Setting up shift patterns allows you to clearly define when your team is available or unavailable. This is a required setting for the scheduling engine, enabling features like suggested appointments and self-service booking. It also ensures that manually scheduled appointments are not booked outside of a user's assigned working hours.
What plan are shift patterns available on?
What plan are shift patterns available on?
Plan name | Client region | Plan includes shift patterns |
Legacy plans | All | No |
-------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
Go Paperless | UK | No |
Customer Journey | UK | Yes |
Automation | UK | Yes |
-------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
All-in-One | US | No |
Customer Journey | US | Yes |
Field Automation | US | Yes |
How to access the shift patterns setting
➡️ Go to your Profile icon → Choose Settings → Locate Schedule and dispatch in the Categories menu → Click View next to Shift patterns
Setting up a shift pattern
➡️ Click Add new shift pattern
Step 1: Basic details
Enter a descriptive name for the shift pattern (e.g. Standard 9-5)
Click continue
Step 2: Shifts
Define the specific working hours for each day of the week.
Click and drag your mouse across the desired time slots in the calendar grid for a specific day
In the side panel, choose the Shift type (Normal or Overtime)
Select the days this shift applies to (you can select multiple days if the hours are the same)
Verify the start and end times
If selecting Overtime, enter the Cost multiplier percentage
Click Save
Repeat this for all necessary shift blocks.
Click Continue
Click here for overtime cost multipler examples
Click here for overtime cost multipler examples
When the Shift type is Overtime, you must enter a cost multiplier as a percentage. This value multiplies against the user's normal cost rate to calculate the overtime cost.
Example 1: Your overtime cost is time and a half
To calculate time and a half, enter 150. For a user with a normal cost rate of 85, the overtime cost would be 85 x 150% = 127.50.
Example 2: Your overtime cost is time and a quarter
To calculate time and a quarter, enter 125. For a user with a normal cost rate of 85, the overtime cost would be 85 x 125% = 106.25.
You can add multiple slots for both normal and overtime within your shift patterns.
Cost rates for overtime are always taken from the user's cost price, which is set in the user's profile. This is found in the business details section.
Made a mistake in the block details? Click it to open the side panel and delete it.
Step 3: Manage breaks
Define any breaks that apply to this shift pattern. The break length is the duration, and the user can take the break at any time within the entered work hours.
Click Add new break
Enter a description (e.g., Lunch)
Set the working hours window during which this break can be taken
Select the duration from the dropdown menu
Click Save
Repeat for all breaks
Click Continue
Step 4: Assign users
Link specific users to this shift pattern.
Click the Please select dropdown in the Name column
Type the user’s name to show search results and select the user
Repeat for any other users on this same shift pattern
Click delete to remove a user from the shift pattern
Click Save
A pop-up will ask if you want to activate the pattern
To activate the shift pattern immediately, type "Activate" into the text box and click Activate
To save the shift pattern as a draft, leave the text box empty and click Save as draft
Changes to the shift, breaks and users assigned can be made once a shift pattern has been made active.
Editing a shift pattern
You can adjust various aspects of an existing shift pattern, including its name, shift times, breaks, and assigned users.
Shift patterns can be freely edited; however, when editing a shift slot in step 2, it must be deleted and re-added.
➡️ Under the Actions column, click Edit
Click on Step 3: Shifts
Click on the time slot you wish to edit on the calendar
Click Delete at the bottom of the side panel
Re-add the block with the desired changes by following the steps in the "Setting up a shift pattern" section above
Click Save
Remember to click Continue through the steps to save your changes.
Deleting or archiving a shift pattern
You can remove shift patterns that are no longer needed. The method depends on whether the pattern has been used historically.
If the shift pattern has not been used
You can permanently delete it and remove it from your system altogether.
➡️ Click Delete → Type "delete" to confirm → Click Delete
If the shift pattern has been used
To preserve historical data, you must archive the pattern instead of deleting it. This removes it from active lists but keeps the records.
➡️ Click Delete → Type "archive" to confirm → Click Archive
Common questions
💭 Are AM/PM/All day events supported within shift patterns?
No, AM, PM and All day events are not supported within shift patterns. This is because the scheduling engine needs to be able to schedule appointments in specific timeslots, and these broader timeframes are not compatible.
💭 Can I assign multiple shift patterns to a user?
No, users can only have one shift patterns assigned at a time. If there's a change to their regular shift pattern, you will need to change the shift pattern in Step 4: Assign users.
🎓 Want more training?
For further training on configuring the scheduling engine, check out the Commusoft Academy.
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