If you are participating in a preference-based self-rostering process, your hospital and HosPortal's automated reminders will usually send you an overview of the structure of the roster and your obligations. You will also be told if you are allowed to select 'block-out' shifts that you are unable to do, and how many of those you are allowed to select.
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For all self-rostering processes you will have a ‘window’ of time (normally 1-2 weeks) to pick your preferences for the coming roster. Because you can express preferences for the same shifts as other people there is usually no advantage in expressing preferences early.

Unlike other types of self-rostering, you may not be advised of any roster quotas describing the number of shifts that the roster administrator expects you to fill.

It is always a good idea to express preferences for more shifts, rather than just your ideal shifts, so that the roster administrator has more information on which to build your roster. We recommend that users express as many preferences as possible over the entire roster date range.

Regardless of the roster(s) you are participating in, you may receive SMS and email notifications to let you know when the window for self-rostering opens and closes.

When you log into HosPortal, if any of your hospitals has an open self-roster period, you can see the details on the left of your dashboard, showing the details (A), including the name of the facility and that it is a 'preference based' rostering process.

If it is not yet open, there is a countdown timer (B) showing how long until it opens. If it is open, the timer will show how long until it closes.

There are sometimes multiple windows, each with different rules. It is not uncommon for the first selection window to limit the number of shifts you can pick, then a second window where you can pick more shifts or an unlimited number of shifts.

Click on the panel (C) to start self-rostering.

Once the preference window is open, you will see a screen like the one below. Shifts you can express preferences for are in green, and shifts turn yellow as you express preferences for them. Block-outs, if you are allowed to select them, are shown in navy blue.

You can express preferences regardless of the number of other people who have also expressed preferences. You can see the number of people - including yourself - who have expressed preferences by the number in each shift. In the example below, there are 3 people who have already expressed a preference for Saturday 16 September (D), and no one has yet expressed a preference for Friday 27 October (E).

Because there is advantage in expressing many preferences, once you select a shift you can select similar shifts using the Quick selection panel (F). For instance, if you select a Tuesday you can then quickly select preferences for every Tuesday after that date, or every second Tuesday, or every 4th Tuesday.

Note that the roster changes in real time: you will see the count of shifts change as other users make their selections.

If your roster allows you to select block-outs you can see the number of block-outs you are allowed to select on the left-hand panel (G). You can switch between selecting/deselecting preferences and selecting/deselecting block-outs using the 'Manage block-outs' toggle (H). Block-outs are shown in navy blue.

If you make a mistake or change your mind, and for as long as the preference window is open, you can click on one of your yellow shifts to ‘release’ it. The Quick selection panel (F) also allows you to delete similar preferences.

You can change your preferences as many times as you like during the preference period. Nothing is confirmed until the window closes.

You can also change your mind about your block-out shifts if you have toggled the block-out mode (H).

Usually, a roster administrator will need to review all users' selections before finalising the roster. Depending on the rostering rules and the selections made by others there is no guarantee that you will get any or all of your selections. There is also no guarantee that you will never be assigned a block-out shift by your administrator.

The timing to publish the final roster is up to the roster administrator.

Once the roster is finalised you will receive notification of the shifts you have been assigned.