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How do I use Copy Custom Range? (Rotas beta)

How to select a pattern of shifts to copy and repeat

Sophie Wilson avatar
Written by Sophie Wilson
Updated over a week ago

The Copy Custom Range tool allows you to select the dates you need to copy and then select where you'd like to paste them. This is ideal for copying a pattern of shifts forward up to one year at a time.

Selecting your date range

To access the Copy Custom Range tool, go to the Rotas tab and select 'Copy' at the top of your screen (the icon which looks like overlapping rectangles).

Once you have the tool open, the first thing you'll need to do is enter your Copy range on the left. Select the start date and end date - the shifts between (and including) these dates are what will be copied. You then just need to do the same for you paste range - this is where you would like the shifts to be added to.

The figure under the date range will show you how many days are being copied and pasted. The above example copies two weeks of shifts and pastes them onto the following eight weeks.

Selecting employees and adding your shifts

After your date range is set, scroll down (with your cursor over the Copy Custom Range box). Here, you will be able to choose the employees you would like to copy shifts for or can click 'Select All'.

Beneath this, the 'Shift Clashes' dropdown will allow you to choose what you want to do if any shifts you are copying clash with existing shifts. The chart below explains what each option does:

Clear shifts before pasting

All existing shifts (for the duration of your 'Paste' range) are cleared and only your copied shifts will be applied.

Overwrite clashing shifts

The 'Copy' shifts are applied and any that clash with existing shifts will be replaced. Existing shifts that do not clash will remain.

Move copied shifts to 'Open Shifts'

The 'Copy' shifts are applied but any that clash with existing shifts will move to Open Shifts instead.

Don't copy shifts that clash

The 'Copy' shifts are applied but any that clash with existing shifts will not be added leaving clashing shifts untouched.

Once you have made your selection, the final thing you need to choose is if you would like top 'Copy days off?'. If you tick this option, all grey, non-working days will also copy alongside your shifts.

After you've selected all your options, click 'Copy Shifts'. A green confirmation message will show at the top of the page letting you know how many shifts have been added. These will be added as unpublished so not yet visible to staff. To learn more about publishing shifts, click here.

To learn about quickly copying individual shifts, click here.

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