How do I copy multiple shifts?

You may want to copy multiple shifts if you are creating a schedule that will be similar to a previously created schedule. For example, if you made a schedule a couple of weeks ago, and the schedule you are currently building will contain many of the same shifts, you can simply copy those shifts over to save time.

Go to Schedules

wpid-Go_to_Schedules2.png

Navigate to the Schedules tab and click on Schedules.

Select a Schedule

wpid-Select_a_Schedule5.png

Click on the title of the schedule you would like to view.

Click on Daily View

wpid3136-Click_on_Daily_View.png

At the top of the Schedules page, click on the Daily View link.

Select Shifts to Copy

wpid3139-Select_Shifts_to_Copy.png

To copy multiple shifts, check the boxes next to the shifts you want to copy by clicking on the box. When you have selected all the shifts you want to copy, click on the Copy selected shifts link.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How do I copy a shift?

If the schedule you are creating will contain a shift identical to another shift, you may want to copy that shift. Copying a shift can save you time, since it is quicker than building an identical shift from scratch. You can also copy a shift that is similar to the shift you want, then edit it.

Go to Schedules list

wpid-Go_to_Schedules_list1.png

Navigate to the Schedules tab and click on Schedules.

Select a Schedule

wpid-Select_a_Schedule4.png

Click on the title of the schedule you would like to view (the schedule containing the shift you want to copy from).

Daily View

wpid-Daily_View1.png

At the top of the schedules page, click on the Daily View link.

Select a Shift to copy

wpid-Select_a_Shift_to_copy1.png

Click on the white “Copy” icon to copy the shift.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How do I AutoSchedule a shift?

The AutoScheduler is an industry leading tool that TimeForge offers to its users at no additional cost. AutoScheduler lets you input the basic outline of a schedule, then you click “AutoSchedule” and presto! The perfect schedule is born. An AutoScheduled schedule is optimized to make both employees and managers happy by considering employee requests, skill levels, busy times, costs of different employees, and other criteria. The AutoScheduler creates the most profit-friendly and most employee friendly schedule possible. Below are instructions for AutoScheduling a shift.

Go to Schedules

wpid-Go_to_Schedules1.png

Navigate to the Schedules tab and click on Schedules.

Select a Schedule

wpid-Select_a_Schedule2.png

Click on the title of the schedule that you would like to view.

Go to Daily View

wpid-Go_to_Daily_View1.png

At the top of the Schedules page, click on the Daily View link.

Click on the Lock Icon to AutoSchedule a Shift

wpid3111-Click_on_the_Lock_Icon_to_AutoSchedule_a_Shift.png

Click on the green “Lock” icon. The icon will unlock and become red. This means the shift is no longer locked. A locked shift can’t be AutoScheduled. Once you unlock that shift, you can now click on the AutoSchedule button. The AutoSchedule will automatically assign the best person for the job to that shift.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How Do I Set the Sales Category While Building a Schedule?

TimeForge enables you to track and forecast sales. When scheduling, you are offered the option of viewing different sales categories, like gross sales or customer counts. Sales Categories enable you to track the financial impact of a schedule, which is beneficial to your business for many reasons. By tracking the financial impact of a schedule, future schedules can be more budget-optimized, you can avoid monetary surprises, and you can further analyze the operations of your business. You should have previously designated sales categories through the Sales tab before attempting to add a Sales Category to a schedule. If you need to do so, navigate to the Sales tab and add Categories before following the instructions below.

Go to Schedules list

Go_to_Schedules_list2.png

Navigate to the Schedules tab and click on Schedules.

Select a Schedule

Select_a_Schedule.png

Click on the Add a New Schedule button.

Select a Sales Type

Select_a_Sales_Type.png

On the Add or Edit A Schedule page, click on the drop box in the Sales Category section to set a sales category to be applied to this schedule.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How do I delete a shift?

You may want to delete a shift if you’ve accidentally created one that you don’t need, or if you overstaffed a schedule. Below are instructions for deleting a shift.

Go to Schedules

wpid-Go_to_Schedules3.png

Navigate to the Schedules tab and click on Schedules.

Select a Schedule

wpid-Select_a_Schedule6.png

Click on the title of the schedule you would like to view.

Go to Daily View

wpid-Go_to_Daily_View2.png

At the top of the Schedules page, click on the Daily View link.

Delete Shift

wpid3141-Delete_Shift.png

Click on the red, circle-shaped “Delete” icon next to the shift you want to delete.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

What is the lock icon?

On the Daily View, the lock icon signals whether you have an employee assigned to a shift, or if the AutoScheduler can change the shift.

