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Shift Management & Scheduling

Create, manage, and optimize employee schedules with SSP Manager's powerful shift management system. Streamline scheduling, reduce labor costs, and keep your team organized.

Overview​

The shift management system helps you:

  • 📅 Create employee schedules
  • 👥 Assign staff to shifts
  • 🔄 Manage shift swaps and coverage
  • 📱 Notify employees of schedule changes
  • 📊 Optimize labor based on demand
  • ⚖️ Ensure fair and compliant scheduling

Key Benefits:

  • Reduce scheduling conflicts
  • Optimize labor costs
  • Improve employee satisfaction
  • Ensure proper coverage
  • Labor law compliance

Accessing Shift Management​

Navigation Prerequisite

You must first navigate to a specific restaurant location to access Shift Management. If you signed up as a single restaurant, you'll land directly at your location. For restaurant groups/chains, select your location from the Group/Chain Dashboard first.

Navigation Path: [Your Location] → Scheduling

Step-by-Step Access​

  1. Navigate to your restaurant location (if using a Group/Chain, select it from the dashboard)
  2. In the sidebar, click Scheduling to see shift management options

Required Permissions:

  • Create/Edit: Manager, Owner
  • View: All employees (their own shifts)

Creating Shifts​

Adding a New Shift​

Quick Shift Creation:

  1. Click + Add Shift
  2. Select employee from dropdown
  3. Choose date
  4. Set shift time:
    • Start time (e.g., 10:00 AM)
    • End time (e.g., 6:00 PM)
  5. Select role/position (Server, Cook, Host, etc.)
  6. Add notes (optional)
  7. Click Save

Shift Details:

Employee: Sarah Johnson
Role: Server
Date: Nov 8, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Break: 30 min (unpaid lunch)
Section: Main Dining Room
Notes: Training new server

Shift Templates​

Create reusable shift templates:

Setup:

  1. Manage Shifts → Templates tab
  2. Click + Create Template
  3. Name template (e.g., "Weekday Lunch Shift")
  4. Configure:
    • Start/end time
    • Break duration
    • Role/position
    • Expected duties
  5. Save template

Using Templates:

  1. When creating shifts, click Use Template
  2. Select template
  3. Choose employee and date
  4. Adjust if needed
  5. Save

Common Templates:

  • Morning prep shift (6 AM - 2 PM)
  • Lunch service (11 AM - 4 PM)
  • Dinner service (4 PM - 11 PM)
  • Closing shift (5 PM - 12 AM)
  • Weekend brunch (9 AM - 3 PM)

Schedule Views​

Weekly Calendar View​

Default View:

  • 7-day week calendar
  • All shifts displayed
  • Color-coded by employee or role
  • Drag-and-drop to reschedule

Features:

  • Click shift to edit
  • Drag to change time
  • Click empty slot to create shift
  • Filter by role, employee, or section

Monthly View​

Long-Term Planning:

  • 30-day calendar
  • See coverage patterns
  • Identify gaps
  • Plan ahead for holidays

Toggle Views: Top right: Week | Month | List

List View​

Detailed Shift List:

  • All shifts in chronological order
  • Sortable by employee, date, role
  • Bulk actions available
  • Export to CSV

Auto-Scheduling​

Smart Schedule Generation​

Let AI help create optimal schedules:

Setup:

  1. Manage Shifts → Auto-Schedule
  2. Configure parameters:
    • Date range (1 week recommended)
    • Expected customer traffic (import from historical data)
    • Employee availability
    • Labor budget
    • Minimum/maximum shifts per employee
  3. Click Generate Schedule
  4. Review AI-generated schedule
  5. Make adjustments if needed
  6. Publish to employees

AI Considers:

  • Historical sales data and traffic patterns
  • Employee availability and preferences
  • Skill requirements (who can work which roles)
  • Labor budget constraints
  • Fair distribution of shifts
  • Labor law compliance (max hours, rest periods)

Benefits:

  • Save hours of scheduling time
  • Optimal labor allocation
  • Fair shift distribution
  • Reduced labor costs
tip

Use auto-scheduling as a starting point, then fine-tune manually. The AI gets smarter over time as it learns your patterns.

