Articles on: Schedules

Create and manage open shifts

You can use open shifts to create unassigned shifts that any eligible staff member can request or claim. Open shifts let you define the coverage your store needs without deciding who works each slot upfront, giving your team more flexibility while you keep control over the final schedule.


Open shifts work well when you want staff to indicate their availability before you finalize assignments, or when you want to fill last-minute gaps without assigning shifts one by one.


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Create an open shift


Open shifts appear in a dedicated Open Shifts row at the top of the weekly schedule grid. On the monthly view, they appear as cards within each day cell.


Use the Open Shifts row to create shifts that staff members can request


Steps:


  1. Go to the Schedules screen.
  2. Locate the Open Shifts row at the top of the staff list.
  3. Click any empty cell in the Open Shifts row for the day you need coverage.
  4. Set the shift details: Start time, End time, Position, Location, and number of staff needed.
  5. Optional: Select a Break type.
  6. Choose whether the shift Requires approval (see Approval vs claim below).
  7. Click Save.


The open shift appears as a draft. Staff can see it and respond only after you publish the schedule.


Most staff browse and respond to open shifts on mobile under the Open Shifts tab. For installation and sign-in, refer to How to Set Up Easyteam on Mobile.



Approval vs claim


When you create an open shift, the Requires approval checkbox controls how staff are assigned:


  • Requires approval ON — staff tap Request to express interest or disinterest. A manager reviews all requests and manually or using AI to pick who to assign. This gives you full control over who works each shift.


  • Requires approval OFF — the first staff member to tap Claim is automatically assigned the shift. This is faster but gives less control.


Open shift creation menu


Choose the option that matches how your store operates. Approval works well when you want to review preferences and balance hours across the team. Claim works well for last-minute coverage where speed matters.



How staff interact with open shifts


Staff usually manage open shifts from their phone or tablet: they open the Schedules tab in the Easyteam mobile app, browse what is available, and tap to Request, Claim, or set Preferences.

For installing the app and signing in on mobile, refer to How to Set Up Easyteam on Mobile.


After you publish open shifts, staff members can respond in one of three ways:


  • Prefer — the staff member wants this shift.
  • Available — the staff member can work but doesn't have a strong preference.
  • Unavailable — the staff member cannot work this shift, but managers can still assign them if needed.



Staff can also change their preference or retract a request or a claimed shift if their availability changes.


On the schedule grid, small colored dots on open shift cards represent staff interest:


  • Green dot — staff who marked Prefer.
  • Yellow dot — staff who marked Available.
  • Red dot — staff who marked Unavailable.



Review preferences and assign staff


For open shifts that require approval, you review staff preferences and decide who to assign.



Steps:


  1. On the Schedules screen, click an open shift that has preference dots.
  2. The Assignment Window opens, showing all staff members and their chosen status for that shift.
  3. Select the staff members you want to assign.
  4. Click Approve.


You can approve multiple staff members at once if the open shift requires more than one person.


You can also drag an open shift card directly onto a staff member's row to assign it. If the staff member's position doesn't match the one required by the open shift, Easyteam asks you to confirm before assigning.


After assigning, the shift moves from the Open Shifts row into the assigned staff member's row as a draft. Remember to publish the schedule for the changes to become visible to your team.



Edit, move, and delete open shifts


You can manage open shifts the same way you manage regular shifts:


  • Edit — click an open shift to update its time, position, location, or approval setting.
  • Move between days — drag an open shift card to a different day on the grid.
  • Duplicate — hold Shift on your keyboard while dragging an open shift to copy it to another day.
  • Delete — open the shift details and click Delete to remove it.


Open shifts are included when you use Copy Shifts if you check the Copy open shifts (unassigned) option.



Troubleshoot open shifts


Staff don't see the open shifts


Open shifts are created as drafts. Make sure you have published the schedule so staff can see and respond to open shifts.


No one is responding to an open shift


Check the following:


  • The schedule has been published.
  • Staff are assigned to the correct location.
  • Staff notification preferences are enabled for open shift updates.


Position mismatch warning when assigning


If you drag an open shift onto a staff member whose positions don't include the one required by the shift, Easyteam shows a confirmation dialog. You can still assign the shift, but review whether the staff member is qualified for that role.


Open shifts are not visible on the schedule


Make sure the Open Shifts row is enabled in the View selector. Admins and managers can toggle its visibility.


Open shifts can be used as input for the AI Scheduler. For more information, refer to Use AI scheduling to optimize shifts.



Questions or need help with setup? Use the 💬 chat bubble in the bottom right corner or schedule a 1-1 free setup meeting with our team.


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Updated on: 29/03/2026