Overview
Update your alert preferences to customize how you’re automatically notified by When I Work.
You can also set your alert preferences from your computer or Android phone.
How alerts are delivered
For each alert, you can choose how you’d like to be notified:
- Email: Just like it sounds—we’ll send you an email.
- Mobile: If you’re logged in to the When I Work app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you’ll be notified in the app. If you’re not logged in, we’ll send you a text message.
If you have employee or supervisor access privileges, we’ll only send you alerts for the schedules that you belong to. For managers and admins, you’ll receive alerts for schedules that you belong to, and any schedules without a supervisor, manager, or admin assigned to them.
Email alert delivery
To receive email alerts, you must have a valid email address added to your user profile.
- When I Work sends email alerts immediately, but emails may be delayed by your email provider.
- In some cases, email providers mark When I Work emails as spam. If you’re not receiving email alerts, check your spam inbox and edit your email settings to approve/whitelist all When I Work emails.
Mobile alert delivery
- While you’re logged into the app from your phone, we’ll send push notifications to the app.
- While you’re logged out of the app, we’ll send notifications by SMS/text message. To receive text/SMS alerts, you must have a mobile phone number added your user profile.
- There is a limit of 20 SMS messages per user per day.
Changing your alert preferences
- From the When I Work Staff Scheduling app, tap the More icon More icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Tap Alert Preferences.
- Set your alert preferences. See types of alerts for more information about each alert.
NOTE: Alert preferences available are based on the account’s plan set by the admin.
- Tap Mobile alert next to an alert to turn mobile alerts on or off.
- Tap Email alert next to an alert to turn email alerts on or off.
- (Optional) When I Work does not send mobile notifications during the times set under Don’t Notify Me Between. Tap the time range to update it.
- When you’re finished, tap Save.
Types of alerts
When I Work allows you to choose which alerts you want to receive.
| Alert name | Time-Off Requests |
| Sent when |
|
| Alert name | Swap/Drop Requests |
| Sent when |
|
| Alert name | OpenShift Requests |
| Sent when |
|
| Alert name | Schedule Updates |
| Sent when |
|
| Alert name | New Employee |
| Sent when | A new employee registers with your workplace. |
| Alert name | Availability Change |
| Sent when | An employee edits availability preferences.1 |
| Alert name | Clock In/Out Reminders |
| Sent when |
|
| Alert name | Overtime Alerts |
| Sent when | An employee is scheduled for overtime or nearing overtime based upon clock in and out times.2
An employee accepts an OpenShift or Shift Request that adds overtime hours.¹
|
| Alert name | Shift Reminders |
| Sent when | One of your shifts is coming up. You can edit how many hours before your shift to be notified. Shift reminders can be sent as early as 24 hours before the shift starts. |
| Alert name | Sent when |
| Time-Off Requests |
|
| Swap/Drop Requests |
|
| OpenShift Requests |
|
| Schedule Updates |
|
| New Employee | A new employee registers with your workplace. |
| Availability Change | An employee edits availability preferences.1 |
| Clock In/Out Reminders |
|
| Overtime Alerts | An employee is scheduled for overtime or nearing overtime based upon clock in and out times.2
An employee accepts an OpenShift or Shift Request that adds overtime hours.¹
|
| Shift Reminders | One of your shifts is coming up. You can edit how many hours before your shift to be notified. Shift reminders can be sent as early as 24 hours before the shift starts. |
1 Users with supervisor, manager, or admin access privileges only.
2 Users with manager or admin access privileges only.
Frequently asked questions
Can I disable Attendance alerts for employees who don’t clock in or out?
Yes, alerts for missed shifts can be disabled from within an employee’s profile. Check out Add and Edit Employees for steps on how to manage this setting.