Configure and manage Shift Definitions

Follow this guide to set up and maintain Shift Definitions in Humanforce WFM Cloud. These predefined templates help teams streamline roster creation by applying consistent start/end times, breaks, and optional qualifications warnings to shifts.

As of version 6.0.31, Shift Definitions are only configurable in Humanforce Cloud. The Back Office configuration feature has been removed. Any multi-scope Shift Definitions created in Back Office will be split into single-scope entries to simplify management.

Part 1: Enable access to configure Shift Definitions

1. Go to Admin > Security Config > Access Levels.
2. Click Edit next to the relevant Access Level.
3. Select the Permissions tab.
4. In the search bar, enter Shift Definition.
5. Under Maintenance Screens, tick the following permissions as required:
   • Shift Definition – view access.
   • Edit – modify existing Shift Definitions.
   • Add – create new Shift Definitions.
   • Delete – deactivate existing Shift Definitions.
6. Click Apply Changes.

The configuration page and action icons will only appear if the user has the required permissions.

Users with limited access to admin function may not be able to complete this task. Contact your system administrator.

Part 2: Add a new Shift Definition

1. Go to Admin > System Config > Shift Definitions.
2. Click + Add Shift Definition.
3. In the Add Shift Definition window, complete the following fields:
   • Shift metadata
     • Name (required) – Full display name (max 100 characters).
     • Short name (required) – Shown in dropdowns if enabled in settings (max 20 characters).
     • Export code – Optional reference used for data exports.
   • Shift timings
     • Start time – Shift start time.
     • End time – Shift end time.
     • Break time – Start time of unpaid break.
     • Break duration (mins) – Duration of unpaid break.
     • Default toggle – Leave unticked. Not yet functional in Roster Manager.
   • Scope and visibility
     • Shift Definition scope (required) – Choose where this definition should be available:
       • Location
       • Department
       • Role
       • Any combination (e.g. Location/Role)
       • Location/Department/Role (all current and future) – displays on all shifts regardless of LDR setup
     • Scope configuration – Appears after selecting a scope. Choose specific Locations, Departments, or Roles.
       • This field is disabled if "all current and future" is selected.
       • Only linked departments/roles will appear for selection.
   • Qualifications
     • Optionally, select required qualifications for this shift.
       • For qualification warnings to appear in rostering, the Employee Shift Definition Qualification alert must be enabled under Clock In Settings > Alerts.
4. Click Save.

Once saved, the shift definition becomes available based on its scope and status.

Part 3: Edit or manage existing Shift Definitions

1. Go to Admin > System Config > Shift Definitions.
2. Use the Search bar to locate a specific Shift Definition.
3. To view or manage inactive records, toggle Show Inactive Shift Definitions .

To edit an entry

1. Click the Edit icon in the Manage column.
2. Make changes using the same fields outlined in Part 2.
3. Click Save.

To deactivate a Shift Definition

1. Click the bin icon .
2. Confirm Deactivation when prompted.

The status will update to Inactive.

To reactivate

1. Toggle Show Inactive Shift Definitions .
2. Click the arrow icon to set the record back to Active.

Part 4: Apply a Shift Definition in rostering

1. In Roster Manager, open the Add shift or Edit shift screen.
2. Select the appropriate entry from the Shift Definition dropdown.
3. When selected:
   • Start, end, and break times are automatically filled.
   • Qualifications alerts may also apply if configured.
4. Save the shift.

For more detail on this workflow, refer to Edit a single shift in Roster Manager.

Additional information

• Shift Definition names shown in this dropdown depend on the following setting:
  • Go to Admin > Admin Config > System Settings > General.
  • Tick Display short name for Shift Definition to show short names in dropdowns.
  • Leave unticked to display full names instead.
• Only active Shift Definitions will appear in rostering screens.
• Inactive records are hidden by default. Use the toggle to manage them.
• Inactive definitions cannot be edited unless reactivated.
• The Default toggle is currently non-functional in Roster Manager but may be supported in future.
• Scope configuration relies on linked upstream data. If departments or roles are not linked to a location, they won’t appear for selection.
• Refer to Configure roster alerts in Clock-in Settings to enable the Employee Shift Definition Qualification roster alert.