My Schedule
The My Schedule page provides an overview of your assigned shifts as well as unassigned shifts which have been offered to you, are available to you, or both. By default, your assigned shifts from all units are displayed. If desired, you can choose to view shifts from a specific unit. A special non-trained unit shows you any shifts that are assigned or offers that are made from other units within your geographic area.
To view your schedule
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
Typically, you cannot access or be assigned shifts for any units to which you are not associated. If you must be assigned to work in another unit, your Sparkrock 365 administrator or schedule administrator must perform this action. You can access any such assigned shifts from other unit schedules by selecting ALL or Non-trained.
You can view your assigned shifts in a List View or in a Calendar view. The List View shows your shifts one week at a time. The Calendar view can show your shifts for a day, a week, or a month.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right (
) arrows.To view the details for a shift, select a shift.
Find available shifts
On the My Schedule page, in List View, on the Available tab, you can find vacant unassigned shifts that you may want to accept.
Shifts that are not available to you are not displayed, for example, because the shift conflicts with an assigned shift or a scheduled training session.
Available shifts do not appear in the Calendar view.
The Available tab does not display any values when All has been selected for the Unit Schedule field.
If an available shift has existing bids, the bids are indicated on that shift’s row in the list. This information can help you to decide whether to bid on a specific shift.
To find available shifts
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.On the List View, choose the Available tab.
Bid on a shift
If a unit is configured in Sparkrock 365 to allow bids, you can bid on an available shift.
To bid on a shift
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.To bid, choose the Bid Request button (
).A dialog box appears.
To confirm that you want to bid on a shift, choose Yes.
This action alerts the unit supervisor that you want to work the shift. The unit supervisor can decide whether to accept your bid, someone else's, or leave the shift vacant.
Create Shifts
Depending on the schedule unit setup, you may be able to create a shift for yourself to capture an unscheduled work period.
To create a shift
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Choose New Shift.
A New Shift dialog box appears where you can specify details for the new shift.
If the New Shift button is not available to you on My Schedule, you do not have the necessary permissions. A unit supervisor must create the shift on your behalf.
In Schedule Unit, specify the applicable unit.
You can choose from the subset of your assigned units that permit employees to create shifts.
In Shift Start Date, specify a date for the shift.
Only dates that are within a certain date range as configured for your unit can be specified.
In Position, specify a value.
Choose Create.
The Shift Details - Published page opens.
In Start Time and End Time, specify the start time and end time of the shift.
You must enter time in the correct format. The correct format is HH:MM AM or PM, for example, 09:00 AM. There must be no spaces between the hours and minutes and one space before AM or PM.
(Optional) In Comment, specify a comment explaining the reason for the shift.
Choose Request Change.
Review and accept offers
If a shift offer is not accepted, the offer remains open until the shift is assigned to someone.
Shifts can be offered to multiple employees. If a shift is no longer available, the unit supervisor may have approved another employee’s bid or their response to the offer, or the shift may have been canceled.
To review and accept an offer
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the Pending or Available tab.
Shifts that a unit supervisor has offered to you appear only on the Pending and Available tabs. After you accept an offered shift, the shift appears on the My Shifts tab.
Select the offered shift that you want to review.
The Shift Details - Published page opens.
To accept the shift, choose Accept.
After you accept the shift, the following outcomes occur depending on the unit setup and configuration:
If the unit supervisor has to approve your acceptance of the offer, your acceptance is processed as a bid. After the bid is approved by the unit supervisor, the shift is added to your schedule, and you receive a confirmation email that indicates your bid is approved.
If your unit configuration is set up to auto approve, the shift is awarded to the first person to accept, and that person receives a confirmation email.
View vacant shifts
On the My Schedule page, you can view the list of vacant shifts for a unit. The shifts that have been offered to you are marked. Shift offers from any units to which you are not assigned are grouped under the Unit Schedule of Non-trained.
Request changes
Sometimes, it is necessary to request changes to your shift. For example, you may be allowed to change the start or end times to reflect a late arrival or extra time worked. In some circumstances, you may also be able to change the Work Date.
