# Shift Board Workflow

Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/shift-board-workflow

> Manage unassigned and broadcast shifts and approve worker shift requests.

Scheduling add-on - This feature requires the Scheduling add-on, which is available on Astalty Premium. See How to enable Scheduling.

## Overview

The **Shift Board** is used to manage unassigned and broadcast shifts, review worker interest, and approve shift requests. You can offer Participant supports, group supports, and internal shifts.

To compare how workers respond across all their offers, use the [Shift Board Engagement Report](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/reports/shift-board-engagement-report).

Shifts can be:

- Created as **Unassigned Shifts**
- Broadcast to selected or compatible Support Workers
- Approved and published to a worker's roster

The Shift Board ensures that vacant shifts are filled efficiently while maintaining full visibility of approval requests.

> **Support Worker App**
>
> Ask Support Workers to install the latest app version before using Shift Board.

## Accessing the Shift Board

1. Open **Scheduling** from the left-hand menu.
2. Select **Shift Board** from the sub-menu.

![The Scheduling menu open in Astalty, with Shift Board highlighted in the Plan section of the sub-menu, below Schedule.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-1.png)

The Shift Board displays:

- All broadcasted shifts
- Shifts awaiting approval

![The Shift Board page listing broadcasts with Status, Shift Start Time, Details, Total Shifts, Total Users, Total Interest Expressed and Created At columns, showing Broadcasting, Awaiting Approval and Broadcasted rows.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-2.png)

If a shift is awaiting approval:

- An **icon** will appear next to the shift.
- A **number indicator** will appear beside Shift Board, showing how many approval requests are pending.

![The Scheduling sub-menu with an arrow on the number 4 indicator beside Shift Board, and the Shift Board list showing broadcasts with the Awaiting Approval status.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-3.png)

## Sorting the Shift Board

The Shift Board opens sorted by **Shift Start Time**, earliest first, so the shifts you need to fill soonest sit at the top of the list.

Click a column heading to change the sort, and click it again to reverse the direction. Three columns can be sorted:

- **Status**
- **Shift Start Time**
- **Created At**

![The Shift Board list sorted by the Shift Start Time column, with an arrow pointing to the column heading.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-sort-shift-start-time.png)

For a recurring broadcast, **Shift Start Time** is the start time of the **first shift** in the series - not every date in the series. The number of shifts covered by the broadcast is shown in the **Total Shifts** column.

> **Your sort is remembered**
>
> Astalty remembers the column and direction you last sorted by, so the Shift Board looks the same the next time you open it in the same browser. Because the default sort is earliest first, any broadcast whose shift has already started appears at the top - reverse the sort or use the **Date** filter to focus on upcoming shifts.

## Broadcasting an Unassigned Shift

Unassigned shifts must be broadcast before Support Workers can express interest.

### Step 1: Open Unassigned Shifts

1. From the Scheduling sub-menu, click **Unassigned Shifts**.
2. Click the relevant support, group support, or internal shift.

![The Unassigned Shifts page, with marker 1 on Unassigned Shifts in the Scheduling sub-menu and marker 2 on a support shift in the list.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-4.png)

### Step 2: Broadcast the Shift

1. In the top right-hand corner, select **Broadcast Shift**.

![An unassigned support's Details tab, showing its date, start and end times, duration and timezone, with the Broadcast Shift button highlighted at the top right beside Actions.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-5.png)

2. The **Shift Details** drawer opens, showing the shift's date, time and timezone, its **Shift Type** and **Details** - plus a **Repeats** line if the shift is part of a recurring series.
3. Under **Notification**, leave **Notify me when a support worker expresses interest** ticked if you want to hear about interest as it comes in. It is ticked by default.
4. Under **Eligibility**, optionally set **Who can apply** to one or more Teams or custom User Groups. Workers in any selected group can be listed, offered the shift, and apply. Leave it as **Anyone you select** to choose from all eligible workers.
5. Under **Support Workers**, tick each worker you want to broadcast to. The heading keeps a running **(x selected)** count.
6. Click **Submit**.