The lock icon is green (locked) when you have a staff member assigned, and the icon is red (unlocked) when you don’t have an employee assigned. When the icon is red (unlocked, no assigned employee) the shift will be AutoScheduled.

Lock or Unlock the Icon

Lock_or_Unlock_the_Icon.png

To change a lock icon from “locked” to “unlocked”, simply click on it. If you leave the lock icon “unlocked”, the shift will be AutoScheduled, and may be changed.

To change a lock icon from “unlocked” to “locked”, first assign an employee to that shift, then click on the icon. This will “lock” the employee into the shift, and the AutoScheduler will not change this shift.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How can I confirm a shift?

You will want to confirm scheduled shifts to let your manager know that you are planning to be at work for the shift.  Confirming a shift will help ensure that your manager does not schedule anyone else during this shift. There are two ways you can confirm a shift, either by email or by website. Confirm your shifts whichever way is easier for you!

Confirming a Shift by Email: View Messages

wpid3036-Confirming_a_Shift_by_Email_View_Messages.png

To confirm a shift using your email (or messages), navigate to Schedules and click on Messages.

Confirming a Shift by Email: Confirm the Shift

wpid3035-Confirming_a_Shift_by_Email_Confirm_the_Shift.png

Find the message that displays your schedule and click on the blue Confirm This Shift button.

Confirming a Shift by Website: Access Your Schedule

wpid3037-Confirming_a_Shift_by_Website_Access_Your_Schedule.png

To confirm a shift using the website, click on the Schedules tab and then click My Schedule.

Confirming a Shift by Website: Select the Shift

wpid3039-Confirming_a_Shift_by_Website_Select_the_Shift.png

Find the shift that you have not yet confirmed and click Confirm.

Confirming a Shift by Website: Confirm the Shift

wpid3038-Confirming_a_Shift_by_Website_Confirm_the_Shift.png

To confirm, click the yes button. Your shift is now confirmed,

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How do I move all shifts from one staff member to another?

At some point, you will need to move shifts from one staff member to another – if an employee is unable to work scheduled shifts, if you prefer a different employee to work a scheduled shift, or for any other reason that you want to transfer shifts from one employee to another.

TimeForge makes this process easy, simply follow the directions below.

Go to the Employees List

Go_to_the_Employees_List.png

Navigate to the Employees tab and click on Employees.

Select an Employee

Select_an_Employee3.png

Choose the employee that you would like to take shifts away from and click on the blue Edit button next to their name.

Schedules

Schedules.png

On the Employee Information page, click on the Schedules tab.

Select Shifts

Select_Shifts.png

Click on the check boxes next to the shifts you want to take away from this staff member, then click on the Bulk Assign These Shifts to Another Staff Member button.

Select an Employee

Select_an_Employee_1.png

Click on the drop-down menu and select the employee to whom you want to assign these shifts.  As you can tell, you can move all of the shifts to an Open status, or assign to a Bid shift.

Posted in Schedules Tab / No Comments.

How Do I Enforce Clock Ins and Clock Outs?

TimeForge is a powerful labor management platform, and is capable of meeting all of your workforce management needs. In many businesses with hourly wage workers, staff members need to arrive at work on time. Four clock in and clock out scenarios will create problems for your business:

1. Arriving earlier than scheduled will destroy business profits, as employees will be at work before they are needed, but will need to be paid for their time.

2. Arriving later than scheduled for work will cause problems with customers, as employees may not be available to service the customer’s needs.

3. Leaving earlier than scheduled can cause similar problems as clocking in late. Customers may not be serviced properly.

4. Leaving later than scheduled will increase payroll costs for the business, decreasing profits.

TimeForge offers a number of technology enhancements that can enforce your labor schedule, ensuring that staff show up on time.

Enforcing clock in and clock out time periods can reduce your payroll expenses by 2 – 4% with the click of a button!

Navigate to the Attendance Options

navigate-to-the-attendance-options2.png

Locate the Attendance Options link or sub-tab (inside of the Attendance tab).

Locate the Enforcement Options for Clocking In and Out

locate-the-enforcement-options-for-clocking-in-and-out.png

TimeForge includes two primary options which will enable, or disable, attendance (time card) enforcement.

1. By default, TimeForge allows employees to clock in at any time that they would like. If you are using TimeForge for scheduling, you can enforce the schedule, requiring employees to clock in on time.

2. By default, TimeForge allows employees to clock out at any time that they would like. If you are using TimeForge for scheduling, you can enforce the schedule, requiring employees to clock out on time.