The capability to change a shift must be specifically enabled in Sparkrock 365 for a schedule unit.
It is not possible to make further changes to a shift when a requested change waiting for a unit supervisor's approval. Therefore, it is a best practice to request a change only after you have finalized all possible changes.
Employees cannot use mySparkrock to request changes to vacant shifts.
To request changes to a shift
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift that you want to change.
The Shift Details - Published page opens.
In the Details section, make the necessary time adjustments.
(Optional) Add a comment explaining the reason for this request.
Choose Request Change.
This action does not change the shift immediately. Instead, a change request is sent to the one or more unit supervisors. While the change request is waiting for approval, on the My Schedule page, Changes appears in the Details field.
When the unit supervisor approves the change, the shift is updated and Changes disappears from the Details field. If the unit supervisor denies the request, the changes are discarded.
On the Shift Details - Published page, to highlight any changes, mySparkrock displays a Requested Change field directly below the current value.
Change activities
You may need to change the activity list to record how you spent your time during a shift. A list of activities is associated with each unit. A schedule administrator maintains the list of eligible activities and links the activities to payroll and budget fields. If breaks or sleep hours must be recorded, the schedule administrator creates corresponding activities.
The total duration of all activities must equal the duration of the shift. If you are editing the activities list, you may have to temporarily break this rule. The following error message is displayed on the Shift Details - Published page when the shift duration and the total of the activity durations do not match:
The Activity duration does not match the Shift duration.
Activities cannot be created outside the start and end times of the shift, so a change request is required when you must extend the shift duration.
To add an activity
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift for which you want to add an activity.
The Shift Details - Published page opens.
To add an activity, choose Add Activity.
A new section appears.
The Start Time and End Time default to the shift start and end times.
The value for HR Pay Code defaults from the value that is specified on the shift.
Change values as required.
If you want to use an activity that is not available, you must contact your Sparkrock 365 administrator.
(Optional) In Comment, specify a comment.
Choose Save.
The activity is added to the shift record, and results in an immediate save of the entire shift detail record, as well as a subsequent validation of the shift. As a result, errors and warnings may appear.
To edit an activity
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift for which you want to edit an activity.
The Shift Details page opens.
On the activity that you want to edit, choose Edit.
You can only edit one activity at a time, so the controls will not appear when another row is in edit mode. To enable editing of another row, choose Save or Cancel.
Make changes as necessary.
Choose Save.
Save causes the activity to be added to the shift, and results in an immediate save of the entire shift detail record, as well as a subsequent validation of the shift. Errors and warnings may appear.
To delete an activity
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift for which you want to delete an activity.
The Shift Details page opens.
On the activity that you want to delete, choose Delete.
The activity row is deleted. This action cannot be undone.
Shift trading
Shift trading allows employees who cannot work an assigned shift, or who would prefer not to, to arrange a trade of that specific shift with another eligible employee working in the same unit. The unit supervisor does not need to be involved until both parties have agreed to make the trade, but must give final approval. Shift trading is always initiated within mySparkrock, but approvals can be managed from mySparkrock by unit supervisors or in Sparkrock 365.
Shift trading restrictions and limitations
The following list describes general shift trading restrictions and limitations:
It is not possible to trade with an unassigned shift, such as a vacant or do not fill shift.
It is not possible to offer to trade a specific shift with more than one employee, or to offer your shift generally for bidding. However, unit supervisors can create vacant shifts for bidding, or offer them to multiple employees.
It is not possible to trade shifts outside of the unit. Both shifts in a trade transaction must be in the same unit.
It is not possible to trade shifts that occur today or that took place in the past. The maximum future date for a trade request is set in Sparkrock 365, on the Schedule Setup page, in the Open Trading Period (Days) field.
Only published shifts can be traded. Open shifts and shifts which have already been confirmed, approved, transferred to payroll, or posted cannot be traded.
Shifts with a pending action, such as another trade request or a change request, cannot be traded.
