Additional Needs-Based Scheduling Set Up

The following additional set up may be required when using needs-based scheduling for populating holiday time frames, especially if the organization unit usually populates the schedule with Core schedules or by Self Scheduling.

Some or all of this set up may already be completed.

• Add a Needs-Based Holiday Pass to the Selection Styles

  Selection styles can be modified to include need-based passes, and/or a new selection style can be created which includes need-based passes. Note: Need-based passes are those where the Selection field is set to either Staffing Plan or Core Staffing Plan.

  If core schedules are not populated during holidays, and there are no need-based passes set up, no employees will be populated on holidays.

  To add a needs-based scheduling pass to an existing Auto Schedule selection style, complete the following steps:

  1. From the Configuration section>Scheduling card>Selection Styles screen, search for and open an existing selection style.
  2. Click on the Passes button in the left pane. The existing passes will be displayed.
  3. Click on the Add button to open a screen to add passes.
  4. In the Selection field, choose one of the following options:

     The Selection Rule button opens a screen to display the type of process using this rule.

     • Choose the Staffing Plan option to create a schedule pass which populates needs based on Coverage Period and Profile from the Staffing Plan grid on the schedule.
     • Choose the Core Staffing Plan option to create a schedule pass which populates needs based on Activity Code and Profile from the Core Staffing Plan.
  5. Enter a Description identifying this pass.

     The label used to describe this selection style pass.

  6. In the Staffing Level field, enter the percentage of population for this pass--which in this pass is for holiday dates only because the Holiday Pass is set to Yes. If all employees who are eligible to work a holiday should be scheduled, this is a way to force the system to over-schedule. For example, if the staffing requirement for a specific coverage period on the Staffing Plan is set to 10, but there are 12 employees who are eligible to work a holiday, set this value to 120% or higher and all employees will be scheduled.

     The percentage of staffing needs the schedule should be populated up to, during this need-based scheduling pass. Enter the whole/decimal number of the percent (for example, enter 80.5 for 80.5% population of needs).

     • This setting can be used to populate all eligible employees on a holiday. For example, if the staff requirements on the Staffing Plan is set to 10, but there are 12 employees who are eligible to work a holiday, set this value to 120% or higher and all employees will be scheduled.
     • This setting can also be used to "even out" under-staffing of a schedule when an organization unit doesn't have enough staff available. For example, one pass can be set up to populate at 80%, and a second pass can be set up to populate at 100%. The first pass populates each day in the schedule up to 80% of staffing needs, and the second pass populates as many days as possible up to 100%.

       With that setting, if the needs for a coverage period is 10 RN's, the system first populates 8 RN's every day, and then goes back and tries to populate 10 RN's on as many days as possible (without breaking overtime/approved hours rules). If this staffing level value is left at 100%, the days initially populated by the schedule may have 10 RN's, but the days populated later may only get 6.

  7. In the Holiday Pass field, set this value to Yes to populate only holidays within the scheduling range with needs-based schedules. Non-holiday dates in the schedule will not be populated.

     Determines whether this pass is for scheduling holidays only (Yes/No). When this value is set to Yes, the schedule process checks the date range being scheduled and determines if there is a Holiday present. If there is, only the holiday is scheduled; if there are no holidays, no schedules are created.

     Holidays are set up on the Configuration section>Assignments card>Holiday screen.

     Note: This pass can be used to populate needs-based schedules on holidays for organization units that ordinarily use core schedules.

  8. Save this record.
  9. Click on the Qualification button in the left pane to open the screen to select the rules to be validated with this pass.
  10. Select the Holiday validation to enforce the holiday rules.
  11. Select all other rules for determining which employees are eligible to work. See the Qualification Rules Lists for explanations of each of the available rules.
  12. If additional fields are displayed with a selected rule, enter the values required. Note: If the Hide When Run check box is selected, these fields are required, since the user will not be able to view or edit this field when running the Scheduling Assistant wizard. If this check box is not selected, default values are still recommended, since these fields are required when running the wizard. If default values are not set up, the user must complete the fields each time the wizard is run.

