Manage schedule periods and limitations for shift categories in the web

Schedule periods

The schedule period is the period within which you must balance the agents’ target work time. This means that you can optimize the schedule and, for example, move days off within the schedule period but not between schedule periods.

To start using schedule periods, define the length of the schedule period. Use the same schedule period length and start for all agents that you want to schedule at the same time. For more information about what to consider when deciding the length of the schedule period, refer to How work time is calculated.

If no subsequent schedule period is created, the schedule automatically continues using identical periods. That is, a new schedule period with the same length and details starts when the previous schedule period ends. If the settings remain the same between periods, there is no need to create new schedule periods manually.

You can also choose to override the work time calculations based on the contract, contract schedule, and part-time percentage. This is done by using override parameters for average daily work time, number of days off for the schedule period, and total contract time for the schedule period. In most cases, this requires a target tolerance and a day off tolerance in the contract.

The schedule periods can also be used to balance work time between schedule periods if some periods of the year are busier than others or to keep track of agents’ work hours if they deviate between periods.

When you work on a future period for multiple agents, select a date within that future period to ensure that you are viewing the correct schedule period for all the agents.

For information about balancing work time between schedule periods and adjusting schedule period targets for seasonality in the WFM client, refer to Manage schedule periods in the WFM client.

Shift limitations

Define limits on the number of shifts of a specific shift category that can be scheduled for an agent. The limit can be defined per week or per schedule period.

The shift category limitations are defined on the Schedule periods tab in the People module, but they do not apply to a specific schedule period. If shift category limitations are defined, they apply to all schedule periods for the agent.

Prerequisites

Page location

WFM > People > Schedule periods

WFM > People > Schedule periods > Shift category limitations

Procedures

Add a new schedule period

  1. On the Schedule periods landing page, enter a start Date for the new period.

    The start date must be the first day of the week (as defined in the People module) for week-based schedule periods and the first day of the month for month-based schedule periods. If, for example, a new agent starts their first person period on a Wednesday, and the organization uses 1-week schedule periods, the agent’s first schedule period would start on the first day of that week, even if the agent has not started yet.

  2. Select the sites, teams, or skills that you want to add a new schedule period for or select the schedule period Type. You can also select both of these filters, if necessary.
  3. (Optional) If you want to search for a specific agent, for example, enter details in the search field.
  4. Click Search.
  5. Select the check boxes for one or more agents.
  6. Click Add new.
  7. Select a Period, enter the Number of months, weeks, or days to define the schedule period, and select a Type.

    NOTE   The period date, number, and type impact which date ranges should be opened when scheduling. For more information, refer to Select agents and period to schedule.

  8. The values in the Hours per day and Days off fields are calculated based on the agent's contract, contract schedule, part-time percentage, and the length of the schedule period. Verify that these values are correct.

    NOTE   

    If the first person period starts later than the schedule period, there are some additional considerations for the first schedule period.

    • The Hours per day value for the first schedule period is zero. Override this value according to the agent's contract.
    • The Days off value for the first schedule period per default only shows the days off after the person period starts. If needed, override this value.
    • Create the next schedule period. Remove any overrides to use the values calculated based on the contract settings.

  9. (Optional) Override the calculated work time or number of days off for a schedule period. If you override a value, the new value is used when scheduling this schedule period. In most cases where you override calculated values, this requires a target tolerance or a day off tolerance on the contract.

    NOTE   If the override is only valid for this particular schedule period, remember to create another schedule period to follow it, with the override values removed.

    Enter a value in the appropriate column to override any values calculated based on the contract.

    • Override hours per day—to override the average work hours per day.
    • Override days off—to override the number of days off for the schedule period.
    • Override period time—to override the total contract time for the schedule period.
  10. Click Add.
  11. (Optional) To enter the number of available Must haves for the agent for the schedule period, click on a cell in the Must have column in the grid on the Schedule periods landing page, add a number, and click Save. To discard your changes, click Discard. The must haves are shift or day off preferences that are particularly important to the agent. The must haves can be used as a benefit for agents reaching their targets. For more information, refer to the Must have article.

Edit a schedule period

  1. Select the check boxes for one or more agents

  2. Click Edit.

  3. Follow steps 6 to 11 for the Add a new schedule period procedure and click Save.

    NOTE   Alternatively, you can edit schedule periods directly in the cells in the grid on the Schedule periods landing page and click Save. To discard your changes, click Discard.

Delete a schedule period

  1. Select the check boxes for one or more agents.

  2. Click Delete and then click Delete again to confirm.

Define shift category limitations

NOTE   You can choose to consider the defined shift category limitations or not when scheduling.

  1. On the Schedule periods landing page, select the check boxes for agents that you want to define limitations for.
  2. Click Shift category limitations.
  3. Select the Limit check boxes for the shift categories that you want to limit.
  4. Select the Per period or the Per week check box to define for which period you want to apply the limitation. "Per period" means per schedule period, and "per week" means per calendar week.
  5. Enter the maximum number of shifts of the shift category that can be scheduled for the selected period in the Maximum column. If you enter 0, no shifts of this category are scheduled.
  6. Click Save.

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