Start with three planning inputs
People
Availability, approved leave, agreed hours, roles, locations, and any confirmed limitations relevant to the schedule.
Demand
Opening hours, bookings, expected peaks, prep and close-down work, deliveries, and events that change normal coverage.
Coverage
The minimum roles needed in each service block, plus who can open, close, hand over, or supervise.
Worked example: build Thursday lunch before naming people
This example is a planning method, not a staffing benchmark. Replace every time and role count with the needs of your own venue.
| Stage | Input | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Lunch service 11:30–15:00; prep starts at 09:00. | Plan prep, service, and close-down as separate coverage blocks. |
| Availability | Mia is available from 11:00; Jonas until 16:00; Lea is unavailable. | Keep Lea out of the draft and do not plan Mia for morning prep. |
| Coverage | The venue requires kitchen, service, and one shift-lead role during lunch. | Create role slots first, then assign eligible people. |
| Draft | The role slots and availability now fit. | Add start, end, break, role, and draft status to every shift. |
| Review | One close-down responsibility is still unassigned. | Keep the schedule in draft until ownership is explicit. |
| Publish | Coverage and responsibilities are confirmed. | Publish one version and use the change log for every later adjustment. |
Pre-publication review checklist
- Every operating and service block has the intended role coverage.
- No employee is assigned during recorded unavailability or approved leave.
- Start, end, break, role, location, and shift status are complete.
- Opening, closing, cash-up, and handover responsibilities have named owners where needed.
- Weekly hours, overlaps, rest periods, breaks, and applicable employment rules have been checked.
- Open shifts and unresolved conflicts are visible instead of hidden in notes or messages.
- The publication owner and the place where the team sees the current version are clear.
After publication: preserve one source of truth
A published schedule is useful only if later changes return to the same record. Capture who requested a swap or cover, who approved it, which shift changed, whether the affected people acknowledged it, and when the current version was updated.
Limits and assumptions
This workflow is an operational planning method. It does not calculate demand, guarantee coverage, or validate employment law, collective agreements, payroll rules, qualifications, or individual contracts. Check the official rules and qualified advice that apply to the business and team.
Use the workflow with a spreadsheet or ShiftPriority
Start with the free weekly template, or build the draft in ShiftPriority and publish the reviewed schedule from one place.