      When this box is checked, users cannot see nor change the setting options for this rule when running the Schedule Assistant wizard. Values must be entered in these fields. When this box is NOT checked, default values are optional, and the user can modify the values in this field.

  13. When all rules are selected, Save this page.
  14. Click on the Sorting Rules button in the left pane to rank the qualified employees.
  15. Drag the rules to be used to rank employees from the Available Rules column to the Selected Rules column. See Sorting Rules for explanations of each of the available rules. Note: The sorting of employees for assigning Holiday schedules may be different than for regular need-based schedules. For example, in holiday scheduling, you may want the highest seniority employees scheduled last instead of first, especially if all eligible employees will not not be scheduled.
  16. Enter the values of additional information required, such as sorting direction and increments used for calculating total points.
  17. When all fields are completed, click on the Save button at the bottom of this page.
  18. To create additional passes, click on the Passes button and repeat steps 2-17 above.
      1. When more than one pass is created for a selection style, the pass numbers default to the order they were created.
      2. To reorder the Pass sequences, click on the number of a record under the Pass column and change it.
      3. The numbering sequences of the other passes are updated. For example, if there are four passes set up, and pass 3 is updated to number 2, passes 2, 3 and 4 are automatically updated to the proper number sequence. In the same manner, if one or more passes are deleted, the system automatically adjusts the numbering sequence of the remaining passes.
  19. When all appropriate passes have been changed, click on the Update Order button to save the sequence.
• Create a Staffing Template

  The Staffing Template is a staffing grid indicating the baseline staffing levels needed for an organization unit. These staffing needs are set up for each combination of profile and coverage period.

  Staffing templates are used to create the Staffing Plan, which indicates the staffing needs for a specific scheduling period. Auto Schedule Passes where the Selection is set to Staffing Plan use this information when running the scheduling process.

  For more information on setting up a staffing template, see the Configuration section>Scheduling card>Staffing Template screen.

  To add a new Staffing Template record, complete the following steps:

  1. Select the Staffing Template icon from the Configuration pages, Scheduling section.
  2. Click on the Add button to open a screen to add a new record.
  3. Enter a Code and Description to identify this Staffing Template.

     The label describing this staffing template code.

     The short, alphanumeric name or abbreviation identifying this staffing template.

  4. Select the Coverage Set Code from the listing to indicate the coverage periods. The staffing needs will be set up by coverage periods that exist within the selected coverage set. Note: If the coverage set selected does not match the one set up for the organization unit on the Staffing Configuration screen, an error message is generated.

     The code for the coverage set that is used by this staffing template. The coverage set selected determines the coverage periods that are available for configuration.

  5. In the Active field, indicate if this Staffing Template is currently active and available to be assigned.

     Indicates whether this staffing template is currently being used by the system and can be assigned (Yes/No).

  6. Enter the Number Of Weeks of this template. This indicates the number of weeks of rotation before the same staffing needs pattern is repeated. Note: In most cases, this staffing needs template is the same every week, and this value is set to one.

     The number of different weeks of rotation required to configure this staffing template. For example, if all weeks of a scheduling period have the same baseline staffing, this value can be set to 1. If alternating weeks in a schedule have different baseline staffing needs, this value can be set to 2 and the two weeks set up differently.

     Note: When a scheduling period is opened, the system replicates this template to fill all weeks of a schedule. For example, if the number of weeks is set to 1, when a four-week scheduling period is opened, the system replicates this template four times to fill the four-week scheduling period.

  7. Indicate whether this template is to be the Default for this organization unit. When this value is set to Yes, this template is automatically loaded when the Open Staffing Plan button is selected.

     Indicates whether this staffing template is the default template to be assigned to this organization unit (Yes/No). If a Default template is assigned, that template automatically loads when the schedule is opened for the organization unit.

     Note: The Default Staffing Template values are used for the Budgeted Hours and Costs in the Productivity Report.

  8. Enter the Organization Unit values indicating the labor distribution where this staffing template will be applied.

     The organization unit that is assigned to use this staffing template. The organization levels and label names that display depend on the organization structure.