Employee Availability​

Setting Availability​

Employee Self-Service:

  1. Employees log in to SSP Manager app
  2. Go to My Availability
  3. Set available days/times:
    • Monday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    • Tuesday: Not available
    • Wednesday: 12 PM - 10 PM
    • Etc.
  4. Request specific days off
  5. Submit to manager for approval

Manager Approval:

  1. Manager receives availability requests
  2. Reviews each request
  3. Approves or denies with reason
  4. Employee notified of decision

Recurring Availability:

  • Set weekly recurring patterns
  • Block off school schedule
  • Reserve standing appointments
  • Configure blackout dates

Time-Off Requests​

Employee Request Process:

  1. Select Request Time Off
  2. Choose dates
  3. Select type:
    • Vacation
    • Sick day
    • Personal day
    • Unpaid time off
  4. Add reason (optional)
  5. Submit request

Manager Review:

  1. View pending requests in dashboard
  2. Check shift coverage for those dates
  3. Approve or deny
  4. Add manager notes
  5. System updates schedule automatically

Automatic Handling:

  • Approved = Blocked from schedule
  • Denied = Employee notified, can reschedule request
  • Pending = Shows as tentative block

Shift Swaps and Coverage​

Employee Shift Swaps​

Requesting a Swap:

  1. Employee finds shift they can't work
  2. Clicks Request Swap
  3. System shows available employees:
    • Same role/skill level
    • Available that day
    • Not exceeding max hours
  4. Employee selects coworker to request swap
  5. Coworker receives notification
  6. Coworker accepts or declines
  7. Manager approves or denies final swap

Manager Controls:

  • Require manager approval for all swaps
  • Allow direct swaps between employees
  • Block swaps during busy periods
  • Set rules (e.g., must swap same role)

Open Shifts​

Posting Open Shifts:

  1. Manager creates shift with no assigned employee
  2. Marks as Open Shift
  3. All eligible employees notified
  4. First to claim gets the shift (or manager chooses)

Employee Claiming:

  1. Employee sees open shift notification
  2. Reviews shift details
  3. Clicks Claim Shift
  4. Manager approves or assigns to someone else
  5. Schedule updated

Use Cases:

  • Extra coverage needed
  • Last-minute call-out
  • Seasonal busy periods
  • Offer extra hours to part-time staff

Publishing Schedules​

Draft vs. Published​

Draft Schedule:

  • Visible only to managers
  • Can be edited freely
  • Not visible to employees
  • No notifications sent

Published Schedule:

  • Visible to all employees
  • Employees receive notifications
  • Changes trigger alerts
  • Locked for edits (requires unpublish or override)

Publishing Process:

  1. Complete schedule in Draft mode
  2. Review for gaps and conflicts
  3. Click Publish Schedule
  4. Choose notification method:
    • Push notification
    • Email
    • SMS (Pro/Enterprise)
    • All of the above
  5. Confirm publish
  6. All employees notified immediately
Schedule Deadline

Many states require schedules to be posted 7-14 days in advance. Check your local labor laws and set a consistent publishing schedule.

Notifications​

Employee Notifications​

Automatic Notifications For:

  • New shift assigned
  • Shift time changed
  • Shift cancelled
  • Shift swap request received
  • Shift swap approved/denied
  • Open shift available
  • Schedule published
  • Shift starting soon (reminder)

Notification Channels:

  • In-app notifications
  • Email
  • SMS text (Pro/Enterprise)
  • Mobile push notification

Configure:

  1. Location Settings → Notifications
  2. Toggle each notification type
  3. Set default channel
  4. Allow employees to customize their preferences

Manager Notifications​

Alerts For:

  • Shift swap request pending
  • Time-off request pending
  • Schedule conflicts detected
  • Labor budget exceeded
  • Uncovered shift
  • Employee late/no-show

Escalation:

  • Immediate: Critical issues (no-show, uncovered shift)
  • Daily digest: Non-urgent (time-off requests)
  • Weekly summary: Overview and trends

Labor Optimization​

Demand-Based Scheduling​

Forecast Customer Traffic:

  1. Import historical sales data
  2. System predicts busy vs. slow periods
  3. Recommend staff levels for each shift

Labor by Hour:

Mon 11 AM - 12 PM: 3 servers, 2 cooks
Mon 12 PM - 1 PM:  5 servers, 3 cooks (peak lunch)
Mon 1 PM - 2 PM:   4 servers, 2 cooks
Mon 2 PM - 3 PM:   2 servers, 1 cook (slow period)

Benefits:

  • Avoid overstaffing during slow periods
  • Ensure adequate coverage during rushes
  • Reduce labor costs
  • Improve service quality

Budget Tracking​

Set Labor Budget:

  1. Manage Shifts → Budget
  2. Set weekly labor budget:
    • By total hours
    • By total cost
    • By labor percentage (% of expected revenue)
  3. Save budget

Real-Time Monitoring:

  • See budget vs. actual as you schedule
  • Color indicators:
    • 🟢 Under budget
    • 🟡 At budget
    • 🔴 Over budget
  • Warnings when approaching limit

Budget Reports:

  • Actual vs. budgeted hours
  • Variance analysis
  • Trend over time
  • Recommendations for optimization

Compliance and Fairness​

Labor Law Compliance​

Automatic Checks:

  • Minimum rest between shifts (typically 8-10 hours)
  • Maximum weekly hours (typically 40-60 hours)
  • Minor employee restrictions (hours, times of day)
  • Overtime avoidance (unless approved)
  • Required breaks based on shift length

Compliance Alerts:

  • Warning when scheduling violates rules
  • Block scheduling if hard rule (e.g., minor after 10 PM)
  • Manager override with reason required

Configure Rules: Location Settings → Labor & Compliance → Scheduling Rules

Fair Shift Distribution​

Fairness Metrics:

  • Total hours per employee
  • Weekend shifts distribution
  • Closing shifts distribution
  • Prime shifts (dinner, weekend brunch)
  • Less desirable shifts (early mornings, late nights)

Fairness Report:

  1. Manage Shifts → Reports
  2. Select Fairness Analysis
  3. View distribution by employee
  4. Identify imbalances
  5. Adjust future schedules

Best Practices:

  • Rotate weekend shifts
  • Rotate closing shifts
  • Balance prime earning times
  • Honor seniority for preferred shifts (optional)
  • Use auto-scheduling for unbiased distribution

Shift Management Reports​

Available Reports​

Schedule Summary:

  • Total shifts scheduled
  • Hours by employee
  • Coverage by shift
  • Labor cost projection

Attendance vs. Schedule:

  • Who worked scheduled shifts
  • Late arrivals
  • No-shows
  • Overtime vs. scheduled hours

Labor Efficiency:

  • Revenue per labor hour
  • Labor cost percentage
  • Productivity trends
  • Optimal vs. actual staffing

Employee Insights:

  • Shifts worked by employee
  • Hours trends
  • Availability patterns
  • Swap frequency

Generate Reports: Reports → Labor & Scheduling → Select Report Type

Mobile App for Employees​

Employee Features​

View Schedule:

  • See all upcoming shifts
  • Weekly and monthly view
  • Sync to personal calendar (Google, Apple)
  • Set shift reminders

Manage Shifts:

  • Request time off
  • Offer to swap shifts
  • Claim open shifts
  • Update availability

Communication:

  • Message manager about shifts
  • Coordinate swaps with coworkers
  • Receive schedule updates in real-time

Download App:

  • iOS: SSP Manager Employee (App Store)
  • Android: SSP Manager Employee (Google Play)

Advanced Features​

Skills-Based Scheduling​

Assign Skills to Employees:

  1. Manage Users → Select Employee
  2. Add skills:
    • Server (experienced)
    • Bartender (certified)
    • Cook (line cook)
    • Host
    • Manager on duty
  3. Set proficiency level (Beginner, Intermediate, Expert)

Schedule by Required Skills:

  • Shifts can require specific skills
  • Only qualified employees suggested
  • Ensures competent coverage
  • Identifies training needs

Example:

  • Friday dinner shift requires: 2 Expert Servers, 1 Bartender
  • System only suggests employees with those skills
  • Prevents scheduling inexperienced staff during busy times

Recurring Shifts​

Set Up Recurring Patterns:

  1. Create a shift
  2. Enable Recurring
  3. Choose pattern:
    • Daily (Mon-Fri)
    • Weekly (every Monday)
    • Bi-weekly (every other week)
    • Monthly (first Monday of month)
  4. Set end date or "indefinite"
  5. System creates all future shifts automatically

Edit Recurring Series:

  • Edit one instance
  • Edit all future instances
  • Delete series

Use Cases:

  • Regular part-time schedule
  • Consistent station assignments
  • Seasonal schedules

Multi-Location Scheduling​

For Restaurant Groups:

  • View schedules across all locations
  • Transfer employees between locations
  • Share staff for events or coverage
  • Centralized schedule management

Cross-Location Shifts:

  1. Create shift at Location A
  2. Assign employee from Location B
  3. Employee receives notification
  4. Hours tracked at correct location
  5. Payroll handles multi-location correctly

Bulk Import Shifts via CSV​

Import multiple shifts at once using a CSV file. This is ideal for setting up schedules in bulk, migrating from another system, or creating recurring weekly schedules.

CSV File Format​

Your CSV file must include the following columns:

ColumnRequiredFormatDescription
location_idYesIDLocation ID where shift occurs
titleYesStringShift title (e.g., "Morning Shift", "Evening Service")
roleYesStringRole name (e.g., WAIT_STAFF, CHAIN_MANAGER, KITCHEN_STAFF)
start_timeYesISO 8601Shift start datetime (e.g., 2025-01-15T09:00:00Z)
end_timeYesISO 8601Shift end datetime (must be after start_time)
employee_emailNoEmailEmployee email to auto-assign (leave empty for unassigned shift)
Column Name Flexibility

The system accepts various column name formats. For example, location_id, locationId, Location Id, and Location ID are all valid. Same flexibility applies to other columns like start_time/startTime/Start Time.

Example CSV File​

location_id,title,role,start_time,end_time,employee_email
1,Morning Shift,WAIT_STAFF,2025-01-15T09:00:00Z,2025-01-15T15:00:00Z,john.doe@example.com
1,Morning Shift,WAIT_STAFF,2025-01-15T09:00:00Z,2025-01-15T15:00:00Z,jane.smith@example.com
1,Evening Shift,WAIT_STAFF,2025-01-15T16:00:00Z,2025-01-15T23:00:00Z,
1,Manager On Duty,CHAIN_MANAGER,2025-01-15T08:00:00Z,2025-01-15T17:00:00Z,manager@example.com

How to Import Shifts​

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File

  1. Create a CSV file following the format above
  2. Ensure all required columns are present
  3. Use correct role names that match your system roles
  4. Leave employee_email empty for open/unassigned shifts

Step 2: Upload and Validate

  1. Navigate to Scheduling → Import Shifts
  2. Click Upload CSV and select your file
  3. The system performs a dry run validation first
  4. Review the validation results:
    • ✅ Valid rows ready to import
    • ❌ Errors with row numbers and details

Step 3: Review and Import

  1. Check the validation summary:
    • Total rows processed
    • Valid shifts to create
    • Employee assignments to make
    • Any errors found
  2. Fix any errors in your CSV if needed
  3. Click Import to create the shifts
  4. View the import results showing shifts and assignments created

Validation and Error Handling​

The system validates your CSV before importing. Common errors include:

Error MessageCauseSolution
Location not found or access deniedInvalid location ID or no accessVerify the location_id exists and you have access
Employee not foundEmail doesn't match any employeeCheck the email address is correct and employee exists
End time must be after start timeInvalid time rangeEnsure end_time is later than start_time
Missing required field: {field}Required column is emptyFill in all required fields

Import Limits​

ConstraintValue
Maximum rows per import1,000
Rate limit5 imports per minute
Required permissioncreate_shift

Best Practices for CSV Import​

  1. Start with validation: Always let the system validate (dry run) before importing
  2. Use consistent role names: Match the exact role names used in your system
  3. ISO 8601 timestamps: Use proper datetime format with timezone (e.g., 2025-01-15T09:00:00Z)
  4. Batch by location: For multi-location imports, consider separating by location for easier troubleshooting
  5. Keep backups: Save your CSV files for reference and re-import if needed

Troubleshooting​

Schedule Conflicts​

Common Conflicts:

  • Double-booked employee
  • Overlapping shifts
  • Insufficient rest between shifts
  • Employee unavailable

Resolution:

  • System highlights conflicts in red
  • Click conflict to see details
  • Adjust one or both shifts
  • Or override with manager approval

No-Show Management​

When Employee Doesn't Show:

  1. Manager marks as No-Show in attendance
  2. System alerts manager
  3. Find replacement:
    • Post as open shift
    • Call in backup employee
    • Manager covers
  4. Document incident
  5. Follow disciplinary policy

No-Show Tracking:

  • Count per employee
  • Trend analysis
  • Automatic warnings after X no-shows

Scheduling Mistakes​

Fixing Published Schedules:

  1. Must unpublish to edit freely
    • Or use Override for single change
  2. Make corrections
  3. Re-publish
  4. Affected employees auto-notified of changes

Best Practices:

  • Double-check before publishing
  • Have another manager review
  • Use Draft mode for planning
  • Publish at consistent time (e.g., every Friday at noon)

Best Practices​

Schedule Planning​

Timing:

  • Publish 2 weeks in advance (minimum)
  • Some states require 14-day notice
  • Gives employees time to plan
  • Reduces swap requests

Coverage:

  • Schedule 10% extra during busy seasons
  • Have on-call staff for emergencies
  • Cross-train employees for flexibility
  • Plan for typical call-outs (5-10%)

Communication:

  • Consistent publishing schedule
  • Clear policies on swaps and time-off
  • Open communication about needs
  • Fair and transparent process

Employee Satisfaction​

Considerations:

  • Honor availability requests when possible
  • Distribute shifts fairly
  • Give advance notice of changes
  • Be flexible when you can
  • Recognize employees who are reliable

Retention Benefits:

  • Predictable schedules reduce turnover
  • Work-life balance improves morale
  • Fair treatment builds loyalty
  • Flexibility attracts better talent

FAQ​

Can employees see each other's schedules?​

Yes, employees can see who else is working each shift. This helps with shift swaps and coordination.

How far in advance should I schedule?​

Minimum 1 week, recommended 2 weeks. Some states legally require 7-14 days advance notice.

Can employees request specific shifts?​

Yes, through availability settings. Managers can also allow employees to claim open shifts.

What if I need to change a published schedule?​

You can override individual shifts or unpublish the entire schedule. Affected employees are notified automatically.

How do I handle last-minute call-outs?​

Post as an open shift for employees to claim, call in on-call staff, or manually assign to available employee.

Can I copy last week's schedule?​

Yes! Use the Copy Schedule feature to duplicate a previous week as a starting point.

Does the system prevent overscheduling?​

Yes, you can set maximum hours per employee per week and the system will warn you if exceeded.

Can part-time employees set availability?​

Absolutely. Employees set their available days/times, and you schedule within those parameters.

Getting Help​

Need assistance with shift scheduling?

  • 📧 Email: support@ssppos.com
  • 💬 Live Chat: Available in dashboard
  • 📚 Help Center: docs.ssppos.com
  • 🎥 Video Tutorial: Scheduling best practices

Simplify scheduling and optimize labor with SSP Manager Shift Management.