Create a Custom Day-Based Rotation: Printable Template and Example

Why a day-based custom rotation helps

A day-based custom rotation is useful when your roster repeats over a cycle measured in days rather than fixed weekly patterns — for example, 5 days on/3 days off, 4-week irregular cycles, or staggered night/day blocks. Using a printable template helps you visualise the full cycle, share it with colleagues, and manually enter exact shifts into a scheduling app or your employer’s system. In PayCheck AI you can build a work shift calendar with individual shifts and custom day-based rotations, sync schedules across devices, track regular and overtime hours, estimate gross pay, and export CSV or ICS for further checking. Remember: pay estimates are for checking only; rules for overtime, allowances, and legal pay vary by country and collective agreement. The app can help configure advanced pay rules during an active Pro trial or paid Pro subscription (daily/weekly overtime thresholds, night-window allowances, weekend/public-holiday allowances as flat/per-hour/percentage). Always confirm final payroll with your employer or payroll provider.

A printable grid plus a concrete worked example makes it much easier to avoid input mistakes when transferring shifts into PayCheck AI or any other calendar.

Blank multi-week printable template (day-by-day grid)

Below is a simple, reusable multi-week day-by-day grid you can copy into a document editor (Word, Google Docs) at A4/Letter size, print, and write shifts by hand. Use one row per week and one column per day so you can see the full rotation at a glance. Each cell can contain start/end times, break minutes, and a short note (e.g., "N" for night).

Template (4-week example grid — blank):

Week 1 | Mon: ______ | Tue: ______ | Wed: ______ | Thu: ______ | Fri: ______ | Sat: ______ | Sun: ______

Week 2 | Mon: ______ | Tue: ______ | Wed: ______ | Thu: ______ | Fri: ______ | Sat: ______ | Sun: ______

How to adapt the template for longer cycles

If your rotation runs longer than four weeks, extend the template rows to match the full cycle length (e.g., 6, 8, or 28 weeks). Label each week with cycle numbers (Week 1 of 7, Week 2 of 7, etc.). For irregular patterns where days on/off shift across weeks, write the calendar date under each day cell so you know exactly which date matches the pattern when you later enter shifts into PayCheck AI.

Add a small legend area to the printed page for shorthand codes (e.g., D=Day 07:30–16:00, E=Evening 14:00–22:00, N=Night 22:00–07:00, OFF=Day off). This speeds handwriting and reduces errors when transferring to the app.

Worked example: populating an irregular rotation

Scenario (hypothetical): you have a 10-day repeating cycle: 4 consecutive day shifts, 2 nights, 1 evening, and 3 days off. You want to map this onto calendar dates for October (which starts on a Thursday). Using the 4-week template, list the actual dates and fill each day cell with shift code and times.

Step-by-step fill:

- Write dates across the top of the printable grid for the month you want to plan (e.g., Oct 1 Thu).

- Apply the 10-day pattern starting Oct 1: Day 07:00–15:30 for Oct 1–4, Night 22:00–07:00 for Oct 5–6, Evening 15:00–23:00 for Oct 7, Off for Oct 8–10, then repeat for Oct 11 onward. Add any split-shift notes or paid break minutes in the cell. This produces an explicit, date-aligned plan you can use to enter shifts into PayCheck AI.

Entering the rotation into PayCheck AI

Open PayCheck AI and create a new calendar month for the month you prepared on the printed template (or navigate to the date range where you want the rotation). The app supports building a work shift calendar with individual shifts as well as custom day-based rotations; for a one-off transfer it’s simplest to add shifts manually:

- Create individual shifts: pick the date, enter start and end times, and add break duration. Use private shift notes for personal reminders (these notes are not shared with teams).

- For repeating cycles you can build a custom day-based rotation inside PayCheck AI if you plan to reuse the pattern: set the cycle length in days and map which day in the cycle corresponds to each shift type. The app will create the calendar pattern accordingly. (If you prefer manual control, continue adding individual shifts.)

- If you manage a team and want others to see these shifts, use the team features: invite members, publish/assign shifts, or leave shifts unassigned; team members can request open shifts or takeovers and planners can approve or reject. Team calendars publish read-only copies to members’ personal calendars in Google/Apple/Outlook; these are one-way subscriptions that refresh from PayCheck AI.

Setting pay settings and exporting the month

Before exporting, configure your personal pay settings in PayCheck AI so the gross-pay estimation reflects your usual rates and allowances. On Pro (active free trial or paid), you can set: daily/weekly overtime thresholds, night-window allowances, weekend allowances and public-holiday allowances as flat amounts, per-hour amounts or percentages. Enter your base hourly rate and any manual multipliers you expect for nights/weekends — treat these as hypothetical in this guide. The app will then estimate gross pay for the calendar month; remember it does not calculate taxes or guarantee payroll accuracy.

Exporting: once shifts are entered and pay settings applied, export the month as CSV or ICS. Use the CSV export to compare against a payslip or to share with your payroll admin. PayCheck AI also supports creating a private read-only calendar subscription (Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook) so you can view the rota alongside your other calendars; this subscription refreshes from PayCheck AI but is read-only in your external calendar. If you have a rota PDF or image, Pro users can upload it for one-time AI shift extraction and approve shifts before import. Uploaded documents are not stored permanently by the app.

Practical checklist

• Print or create the blank day-by-day grid sized to your rotation length (label weeks and dates).
• On the template, write exact calendar dates under each day to avoid misalignment when the cycle spans months.
• Use shorthand codes and a legend to speed handwritten entry and reduce mistakes.
• Choose whether to enter individual shifts manually or define a custom day-based rotation in PayCheck AI for reuse.
• In PayCheck AI, enter start/end times and break minutes for each shift; add private notes for your reference if needed.
• If on Pro and using advanced rules, set daily/weekly overtime thresholds, night/weekend/public-holiday allowances and base pay rate before exporting.
• Export month as CSV for paycheck checking and/or create a calendar subscription (read-only) for viewing alongside personal calendars.

Frequently asked questions

Can I import the printed template directly into PayCheck AI?

Not directly. Use the template to plan and then enter shifts manually in PayCheck AI. If you have a rota PDF or image, Pro users can upload it for one-time AI extraction and approve the extracted shifts before import.

Will the app calculate my taxes and final take-home pay?

No. PayCheck AI estimates gross pay based on the shifts and pay settings you enter. It does not calculate taxes, nor does it guarantee payroll or legal accuracy. Always confirm final pay with your employer or payroll provider.

How do I handle public-holiday pay or different allowances?

On an active Pro trial or paid Pro subscription you can configure public-holiday, night-window and weekend allowances as flat amounts, per-hour amounts or percentages. Rules and entitlements vary by country and agreement, so enter the values that reflect your contract and use the result as an estimate to check against your payslip.

Can my team see my private shift notes or medical details?

No. Personal pay settings, private shift notes and medical details are not shared in the team calendar. Team calendars show public shift information; planners can view team members’ shift calendars and recorded absences.

How do I share the calendar with my phone or calendar app?

Create a private read-only calendar subscription from PayCheck AI for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. The subscription refreshes from PayCheck AI but is one-way: edits must be made in PayCheck AI.