  9. Click on the Save button.
  10. A grid is displayed to set up the staffing needs for this organization unit, for the number of weeks indicated.
  11. In the Profile box, select a profile for this organization unit.

      The profile (work assignment) as selected from the drop down menu for this Staffing Template entry.

  12. In the Coverage Period box, select one of the coverage periods from the selected coverage set.

      The coverage period being set up for staffing levels (for example, Day, Eve or Night). The coverage periods available from the drop down menu are determined by the Coverage Set Code chosen for this Staffing Template.

      The code for the coverage set that is used by this staffing template. The coverage set selected determines the coverage periods that are available for configuration.

  13. For each day in the week, enter the number of staff needed for that profile/coverage period combination. This is the number of staff needed during the coverage period, not an FTE value. A value of 1 for a 4-hour coverage period indicates needs for four hours of coverage. A value of 1 for a 12-hour coverage period indicates needs for twelve hours of coverage. A value of .5 in an 8-hour night coverage period indicates that four hours of coverage are needed during that time frame.
  14. Repeat steps 11-13 until each profile/coverage period combination for the organization unit is configured.
  15. Click on the Save button to save the record.

  To delete one or more lines of the Staffing Template, complete the following steps:

  1. Position the cursor in the box to the left of the record and click. The row is now highlighted.
     • To highlight multiple consecutive rows for deletion, after highlighting the first row to be deleted, hold down the <Shift> key on the keyboard and highlight the last row to be deleted. The first, last and all records in between are now highlighted.
     • To highlight multiple non-consecutive rows for deletion, after highlighting the first row to be deleted, hold down the <Control> key on the keyboard and click on the box to the left of each row to be deleted. All selected records are now highlighted.
  2. When all rows are selected for deletion, click on the <Delete> key on the keyboard.
  3. A warning message is generating, verifying the rows are to be deleted. Click on Yes.

  Note: Be sure to use the <Delete> key on the keyboard, not the Delete button in the left pane. Clicking on the button in the left pane will delete the entire template.

• Create a Core Staffing Template (only if staffing needs are based on activity codes)

  The Core Staffing Template is a staffing grid used for populating needs-based schedules in an organization unit. These staffing needs are set up for each combination of profile and activity code. This option can be used to set up staffing needs for organization units that use “staggered shifts” where coverage for specific time frames are needed.

  For more information, see the Configuration section>Scheduling card>Core Staffing Template.

  To add a new Core Staffing Template record, complete the following steps:

  1. Select the Core Staffing Template icon from the Configuration pages, Scheduling section.
  2. Click on the Add button to open a screen to add a new record.
  3. Enter a Code and Description to identify this core staffing template.

     The label describing this core staffing template.

  4. In the Active field, indicate if this template is currently active and available to be assigned.

     Indicates whether this core staffing template is currently being used by the system and can be assigned (Yes/No).

  5. Indicate whether this template is to be the Default for this organization unit. When this value is set to Yes, this template is automatically loaded when the Open Core Staffing Plan button is selected.

     Determines whether this record is the default core staffing template, which is automatically loaded to the core staffing plan screen (Yes/No).

  6. Enter the Number Of Weeks of this template. This indicates the number of weeks of rotation before the same staffing needs pattern is repeated. Note: In most cases, this staffing needs template is the same every week, and this value is set to one.

     The number of weeks of rotation required to configure this core staffing template. For example, if all weeks of a scheduling period have the same baseline staffing, this value can be set to 1. If alternating weeks in a schedule have different baseline staffing needs, this value can be set to 2 and the two weeks set up differently.

     Note: When a core staffing template is assigned to a scheduling period, the system replicates this template to fill all weeks of a schedule. For example, if the number of weeks is set to 1, when a four-week scheduling period is opened, the system replicates this template four times to fill the four-week scheduling period.

  7. Enter the Organization Unit values indicating where this staffing template will be applied.

     Select the appropriate code for this field. The number of organization unit levels available and the organization unit names displayed depend upon the corporate structure.

