Note that helper Time Preferences do not change any already assigned shifts – they can just be used by AutoFill when you automatically assign shifts in the future. You can use the Analyze feature at any time to compare how the assigned shifts compare to the current help time preferences. Also, the preferences can be used when finding replacements for shifts.
Note that there currently is not a way to “mass clear” one or more helpers’ preferences.
Helper Time Preferences can be used by WhenToHelp for the following:
- These preferences can be considered when AutoFill optimizes the schedule assignments each week
- When you click any shift, the Shift Change window will show a list of helpers who are available to work that shift. Helpers who have set that time to “prefer to help” are listed first so that you will know the best helpers to consider for that shift.
Helpers normally set their own preferences when they sign in.
REPEATING Weekly Preferences (and FUTURE REPEATING Weekly Preferences) should be set first, then if certain dates are different, you can set those using Set Date Specific Preferences. Date Specific Preferences always override Repeating Weekly Preferences.
To delete the REPEATING WEEKLY Time Preferences for your helpers
From any page:
- In the top menu, click HELPERS to go to the Helper List page
- Click the magnifying glass
next to the helper name to open the Helper details window - Click the Schedule/Preferences tab
- Click the Set REPEATING WEEKLY button to open the preferences window (These are the normal daily preferences for the helper and can be set down to 15 minutes for each day of the week). Note each day shows Midnight to Midnight.
- To clear the times, click the white paint roller button and then “paint” over the times you would like to change by pressing the left mouse button and holding until you want to stop painting.
- Click a day name to change that whole day to that color.
- Be sure to click the SAVE button
- You can save the preferences on the screen as a “Preference Template” to be used for other helpers. For example, you can quickly add Cannot Help hours for minor helpers by loading that preference template into each helper’s REPEATING Weekly Preferences grid.
- Also, if these Repeating Preferences will change on a certain date, click the Set FUTURE Weekly Preferences button to have different preferences go into effect after a certain date
To delete any DATE SPECIFIC Preferences
After setting the normal repeating preferences for an helper, you can then set any dates that have different preferences using the Set DATE SPECIFIC Preferences button.
- From the View Helper window, click the Set DATE SPECIFIC button
- In this window, you can use the paint rollers and and click and “paint” any dates to set the whole date to that color
- Or you can double click a date to bring up the hourly preferences for that day – when double clicking a date if you want to remove the preferences for that day DO NOT PAINT WHITE – instead, use the “CLEAR these prefs” button
- For this specific date, you can paint preference times and choose to repeat for a number of weeks.(Ex. to also set these preferences for the following Wed. choose Repeat for 2 weeks).
- Click the SAVE button when done.
- You also can open this window and click the COPY Preferences button and then choose another date and use the PASTE Preferences button to apply those preferences to the other date.
clearing all preferences clear remove all