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 shift covered from your computer 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

1. From the When I Work Staff Scheduling app, tap My Schedule on the Dashboard.
   Alternatively, you can tap Schedule at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap the shift you would like to release to an OpenShift.
3. Tap Release Shift near the bottom of the screen.
4. When prompted, tap Release Shift to confirm the shift release.

That’s it! Your shift has been released to an OpenShift.

Drop a shift

1. From the When I Work Staff Scheduling app, tap My Schedule on the Dashboard.
   Alternatively, you can tap Schedule at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap the shift you would like to drop.
3. Tap Drop near the bottom of the screen.
4. (Optional) Add a Message to explain why you want to drop your shift.
5. Under Potential Takers, select the coworkers that you’d like to offer your shift to. By default, all eligible coworkers are selected.
   The app shows employees that are qualified (based on position and location) and available to take your shift.
   • If you don’t want to offer your shift to a specific coworker, tap the person’s name to remove the Checkmark button.
   • Tap , then Select All to select all potential trades.
   • Tap, then Deselect All to clear the Checkmark button from all potential trades.
6. When you’re ready to send the drop request, tap Offer Shift.
7. Tap I Understand to confirm that you want 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.

Swap a shift

1. From the When I Work Staff Scheduling app, tap My Schedule on the Dashboard.
   Alternatively, you can tap Schedule at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap the shift you would like to swap with a coworker.
3. Tap Swap near the bottom of the screen.
4. (Optional) Add a Message to explain why you want to swap your shift.
5. Under Potential Swaps, 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.
   • If you don’t want to trade for a specific shift, tap the shift to remove the Checkmark button.
   • Tap , then Select All to select all potential swaps.
   • Tap, then Deselect All to clear the Checkmark button from all potential swaps.
6. When you’re ready to send the swap request, tap Offer Shift.
7. Tap I Understand to confirm that you want 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.

Monitoring your swap and drop requests

Once you’ve submitted a swap or drop request, you can use the Requests view to keep track of your current and past requests

1. From the When I Work Staff Scheduling app, tap Shift Requests on the Dashboard.
2. Review the list of requests.

Each request has a status:

¹ This status only appears when Require Manager Review for Swaps and Drops is enabled in the Scheduling Settings.

Cancel a request

1. Tap the request that you want to cancel.
2. Near the bottom of the screen, tap Cancel.

Message a request’s recipients

1. Tap the request.
2. Tap Conversation / Activity.
3. Enter your message.
4. Tap Send.

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.