Scheduling
Creating shifts, the calendar, and publishing schedules
How do I create a shift?
Go to Dashboard → Calendar or Shifts, then click "Add Shift." Fill in the position, date, start/end time, and assign an employee. Hit Save to add it to the schedule.
How do I publish the schedule so employees can see it?
Shifts are visible to assigned employees as soon as they're created — there's no separate publish step. Employees can view their shifts in the Calendar and Shifts pages immediately.
Can I copy a shift from one week to the next?
Yes. On the Calendar view, click a shift to open it, then use the duplicate option to copy it to another date.
How do I create an open (unassigned) shift?
When creating a shift, leave the "Assign to" field empty. The shift will appear as open, and employees can pick it up from the Requests page.
Shift Trades
Swapping shifts and coverage requests
How does a shift trade work?
An employee initiates a trade from the Requests page, selects the shift they want to give away and optionally offers one of their own shifts in return. The receiving employee accepts or rejects, then a manager approves the final swap.
Can an employee just give away a shift without a trade?
Yes — when creating a request, choose "Give Away" instead of "Trade." Another employee can claim it and a manager approves.
Where do I approve pending trades as a manager?
Go to Dashboard → Requests. Pending trades awaiting manager approval will appear at the top with an "Approve" button.
Time Off
Requesting and approving time off
How does an employee request time off?
Go to Dashboard → Requests → New Request → Time Off. Select the type (vacation, sick, personal, etc.), date range, and add a reason. The manager is notified automatically.
How do I approve a time-off request as a manager?
Go to Dashboard → Requests. Pending time-off requests are listed there. Click Approve or Deny — the employee gets notified either way.
Do approved time-off requests block scheduling?
Approved time off is visible on the calendar so managers can see conflicts. Automatic blocking is on the roadmap.
Clock In / Out
Photo clock-in, early requests, and records
How does clock-in work?
Go to Dashboard → Clock In / Out. Your shifts for today are listed. Click "Clock In," take a photo confirmation, and hit Confirm. Your manager is notified.
What happens if I clock in early?
If you clock in more than 5 minutes before your shift starts, it's flagged as an early clock-in request. You'll need to provide a reason, and a manager must approve it before it counts. Managers and admins can clock in early without needing approval.
Where can I see my clock-in history?
The Clock In / Out page shows today's activity. Managers can view full clock records for all employees in the Reports section.
The camera isn't working — can I still clock in?
Camera access is required for photo clock-in. Make sure you've granted camera permissions to your browser. If you're still having trouble, contact your manager to manually record the clock-in.
Team Management
Inviting employees, roles, and availability
How do I invite employees to join?
Go to Dashboard → Settings. Copy your company invite code and share it with your employees. They sign up at shiftsline.com and enter the code during onboarding to join your workspace.
How do I change someone's role?
Go to Dashboard → Team, click the employee, and use the Role dropdown to switch between Employee, Manager, and Admin.
How does weekly availability work?
Employees set their recurring availability in Dashboard → Settings. Managers can see this when scheduling so they only assign shifts to available employees.
How do I remove an employee from my company?
Go to Dashboard → Team, click the employee, and select "Remove from company." Their account is preserved but they'll no longer have access to your workspace.
Billing & Plans
Subscriptions, payments, and upgrades
How do I upgrade my plan?
Go to Dashboard → Billing. You'll see your current plan and options to upgrade. Payments are processed securely through Stripe.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. Cancel in Dashboard → Billing. You'll retain access until the end of your current billing period — no partial refunds after 7 days.
Is there a free trial?
There's no time-limited trial. Instead the free plan is permanent and covers teams of up to 5, with core scheduling, time-off requests, and team chat. No credit card to start. Upgrade when you outgrow it.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
We retain your data for 30 days after cancellation. You can export it anytime from Dashboard → Reports. After 30 days, it's permanently deleted.