Overview
If you’re unable to work one of your shifts you have a few options to get your shift covered:
- Shift Release – give your shift up to an OpenShift
- Shift Drop – give your shift to a coworker
- Shift Swap – trade shifts with a coworker
Each shift coverage option can be enabled or disabled by the manager or admin, so if you don’t see all of the options it may have been disabled for your workplace.
You can also get your shifts covered from your iPhone/iPad or Android phone.
Considerations
- Your employer has the option to disable shift swaps, shift drops, and shift releases for your workplace.
- When you create a swap or drop request, the shift is still your responsibility until it is picked up by one of your coworkers.
- Your employer has the option to require manager review for shift swap and shift drop requests. This may delay how quickly a shift is offered to your coworkers.
- You have the option to offer swaps and drops to all eligible users or select specific eligible users. This may cause discrepancies between the swaps and drops offered to different employees.
Release a shift
Hover over your name, then select My Schedule.
- Click the shift that you’d like to swap with a coworker.
- Click Get Shift Covered, then select Release Shift.
- Click Release Shift to confirm the shift release.
That’s it! Your shift has been released to an OpenShift.
Drop a shift
Hover over your name, then select My Schedule.
- Click the shift that you’d like to swap with a coworker.
- Click Get Shift Covered, then select Drop Shift.
- Select the coworkers that you’d like to offer your shift to.
The app shows employees that are qualified (based on position and location) and available to take your shift.
- Click All to select all eligible coworkers.
- Click None to clear all coworkers.
- (Optional) Add a Message to explain why you want to swap your shift.
- When you’re ready to send the swap request, click Initiate Drop.
That’s it! Your request has been sent.
- If your employer requires manager approval for drop requests, the request status will be Pending Approval until your manager approves.
- Once your request is visible to your coworkers, the status changes to Pending Acceptance until someone accepts the request.
- If a coworker accepts your drop request, the status changes to Accepted, and the shift is no longer your responsibility.
It’s still your responsibility to work the shift until one of your coworkers takes it.
Swap a shift
Hover over your name, then select My Schedule.
- Click the shift that you’d like to swap with a coworker.
- Click Get Shift Covered, then select Swap Shift.
- Select the shifts that you’re willing to work in place of your shift.
The timeframe for eligibility is 7 days prior to 7 days after the offered shift, or 14 days from today if the offered shift takes place in the next 7 days.
- Click All to select all potential trades.
- Click None to clear the all potential trades.
- (Optional) Add a Message to explain why you want to swap your shift.
- When you’re ready to send the swap request, click Initiate Swap.
That’s it! Your request has been sent.
- If your employer requires manager approval for swap requests, the request status will be Pending Approval until your manager approves.
- Once your request is visible to your coworkers, the status changes to Pending Acceptance until someone accepts the request.
- If a coworker accepts your swap request, the status changes to Accepted, and the shift is no longer your responsibility.
It’s still your responsibility to work the shift until one of your coworkers accepts the trade.
Monitoring your swap and drop requests
Once you’ve submitted a swap or drop request, you can use the Shift Requests view to keep track of your current and past requests
- Near the top-right corner of the page, hover your pointer over , then click Shift Requests.
- Review the list of requests.
Each request has a status:
| Status | Pending Approval |
| Description | The request is waiting for approval from management.1 |
| Status | Pending Acceptance |
| Description | The request is waiting for a response from a coworker. |
| Status | Accepted |
| Description | A user has accepted the request. |
| Status | Canceled |
| Description | The manager or the user that created the request has canceled the request. A request can also be canceled automatically if the offered shift is changed by management. |
| Status | Declined |
| Description | All recipients of the request declined it. |
| Status | Expired |
| Description | The specific day regarding the request has passed; no one accepted or declined it in time. |
| Status | Denied |
| Description | The request was denied by management. |
| Status | Description |
| Pending Approval | The request is waiting for approval from management.1 |
| Pending Acceptance | The request is waiting for a response from a coworker. |
| Accepted | A user has accepted the request. |
| Canceled | The manager or the user that created the request has canceled the request. A request can also be canceled automatically if the offered shift is changed by management. |
| Declined | All recipients of the request declined it. |
| Expired | The specific day regarding the request has passed; no one accepted or declined it in time. |
| Denied | The request was denied by management. |
1 This status only appears when Require Manager Review for Swaps and Drops is enabled in the Scheduling Settings.
Cancel a request
- Tap the request that you want to cancel.
- Near the bottom of the screen, tap Cancel.
Message a request’s recipients
- Tap the request.
- Under Conversation/Activity on the right side of the page, send your message.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I see the option to drop, swap, or release a specific shift?
Your employer can set a timeframe for how much notice must be given to drop or swap a shift. The option to drop or swap will not appear if no one is qualified to work it or available to take it.
What shifts will appear as potential swaps?
The app shows shifts that are eligible to swap with your shift. A shift is eligible if you and the other employee are both qualified (based on position/schedule) and available to take each other’s shifts.
Why is <shift> not appearing as a potential swap?
The timeframe for eligibility is based on the date of the shift you are offering. If you offer a shift starting within the next 7 days, you can take a shift within the next 14 days. If you offer a shift starting more than 7 days from today’s date, you can take a shift 7 days before or 7 days after the shift’s date.