  8. Click on the Save button.
  9. A grid is displayed to set up the staffing needs by activity code for this organization unit, for the number of weeks indicated.
  10. In the Profile box, select a profile for this organization unit.

      The profile (work assignment) as selected from the drop down menu for this Core Staffing Template entry.

  11. In the Activity box, select one of the activity codes from the drop-down menu.

      The profile's activity code assignment for this Core Staffing Template entry.

  12. For each day in the week, enter the number of staff needed for that profile/activity code combination.
  13. Repeat steps 10-12 until each profile/activity code combination for the organization unit is configured.
  14. Click on the Save button to save the record.

  To delete one or more lines of the Core Staffing Template, complete the following steps:

  1. Position the cursor in the box to the left of the record and click. The row is now highlighted.
     • To highlight multiple consecutive rows for deletion, after highlighting the first row to be deleted, hold down the <Shift> key on the keyboard and highlight the last row to be deleted. The first, last and all records in between are now highlighted.
     • To highlight multiple non-consecutive rows for deletion, after highlighting the first row to be deleted, hold down the <Control> key on the keyboard and click on the box to the left of each row to be deleted. All selected records are now highlighted.
  2. When all rows are selected for deletion, click on the <Delete> key on the keyboard.
  3. A warning message is generating, verifying the rows are to be deleted. Click on Yes.

  Note: Be sure to use the <Delete> key on the keyboard, not the Delete button in the left pane. Clicking on the button in the left pane will delete the entire template.

• Update Activity Codes to Allow Automatic Scheduling

  An Activity Code indicator setting determines whether an activity code can be used by the system when creating need-based schedules. Only codes with this value set to Y may be used by the system when creating a needs-based automatic schedule.

  The indicator setting of multiple activity codes can be set to Y at the same time, by using the Replace feature, as outlined below.

  Authorized users can use the Replace feature to update multiple selected records at the same time with the same field information or the same indicator and/or parameter values. Note: Not all screens have the Replace feature available.

  1. Using the Search page selection criteria, search for all the records to be updated. Multiple searches can be conducted to build a results list.
  2. To select one or more record, click on the box to the left of each record to alternately add or remove the check mark. To select/de-select all records in a specific search result set, click on the box above the search results to add or remove all check marks.
  3. Click on the Replace button in the left pane.

     A screen is displayed with all replaceable fields showing as read only.

  4. Check the box to the left of a field to be updated. The field is then enabled.
  5. Enter the new information in the field.
  6. Update any additional fields in all tabs.
  7. Values in the Indicator and Parameter tabs can also be updated by entering values in each field.
  8. To reset all the values back to the previously saved ones, click on the Reset button. Note: Once the records have been saved, the values cannot be reset to the previous values. They would have to be re-entered as updated values, following steps 1-10.
  9. Click on the Save button to save the changes.
  10. All selected records are now updated, with the new information replacing the old information in the selected fields.

      Note: For more information, see Replacing Record Values under the Help section>Record Management.

  To update the activity code indicators, complete the following steps:

  1. From the Configuration section>Scheduling card, open the Activity Code screen.
  2. Enter search criteria to find the activity codes that should be activated for automatic scheduling.
  3. Click on the check box to the left of each record that should be updated.
  4. Click on the Replace button in the left pane to open a screen to update all selected records at the same time.
  5. Select the Indicators tab and then open the Schedule Process category card.
  6. Click on the check box to the left of Activity Code Indicator Schedule Standard 3 to enable the field.

     Activity Code Indicator Schedule Standard 3 determines whether a specific activity code can be used by the system when populating need-based schedules.

     This streamlines the schedule population process, since the system does not need to consider each and every activity code when building the schedule. Other activity codes that should NOT be included are codes that are always manually assigned (such as meetings), codes that are only used for core schedules, non-productive activities (such as OFF or PTO), codes for seldom-used activities (such as a 4-hour shift), etc.

     Note: If activity codes are set up under a Profile record, those are the only activities that can be scheduled for that profile. Be sure some of these activity codes are set to Y to allow automatic population.