TimeForge provides two configurations for clocking in or clocking out. You can require staff members to clock in or out using grace periods, or using the scheduled time. Please check your local labor regulations to see which ones are applicable (and legal) for your business.

Enforce the Schedule with Grace Periods

enforce-the-schedule-with-grace-periods.png

To require that staff members clock in and out with a grace period, based on their scheduled shift, set the options as follows:

For clocking in:

1. Switch this option from Yes, to No, requiring that employees must clock in at a predefined time.

2. Enter an appropriate grace period in minutes. This will allow employees to clock in prior to their shift starting.

Staff members who clock in too early will need a manager to approve their clock in.

For clocking out:

3. Switch this option from Yes, to No, requiring that employees must clock out at a predefined time.

4. Enter an appropriate grace period in minutes. This will allow employees to clock out after their shift ends.

Staff members who clock out too late will need a manager to approve their clock out.

Example:

Using the above options, a staff member who is scheduled from 10:00am – 4:00pm would be allowed to clock in after 9:50am, and must clock out no later than 4:20pm. Earlier than 9:50am or later than 4:20pm will require a manager override.

Enforce the Schedule by the Scheduled Time

enforce-the-schedule-by-the-scheduled-time.png

To require that employees clock in and out based on the scheduled time, without providing a grace period, set the options as follows:

For clocking in:

1. Leave this option set to Yes, allowing employees to clock in at any time.

2. Switch this option from No, to Yes, requiring that staff members acknowledge that their clock in times will not show the actual clock in time, but will instead show the scheduled start time.

TimeForge will record the scheduled start time (not the real time), unless overridden by a manager.

For clocking out:

1. Leave this option set to Yes, allowing employees to clock out at any time.

2. Switch this option from No, to Yes, requiring that staff members acknowledge that their clock out times will not show the actual clock out time, but will instead show the scheduled end time.

TimeForge will record the scheduled end time (not the real time), unless overridden by a manager.

Example:

Using the above options, a staff member may be scheduled from 9:00am – 3:00pm. If the employee shows up at 8:30am, TimeForge will record a start time of 9:00am (not 8:30am). When leaving, if the staff member leaves after 3:00pm, TimeForge will record an end time of 3:00pm. A manager can override and change the behavior of TimeForge when the staff member clocks in or clocks out.

Posted in Attendance Tab / No Comments.

TimeForge University: Attendance Overview

A powerful and easy to use workforce management solution for your business! TimeForge is a complete labor management system, and includes many features designed to streamline operations in your business.  These include:

  • Time tracking (electronic time sheets and time cards)
  • Meal and break management
  • One-click payroll exports
  • Easy reminders for when staff are early, late, or approaching overtime
  • And much more…

Get the Flash Player to see this movie.

TimeForge Attendance is a powerful replacement to the traditional time clocks used at many businesses.  Use TimeForge Attendance by itself, or combine with TimeForge Scheduling for a complete workforce management solution.

TimeForge can also integrate with your Point of Sale system, providing a one-click experience for managers to enforce the labor schedule, stop entering data multiple times, and provide easy communication with all staff members.

Posted in Videos / No Comments.

Next Page »

heartWhat some of our clients have to say ...

We are one year into it now, well past being enamored with the newness. We are married to TimeForge. It's as essential to us now as any of our management tools today, and we very happy about that.- Steve @ Hermosa Cyclery
We really like the program so far. I know that it is geared towards restaurants, but we are a real estate company and we love it because it is inexpensive and it is so easy to use.- Nicole @ Exit Premier Realty
The Timeforge scheduling system has not only increased our efficiency tremendously; decreased the errors in what is normally an error prone environment; it has also saved us ten times what it costs us each month.- Michael @ Tiara Cafe
I would highly recommend TimeForge to anyone making work schedules. ... What used to take 1-2 hours, now takes 15 minutes. The reports section is comprehensive and useful.- Lawrence Payne @ Mid Pacific Country Club
I've been really pleased with this latest version of TimeForge. I'm really getting familiar with this program and its become a great time saver! Keep up the good work!- Loren @ Fresh Produce
Before using TimeForge, creating a schedule took 2 hours. With TimeForge, it takes less than 10 minutes.- Gail @ Kerr Drug

Quick Contact

3417 73rd Street
Suite G
Lubbock, TX 79423

Phone: 1 866 684 7191
Fax: 1 866 684 7191
E-Mail: info@timeforge.com

 

About TimeForge

The best tools available for managing labor in the restaurant, retail, food-service, and hospitality industries. Includes time management, employee scheduling, and other labor management tools.

© 2010 Labor Management – TimeForge Manual | All Rights Reserved