To trade a shift
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.If a shift is eligible to be traded, mySparkrock displays a Shift Trade (
) button.Select the shift that you want to trade.
The Shift Details - Published page opens.
Choose Trade.
The Trading Shift Selection page opens and displays a list of potential shift trade targets.
If the schedule unit is not configured to display employee names, only the position descriptions display in the shift list.
mySparkrock does not display shifts that match the following criteria:
Shifts that are assigned to you because you cannot trade with yourself.
Shifts from employees who cannot pick up the shift that you want to trade.
Shifts for non-trained employees.
Shifts where there is an overlapping shift, scheduled training, or an approved absence.
To view the details for the shifts that are being considered for a trade request, choose Compare.
A new page opens which compares key elements of the offered and potential target shifts, such as employee names, shift dates, start and end times, duration, and position. To view further details on the associated Shift Details - Published page, choose the respective More Information link.
If the unit is not configured to display employee names, mySparkrock only displays your own name.
If either shift is not a regular work date, as determined on the Sparkrock 365 HR Base Calendar page for the unit, this is indicated on the Compare page. If the shift start time, end time, duration, or position do not match, they appear in red to draw your attention to the one or more differences.
To send the trade request to the shift trade target employee, perform the following steps:
Choose Send Request.
The Send Request dialog box appears.
(Optional) Specify an optional message that is to be sent as an email to the shift trade target employee, along with the details of the proposed trade.
Choose Send.
When you choose Send, you are returned to the My Schedule page. A pop-up message indicates if the trade request was successfully sent or, if an error occurred, for example, mySparkrock was unable to complete the request or was unable to send the email message.
After a trade is proposed, a shift transaction record is created in the database. The transaction is assigned a unique transaction number that tracks the unique shift entry numbers of both shifts, as well as the time of the request, and a transaction state. This record tracks the trade until a unit supervisor completes, cancels, declines, or approves or denies the trade request. A Sparkrock 365 user who has the Schedule Administrator role can review all active trades from the Schedule Administrator role center.
Review proposed trades
For trades that you proposed, and trades which have been proposed to you, mySparkrock displays Proposed in the Details field. For trades that have been accepted, but have yet to be approved by a unit supervisor, mySparkrock displays Accepted in the Details field. These trades are visible on the My Shifts tab, as well as on the Pending tab.
On the My Schedule page, mySparkrock only displays one of the shifts that are involved in a proposed shift trade. mySparkrock automatically updates the My Schedule page after a unit supervisor approves the shift trade.
To review proposed trades
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.To review the trade, select the row.
The Trading Shift - Proposed page opens.
Send a reminder about a proposed trade
If required, you can send a reminder email to the other employee involved in the trade.
mySparkrock disables the Remind button when the shift can no longer be traded, for example, because the shift is for the current day or in the past. In this case, you must cancel the trade.
To send a reminder about a proposed trade
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift for which you want to send a reminder.
The Trading Shift - Proposed page opens.
Choose Remind.
A Send A Reminder dialog box appears.
In Comment, specify a value.
Choose Send.
Cancel a proposed shift trade
If required, you can cancel a proposed trade.
When you propose a shift trade, on the My Schedule page, mySparkrock displays a Cancel Trade button (
). When you cancel a trade, mySparkrock deletes the trade proposal.
To cancel a proposed shift trade
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift trade that you want to cancel.
The Trading Shift - Proposed page opens.
Choose Cancel Trade.
Accept or decline proposed shift trades
If a trade has been proposed to you, when you view the proposed shift trade, you have the following options:
Decline
Accept
When you accept a trade, an email message notifies the trade originator, informing them that the proposed trade has been accepted.
Unit supervisors who have in Sparkrock 365, on their Schedule Unit Employee Card, Receive Trade Notices turned on, also receive an email notification when a trade has been accepted.
To accept a trade
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the trade that you want to accept.
The Trading Shift - Proposed page opens.
Choose Accept.
Unit supervisors who have in Sparkrock 365, on their Schedule Unit Employee Card, Receive Trade Notices turned on, receive an email notification when a trade has been accepted.
