Adding a Group Shift

Overview

You can add different types of shifts in Astalty, including

• Direct supports (1:1 Supports),

• Group supports (Supports with multiple Participants),

• Shift (internal/non-support activities),

• Breaks (Meal breaks).

Each shift can be configured with time, Participant, and Support Worker details, along with

travel, charges, and other relevant information.

How to Add a Group Support

Navigate to the Schedule

• From the left-hand menu, click Schedule.

• On the right-hand side of the screen, click Add Shift.

Select the Support Type

Choose from the following options:

• Direct Support – For one-on-one supports.

• Group Support – For supports involving multiple Participants.

• Shift – For internal or non-support activities (e.g., administrative work in the office).

• Break – For meal breaks or other scheduled breaks.

Set the Time and Date of the Scheduled Support

• Use the date and time picker to select the start time and date.

• Choose whether the support repeats (weekly, fortnightly, or monthly) and set an end date.

Select the Support Type

Options include Personal Care, Community Access, In-Home Supports, Training and more.

Select the Group Support Name

After choosing the support type, write in the name of group. Example: “Craft Group” as shown in the image below.

Set the Charge Item Set

Choose the Charge Item Set that contains the charge items you’ll be billing from for this group. This determines how the support will be invoiced.

Select the Group Support Address

Pick the address where the group is actually located.

• This will be different from the Participant’s address.

• Use the location of the group venue, not the individual Participant’s home address.

Assign Support Workers

Supports can be created without assigning Support Workers by selecting Create Unassigned Shifts and entering the Number of Shifts. This ensures there are enough shifts available to be allocated to Support Workers later.

Select the worker or workers delivering the support. For larger group supports, you are also able to roster in various ratios, such as 2:5 ratio. This is achieved by assigning Support Workers to specific Participants — this can be done in a later step.

Meal break

Indicate if there is a paid meal break; if selected, this will appear in the shift details for the support worker(s).

Selecting Participants

When scheduling a group, you can choose from all Participants in your Astalty account. Participants will appear in a list, and you can use the search function to quickly find and add specific individuals to the group.

Once the Participants have been selected, you can assign Support Workers from the drop down menu next to each Participant (assuming Support Workers have been assigned to the Support in the earlier steps).

When Support Workers are assigned to Participants, Astalty automatically applies the correct charge ratio for each Participant based on the number of Participants being supported.

Group Travel

Configure Travel (Optional)

To add the various types of travel, simply press Add Travel.

You have the option to set travel to the support, during the support, and from the support. As well as specify the driver, distance, and estimated duration.

When creating travel to and from the support, you can assign both:

• Duration – The anticipated travel time (in minutes).

• Distance – The estimated distance (in kilometres) between the start point and the destination.

Travel type – To Support

Used to record travel from the starting point (e.g., the worker’s location or first Participant’s home) to the support venue. Includes both duration and distance fields.

Travel type – During Support

Used to record travel that occurs while the support is taking place (e.g., between activities or locations). This field only allows you to enter distance in kilometres. It helps when budgeting for kilometres per shift and gives the Support Worker a clear indicator of expected travel during the shift.

Any travel recorded under Travel Type – During Support will be automatically shared between all Participants assigned to that travel type.

Travel type – From Support

Used to record travel from the support venue to the final destination (e.g., a Participant’s home). Includes both duration and distance fields.

For group supports, travel can be configured for complex arrangements. For example, a Support Worker might pick up one Participant on the way to the group, transport all four Participants during the group, and then drop home two Participants afterwards. You can also assign different support workers to handle specific Participants for pick-up and drop-off, which is especially useful for larger, more complex groups.

See the image below for an example of how this can be organised. In this example, three of the five Participants are to be transported to and from the group, with details added for additional context.

The image below shows how travel details appear in the Support Worker app.

Add Support and Admin Details

• Support Details – Visible to support workers.

• Admin Details – Visible only from the desktop application.

