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How do I use rota templates?

How to create and paste templates on the Rotas page.

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

RotaCloud has a Templates tool which allows you to save patterns of shifts up to 12 weeks long and paste them where needed.

Creating your templates

You can access your Templates section via the Rotas page. Click the 'Copy' menu (the icon which looks like overlapping rectangles) at the top of the page and select 'Templates'.

You'll then see this pop-up which, if you've not created a Template yet, will default to 'Create new template' (you can select this option if you already have templates created). Give the new template a name and select the start and end date range you'd like to select shifts from (this can be a maximum of 12 weeks). The shifts on that rota, between the selected dates, are what will be saved as your template.

Scroll down within the pop-up and you'll be able to select the employees you'd like to be included in the template, and also if you'd like the days off (non-working days) to be included too. Once done, simply click 'Create template'.

Pasting your templates

After you've created your template, it will be saved for you to paste whenever you need to. To apply the template, again go to Rotas and then the Tools menu, and select 'Templates'.

You should now see the Template you've created on the pop-up. Click 'Apply' beside the template you'd like to add.

On the next page, you can select the dates you would like to apply the template to and have a couple of other options:

  • 'Publish shifts when applied' means employees will immediately be able to see the shifts once created and will be notified of them (after around 10minutes).

  • 'Clear any existing shifts before pasting them' means all shifts on the current Location between the date range will be deleted. If this is not ticked and there are clashing shifts, you will be asked what you'd like to do with them on the next page.

When you've made the selections you need, simply click 'Apply template'.

Clashing shifts

If the shifts you are trying to paste clash with existing shifts, the system will ask you what you'd like to do with them. You will have the following options:

  • 'Overwrite any shifts that clash with template' will remove the existing clashing shifts and apply the shifts in the template instead.

  • 'Move shifts in the template that clash to Open Shifts' will not apply the shifts that clash on the rota but will instead move them to the Open Shifts section for employees to claim.

  • 'Don't add shifts that clash' will simply ignore any shifts in the template that clash and will leave existing shifts in place.

Make the selection you'd like and click 'Apply template'. You'll see a green confirmation message at the top of your Rotas page letting you know how many shifts have been added.

Possible error message causes

Employee deleted

The employee has been deleted since the template was created. If you wish to restore this employee, you can do so from by going to Company > Employees > Past Employees and reinstating them.

'X' role deleted

One of the Roles assigned to a shift in the template has been deleted since the template was created.

Unassigned from 'X' location

An employee in the template is no longer assigned to work at the Location you’re currently working on. If you wish to reassign this employee, you can go to Tools > Add/remove employee, and tick their name.

Unassigned from 'X' role

An employee in the template is no longer able to work a Role that is assigned to one or more shifts. To add employees back to Roles, goto Company > Roles > select the Role > tick relevant employees > Save.

Start date is 'X'. Only shifts occurring after this date will be added

or

Final working date is 'X'. Only shifts occurring up to this date will be added

The employee’s Start Date in their employee profile isn’t until after the date of a shift/shifts in the template, or their Final Working Date is before the date of a shift/shifts in the template. These dates can be edited or removed in an employee's profile by going to Company > Employees > select the user > scroll down their profile > remove/edit start or final working date > Save.

Please note, the maximum length of time a template can be created for or applied to is 12 weeks.

Each Location on your account will have its own collection of templates. Templates cannot be created that include shifts from more than one location.

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