Create Employee Preferences
Preferences are an essential part of automatic schedule generation. There are three different types of preferences: base schedule preferences, explicit preferences, and implicit preferences. Having multiple types of preferences gives the user flexibility when utilizing generation methods to create a schedule. Users may create generation methods that utilize different preference types based on the user's needs. This article will explain each of the preference types as well as how to create and assign them.
Note: Multiple Preferences are not supported by base generations.
Base Schedule Preferences
Base Schedules define how employees will be considered during scheduling generation. Base Schedules are made up of work patterns and job preferences. Job preferences are an ordered list of jobs, locations, and shifts.
Design Base Schedules
1) Click on the Administration icon from the navigation menu, then select Base Schedule Management option in the Employee Management section.
2) Then click on Base Schedule Design tab.
3) Press the Add New button.
4) Enter the Name and Description of the base schedule.
5) Select the Work Pattern from the Copy Work Pattern drop-down.
6) Enter the Start date. Make sure the start date corresponds with the work pattern.
Note: The start date will be the first day of the pattern.
7) Next to Bids enter the desired number of people that can be assigned to the base schedule at any one time.
8) Enter the Organizational Unit the base schedule belongs to.
9) Once finished, click on the Plus sign under Preferences.
Note: This is where the preference order is made by creating specific shifts and job locations in descending order of preference.
10) Select the Shift and Job Location from the Shift and Job Location drop-downs, respectively.
11) Once finished, press the OK button.
12) Press the Save button.
Define Allowances
The user defines what base schedules may be assigned to each employee in Allowances.
1) Click on the Administration icon from the navigation menu, then select Base Schedule Management option in the Employee Management section.
2) Then click on Base Schedule Allowances tab.
3) Select the desired employee from the Employees panel.
4) In the Base Schedules panel on the right side, click the checkbox for desired allowances.
5) Press the Save button.
Note: Base Schedule allowances for employees can also be defined by first selecting a base schedule, then selecting employees.
Assign a Base Schedule
The user can assign a Base Schedule to employees in Base Schedule Assignments. Only one Base Schedule will be assigned to each employee at any one time.
1) Click on the Administration icon from the navigation menu, then select Base Schedule Management option in the Employee Management section.
2) Then click on Base Schedule Assignments tab.
3) Select the desired employee from the Employees panel.
4) In the Base Schedules panel on the right-hand side, press the Assign button next to the desired base schedule.
Note: The user can only assign employees to base schedules that they have been allowed to.
Note: Employees can also be assigned to base schedules by first selecting the base schedule, then selecting employees.
Base Schedule Design with Job Rotation
The preferences for each Base Schedule are automatically made the same for all on days. This can be modified manually.
1) Click on the Administration icon from the navigation menu, then select Base Schedule Management option in the Employee Management section.
2) Then click on Base Schedule Design tab.
3) Click the Arrow next to the base schedule the user wants to customize.
4) For each of the on days press the On button.
5) Set the preference order and then press the OK button.
6) Press the Save button.
Explicit Preferences
Explicit preferences are similar to base schedule preferences and work in exactly the same fashion. The only difference is that they are created directly in an employee profile and are separate from base schedule preferences.
1) Click on the Administration icon from the navigation menu, then select Employee Management option in the Employee Management section.
2) Press the Edit button next to the desired employee.
3) Select the + icon and select Day Preferences.
4) Click the Edit icon next to the desired day.
5) Select the Type, Job and Shift from the respective drop downs and then click the + icon to add more Day Preferences.
6) Create the preference order and press the OK button.
7) Press the Save or the Save and Exit button.
Implicit Preferences
Implicit preferences are an ordered list of an employee’s qualifications.
1) Click on the Administration icon from the navigation menu, then select Employee Management option in the Employee Management section.
2) Press the Edit button next to the desired employee.
3) Select the + icon and select Preferences.
4) Press the New Bucket button and enter a Start and End date.
5) Press the OK button.
6) Click on the Jobs and Shifts in the respective Available panels, to order the employee’s implicit preferences.
6) Press the OK button.
7) Press the Save or the Save and Exit button.