Creating a Blockout only Self-Roster

A blockout-only self-roster collects staff unavailability before the final roster is built. Staff mark days they cannot work — they do not select shifts.

• You want to capture staff unavailability before building the roster.

• You do not want staff selecting their own shifts.

• You need to set a cap on the number of days each staff member can block out (limited), or allow unlimited blockouts.

Part 1: Configure Blockout-Only Mode

1. From the main On Call page, click the Actions button in the top-right corner. Select Self-rosters from the dropdown menu.

2. On the Self-roster page, click the blue +Add button.

3. Set the Roster Period and Scope:

• Start/End Dates: Set the date range for collecting staff blockouts.

• Select Rosters: Choose which roster(s) this blockout period applies to (e.g. 'Early General Call'). Click Done.

4. Once a roster is selected, a Mode dropdown will appear. Select 'Blockout only'. Click Next.

Part 2: Shift Settings

1. Review existing shifts within the date range. If drafted or published shifts exist, select 'Count' to include them in a user's quota. If there are no shifts to count, select 'Ignore'.

2. Review the shift settings. These define how much each shift is worth. Confirm the values are correct. Click Next.

Part 3: Configure Quotas

1. Select 'Has Quota' in the Quota option. Enter the calculation mode and count mode based on your requirements.

2. Under Allow blockouts, select one of the following:

• Yes – limited: Set a maximum number of days each staff member can block out.

• Yes – unlimited: No cap on blockouts.

Part 4: Set the Window

1. Click the Windows tab. Set the date and time the self-roster will open and close.

2. Set notifications via email, SMS, or both to alert staff about the upcoming self-roster.

Part 5: Set Staff Blockout Allowances

1. Click the Staff tab. A list of all staff members will appear. Ticked staff members are included in the self-roster.

2. To assign the same blockout allowance to all staff, click Set all quotas equal. In the pop-up, enter the number of blockouts each person is allowed (e.g. 15). Click Save. The list will update to show each staff member's blockout quota. Individual quotas can also be adjusted directly from this screen.

Part 6: Closure and Finalisation

1. Set the Finalisation Options. To auto-finalise the period, select Yes under 'Finalise period and publish shifts'. Type 'confirm' in the verification box that appears.

2. Set the 'Fill vacant shifts if possible' option.

3. Set the 'Market vacant shifts if unable to fill' option.

4. To finalise manually instead, select No and finalise at a later time.

5. Click Next.

Part 7: Options

1. (Optional) Add email notes to include in the preset email message sent to staff.

Saving and Launching

• To save without launching: click Save draft in the top-right corner.

• To save and launch immediately: click Save and Launch.