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First-Time Setup: Roster Builder Checklist

This checklist walks you through creating your first roster as a Roster Builder. Expect 1–2 hours depending on complexity.

Pre-Setup: What You Need to Know

Before starting, your Organization Admin should have already:

  • ✅ Created streams (departments × shifts)
  • ✅ Created craft groups (job roles)
  • ✅ Added staff and assigned them to streams + craft groups
  • ✅ Created master rosters (optional but helpful)

If not done, ask your admin to complete Admin Setup Checklist first.

Phase 1: Understand Your Organization (15 mins)

1. Review organization structure

  1. Confirm with your admin which Streams and Craft Groups you roster for
  2. Open Sidebar → Streams, Craft Groups, or Organizations → [your org] → Settings for org rules (rest hours, consecutive shifts, etc.)
  3. Ask admin if anything is unclear

✅ Checkpoint: You understand your org structure

2. Review staff & permissions

  1. Go to Sidebar → Clinician Staff (/employees)
  2. See which staff are in your stream(s) and craft groups
  3. Confirm your Roster Builder scope (which streams × craft groups you can edit)

✅ Checkpoint: You know who you're rostering

2b. Level 4 — availability vs leave (teach your staff)

Before building rosters, staff must use the right tool:

Staff actionWhere in the appYour role
Preferences / "can't work Sundays"My AvailabilityReview on Staff Availability grid (/staff-availability)
Holiday / sick leaveLeave Planner → Request LeaveApprove in Leave Planner (/leave)

Common staff mistake: putting vacation in My Availability instead of Leave Planner. Redirect them to Availability vs Leave and the Staff Checklist.

✅ Checkpoint: You can explain the difference to staff

Phase 2: Understand Master Rosters (15 mins)

3. Review Master Roster (Level 3)

If your admin created a master roster template:

  1. Go to Sidebar → Master Roster (/master-roster)
  2. Select your stream
  3. Look at the 4-week pattern:
    • Who typically works which days?
    • Are there rotations? (different staff on different weeks)
    • How is fairness distributed?

This is your baseline. Your actual roster builds from this.

✅ Checkpoint: You understand the master roster pattern

Phase 3: Create Your First Living Roster (1 hour)

4. Start Roster Generation (Level 5)

  1. Go to Sidebar → The Living Roster (/roster)
  2. Select your stream (e.g., "ED - Day")
  3. Select pay period dates (e.g., "July 1–28, 2026")
  4. Click Generate

Option A: Use IRIS AI (Recommended for First Time)

  1. Click Generate with IRIS
  2. IRIS will:
    • Build from master roster baseline
    • Apply My Availability preferences and approved leave (not the same thing)
    • Balance fairness
    • Flag conflicts
  3. Wait for generation (~1–5 mins)
  4. Review result (see Step 5)

Option B: Manual Assignment

  1. Use master roster as reference
  2. Drag staff to each shift
  3. Or use Excel-style bulk assign:
    • Select multiple shifts
    • Assign to one person or rotate
    • Click Apply

Time: 30–60 mins for one stream

✅ Checkpoint: Roster drafted

5. Review Fairness (10 mins)

  1. Click Check Fairness
  2. Review:
    • Pre-fairness: How fair is the raw roster?
    • Post-fairness: After adjustments?
  3. Look for problems:
    • Anyone severely over/under-rostered?
    • Imbalanced weekend distribution?
    • Someone with 10+ consecutive shifts?
  4. If fairness <75%:
    • Make manual adjustments (swap staff between shifts)
    • Or revert and regenerate with IRIS

✅ Checkpoint: Fairness reviewed and acceptable (>75%)

6. Review Compliance (5 mins)

  1. Click Check Compliance
  2. Look for red flags:
    • Staff scheduled outside their availability?
    • Rest hour violations?
    • Scope mismatches (wrong craft group for shift)?
  3. Fix violations:
    • Click the shift
    • Reassign to correct staff or leave empty
    • Click Save

✅ Checkpoint: No red compliance warnings

7. Make Final Tweaks (10–15 mins)

Before publishing, any last changes:

  1. Swap staff between shifts if needed
  2. Move staff to other shifts using right-click → Move Assignment (faster than delete + recreate)
  3. Add notes to shifts (e.g., "Sarah prefers mornings")
  4. Assign open shifts if any are uncovered
  5. Review with manager if unsure

✅ Checkpoint: Roster ready for publication

8. Publish Roster

  1. Click Publish
  2. Confirm pay period
  3. Click Publish to Staff

✅ Checkpoint: Roster published! Staff can now see shifts

Phase 4: Manage Published Roster (Ongoing)

After publication, your role changes. You now:

9. Approve leave & shift requests

Leave (formal time off):

  1. Go to Sidebar → Leave Planner (/leave)
  2. Review pending requests — approve, decline, or amend with reason
  3. Approved leave automatically blocks rostering on those dates

Shift swaps & open shifts:

  1. Go to Sidebar → Shift Deck → Approvals tab (/shift-deck?tab=approvals)
  2. For each swap or open-shift claim:
    • Is the staff member eligible (craft group, scope, rest rules)?
    • Any compliance issues?
  3. Approve or decline with reason

10. Manage open shifts

If someone is on approved leave or calls out sick:

  1. Sick / personal leave: record or approve leave in Leave Planner (may trigger open shifts automatically depending on org settings)
  2. Open shift on Living Roster: use Open Shifts panel or mark vacancy and broadcast

To fill an open shift:

  1. Staff bid via Shift Deck, or you assign directly on The Living Roster
  2. Select replacement staff and save

11. Use IRIS for Quick Solutions

If stuck (e.g., "I need an RN for Tuesday 3pm"):

  1. Click Ask IRIS
  2. Describe: "I need an RN for Tuesday ED 3–11pm, Sarah is out"
  3. IRIS suggests eligible staff
  4. Click Apply to assign

Phase 5: Prepare for Next Roster

12. Gather Feedback

Before creating the next roster:

  1. Ask staff: "How was the roster fairness?"
  2. Watch for patterns (is anyone always unhappy?)
  3. Note pain points for admin

13. Create Next Roster (Faster This Time)

  1. Apply Master Roster → Generate with IRIS → Fill Gaps → Roster Health → Publish
  2. Check Staff Availability grid for new preferences; check Leave Planner for new approved leave
  3. Audit fairness
  4. Publish

Success Checklist

After first roster:

  • ✅ Roster published to staff
  • ✅ All shifts covered (no major gaps)
  • ✅ Fairness >75%
  • ✅ No compliance violations
  • ✅ Shift swaps working
  • ✅ Staff feedback gathered

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Publishing with low fairness (<75%): Staff complain
❌ Missing compliance violations: Creates safety issues
❌ Not communicating with staff: They panic if shifts change
❌ Using IRIS without review: Always check AI suggestions
❌ Ignoring swap requests: Backlog builds up

Quick Reference

TaskStepsTime
Generate roster with IRISLiving Roster → Generate with IRIS → Review10 mins
Review staff availabilityStaff Availability grid5 mins
Approve leaveLeave Planner → Review → Approve/Decline2 mins
Check fairnessLiving Roster → Fairness view or Intelligence Hub5 mins
Check complianceLiving Roster → Roster Health5 mins
Approve swap / open shiftShift Deck → Approvals2 mins
Handle call-outLeave Planner + Living Roster reassignment5 mins
Ask IRIS for helpLiving Roster → Generate with IRIS / IRIS chat5 mins

Next Steps

  1. ✅ Create first roster
  2. ✅ Publish to staff
  3. ✅ Manage swaps + opens for 1 pay period
  4. ✅ Gather feedback
  5. ✅ Create second roster (faster!)
  6. ✅ Read detailed Level 5 guide for advanced features

Need Help?

  • 📖 Read Level 5: Admin & Roster Builder Guide for detailed workflows
  • 📖 Read Level 1–4 Admin Guides to understand the full system
  • 💬 Ask your Organization Admin
  • 📞 Submit support ticket for technical issues

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