Import a rota PDF or photo into PayCheck AI and approve extracted shifts: step-by-step

Why use one-time rota extraction?

Paper rotas, emailed PDFs and photos often contain the same core information your calendar needs: who, where and when. Manually typing each shift into a calendar is slow and error-prone. The one-time rota extraction feature speeds that up by scanning a single PDF or image and proposing shift entries you can accept, edit or reject before importing to your calendar.

This workflow keeps you in control: you review every extracted shift, correct mistakes and confirm imports, so no unwanted shifts appear in your schedule. It’s especially useful for one-off transfers — for example, when joining a new employer who still provides printed rotas.

Step 1 — Prepare your rota PDF or photo

Use a clear, high-contrast scan or photo. Cropped margins, rotated pages, low lighting and smeared ink increase OCR errors. If the rota includes multiple pages, combine them into a single PDF or upload each image in order.

Make a quick note of unusual items on the rota (split shifts, open shifts listed as “TBC”, or handwritten corrections). You’ll use this while validating the AI suggestions.

Step 2 — Upload the file and start extraction

From your Pro account, choose the one-time rota PDF/image extraction option and upload the file. The tool will analyse the document and produce a list of suggested shifts (date, start time, end time, and assigned person if names are clear).

Extraction is one-time: it provides proposed shifts for import but does not store the uploaded document as part of your ongoing schedule. PayCheck AI will not edit external calendars directly during this step — you approve what to import.

Step 3 — Compare AI suggestions with the original rota

Work row-by-row. For each suggested shift, open the original page or photo and confirm: date, start, end, assigned name, and any notes (breaks, location). If a suggested shift is missing or split across lines in the original, mark it for correction.

Example: the AI proposes “Alice — 09:00–17:00 on 12 Apr.” The original shows “Alice 9–5 (30m break)”. Confirm whether you want the break recorded separately or keep the raw times. PayCheck AI lets you edit each shift before import.

Step 4 — Approve, correct or reject individual shifts

Approve clean suggestions quickly. For items with OCR errors, click to edit the individual shift fields: change times, adjust dates, reassign the name or add notes. Reject any suggested shift that doesn’t belong in your calendar (e.g., training sessions you won’t import).

If the rota lists an open shift (e.g., “Open — 18:00–22:00”), either leave it unassigned in the imported calendar or add a placeholder name. Team features in PayCheck AI allow team members to request open shifts and request takeovers later, but the import step itself only sets what appears in the calendar.

Step 5 — Final review and import

Run through the list once more, using the QA checklist below. When you’re satisfied, import the approved shifts into your calendar. The imported shifts become part of your PayCheck AI schedule where you can track regular/overtime hours and estimate pay as appropriate to your manual settings.

If you want a read-only copy in external calendars, create a private calendar subscription (Google, Apple or Outlook). Remember those subscriptions refresh from PayCheck AI but are not editable from the external calendar.

Worked example (hypothetical)

Imagine a one-page rota with three rows: “Jamie — Mon 10:00–14:00”, “Open — Tue 18:00–22:00”, and “L. Chen — Wed 23:00–03:00”. The AI extracts three suggested shifts. During review you notice the AI read “Mon 10:00–14:00” as “10:00–1:00” (missing the trailing zero). You edit Jamie’s end time to 14:00, mark the Open shift as unassigned, and change L. Chen’s end time to the following day at 03:00. After approval, import the three shifts. Any pay rates or overtime calculations remain under your configured personal pay rules — adjust them manually as needed because the app estimates pay based on your settings but does not replace payroll systems.

Note: rules for night hours, overtime thresholds and public-holiday allowances vary by country and contract. PayCheck AI Pro allows you to configure daily/weekly overtime thresholds, night-window allowances, weekend allowances and public-holiday allowances, but it does not guarantee legal or payroll accuracy. Always verify with your employer or payroll provider if exact legal calculations are required.

Practical checklist

• Scan/photo quality: clear text, no glare or pen smudges
• All pages uploaded and in correct order
• Names matched to the correct employees (check similar names/initials)
• Times verified — watch for missing zeros (e.g., “9” vs “09:00”) and AM/PM ambiguity
• Overnight shifts checked for end date rollover (e.g., 23:00–03:00 should end next day)
• Breaks and split shifts recorded as separate entries or noted in shift notes
• Open shifts left unassigned or assigned a placeholder as needed
• Any rejected suggestions noted and the original rota retained for reference

Frequently asked questions

What common OCR mistakes should I expect?

Common issues include misread digits (1 vs 7, 0 vs O), missing zeros (09:00 read as 9:00 or 9), merged cells causing the AI to combine two shifts, and misread names or initials. Handwritten notes are the hardest for OCR. Use the corrections template below to handle these consistently.

How do I handle ambiguous times like “9–5” or “9–17”?

Decide on a consistent interpretation before importing. If your workplace commonly uses 24-hour time, convert “9–5” to 09:00–17:00. If an entry could be a night shift (e.g., “22–6”), set the end date to the following day. Add a short note to the shift when uncertain so you can revisit it later.

Will importing the rota assign shifts to my team automatically?

No. The import step only adds approved shifts to your PayCheck AI calendar. PayCheck AI does not automatically assign workers or perform staffing analysis. For teams, you can later use PayCheck AI’s planner and team features to publish, assign, approve requests or let members request open shifts.

Can I re-run extraction if I spot lots of errors?

If the original image is poor or there are many mistakes, re-scan or take a better photo and run a new one-time extraction. The feature is for one-time uploads; keep a copy of the original file so you can repeat the process if needed.

Does PayCheck AI store my uploaded rota file?

Uploaded documents used for one-time extraction are not kept as editable parts of your schedule. The extraction provides suggested shifts for your review; the app does not permanently attach or edit external calendars using the uploaded file.