Recurring Shifts

If you have a standing assignment -- say, every Monday at the same clinic -- you don't need to add each shift one by one. Recurring shifts let you create a repeating pattern, and ReliefBooks generates all the individual shifts for you.

Creating a recurring shift

1. Click Add Shift on the Schedule page (or click an empty time slot).
2. Fill in the shift details as you normally would -- facility, time, rate card, and so on.
3. Enable the Repeat option.
4. Configure the repeat pattern:
   • Frequency -- Choose daily, weekly, or specific days of the week (e.g., every Monday and Wednesday).
   • End condition -- Set either an end date or a number of occurrences. For example, "repeat every Monday until June 30" or "repeat 12 times."
5. Click Save.

ReliefBooks creates individual shift entries for each occurrence. All of them inherit the same details -- facility, rate card, agency, notes -- from the original shift.

Editing a recurring shift

When you click on one occurrence of a recurring shift and make changes, you'll be asked how to apply the edit:

• This shift only -- Changes apply to just the one occurrence you selected. The rest of the series stays the same.
• This and all future shifts -- Changes apply to the selected shift and every occurrence after it. Past shifts in the series are not affected.

This flexibility means you can adjust your schedule without starting over. For example, if a clinic changes your start time going forward, you can update all future shifts at once.

Deleting from a series

Sometimes you need to remove a single shift from a recurring series -- maybe you're taking a day off or swapping a shift.

1. Click on the shift you want to remove.
2. Click Delete.
3. Choose one of the options:
   • This shift only -- Removes just this occurrence. The rest of the series continues as normal.
   • This and all future shifts -- Removes the selected shift and everything after it, effectively ending the series early.
   • All shifts in series -- Removes every occurrence, deleting the entire recurring pattern.

Cancellation warnings

If a shift has a contract policy assigned to it, ReliefBooks checks the cancellation terms when you try to delete it. If the shift is within the cancellation window (for example, less than 48 hours away), you'll see a warning about potential late cancellation fees.

This is a heads-up, not a block -- you can still delete the shift. But the warning helps you make an informed decision and avoid unexpected charges.

Tips for recurring shifts

• Start with the most common pattern. If your schedule varies week to week, recurring shifts might not be the best fit. They work best for consistent, predictable assignments.
• Review the generated shifts. After creating a recurring series, scroll through your calendar to make sure the dates look right, especially around holidays or days you know you'll be unavailable.
• Combine with manual shifts. You can mix recurring and one-off shifts freely. There's no limit to how many recurring series you can have active at once.