Schedule Builders

A builder is the workspace where a schedule gets made, from blank to published. Every schedule you create lives in its own builder.

Open the admin panel

What a builder is

Think of a builder like a draft document for a schedule. You give it a name and a date range, fill it with shifts, check that everything’s covered, and then publish it for your team to see. Until you publish, it’s yours alone to play with.

Start a new builder

Inside a Sub-Group, open Schedule Builder in the sidebar and start a new one. Give it a name (like “June — Day Shift”) and pick the dates it covers.

Pick how you’ll fill it

Choose one of the four ways below. This decides who places the shifts — you, your team, or the app.

One thing first

A builder needs at least one location set up before you can add shifts. If you haven’t done that yet, see the Locations guide first.

Include only what this schedule uses

A builder lets you choose which locations and tags are in play. Include only the ones this schedule actually needs — extra ones just clutter the build. One catch: a shift template can only bring in a tag or location you’ve included. If a template uses a tag (or location) that isn’t part of this build, that tag won’t come along — so add it to the build first if you want it.

The Schedule Builders list with Active and Archived tabs and two builders. — The Schedule Builders area: the schedules you’re working on, with finished ones tucked away under Archived.

Four ways to fill it

A builder can be filled in four ways. Each has its own guide — here’s the quick version:

Manual — you place every shift

You add each shift and assign people yourself, one by one — the most hands-on way to build. (And whatever mode you choose, the builder’s calendar always lets you place or fix a shift by hand.)

Guided — you place, the app keeps it fair

You still assign every shift, but the app tracks everyone’s totals against the targets you set, so the workload stays balanced.

Draft — people take turns picking

Everyone picks their own shifts in a set order, like a sports draft. Great for fairness.

AI Generate — let the app fill it

You set the rules for coverage and the app builds a balanced schedule for you to review.

The builder’s calendar

Every builder has its own calendar showing just that schedule’s shifts — separate from the main admin calendar, which shows everything. It works the same way (the same filters, the same bulk tag editing), but anything you do there touches only the schedule you’re building. It’s the best place to step back and see how the month is shaping up before you publish.

From start to published

However you fill it, every schedule follows the same path:

Create — name it and set the dates.
Fill — add shifts one of the four ways above.
Check — make sure every shift is covered (the builder shows you gaps).
Publish — release it. Now your team can see their shifts.

Publishing is the on switch

Nothing reaches your team until you publish. Take your time building — no one sees a half-done schedule.

Schedule Builders FAQ

Can I have more than one builder going at once?

Yes. Each builder is its own schedule for a date range. You might have one being built for next month while last month’s is already published.

Which way of filling the schedule should I pick?

Guided is the everyday workhorse — you place shifts and the app keeps everyone balanced against your targets. Draft lets people pick their own shifts in turns. AI Generate does the heavy lifting from your coverage rules. Manual is the hands-on option for placing shifts yourself. And whichever mode you pick, the builder’s own calendar always lets you place or fix a shift by hand when you need to. You can read about each in its own guide.

Do people see the schedule before I publish it?

No. A schedule stays private while you build it. People only see it once you publish.

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