No workers are ticked when the drawer opens, and **Submit** stays disabled until you select at least one. Workers you don't select will **not** receive a notification about the available shift.

When the shift has a Site with a [Shift Board Team or User Group default](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/creating-and-managing-sites#form-fields), that group is selected automatically. You can add other groups, replace the default or clear **Who can apply** for this broadcast. Changing the groups can remove selected workers, so review the selection before submitting.

> **An internal shift broadcasts one at a time**
>
> An unassigned internal shift - the kind you create for admin time, meetings or training (see [Adding a Shift (Internal or Non-support)](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/adding-shifts/adding-a-shift-internal-or-nonsupport)) - can be broadcast the same way, from its own page in Unassigned Shifts. The drawer doesn't offer a "broadcast the whole series" option for an internal shift, even if the internal event it belongs to repeats - each occurrence is broadcast on its own.

![The Shift Details page for an unassigned internal shift named Staff Training, with the Broadcast Shift button highlighted next to Actions and Update Details.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-broadcast-internal-shift-button.png)

### Selecting Workers in Bulk

Rather than working down a long list by hand, use the **Select Workers** dropdown above the worker list.

![The Support Workers list in the Shift Details drawer with the Select Workers dropdown open on All Compatible and Preferred Only, above two Available workers marked Preferred.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-broadcast-select-workers.png)

| Option             | Who it picks                                                              | Effect on ticks you've already made     |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| **All Compatible** | Available workers who aren't marked **Incompatible** with the Participant | **Adds** them to your current selection |
| **Preferred Only** | Available workers marked **Preferred** for the Participant                | **Replaces** your current selection     |

That difference is worth knowing: **All Compatible** builds on whatever you have already ticked, while **Preferred Only** clears the list first and leaves you with preferred workers alone - hence "Only".

Either option only picks up a worker who is **Available** for this shift, passes all of the Participant's **Must Have** preferences, and isn't blocked from selection. Preferred workers are the ones set up under **Support Worker Compatibilities** on the Participant's profile - see [Participant Preferences](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/setup/participant-preferences).

An option is greyed out when no worker in the list qualifies for it - so a Participant with no preferred workers recorded will have **Preferred Only** unavailable. An internal shift has no Participant at all, so no worker is ever marked Preferred for it: **Preferred Only** stays greyed out, and **All Compatible** selects every available worker who isn't blocked.

The tickbox in the table header is broader than either option: it selects *every* worker who isn't blocked from selection, including those who are unavailable. Neither the dropdown nor the header tickbox changes which workers are listed - only the **Search** box does that.

> **A Must Have preference overrides Preferred status**
>
> A red badge in the **Preferences** column marks a **Must Have** preference the worker fails. It keeps them out of both bulk options, even if they are also marked **Preferred**.
>
> Amber badges are **Nice to Have** preferences and don't stop a worker being selected. The wording tells you which is which: a Nice to Have badge includes the word *preferred*, as in **Under preferred minimum age of 25**.
>
> You can always tick anyone the bulk options skip, as long as their row isn't blocked.

> **Bulk selection only checks the shift in front of you**
>
> On a recurring shift the **Availability** column shows both **Current shift** and a **Future shifts** count such as **0/3**. The bulk options look only at availability for the shift you opened, so a worker can be selected despite being unavailable for every later occurrence. Check the **Future shifts** count before broadcasting a whole series.

> **Skill matches when choosing workers**
>
> If your account has the [Skills](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/setup/workers/skills) feature enabled, the worker list here includes a **Skills** column showing how many of the Participant's desired skills each worker holds. It is a fit indicator only - it does not change who is compatible, and it never stops you broadcasting to someone.

