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Work a shift with micro-scheduling (Alpha)

Lisa Kirby
  • Updated

This new feature will be rolling out to Deputy accounts in the future.

If you would like to be involved in Alpha testing and think you are a good fit for this feature please complete this form and we will be in touch.

Your employer might schedule you on a micro-scheduled shift with you assigned to multiple areas for the one shift. Micro-scheduling allows you have a clear understanding of which areas you will be working in during your shift. However, you still only need to clock in and out of Deputy once per shift using the Deputy mobile app.

 

Viewing an upcoming shift with micro-scheduling

Tap on the Home tab on your Deputy mobile app and review the Upcoming shifts section. If a shift is a micro-scheduled shift, there will be multiple areas listed. When you tap on the shift, you can see the times that your manager has scheduled you to work in each area.

upcoming shift plan shift.png

Note: 

  • If you view the shift via the Schedule tab on the mobile app you will only see the first allocated area and not the entire micro-schedule so please view the upcoming shifts via the Home tab.
  • Deputy is still working to implement the swap / offer your shift functionality in conjunction with micro-scheduled shifts, so if you can't work the upcoming shift please contact your manager directly.

 

Confirming a shift with micro-scheduling

If your manager schedules a shift with micro-scheduling that requires you to confirm you can work there are a few ways you can do this:

Via Deputy mobile app push notification

If you have push notification enabled on your phone and are logged into the Deputy mobile app you will be notified when you have a shift to confirm.

Tap on the push notification and review your upcoming shifts. Tap on the shift you need to confirm. 

You can view all the areas and times your manager has scheduled for the shift.

Tap Accept or Decline to let your manager know whether you can work the shift.

confirm shift with shift plan mobile app.png

 

Via email notification

You will also receive an email with your upcoming shifts showing the areas and times your manager has scheduled you to work. If the shifts require confirmation you will need to click on the button to accept to decline the shift.

confirm or decline shift plan via email 1.png

Review the shift requiring confirmation and click Accept or Decline to let your manager know whether you can work the shift.

accept or decline shift plan via email.png

 

Via SMS

If your workplace uses SMS notifications and you have your phone number stored in Deputy then you will also receive an SMS asking you to confirm or decline the shift.

Note: SMS notifications will not display detailed information about the micro-schedule. To view this information you would need to review upcoming shifts on the Deputy mobile app or email as described above.

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Claiming an open shift with micro-scheduling

If your manager sends an open shift with micro-scheduling you can tap on Available shifts on the Home tab of the mobile app.

A shift with multiple areas planned will display the number of areas scheduled and when you tap on the shift the micro-scheduled shift details will be displayed,

Tap on Claim shift if you would like to claim this shift.

claim open shift with shift plan.png

If the manager has sent the Open shift with approval required then you will have to request the shift and await the manager's approval before you are assigned the shift.

 

Clocking into a shift with micro-scheduling

To clock into a micro-scheduled shift, simply tap on Start shift on the Home tab of the mobile app. This will start the shift.

If you would like to see the micro-scheduled shift details before you start the shift tap on the shift details link (in purple, above the Start shift button).

The shift details will display the micro-scheduled shift details, and also allow you to add a comment if needed. Once you tap Start shift the shift will be started in the first area you have been scheduled in.

clocking into a shift with a shift plan.png

Note:

 

Checking your micro-scheduled shift during the shift

During your shift, if you need to check your micro-scheduled shift, tap on the Home screen and tap on the shift details link to view your micro-schedules.

In the example below:

  • the green ticks show the team member which areas of work have been completed and which breaks have been taken
  • the timer counter shows how much time is left to work on the final scheduled area

Tap on the X at the top of the screen to close the shift details and return to the Home screen when you are done.

Remember, you do not need to clock in and out again to change to the next scheduled area throughout the shift but you can clock in and out of breaks as required.

check shift details during shift.png

 

Amending shift details of a shift with micro-scheduling

If your organisation permits team members to modify timesheets during a shift, you can edit any taken break times during the shift:

1. Tap on the shift details link from the Home screen.

2. Tap on any completed breaks (they will have a green tick against them - you can't modify the details of a break until you have completed it).

