publish Checks

  • All shifts assigned
  • No critical conflicts
  • Budget compliance
  • Coverage adequate
  • Staff availability respected

Publishing

  1. Review draft schedule
  2. Run conflict check
  3. Click Publish
  4. Select notification method
  5. Publish immediately or schedule
  6. Staff receive notifications

Post-Publish

  • Monitor confirmations
  • Handle questions
  • Address issues
  • Track acceptance
  • Lock schedule (optional)

Communication Tools ​

Bulk Messaging

  • Message all staff
  • Message specific teams
  • Message by venue
  • Custom recipient selection

Announcement Types

  • Schedule published
  • Changes made
  • Coverage needed
  • Important updates
  • General announcements

Message Channels

  • Email
  • SMS/text
  • Push notifications
  • In-app messages
  • All channels

Compliance & Labor Laws ​

Ensure regulatory adherence:

Working Hours

  • Maximum daily hours
  • Maximum weekly hours
  • Minimum rest periods
  • Break entitlements
  • Young worker restrictions

Rest Periods

  • Between shifts (11+ hours typical)
  • Weekly rest day
  • Consecutive days worked
  • Night shift rules
  • Fatigue management

Record Keeping

  • Shift records
  • Hours worked
  • Break times
  • Overtime records
  • Compliance reports

Compliance Warnings ​

Automatic alerts for:

  • Excessive hours scheduled
  • Insufficient rest periods
  • Missing required breaks
  • Consecutive day violations
  • Minor working violations
  • Overtime limits exceeded

Configure rules in Settings > Labor Law Compliance

Reporting & Analytics ​

Schedule Reports ​

Generate comprehensive reports:

Standard Reports

  • Weekly schedule summary
  • Monthly overview
  • Labor cost analysis
  • Coverage report
  • Overtime report
  • Staff hours summary
  • Department breakdown

Custom Reports

  • Choose parameters
  • Select metrics
  • Configure layout
  • Generate report
  • Export/print

Performance Metrics ​

Track scheduling effectiveness:

Efficiency Metrics

  • Labor cost percentage
  • Revenue per labor hour
  • Staff productivity
  • Coverage efficiency
  • Schedule utilization

Quality Metrics

  • Attendance rates
  • On-time percentage
  • Shift completion rate
  • Swap request frequency
  • Staff satisfaction

Planning Metrics

  • Advance scheduling
  • Template usage
  • Auto-schedule success
  • Budget adherence
  • Compliance rate

Multi-Venue Operations ​

Managing Multiple Venues ​

Coordinate across locations:

Venue Groups

  • Create venue groups
  • Shared staff pools
  • Consistent scheduling
  • Cross-venue coverage

Cross-Location Shifts

  • Staff work multiple venues
  • Travel time considerations
  • Location-based rates
  • Expense tracking
  • Mileage tracking

Consolidated Views

  • All venue overview
  • Compare locations
  • Transfer staff
  • Balance resources
  • Total labor costs

Best Practices ​

Effective Rota Management ​

  1. Plan Ahead - Schedule 2-4 weeks in advance
  2. Be Consistent - Predictable patterns help staff
  3. Fair Distribution - Rotate undesirable shifts
  4. Stay Within Budget - Monitor costs constantly
  5. Communicate Clearly - Early, often, and transparently

Optimization Strategies ​

  1. Peak Staffing - More staff during busy periods
  2. Off-Peak Reduction - Minimize staff during quiet times
  3. Skill Mix - Balance experienced and junior staff
  4. Flexibility - Build in buffer for changes
  5. Staff Input - Consider preferences when possible

Scheduling for Success ​

  1. Right People - Match skills to requirements
  2. Right Time - Schedule based on demand
  3. Right Cost - Stay within budget
  4. Right Balance - Fair workload distribution
  5. Right Communication - Keep everyone informed

Troubleshooting ​

Common Issues ​

Can't Publish Schedule

  • Check for conflicts
  • Resolve warnings
  • Ensure all shifts assigned
  • Verify permissions
  • Check system status

Auto-Schedule Not Working

  • Review requirements
  • Check staff availability
  • Verify qualifications
  • Adjust constraints
  • Try manual override

Budget Keeps Exceeding

  • Review hourly rates
  • Reduce overlap periods
  • Use part-time staff
  • Adjust coverage levels
  • Optimize shift lengths

Staff Not Receiving Notifications

  • Verify email/phone numbers
  • Check notification settings
  • Test notification system
  • Review spam folders
  • Check app permissions

Support ​

Need help with Manage Rotas?

Auto-Scheduling

Use auto-scheduling for baseline coverage, then manually adjust for optimization. This saves time while maintaining control.