Schedule planning using cyclical schedules

Schedules can be created in MVS to meet workload requirements by designing shift patterns and assigning staff. Cyclical schedules repeat the defined shift pattern and assignments indefinitely or for a limited period of time.

You can make cyclical schedules in MVS using these methods:

• Long-term schedules

  Long-term schedules are created using the Master Rotation (MR) component. You can use an MR to create the base rotation of shifts, which is repeated until the end of the MR or indefinitely. Shifts can be assigned to employees or left as unassigned and filled using the relief process. Labor metrics can be assigned directly to the schedule or adopted from assigned employees.

  See Creating long-term schedules.

• Short-term schedules

  Short-term schedules are created using the One-time Schedule (OTS) component. The OTS component is designed for teams with partially-fixed schedules or where staffing requirements change frequently. Labor metrics can be added to an OTS schedule using the same methods as the MR.

  Any OTS that is not based on a template can be saved as a template and used to create future schedules. OTS schedules that are based on a template start with the shift patterns and labor metrics included in the template and can be customized as needed. Employee assignments can be made that extend to multiple OTS schedules created from the same OTS template.

  See Creating short-term schedules.

It is common for some teams in an organization to use OTS and other teams to use MRs. It is also possible to have a team use multiple OTSs or MRs, or even a combination of both, for their long-term schedule planning. This can be done to cover different groups of employees, job roles, or other operational requirements.