A term is a reusable set of shift templates designed for staff to rotate though on a regular cycle, each using the same set of templates — most commonly trainees, registrars and residents. Instead of building each person's shift templates by hand every rotation, you define the pattern once as a term and then assign people to it.
Terms are made up of four building blocks. Understanding how they relate is the key to using the feature well.
The building blocks
Term — the name of the activity itself, for example a "General Surgery" term or a "Neurology" term. It carries the roles it applies to and (optionally) a team.
Term dates — the rotation periods on your calendar: the dates trainees start, end, or change term (for example "2026 Term 1"). Term dates define when a rotation runs.
Term shift templates — the recurring shift templates attached to a term. This is what turns a term into actual shifts (times, days, roster, recurrence).
Term users — the link between a person and a term over a date range. Assigning someone to a term is what places the term's shifts onto their roster for that period.
How they fit together
The pieces combine in a simple chain:
Term dates set the rotation calendar — the periods people move through.
A term names what type of work makes up the termand acts as a folder joining term dates, term shift templates and term users.
One or more term shift templates define the recurring shifts the term generates.
When you assign a person to the term over a set of dates, the term's shifts flow automatically onto their roster for that period.
Because the work is defined once on the term, and the dates the term applies is defined by the link between the user and the term date, the shift templates apply to the user automatically when the term states, and stop when the terms ends.
Where to go next
Each building block has its own article: setting up term dates, creating a term, adding term shift templates, and assigning staff to a term. Start with term dates, since terms and assignments refer back to them.