> **Broadcasting a recurring shift**
>
> If the shift repeats, clicking **Submit** asks whether to **Broadcast this and all future shifts in this schedule**. Leave it unticked to broadcast only the shift you opened. The same workers are broadcast to either way.
>
> A recurring broadcast holds its later shifts only until the first shift starts. After that time, workers can no longer pick up the series and an existing response cannot be approved. Archive the old broadcast, then broadcast the remaining shifts again.

> **Internal shifts are offered one at a time**
>
> You can broadcast a future, unassigned internal shift from **Unassigned Shifts**. Even when it belongs to a recurring internal event, only the shift you opened is broadcast. Repeat the process for any other occurrences you want to offer.

## Broadcasting from the Schedule

You don't have to go via **Unassigned Shifts** to broadcast a shift. You can broadcast an unassigned shift directly from the support, group support or internal event viewer on the schedule.

1. On the [Schedule](https://app.astalty.com.au/scheduling/schedule), open the relevant support, group support or internal event.
2. On the shift you want to fill, click the **three dots** menu.
3. Select **Broadcast Shift** - it appears directly below **Assign Support Worker**.
4. Pick your workers in the **Shift Details** drawer and click **Submit**, just like the Unassigned Shifts flow above - including the **Select Workers** shortcuts described in [Selecting Workers in Bulk](#selecting-workers-in-bulk).

![The shift viewer with the three dots menu open on a shift with no Support Worker assigned, and Broadcast Shift highlighted directly below Assign Support Worker.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-broadcast-viewer-menu.png)

> **When Broadcast Shift is available**
>
> The **Broadcast Shift** option only shows when the shift can actually be broadcast. It must be in the **future**, have **no worker assigned**, and have no active broadcast. A support or group support must not be cancelled, and an unpaid break cannot be broadcast. For an internal event with several attendees, you'll find the menu on each attendee's own shift in the event's attendee list - see [Managing Support Workers on an Internal Event](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/adding-shifts/adding-a-shift-internal-or-nonsupport#managing-support-workers-on-an-internal-event).

> **Broadcasting from a leave or unavailability approval**
>
> Approving a leave or unavailability request can also broadcast its affected shifts to the shift board in the same step, instead of broadcasting them one by one afterwards. See [Broadcasting Affected Shifts to the Shift Board](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/managing-availability#broadcasting-affected-shifts-to-the-shift-board).

## Broadcasting from the Shift Board

You can also start a broadcast from the Shift Board itself, without opening the shift first.

1. Open the [Shift Board](https://app.astalty.com.au/scheduling/shift-board) and click **Add Shift**.
2. On the **Select Shift** list, choose the shift you want to broadcast. By default this lists support and group support shifts - use the **Shift Type** filter and choose **Internal Shift** to find an unassigned internal shift instead.

![The Select Shift step of the Shift Board's Add Shift flow, with the Shift Type filter set to Internal Shift and a Staff Training shift listed below it.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-add-shift-internal-filter.png)

3. Pick your workers in the **Shift Details** drawer and click **Submit**, the same as the Unassigned Shifts flow above - including the **Select Workers** shortcuts described in [Selecting Workers in Bulk](#selecting-workers-in-bulk).

## Seeing Which Shifts Have Been Broadcast

Once a shift has been broadcast, Astalty shows this in two places so you don't have to open the Shift Board to check:

- **In the viewer** - the shift row displays a **Broadcasted** tag next to its published status.
- **On the schedule** - a small **broadcast icon** appears on the shift, with a tooltip showing the broadcast's status when you hover over it.

![A shift card in the viewer with no Support Worker assigned, showing a Published tag and a Broadcasted tag below the shift times.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/viewer-broadcasted-tag.png)

![An unassigned shift on the schedule with a broadcast icon and an interest count of 2 in its top corner, and a Broadcast awaiting approval (2 interested) tooltip above it.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/schedule-broadcasted-indicator.png)

These indicators show while a broadcast is still active. Once the broadcast has been approved or archived, the tag and icon are removed.

## What Happens After Broadcasting?

- Selected Support Workers receive a **notification in the app**.
- Workers can express interest in the shift.
- The shift will then appear in **Shift Board, awaiting approval**.