Set Charges

• If billing from a Charge Item Set, configure automatic charges. For example, you would like to bill from the Community Access 04, Charge Item Set.

• For other billing types (e.g., respite, SIL), you may wish to set up manual charges.

• If Capital Centre Costs apply to this support, select the option in this list. There's more information on Capital Centre Costs here.

Additional Charges

Add any Additional Charges (e.g., non-face-to-face work) using the drop-down. Enter details such as quantity, claim type, description, and any extra notes, then click Add Charge.

Create the Shift

• Once all details are complete, click Create to save the shift.

Duplicating a Group Support

Cloning Support allows you to quickly create a duplicate of an existing scheduled event, including all shift details. This is especially helpful when adding a new activity for an existing group while keeping the same support workers and any consistent information — such as transport, support ratios, and location.

• Open the Support you want to duplicate

• Click Actions

• Select Clone Group Support

• Update any details that need to be changed (such as date, time, location, etc.)

• Once all updates are complete, click Create at the bottom of the pop-out

Editing a Group Shift

Editing Shift Details

To make changes to a Group Support, open the relevant Support and select Update Details.

You can edit the following fields:

• Group Support Name

• Support Type

• Start and End Times

• Group Support Details

• Admin Details

After updating the required information, click Update to save your changes.

Adding Notes to a Support

You can add Notes to a Support by selecting Add Note.

Enter the required information (you can also upload documents if needed) in the space provided, and then click Done.

The Note will now appear under Supports Involved.

If any changes need to be made to the Note after it has been added, you can click on the three dots next to the Note and select Edit Note.

You can continue to add more Notes if required by following these steps again.

Adding Support Workers after the Support is Created

If Support Workers were not assigned to Participants when the Group Support was created, you can assign them later by following these steps:

• Open the support.

• In Supports Involved, select a Participant to check whether a Support Worker has been assigned.

• If no Support Worker is assigned, click Actions for {Participant Name}.

• Select Assign Support Worker.

• Choose a Support Worker from the dropdown list (limited to those already assigned to the shift), then click Assign Worker. The Support Worker will then be displayed on the Supports Involved for the Participant.

• To reassign a Participant to a different Support Worker, click Actions for {Participant Name} again and select Update Support Worker.

• A pop-up will show the current assignment. Select a new Support Worker from the dropdown list and click Update Worker to save your changes.

• You can also remove the Support Worker and leave the Participant unassigned by selecting Remove Assignment.

Updating Participant Specific Details

Each Participant in a Group Support can be managed individually.

To update their details, select the Participant’s name and click the Actions button. From here, you can:

• View Participant Profile

• Assign a Support Worker

• Cancel Support (This action applies only to the selected Participant)

You can also add Notes specific to this Participant by selecting the Notes tab, and entering a Note following the same process as listed above for adding Notes to a Support.

Managing Charges for a Participant

You can delete individual line items within the Group Activity if they are not relevant to a Participant by clicking the three dots next to the Charge and selecting Delete.

To set custom Charges for a Participant, select Create Charge. This opens a pop-out window where you can choose specific Charge Items from within the Participant’s current Services. This is especially useful when a Participant requires billing from a different funding category.

Updating Support Worker Shift Details

Once a Support Worker has been assigned to the Support, you can update additional shift information. Available actions include:

• Add Break

• Clock In

• Unassign Support Worker

• Contact Support Worker

  • A pop-out will display their mobile number, allowing calls directly from your device (if supported).

• Publish / Unpublish Shift

• View Approval Details

• Delete Shift

  • You cannot delete the last shift - Shifts can only be deleted if it is not the last remaining shift assigned to a support.

Updating Travel for a Support

To adjust the Travel associated with a Support, select Travel at the top of the Support. Then click Update Group Travel to make any required changes.

Once you’ve finished editing the details, click Update to save your changes.

Adding a Group Support Video

This video walks through how to add group support.