This article explains how to manage the definitions used by AI shift planning on the Shift planning settings screen. Users with SHIFT_PLANNER_RULES_MANAGE or SHIFT_MANAGE can open it. Go there from Configuration > Shifts > Shift planning settings or with the Planning settings button on the AI shift planning screen.
Before you start
Branches, departments and positions must be defined in Organization Management; rules and profiles are linked to them.
Step by step
The Shift types, Skills, Employee planning profiles and Written consents tabs list in one content card: the toolbar has the search box, the Branch and Department chips where they apply, the result count and Sort (clicking a column header sorts too), with the pager at the bottom. The tab, search, filters, sort and page stay in the address.
On the Shift types tab define the shifts the company works with. With Add shift type enter the Name, Short code, Start, End, Break, Branch (All branches when left as is), Colour and Order. The dialog shows the working time, whether the shift runs into the next day and whether it counts as a night shift (20:00-06:00). If you have shared shifts in the past, Suggest from history suggests the most used time windows (optionally pick a branch in the dialog; left empty, all branches); tick the suggestions and click Add selected. Deleting a type that is not in use removes it; a type in use is not deleted but set to inactive with the message "It is in use, so it was set to inactive". An inactive type shows as Inactive in the list and cannot be selected for new assignments or preferences.
On the Rules tab select the level in the toolbar: Company, Branch or Department (for branch and department also pick the branch and department). Legal limits appear even without a record, with the Legal default label and their Legal limit. To change a rule click Change at this level, enter the value, the Type (Hard or Soft) and for soft rules the Weight (0-10); Use parent value removes your own value. Add minimum staff rule adds rules like "1 first aid certified person on nights", Add free text rule adds collective agreement terms. When done, click Save rules in the bar at the bottom of the page; Discard changes goes back to the last saved rules. Leaving the page without saving asks first.
A lower level can only be stricter: a lower maximum, a higher minimum, or hard instead of soft. A branch value looser than the company value is not saved and the warning "A lower level rule cannot be looser than its parent" appears.
A value beyond the law (for example more than 45 hours a week, less than 11 hours of rest) is not saved.
The Leave awaiting approval rule sets how pending leave counts: Treat as risky (default), Treat as unavailable or Ignore.
The Understaffing and overstaffing cost ratio is 3 to 1 by default; the engine treats understaffing as more expensive than overstaffing.
On the Skills tab define skills such as "First aid certificate" or "Cash desk" with Add skill. Skills are selected in employee profiles and in the minimum staff rule.
On the Employee planning profiles tab search for the employee or filter by branch and department, then click the pencil in the row. Fill in Contract (Full time / Part time), Weekly contract hours, Skills, Branches it can be borrowed to, Fixed day off and Night restriction, then click Save. An employee with a night restriction gets no shift that overlaps the night range (20:00-06:00); no reason is stored.
On the Written consents tab follow the status of the overtime and long night work consents sent from the proposal screen with the tabs at the top of the card (All, Awaiting consent, Approved, Employee declined, Expired, each with its count). For an expired request you can ask again from the proposal screen.
Result
New settings are used by the next Create proposal; existing proposals do not change by themselves. A shift type linked to a branch is only used in that branch's plans.
Common problems
Symptom: Save rules shows "A lower level rule cannot be looser than its parent".
Cause: The branch or department value is looser than the company value.
Fix: Enter a stricter value or use the company value with Use parent value.
Symptom: An employee never gets a shift that touches the night range (20:00-06:00).
Cause: Night restriction is on in the profile, or the employee chose Shift I would rather avoid. The night restriction covers every shift overlapping the night range (for example 16:00-24:00), not only night shifts.
Fix: Check the profile; employees manage their preferences themselves under My shift preferences (My shift preferences).
Symptom: Deleting a skill shows "The record is used in rules or employee profiles, so it cannot be deleted".
Cause: The skill is selected in a minimum staff rule or an employee profile.
Fix: Remove it from the rule and the profiles first, then delete it.