> **See broadcast interest on the Schedule**
>
> Broadcasted shifts also show a **broadcast icon** on the [Schedule](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/viewing-the-schedule), with a **number** next to it for how many workers have expressed interest so far. Hovering the icon shows the broadcast state (for example *Broadcast pending* or *Broadcast awaiting approval*). You can also give broadcasted shifts their own colour with [Schedule Colours](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/schedule-colours).

## Identifying Approval Requests

When a Support Worker expresses interest:

- An approval **icon** appears next to the Shift Board. 
- The Shift Board notification number updates to reflect pending approvals.

## Reviewing and Approving a Shift Request

### Step 1: Open the Shift Board

1. Click into the shift marked as **Awaiting Approval**.

![The Shift Board list with an arrow on a broadcast whose status is Awaiting Approval.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-7.png)

### Step 2: Review the Request

You can view:

- The Support Worker who submitted the request
- The time they expressed interest
- Their [**Support Worker Hours**](#support-worker-hours)

More than one Support Worker can express interest in the same shift.

#### Support Worker Hours

The **Support Worker Hours** panel shows the worker's Employment Basis, contract Start and End Date, and their hours against your organisation's **Pay Period** - **Weekly** or **Fortnightly**, set in [Scheduling Settings](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/setup/scheduling-settings#pay-period) - instead of a fixed calendar week.

![The Approve Broadcast drawer with the Support Worker Hours panel highlighted, showing Employment Basis Part Time, Contracted Hours (per fortnight) 48 hours, Start Date 01/05/2024, End Date Ongoing, Scheduled Hours (per fortnight) 30 hours (12 Oct - 25 Oct), Selected Shift Duration 4 hours, Scheduled Hours After Shift Assignment 34 hours, and Hours Remaining 14 hours.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-approve-broadcast-support-worker-hours.png)

| Field                                   | Shows                                                                            |
| --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Contracted Hours (per week/fortnight)   | The worker's agreed hours for the pay period                                     |
| Scheduled Hours (per week/fortnight)    | Hours already scheduled in the current pay period, with its date range           |
| Selected Shift Duration                 | Length of the shift(s) being approved                                            |
| Scheduled Hours After Shift Assignment  | Scheduled Hours plus the shift(s) selected                                       |
| Hours Remaining / Over Contracted Hours | The difference against Contracted Hours - shown in red once the worker goes over |

Only a shift's start time determines which pay period it counts toward **Scheduled Hours** for - an overnight shift that starts in the current period but ends in the next is counted entirely in the current period's total.

The panel only appears for users with the **Manage HR Details** permission - see [Roles and Permissions](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/users/roles-permissions).

> **Record why you chose a worker**
>
> You can add **comments** on the broadcast or on an individual Support Worker to capture the context behind your decision - a phone call, a payroll check, or a Participant preference. Comments are internal only and Support Workers never see them. See [Commenting on Shift Broadcasts](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/commenting-on-shift-broadcasts).

### Step 3: Approve the Request

1. Select the worker's request.
2. Click **Approve**.

![The Broadcasts section of a shift with the status Awaiting Approval, with one worker's Interest expressed at time highlighted and an arrow on Approve in that row's menu.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-8.png)

> **Rejecting expressions of interest**
>
> You can also **reject** an expression of interest with a recorded reason, or bulk-reject those with award alerts. See [Rejecting Expressions of Interest](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/rejecting-expressions-of-interest).

## Publishing the Shift

Approval alone does not finalise the shift.

After approving, Astalty opens **Publish Shifts** so you can publish the shift straight away:

1. If you closed the window, click **Publish Shift** at the top of **Shift Details** to open it again. The button only shows while the approved shift is unpublished.

![The Shift Details card of an approved broadcast, with an arrow on the highlighted Publish Shift button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-publish-1.png)

2. Check the shift is ticked and click **Publish Shift**. Astalty notifies the assigned worker and adds the shift to their Calendar. If the shift is already published, this window does not let you select the shift or publish it again; close the window instead.

