Module · Shift requests

Where to find it in the app

• Use it: Time & pay → Time off & shifts
• Turn it on/off: your business name (top-left) → Settings → Modules → Time & pay → Shift requests

Plan: Solo and Business · Module group: Your team · Navigation: Time & pay → Time off & shifts (Shift swaps tab)

1. Overview

Purpose. Staff swap shifts, give shifts away and call in unavailable (sick), and managers approve it all in one inbox. Open shifts can be claimed by anyone free. It keeps shift changes off group chats and in one auditable place.

2. When to use it

• When a staff member can't make a rostered shift.
• To let the team self-organise cover, with manager sign-off.

3. Required permissions

• View shift requests (requests.view).
• Approve swaps (requests.approve).

4. Navigation path

Time & pay → Time off & shifts (Shift swaps tab)

5. What you'll see

• Your upcoming shifts, each with the request actions your business has enabled: Request swap, Give away, Can't make it.
• Incoming items to action: swaps awaiting your accept/decline, requests awaiting a manager decision, open shifts to claim, and cover to mark sorted.
• A short "How requests work here" explainer.

6. Turning it on

Settings → Modules → Your team → Shift requests. In its settings you can enable/disable each request type (swap, giveaway, unavailable) to match how your team operates. Works with the Roster.

7. Step-by-step tasks

7a. Request a swap, giveaway or "can't make it" (staff)

1. Open Time & pay → Time off & shifts and pick the Shift swaps tab.
2. On the shift, choose Request swap, Give away or Can't make it.
3. Add a short reason (e.g. "unwell", "away that weekend").
4. Submit. It goes to a coworker and/or a manager depending on the type.

7b. Respond to a swap (coworker)

1. A swap aimed at you shows Accept / Decline.
2. Accepting passes it to a manager to approve.

7c. Approve / decline (manager)

1. In your inbox, Approve or Decline pending requests.
2. When declining, add an optional note saying why (e.g. "no one else is trained on the coffee machine that day"), the requester sees it with the decision.
3. Mark sorted when cover for an open shift is arranged.

7d. Claim an open shift (staff)

1. Find an open shift in the list.
2. Choose Claim it to pick it up (subject to approval where required).

8. Examples

• Beginner: a staffer taps Can't make it on tomorrow's shift with reason "unwell"; the manager sees it and arranges cover.
• Real-world (café): two staff arrange a swap; the coworker accepts, the manager approves, and the roster updates.
• Advanced (venue): someone gives away a weekend shift; it becomes an open shift that another team member claims, with manager approval.

9. Reports & exports

The inbox is the live record of requests and their status; pending approvals also surface in the notifications bell. There's no separate export.

10. Common mistakes

• Assuming a swap is done when a coworker accepts, it still needs manager approval where configured.
• Using chat instead, log it here so cover is tracked and the roster stays accurate.
• A disabled request type, if you can't see "Give away", your business has that option switched off.
• Declining without a note, the requester only sees the decision and is left guessing; add a line saying why.

11. Troubleshooting

12. Error messages

Actions confirm inline; conflicts (e.g. a shift already taken) return a short message, re-check the inbox and act on the current state.

Related: Roster & timesheets · Leave