     The default for this indicator is set to N, so only those indicators that should be used for automatic scheduling need to be updated. Multiple activity codes can be updated at the same time by using the Replace feature.

     Authorized users can use the Replace feature to update multiple selected records at the same time with the same field information or the same indicator and/or parameter values. Note: Not all screens have the Replace feature available.

     1. Using the Search page selection criteria, search for all the records to be updated. Multiple searches can be conducted to build a results list.
     2. To select one or more record, click on the box to the left of each record to alternately add or remove the check mark. To select/de-select all records in a specific search result set, click on the box above the search results to add or remove all check marks.
     3. Click on the Replace button in the left pane.

        A screen is displayed with all replaceable fields showing as read only.

     4. Check the box to the left of a field to be updated. The field is then enabled.
     5. Enter the new information in the field.
     6. Update any additional fields in all tabs.
     7. Values in the Indicator and Parameter tabs can also be updated by entering values in each field.
     8. To reset all the values back to the previously saved ones, click on the Reset button. Note: Once the records have been saved, the values cannot be reset to the previous values. They would have to be re-entered as updated values, following steps 1-10.
     9. Click on the Save button to save the changes.
     10. All selected records are now updated, with the new information replacing the old information in the selected fields.

         Note: For more information, see Replacing Record Values under the Help section>Record Management.

     Valid Indicator Options:

     N	This activity code can not be used when automatically populating a schedule.
     Y	This activity code can be used when automatically populating a schedule.

     Note: This indicator can be found in the Configuration section>Scheduling card>Activity Codes screen>Schedule Process card.

  7. Set this value to Y to authorize the selected activity codes to be available for use when the system creates automatic need-based schedules.
  8. Click on the Save button at the bottom of the screen to save and update all selected records.
• Add Profile Activity Code Selection

  For each profile, specific activity codes can be authorized for automatic scheduling. The Activities button opens a screen to search for and select specific activity codes that are authorized for automatic scheduling for this profile. The activity codes available are assigned to the same organization unit as the open Profile record.

  • When no activity codes are selected on this screen, all activity codes set up for the related organization unit are authorized for this profile.
  • When any activity codes are entered on this screen, if creating automatic need-based schedules for the profile, the system validates the Auto Schedule box setting.
    • When any activity codes in the Activities screen are set to Yes, only those activity codes are used when creating need-based automatic schedules.
    • When all activity codes in the Activities screen are set to No, all activity codes set up for the related organization unit can be used when creating need-based automatic schedules.

• Set Up Employee Schedule Preferences

  Schedule Preferences may need to be added to employee records to ensure they are assigned to the activity times they prefer to work. These preferences are validated during scheduling passes where the Preferences criteria option is selected.

  When populating need-based schedules, the system uses activity codes where Activity Code Indicator Schedule Standard 3 is set to Y. The system then attempts to match qualified employees with these activity codes. Be sure that one or more employee preference records will match the activity codes set up. For example, if only 8-hour activity codes are allowed with automatic scheduling, and all the employee preference records say the employee prefers activities with a shift length of 12 hours, this will not create a scheduling match.

  Activity Code Indicator Schedule Standard 3 determines whether a specific activity code can be used by the system when populating need-based schedules.

  This streamlines the schedule population process, since the system does not need to consider each and every activity code when building the schedule. Other activity codes that should NOT be included are codes that are always manually assigned (such as meetings), codes that are only used for core schedules, non-productive activities (such as OFF or PTO), codes for seldom-used activities (such as a 4-hour shift), etc.

  Note: If activity codes are set up under a Profile record, those are the only activities that can be scheduled for that profile. Be sure some of these activity codes are set to Y to allow automatic population.

  The default for this indicator is set to N, so only those indicators that should be used for automatic scheduling need to be updated. Multiple activity codes can be updated at the same time by using the Replace feature.

  Authorized users can use the Replace feature to update multiple selected records at the same time with the same field information or the same indicator and/or parameter values. Note: Not all screens have the Replace feature available.

