How are shifts linked together?

In this video, we’ll learn how to configure link shift rules and understand how they work. Before we start linking shifts, let’s understand the basic rules. First, the quantity must be the same across all selected shifts. For example, if one shift requires one talent and another requires three, an error pop-up appears indicating that the shifts cannot be linked because the quantities are different. Second, the position must also be the same across all selected shifts. For example, if one shift has a position assigned and the other does not, an error pop-up appears when attempting to link them, indicating that the positions must be identical. Once these two basic conditions are met, we can configure additional rules to control which shifts can be linked together. Now, let’s move to the most important setting: select your preferred rule. Here, we have four options: Committed Only, Custom Match, Full Match, and No Match. Let’s understand each option one by one. Committed Only. When we select Committed Only, shifts can be linked only when they have the same talents with the same committed status. For example, if both shifts have two committed talents, they can be linked, provided all other required rules are also satisfied. If the same talent has different statuses across the selected shifts, such as two talents being committed in Shift 1 while, in Shift 2, one talent is invited and the other is committed, an error pop-up appears indicating that the talent statuses must be the same. In simple words, this option focuses only on committed talents, and their statuses must match across all selected shifts. Custom Match. This option allows us to choose which talent statuses should be considered when linking shifts. We can select the required statuses from the drop-down menu. For example, if we select Invited and Committed, the talents and their assignment statuses must match across the selected shifts. If the assignment statuses don’t match, the shifts will not be linked, and an error pop-up will indicate that the talent assignment statuses must match. Full Match. With this option, the talents and their assignment statuses must match across the selected shifts, except for the Job Complete status. For example, if both shifts have one invited talent and one committed talent, they can be linked, provided all other required rules are satisfied. If the same talent has different statuses across the selected shifts, such as Invited in Shift 1 and Committed in Shift 2, an error pop-up appears indicating that the talent statuses must be the same across both shifts. In simple words, Full Match checks that the talents and their applicable assignment statuses match across all selected shifts. No Match. This option allows shifts to be linked even if their talents or assignment statuses are different. For example, one shift might have two committed talents, while another has only one invited talent and one committed talent. With No Match selected, these differences will not prevent the shifts from being linked, as long as the other required rules are satisfied. Now that we understand the matching rules, let’s look at the three toggles available under Link Shift Rules in System Settings. Toggle 1: Allow to link shifts only if program is same. When this toggle is on, shifts can only be linked if they belong to the same program. For example, if one shift belongs to Program 1 and another belongs to Program 2, they cannot be linked. To link them, both shifts must belong to the same program. Toggle 2: Allow to link shifts only if client is same. When this toggle is on, all selected shifts must be assigned to the same client or contact. For example, if one shift is assigned to Client 1 and another to Client 2, an error pop-up appears indicating that the shifts cannot be linked because their client or contact assignments do not match. Once both shifts are assigned to the same client or contact, they can be linked successfully, provided all other linking rules are also satisfied. Toggle 3: Allow to link shifts only if private status of all shifts is same. When this toggle is on, all selected shifts must have the same privacy status. This means either all shifts must be public or all must be private. For example, if one shift is public and another is private, an error pop-up appears indicating that the shifts cannot be linked because their privacy statuses do not match. If all selected shifts have the same privacy status, whether public or private, they will be linked successfully, provided all other linking rules are also satisfied. After the shifts are linked successfully, the Linked Shifts column on the listing screen displays Yes. On the shift detail screen, we can open the Linked Shifts tab to view all linked shifts, including their names and the total number of linked shifts. Remember, quantity and position must always match. Other conditions depend on the selected matching rule and enabled toggles. If the requirements aren’t met, an error message will explain why the shifts cannot be linked. Thank you for watching.