ShiftPlumCreate shift templates for recurring schedules
A shift template stores the settings you reuse: start and end times, category, unpaid break, color and pay settings. A rotation arranges those templates across dates. Set up the templates carefully once, then check the events they create before filling a longer period.
Give each template a name that distinguishes it
Use names that tell you what will be added, such as “Day 08:00–16:00” or “Night 20:00–08:00”. If two jobs use similar hours but different breaks or rates, create separate templates and include a short job label.
A color can help you scan the calendar, but the name should still make sense on its own. Avoid several templates called “Work” when their settings differ. You should be able to pick the right one without opening every template.
Set time, end day and category together
For an overnight shift, the end time alone is not enough. A night from 20:00 to 08:00 needs an end day of “Next day”. Use the Work category for a work shift and an all-day off template when you only want a rest-day label.
| Template | Times | End day | Unpaid break |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 08:00–16:00 | Same day | 30 minutes |
| Night | 20:00–08:00 | Next day | 45 minutes |
| Day off | All day | Not a timed shift | 0 minutes |
Check the first event's duration
With no clock change, the example day shift contributes 7 hours 30 minutes after its break. The night contributes 11 hours 15 minutes. A Day off label contributes no timed hours. Create one event and compare its result with that arithmetic.
The calendar supplies the time zone used for elapsed duration. A template does not make every overnight interval the same length across a clock change. If you use it in a different calendar, check that calendar's zone as well.
Keep pay settings intentional
Choose hourly or fixed payment according to the estimate you want to record. Check the currency, any per-event overtime threshold and optional deduction. A copied rate can be easy to miss when the time fields look right.
These settings produce a personal estimate, not an employer's payroll calculation. If two kinds of shift use different assumptions, separate templates make the difference easier to see. Avoid putting a rate in the title if you plan to share event names.
Turn templates into a rotation
A 2-on, 2-off cycle contains two work-template positions followed by two empty positions or off templates. A day–night–rest–off cycle uses different templates for its first two positions. Choose an anchor date that matches the first position.
Preview a short range and compare it with your roster. Existing events can lead to skipped dates. Investigate those dates before allowing overlaps, and check the first event after the cycle repeats.
Know what a template edit will change
Existing events keep the values copied when they were created. Updating a template affects future uses; it does not rewrite earlier events or already generated future shifts. This keeps a new setting from silently changing your history.
When working hours change, update the template for new entries and review any future events already on the calendar. Do not add another rotation over them without checking for duplicates. For a single swap, edit the event itself and leave the reusable template alone.