  1. Using the Search page selection criteria, search for all the records to be updated. Multiple searches can be conducted to build a results list.
  2. To select one or more record, click on the box to the left of each record to alternately add or remove the check mark. To select/de-select all records in a specific search result set, click on the box above the search results to add or remove all check marks.
  3. Click on the Replace button in the left pane.

     A screen is displayed with all replaceable fields showing as read only.

  4. Check the box to the left of a field to be updated. The field is then enabled.
  5. Enter the new information in the field.
  6. Update any additional fields in all tabs.
  7. Values in the Indicator and Parameter tabs can also be updated by entering values in each field.
  8. To reset all the values back to the previously saved ones, click on the Reset button. Note: Once the records have been saved, the values cannot be reset to the previous values. They would have to be re-entered as updated values, following steps 1-10.
  9. Click on the Save button to save the changes.
  10. All selected records are now updated, with the new information replacing the old information in the selected fields.

      Note: For more information, see Replacing Record Values under the Help section>Record Management.

  Valid Indicator Options:

  N	This activity code can not be used when automatically populating a schedule.
  Y	This activity code can be used when automatically populating a schedule.

  Note: This indicator can be found in the Configuration section>Scheduling card>Activity Codes screen>Schedule Process card.

  Note: When fields are left blank, the system allows any values in these fields. Therefore, when less information is entered in this screen, the employee is eligible to work more activity codes and is more likely to be added to the schedule.

• Set Up Priority Dates

  In the Staffing Configuration screen, the Priority Dates button opens a screen to indicate dates that have highest scheduling priority (for example, holiday time frames). When running the scheduling process, the priority date(s) that occur within the scheduling period are scheduled before the rest of the days. Using this feature prevents employees who are eligible to work a holiday from being disqualified because of other scheduling rules, such as overtime or approved hours.

  If Priority Days are also set up for this Staffing Configuration record, the system will schedule the days within the Priority Dates time frame in the sort order specified by the Priority Days table.

  For example:

  • The Priority Days are set as Saturday, Sunday, and Friday. The rest of the days populate in chronological order (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
  • The Priority Dates for the Thanksgiving Holiday are set up as Thursday through Sunday of the last week of November (such as November 27-30)

  When the scheduling period that includes the dates of November 23-36 is run, the scheduling process will first schedule Saturday, November 29, then Sunday, November 30, then Friday, November 28, then Thursday, November 27. The system will then populate the rest of the scheduling period in the normal sequence.

  Adding a Priority Dates record:

  1. From the Configuration section>Scheduling card, select the Staffing Configuration screen.
  2. Search for and open a record. Click on the Priority Dates button in the left pane.
  3. Enter the Start Date for the first day of the date range to be scheduled first.

     The date of the first day of the priority date range.

     More About Date Value Fields

     When a date field is highlighted, the Date Selector is displayed in the right pane to search for the date. Use the arrows in the heading bar to scroll to the Previous or Next month's calendar. Double-click on a date to enter it into the field. Alternatively, dates can be typed into the field.

  4. Enter the End Date for the last day of the date range to be scheduled first.

     The date of the last day of the priority date range.

     More About Date Value Fields

     When a date field is highlighted, the Date Selector is displayed in the right pane to search for the date. Use the arrows in the heading bar to scroll to the Previous or Next month's calendar. Double-click on a date to enter it into the field. Alternatively, dates can be typed into the field.

  5. Enter a Description to describe this priority date's record.

     A label describing this priority dates record (for example, the name of the holiday).

  6. Click on the Save button
  7. Repeat steps 1-4 for all the priority dates to be configured.
  8. In the Priority field, set the priority number of which holiday record should be populated first. This is used when more than one holiday falls within a scheduling period (for example, Christmas and New Year's).

     Number indicating the order these Priority Dates records should be populated, in the event there is more than one record included in the same scheduling period (for example, Christmas and New Year Holidays).

  9. Click on the Save button to save this record.

     Note: The priority dates need to be updated each year, before the scheduling process is run for the date range.