Accessing Vacant Shifts
Navigate to the Vacant Shifts page from the sidebar. The page displays a table of all shifts currently without an assigned staff member.
Understanding the Vacant Shifts Table
The table displays the following information for each vacant shift:
Column | Description |
Client | The name of the client for the shift |
Date | The date the shift is scheduled |
Time | The start and end time of the shift |
Address | The location where the shift takes place |
Care Manager | The care manager responsible for the client |
Category | The type of shift (e.g., Standard, SW) |
Status | Action buttons to assign staff |
Filtering Vacant Shifts
Use the filter dropdown in the navbar to narrow down the list of vacant shifts.
Available Filters
Shift Type: Filter by the category of shift. Options are populated based on the shift types in your organisation.
Care Manager: Filter to show only shifts belonging to specific care managers.
Location: Filter by geographic area to view shifts in specific locations.
Date Range: Select a time period to view shifts within:
Next 7 days
Next 14 days
Next 30 days
All shifts
To clear all applied filters, click the Clear Filters button in the filter dropdown.
Assigning Staff to Vacant Shifts
Each vacant shift row displays two action buttons:
Manual Assignment (Assign To)
Click the Assign To button on the vacant shift row
A modal opens displaying available staff members
Browse or search through the staff list
Select a staff member to assign
Confirm the assignment
This method is useful when you already know which staff member should be assigned to the shift.
AI-Assisted Assignment (AI Assist)
The AI Assist feature uses intelligent matching to recommend the most suitable staff members for a vacant shift.
Click the AI Assist button on the vacant shift row
A modal opens showing the vacant shift details and recommended staff members
Review the AI recommendations
Select a staff member and click Assign
Confirm the assignment in the confirmation dialog
How AI Recommendations Work
When you open the AI Assist modal, the system analyses multiple factors to generate a ranked list of suitable staff members.
Recommendation Criteria
The AI considers the following factors when scoring staff suitability:
Prior Experience with Client: Staff who have previously worked with the client receive higher scores. These staff members are marked with a "Familiar" badge.
Working Hours That Day: The system checks how many appointments the staff member already has scheduled on the day of the vacant shift.
Weekly Working Hours: The total hours the staff member has worked or is scheduled to work during the current week is considered to avoid over-rostering.
Travel Time and Distance: The system calculates the driving time and distance from the staff member's location to the appointment address. Staff who are closer receive higher scores.
Geographic Radius Search: The AI creates a 30-kilometre radius around the appointment address and identifies staff who:
Live within this radius
Are already working in the area on the day of the vacant shift
Staff who are already nearby on the day are prioritised as they can travel to the shift more efficiently.
Understanding the Recommendations
Each recommended staff member card displays:
Score: A numerical score out of 100 indicating overall suitability. The staff member with the highest score is marked as "Best Match".
Key Information: A list of reasons why this staff member is recommended, such as:
Has worked with this client before
Lives close to the appointment
Has availability on this day
Already working nearby
Travel Details
Travel time in minutes from their location
Distance in kilometres
Workload Summary
Hours worked this week
Number of appointments nearby on the day of the shift
Viewing Staff Schedule
Before assigning a staff member, you can view their schedule for the day:
Click View Schedule on any recommended staff card
A modal opens showing:
Total appointments for the day
Working hours
Total travel time
Total travel distance
A timeline of their appointments including travel time between shifts
The proposed shift is highlighted so you can see how it fits into their day
Review for any time conflicts or scheduling issues
Close the schedule modal to return to recommendations
Completing an Assignment
Once you have selected a staff member (either manually or via AI Assist):
Click the Assign button next to the staff member
A confirmation dialog appears showing:
The staff member's name
The shift details (client, date, time, address)
Click Confirm to complete the assignment
The shift is updated and removed from the Vacant Shifts list
A success notification confirms the assignment
After Assignment
Once a shift is assigned:
The shift no longer appears in the Vacant Shifts list
The shift appears on the assigned staff member's schedule in the calendar
The staff member can view the shift in their roster