3. Tap on the break to modify the times (or tap on the cross on the top right of the screen to add another break)

edit mobile break 1.png

4. Use the time selectors to select the correct start and end time for your break then tap Done.

5. Tap on Shift details to return to the previous screen where the new break times will be displayed.

6. Tap Done.

edit mobile break 2.png

7. You will see a message on the home screen to let you know the shift details have been updated.

break time shift updated.png

Note that you can not update the start and end times of each worked area within shift details during the shift but you will have an opportunity to update these times when you clock out.

 

Clocking out of a shift with micro-scheduling

If your organisation permits team members to modify timesheets during a shift, then when clocking out of a shift with micro-scheduling, you have the chance to review the areas you have worked in and adjust the times for each area if required.

You may also add other areas and times you may have worked in even though they were not scheduled.

1. On the Home screen, tap End Shift.

2. Tap on the Area you wish to edit the time for.

clock out 1.png

3. Use the time selector to choose the time you started and ended work in this area. In the example, the team member was scheduled to work in 'South room' from 1 to 3pm but is editing the worked time in this area to 1 to 2pm. Click Done when you have finished and you will see that the shift times have automatically adjusted so that there are no gaps between 'South room' and 'Bar'. The 'Bar' shift now shows from 2pm to 5:01pm. You can tap on End shift if you are ready to end the shift now OR

4. If you would like to add another area you worked in that was not part of the original micro-scheduled shift tap on the + icon at the top right of the screen.

clock out 2.png

5. Select the name of the area you would like to add to your shift, then use the time selector to specify the start and finish time you worked in this area. Click Done when you are finished. In this example, the team member has added a worked shift in 'Admin' from 3:31pm til 4pm.

clock out 3.png

6. You will see that the shift times have now automatically adjusted so that there are no gaps between any areas and the 'Bar' shift now shows from 4pm to 5:01pm to accommodate the addition of the admin shift.

7. Once you are happy with your shift details, tap on End shift (or Next if you have shift questions to enter then End shift). 

8. If your organisation has shift pulse enabled you might be asked a question about your shift which you can answer anonymously to send feedback to your manager. Select a response, enter feedback and tap Send feedback or swipe up to dismiss the question without answering.

clock out 4.png

 

View a worked timesheet with micro-scheduling

Currently, all timesheets will only display the first area you worked in, even if the scheduled shift contained micro-schedules with multiple areas. This will be rectified in future versions of the feature to include all worked areas in the timesheet. Your manager will still be able to see all worked areas and times when they review the timesheet to approve it.

On the Timesheets screen then tap on the timesheet you wish to review.

Timesheets with a green tick have already been approved by your manager. 

Timesheets without a green tick have not yet been approved and can edited however please speak with your manager before amending any timesheet with micro-scheduling to ensure the correct areas are recorded.

view approved timesheet.png

 

Can I work an unscheduled shift with micro-scheduling?

The purpose of micro-scheduling is to provide a plan of the areas in which you will be scheduled for a shift. If you are clocking in for an unscheduled shift then you will not have micro-schedules in place.

However, if you are working an unscheduled shift and work across multiple areas, it is possible to edit your timesheet on the Deputy mobile app during clock out to specify which areas you worked in and for what times.

The timesheet generated when you clock out will allow your manager to view which areas you have recorded as having worked in.

 

Ongoing development for micro-scheduling 

These are some aspects of micro-scheduling that are still in development and will be improved in future versions:

  • Whilst you can confirm a micro-scheduled shift from an email notification on the Deputy website, you can only view and manage micro-scheduling using the Deputy mobile apps.
  • If you use the Deputy website to view and clock into a shift with micro-scheduling you will only see the first area you are scheduled to work for the entire shift and not any other areas that might be assigned to you.
  • When you view your timesheet for a shift with micro-scheduling you will only see the area for the first area you worked in but the times for the complete shift will still be accurate. Your manager will be able to view the times worked in all areas when they approve the timesheet.

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