Overview
Both positions and tags define a user’s qualifications. In this article, we’ll examine both objects and help you decide when to use them.
- Positions assign users and shifts to a particular duty or skill.
- Tags provide an additional eligibility requirement that you can layer on top of positions.
Positions can be used alone or used in combination with tags to create customizable shift qualifications that are hard to capture by position alone. Using positions and tags together can help ensure that the people with the proper training, certifications or job requirements get assigned to the right shifts.
Positions
Positions often describe the job title relevant to a user’s shift. You can create and manage positions from your computer, iOS device, or Android device.
Once created, assign positions to user’s profiles to designate which shifts they are qualified to work.
On the Scheduler, assign positions to shifts to designate the job, role, duty or skill needed for that shift. When scheduling shifts for a user, the positions they are qualified to work appear first in the list.
When dragging and dropping shifts on the Scheduler, a appears if the user is qualified to work the shift based on the assigned positions. A appears if the user is not qualified.
If using OpenShifts for user self-scheduling, users are able to pick up the shifts that they are qualified to work based on their assigned positions. For more information on OpenShifts, see How OpenShifts Work.
Tags
Tags can capture additional requirements like:
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Certifications
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Preferred status
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Tenure/seniority
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Skill subsets not reflected in the position
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Degree
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Geographic location
You can create and manage tags from your computer, iOS device, or Android device.
Once created, assign tags to user’s profiles to designate which shifts they are qualified to work. Tags are not visible to employees.
When scheduling shifts for a user, the user’s qualified tags appear first in the list.
When dragging and dropping shifts on the Scheduler, a appears if the user is qualified to work the shift based on the assigned positions and tags. A appears if the user is not qualified.
If using OpenShifts for user self-scheduling, users are able to pick up the shifts that they are qualified to work based on their assigned positions and tags. For more information on OpenShifts, see How OpenShifts Work.
Examples
The following are examples of how positions and tags can work to designate shift requirements.
| I manage a coffee shop and I need to designate shifts for three separate job duties: Team Lead, Barista, and Cashier. |
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Use positions alone without tags. Create a position for each job duty. |
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I manage a coffee shop and I need to designate shifts for three separate job duties: Team Lead, Barista, and Cashier. In addition, our team includes teenage employees. I need to ensure that my teenage employees do not pick up shifts that start before 5 AM and end after 10 PM on weekdays. |
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Use positions and tags together. Create a position for each job duty. Create a tag called ’18+’. Assign the tag to the profiles of your employees aged 18 and up. Then assign the ’18+’ tag to the appropriate shifts. Only employees with the matching position and tags are qualified for the 18+ shift. |
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I manage the front desk at a healthcare facility and I need to designate shifts for two separate tasks: Receptionist and File Clerk. In addition, I prefer to schedule our more experienced receptionists for our emergency reception area. |
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Use positions and tags together. Create a position for each front desk task. Create a tag called ‘Seniority’. Assign the tag to your more experienced receptionist’s profiles and to the appropriate shifts. Only receptionists with the matching ‘Seniority’ tag are qualified for the emergency reception shifts. |
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I manage a community pool and I need to designate three separate roles: Lifeguard, Water Safety Instructor, And Water Safety Aide. In addition, some Water Safety Instructors are AED certified. I prefer to have at least one AED certified instructor each day. |
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Use positions and tags together. Create a position for each role. Create a tag called ‘AED Certification’. Assign the tag to your AED certified instructors profiles and to the appropriate shifts. Only instructors with the matching ‘AED Certification’ tag are qualified for the AED certified shifts. |
| Scenario | Recommendation |
| I manage a coffee shop and I need to designate shifts for three separate job duties: Team Lead, Barista, and Cashier. |
Use positions alone without tags. Create a position for each job duty. |
|
I manage a coffee shop and I need to designate shifts for three separate job duties: Team Lead, Barista, and Cashier. In addition, our team includes teenage employees. I need to ensure that my teenage employees do not pick up shifts that start before 5 AM and end after 10 PM on weekdays. |
Use positions and tags together. Create a position for each job duty. Create a tag called ’18+’. Assign the tag to the profiles of your employees aged 18 and up. Then assign the ’18+’ tag to the appropriate shifts. Only employees with the matching position and tags are qualified for the 18+ shift. |
|
I manage the front desk at a healthcare facility and I need to designate shifts for two separate tasks: Receptionist and File Clerk. In addition, I prefer to schedule our more experienced receptionists for our emergency reception area. |
Use positions and tags together. Create a position for each front desk task. Create a tag called ‘Seniority’. Assign the tag to your more experienced receptionist’s profiles and to the appropriate shifts. Only receptionists with the matching ‘Seniority’ tag are qualified for the emergency reception shifts. |
|
I manage a community pool and I need to designate three separate roles: Lifeguard, Water Safety Instructor, And Water Safety Aide. In addition, some Water Safety Instructors are AED certified. I prefer to have at least one AED certified instructor each day. |
Use positions and tags together. Create a position for each role. Create a tag called ‘AED Certification’. Assign the tag to your AED certified instructors profiles and to the appropriate shifts. Only instructors with the matching ‘AED Certification’ tag are qualified for the AED certified shifts. |