Plan team shifts, handle open-shift requests and approve vacations in PayCheck AI

Before you start: set up the team and planner roles

Create a team in PayCheck AI and give owner or planner roles to the people who will publish and manage shifts. Planners can view members' personal shift calendars and recorded absences so you can make informed assignment decisions. Team members have visible profile names in the team and can be invited by link or QR code.

Decide whether you want push notifications for team messages. Team owners and planners can enable optional push notifications so members get an immediate alert for new team messages, open-shift notices or approved vacation updates.

Build the rota: choosing a rotation and publishing shifts

Start your work shift calendar in PayCheck AI. You can add individual shifts, use common preset rotations or create custom day-based rotations. For planners who prefer to work from a paper rota, Pro users can upload a rota PDF or image for one-time AI shift extraction and then approve shifts before import.

When the rota is ready, publish it to the team. Publishing creates a team-managed read-only copy of the schedule that syncs into the personal main calendars of existing and new team members; these copies refresh from PayCheck AI but cannot be edited from external calendar apps.

Worked example: publish a weekly rota

Scenario: A small retail team of five with an owner (planner) needs a one-week rota. You will publish shifts, leave two open shifts for last-minute coverage and set expectations for overtime and weekend allowances (described to staff but handled manually unless configured in a Pro subscription).

Step 1 — Create shifts: Add morning (08:00–14:00), afternoon (14:00–20:00) and evening (18:00–23:00) shifts for Monday–Sunday. Assign specific people to most shifts and intentionally leave Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening unassigned as open shifts.

Step 2 — Publish: Review the calendar and publish it to the team. Team members receive the published schedule in their PayCheck AI app and the team-managed read-only calendar copies appear in their personal calendars if configured.

Step 3 — Communicate: Post a short team message summarising the rota and reminding members how to request open shifts or takeovers. If you enabled push notifications for team messages, those who opted in will get alerts.

Open-shift and takeover requests: a planner's approval flow

Team members can request an open shift or request takeover of an assigned shift. When a request is submitted, planners see the request in their planner view where they can approve or reject it.

Worked example continuation — an open-shift request: A team member (Sam) clicks the unassigned Saturday afternoon shift and requests to take it. PayCheck AI flags the request to the planner and owner.

Approval steps: 1) Planner reviews Sam's personal shift calendar and recorded absences to ensure no conflicts. 2) Planner approves the request in the app. 3) PayCheck AI updates the team rota to show Sam as the assigned worker and the team-managed calendar copies refresh. 4) Notifications: Sam receives confirmation; the team message channel can be used to post a short note about the fill (optional). If push notifications are enabled and Sam has them turned on, they also receive a push alert.

Handling takeover requests for already assigned shifts

When someone requests to take over an assigned shift, the current assignee and the planner both see the request. The planner evaluates the takeover based on availability and any recorded absences.

Example: Lee is scheduled for Sunday evening but asks to swap. Jordan requests takeover. The planner checks both calendars. If approved, the planner updates the assignment and the app notifies both Lee and Jordan. The team-managed calendar copies update automatically.

Vacation requests and approvals

Team members can submit vacation requests, record vacation days, leave, time off in lieu and sick days. Planners view these requests alongside personal shift calendars and recorded absences to assess coverage before approving or rejecting.

Worked example — approving a vacation: Pat requests Monday–Wednesday off next week. The planner opens Pat's request, confirms there is coverage across those days (or arranges cover), then approves. PayCheck AI records the approved vacation in Pat's calendar and the planner's view. The planner can notify the team through the chat channel if needed; push notifications apply to members who enabled them.

Notifications, team chat and visibility rules

Notifications: PayCheck AI notifies the requester and planner at key stages (request submitted, approved, rejected). If team message push notifications are enabled, members who opt in will receive a push for new team messages. Use the team chat for confirmations, swap coordination and quick announcements.

Visibility: Planners can see team members' personal shift calendars and recorded absences. Personal pay settings, private shift notes and medical details remain private and are not shared in the team calendar. Team-managed calendar copies are read-only in external calendar apps and refresh from PayCheck AI.

Practical checklist

• Create the team and assign owner/planner roles
• Decide whether to enable push notifications for team messages
• Build shifts using presets, custom rotations or by uploading a rota PDF (Pro)
• Publish the rota and invite members by link or QR code
• Leave open shifts unassigned if you need flexible coverage
• Monitor open-shift and takeover requests in the planner view and approve/reject
• Review vacation requests against the published rota before approving
• Post confirmation messages in the team chat and rely on push notifications for urgent updates

Frequently asked questions

Can PayCheck AI automatically assign open shifts?

No. PayCheck AI lets members request open shifts or takeovers and lets owners or planners approve or reject those requests. It does not automatically assign workers.

Will approved changes update my personal calendar?

Yes. When a planner approves an assignment or vacation, PayCheck AI updates the team-managed calendar copies that sync into members' personal calendars. These copies are read-only in external calendars and refresh from PayCheck AI.

Can PayCheck AI calculate overtime or allowances for me?

PayCheck AI can track regular and overtime hours and, during an active Pro trial or paid Pro subscription, you can configure daily and weekly overtime thresholds and allowances (night-window, weekend and public-holiday) as flat, per-hour or percentage amounts. Treat every pay rate or multiplier in your planning as manual unless you explicitly review the figures in the app.

How do I invite team members quickly?

Invite members by sharing the team link or QR code. New members receive the team-managed schedule and their calendars will include the read-only team copies once they join.

Are personal medical details or private pay settings visible to planners?

No. Personal pay settings, private shift notes and medical details are not shared in the team calendar.