The availability page lets staff members define their recurring weekly schedule preferences and submit date-specific time-off overrides. Managers review and approve override requests to ensure adequate coverage.
How it works
The availability system has two layers:
- Weekly availability rules -- recurring patterns that define which days and hours a staff member is generally available to work.
- Date-specific overrides -- one-time entries for specific dates where availability differs from the weekly pattern (time off, schedule changes, or extra availability).
Staff manage both from the self-service portal or from this page when logged in. Overrides submitted by staff are held in a pending state until a manager approves or rejects them.
Weekly availability rules
Each day of the week (Sunday through Saturday) can be configured with:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Available toggle | Whether the staff member is available on this day |
| Start Time | Earliest available time |
| End Time | Latest available time |
| Notes | Optional notes (e.g., "Only mornings" or "School pickup at 3pm") |
Setting weekly rules
- Open the availability page.
- For each day of the week, toggle availability on or off.
- If available, set the start and end times.
- Add any notes for the scheduling manager.
- Click Save on each row you change.
Changes to weekly rules take effect immediately and are visible to managers when building schedules. These do not require approval -- they are informational preferences.
Date-specific overrides
Overrides let staff request time off or modify availability for a specific date. Each override includes:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | The specific date the override applies to |
| Available | Whether the staff member is available or unavailable |
| Start / End Time | If available, the modified hours (leave blank for a full-day off) |
| Reason | Explanation for the override (e.g., "Doctor appointment" or "Family event") |
Submitting an override
- Select the date for the override.
- Set availability to Off (for time off) or Available (for modified hours).
- If taking a partial day, set the start and end times.
- Enter an optional reason.
- Click Submit.
The override enters a pending state and appears in the manager's approval queue on the Shift Swaps page.
Override statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Submitted by staff, awaiting manager review |
| Approved | Manager has approved the request |
| Rejected | Manager has denied the request |
Viewing overrides
The override list shows all overrides for the next 90 days. Each entry displays the date, type (off or available), hours, reason, and current status.
Staff can delete their own overrides as long as they have not yet been approved.
Manager approval
Managers approve or reject pending overrides from the Shift Swaps page, which displays a Pending Time Off Requests section. For each pending request, the manager sees:
- Staff member name
- Requested date
- Type (Off or Available)
- Hours (Full day or specific times)
- Reason
Click Approve or Deny to process the request. The staff member receives a push notification with the decision.
Integration with scheduling
Availability rules and approved overrides inform the scheduling process:
- The AI Schedule generator on the Schedule page uses availability data to avoid assigning shifts during unavailable times.
- Managers can view all staff availability when building schedules manually.
- The system does not strictly enforce availability -- managers can schedule outside of stated preferences when operationally necessary.
Permissions
All authenticated staff members can view and manage their own availability. Manager-level actions (viewing all staff availability, approving overrides) require the staff_schedule_access permission.
Encourage staff to keep their weekly availability current so AI scheduling and manual planning work from accurate data. Override requests submitted well in advance give managers time to adjust coverage. Weekly rules are preferences, not guarantees -- managers may still assign shifts outside stated hours during peak periods.
Override is stuck in Pending -- A manager needs to approve or reject it from the Shift Swaps page. Remind your manager if the request has been pending for an extended period.
Weekly availability not saving -- Verify you are clicking the save button on each individual day row. Changes are saved per day, not as a batch.
Staff cannot see the availability page -- They need the staff_schedule_access permission or access through the staff portal. Check their user permissions in Staff Management.