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 computer or iPhone/iPad.
Need to report an absence? If you can’t make a shift that takes place in the next 24 hours you can notify your manager that you can’t make it.
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
- From the When I Work Scheduling app, tap My Shifts.
- In the My Shifts list, tap the shift that you would like to release.
- Tap Release Shift.
- When prompted, tap Release Shift to confirm the shift release.
That’s it! Your shift has been released to an OpenShift.
Drop a shift
- From the When I Work Scheduling app, tap My Shifts.
- In the My Shifts list, tap the shift that you would like to drop.
- Tap Drop Shift.
The app shows employees that are qualified (based on position and location) and available to take your 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.
- To select a coworker, tap the check box.
- To select all eligible coworkers, tap More button, then tap Select All.
- To deselect all coworkers, tap More button, then tap Deselect All.
- Tap Offer Shift then tap I Understand to send the request.
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.
You can monitor the status of your request from Requests view.
It’s still your responsibility to work the shift until one of your coworkers picks it up.
Swap a shift
- From the When I Work Scheduling app, tap My Shifts.
- In the My Shifts list, tap the shift that you would like to swap with a coworker.
- Tap Swap Shift.
- Select the shifts that you’re willing to work in place of your shift. By default, all eligible shifts are selected.
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.
- To select a shift, tap the check box next to it.
- To select all shifts, tap More button, then tap Select All.
- To deselect all shifts, tap More button, then tap Deselect All.
- Tap Offer Shift then tap I Understand to send the request.
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.
You can monitor the status of your request from Requests view.
It’s still your responsibility to work the shift until one of your coworkers accepts the trade.
Monitor 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.
- From the When I Work Scheduling app, tap Shift Requests on the Dashboard.
- Tap the Shift Requests tab.
- Review the list of current 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 the request’s recipients
- Tap the request.
- Tap Conversation / Activity.
- Enter your message.
- Tap Send button.
Frequently asked questions
What shifts will appear as potential swaps? Why is <shift> not appearing as a potential swap?
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.
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.