Accept is disabled when the shift can no longer be traded, for example, because the shift is in the past. In this case, it is recommended that you decline the trade, unless the shift has been agreed to outside of the mySparkrock solution. For such cases a unit supervisor can complete the trade.
After a trade has been accepted, you can still access the Compare page, but you can no longer take action from this page. Only a unit supervisor can approve or deny an accepted trade request.
A trade is not completed until the trade has been approved by a unit supervisor. Shifts do not appear in the My Schedule page until the unit supervisor approves the trade. Also, both shifts that are involved in the trade do not display the Accepted badge on the My Schedule page of their respective employees.
To decline a trade
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the trade that you want to decline.
The Compare page opens.
Choose Decline.
A dialog box appears.
If desired, specify a message.
If specified, the message is sent in an email as a reminder to the other employee, along with the details of the proposed trade.
After a trade proposal is declined, the transaction ends and both employees remain assigned to their original shift.
If desired, either employee can propose a new trade.
The email address where the email is sent is the email address that is configured in Sparkrock 365, on the Employee Card page, in the Company Email field.
Split shifts
Employees can split shifts in mySparkrock. Splitting a shift may be necessary for the following reasons:
An employee is not able to work an entire shift, and a replacement must be found to complete it. In this case, the employee must first split the shift into workable and not workable parts, and then request an absence for the not workable portion.
The shift is vacant and no one can fill the entire shift.
If configured, employees can only split a shift to which they are assigned. Unit supervisors can split any shift in their unit. Employees and unit supervisors can split past, current, and future shifts.
Note
Note:
mySparkrock does not include the capability to undo a split shift or merge shifts together.
The following limitations exist for employees who are splitting shifts:
You cannot initiate a split shift when a shift trade or change request is pending.
You cannot initiate a split shift when the shift is absent.
When split shifts are possible
The following chart indicates when in the shift process employees and unit supervisors can split a shift.
| Open | Published | Confirmed | Approved | Transferred | Posted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Unit Supervisor | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Schedule Administrator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Note
Note:
Sparkrock 365 users who have the Schedule Administrator role can also split shifts directly in Sparkrock 365.
To split a shift
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift that you want to split.
The Shift Details - Published page opens.
Choose Split Shift.
The Split Shift dialog box appears.
In End Time, specify the time when the first shift is to end and the second shift is to begin.
Choose Yes.
The shift is split and the current shift is updated with the new start and end time.
Request shift absences
Employees can request a shift absence, either full or partial, from their unit supervisor, without having to go through the regular attendance approval process. This feature is intended for short term and partial absences, and not as a mechanism for approving longer-term time off, for example, vacations.
In some cases, an employee may only require an absence from part of a shift. To accomplish this, employees can split their shifts into individual workable and not-workable parts.
For example, suppose an employee is scheduled for a regular 9 am to 5 pm shift, but requires a 90-minute absence from 2 pm to 3:30 pm. In this case, the employee can perform the following steps:
Use the split shift functionality to create the following shifts:
9 am – 2 pm
2 pm – 3:30 pm
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Request an absence for the 2 pm – 3:30 pm shift.
Who can request a shift absence?
Employees can request an absence from any shift to which they are currently assigned and that has a Status of Published.
To request an absence from a shift
Go to Scheduling > My Schedule.
The My Schedule page opens.
In Unit Schedule, specify a unit.
If the displayed period is not the one that you want, to choose a different period, use the left (
) and right () arrows.Select the shift for which you want to request an absence.
Choose Request Absence.
Select the Mark As Absent checkbox.
When you chose Mark as Absent, a corresponding attendance record is created in the absence management system, and you cannot be chosen to fill another shift during the time of the absent shift.
In Cause of absence, specify the type of paid time off that you want to use to cover this absence from the list of available options.
The options that are available depend on which causes of absence your organization has linked to employee scheduling.
In Comments, specify an explanation for your unit supervisor.
Choose Save.
If the unit supervisor approves your request, you are removed from the shift.
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