![The Publish Shifts dialog with the approved shift ticked and 1 shift selected, and arrows on the shift's checkbox and the Publish Shift button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-publish-2.png)

Once published:

- The shift is added to the Support Worker's roster.
- The Support Worker receives a **notification** confirming the shift has been assigned.
- The shift becomes visible in the **Support Worker App**.

> **Publish the shift after approval**
>
> - Shifts must be **published** after approval for workers to see them in their roster.
> - Only workers selected during broadcast will receive notifications.
> - The Shift Board number indicator shows how many approvals are pending.

## End-to-End Workflow Summary

1. Create or leave a shift **Unassigned**
2. Broadcast shift to selected workers
3. Workers express interest via the app
4. Review request in Shift Board
5. Approve worker
6. Publish shift
7. Worker receives confirmation and sees shift in their roster

## Removing a Support Worker from a Broadcast

Remove a Support Worker from a broadcast when they should no longer be offered the shift - for example, they've picked up a clashing shift or gone on leave. You don't need to ask them to decline it first.

1. Open the **Shift Board** and click into the relevant broadcast.
2. In the **Broadcasts** section, open the **three dots** menu on the worker's row and select **Remove**.
3. Check the worker's name in the confirmation and click **Remove**.

![The Broadcasts section of a shift awaiting approval, with the three dots menu open on a worker's row and an arrow pointing to Remove below View.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-remove-worker-menu.png)

**Remove** only appears for a worker who hasn't responded yet - they haven't expressed interest or declined. It isn't available once the broadcast has been approved or archived. If the worker has already expressed interest, use **Reject** instead - see [Rejecting Expressions of Interest](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/rejecting-expressions-of-interest).

Once you remove a worker:

- The shift disappears from their Shift Board in the Support Worker app straight away. They aren't notified.
- They stay in the **Broadcasts** list, greyed out with a **Removed** tag and the time in the **Removed at** column. Use the **Removed** filter to list only removed workers.
- They no longer count towards the broadcast's **Total Support Workers**.

![The Broadcasts list with a removed worker's row greyed out, showing a Removed tag beside their name and a time in the Removed at column.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-remove-worker-removed-row.png)

> **A removed worker can't be added back**
>
> You can't add a removed worker back to the same broadcast, so check you've chosen the right person before you confirm.

## Archive Shift Broadcast

There may be times when a shift is allocated to a user outside of the **Shift Board**. In these situations, the shift may still appear as an available broadcast on the Shift Board, even though it has already been filled. To prevent the shift from appearing as available, you can **archive the broadcast**.

### To Archive a Shift Broadcast

1. Open the **Shift Board**.
2. Locate and open the **relevant shift broadcast**.
3. Click **Actions**.
4. Select **Archive**.
5. A confirmation prompt will appear. Confirm that you would like to **archive the broadcasted shift**.

![The Broadcasts section of a shift with the Actions button highlighted and its menu open, with an arrow on Archive below Add Comment.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/archive-broadcast-1-guide.png)

![A Confirm dialog asking Are you sure you want to archive this broadcasted shift, with an arrow on the Archive button beside Cancel.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/archive-broadcast-2.png)

Once archived, the shift will no longer appear as an available shift on the **Shift Board**.

### Viewing Archived Broadcasts

Apply the **Archived** filter on Shift Board to confirm that the broadcast was archived.

![The Shift Board page with the Filter button and the Archived is Archived filter highlighted, listing one archived broadcast.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-archive-1.png)

![A broadcast shift's Shift Details page, with an arrow on the red Archived tag beside the Broadcasts heading and the list of Support Workers the shift was sent to.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/shift-board-archive-2.png)

## Shift Board Overview

Video walkthrough: shift board overview.

## Shift Board - Support Worker Video

Video walkthrough: shift board support worker.