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# Creating and managing a shift

A shift is the basic element of the schedule — it gives an employee working hours, a position and breaks on a particular day. In Proplanum you add one by hand in a few clicks, and you save recurring shifts as a template so you do not have to enter the same thing every time. Below we show how to create a shift, plan the breaks and manage it.

${frame}[Preview](https://demo.proplanum.com/embed/cma3sd0ab38qb13m06aqjrxkc?embed_v=2&utm_source=embed)

|| Remember: Everyone can see the schedule, but only the **Manager** (at their location), the **Location Manager** (at their assigned locations), the **Advisor** and the **Organisation Administrator** (across the whole company) can lay out, edit and publish shifts. An Employee has view-only access.

You can read about navigation and the toolbar in [Getting started with the Schedule tool](https://help.proplanum.com/en/article/getting-started-with-the-schedule-tool-pset9v/).

# Creating a shift

1. From the left icon bar choose **"Work schedule"**.
2. Set the window range (**"Week"**, **"2 weeks"**, **"4 weeks"** or **"Month"**) and find the employee's row and the day you want to add the shift to.
3. Click the **empty cell** where the employee and the day intersect.

![The empty cell in the schedule you click to add a shift](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w074_1cjen17.png)

4. The **"New shift"** window opens. On the left you will see a summary of the employee's planned hours and costs. In the **"Basic details"** section choose the **Employee**, the **Position** and a **Tag** (if you use them), and in the **"Work time"** section set the **Start** and the **End** of the shift.

![The "New shift" window with the Basic details, Work time and Comment sections](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w075_3gawci.png)

# Planning breaks

In the **"Breaks"** section you can add a break to the shift: choose the type (**paid** or **unpaid**), the length and the start hour — **"Any time"** or **"At"**. The **"+"** button adds another break.

![The "Breaks" section: paid/unpaid type, length and start hour](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w076_is7k71.png)

| Important: Which kinds of breaks you can plan and which ones employees will record depends on the location settings — see [Locations](https://help.proplanum.com/en/category/locations-13fypg3/).

# Saving a shift as a template

Save a recurring shift as a template so you can load it later with a single click. At the bottom of the window click **"Options"** and then **"Save as shift template"**. Templates are useful for fixed shifts in particular positions — you do not have to enter the hours every time.

![The "Options" menu in the shift window with the "Save as shift template" item](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w077_1b1iyi5.png)

Once everything is ready, click **"Save"** — the shift appears in the schedule as a draft.

# Managing a shift

Hovering over an existing shift brings up quick action icons in the cell:

* **Edit** — opens the shift window to correct the hours, the position, the breaks or the assigned employee.
* **Copy** — copies the shift to further periods for the same employee, or to another employee in the same position.
* **Delete** — removes the shift from the schedule.

![The Edit, Copy and Delete icons visible when hovering over a shift](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/1/2/4/3124ad20f50ccc00/ppen-w078_1yhvw96.png)

# An unassigned shift

Sometimes you want to plan a shift and assign the staffing later. You create it just like an ordinary one, only **without choosing an employee** in the **"Basic details"** section. Such a shift goes into the **"Unassigned"** row at the top of the schedule (you expand and collapse it with the arrow).

You then assign it to somebody by hand (**Edit** → **Employee**) or automatically — see [Automatic schedule from unassigned shifts](https://help.proplanum.com/en/article/automatic-schedule-from-unassigned-shifts-q6szze/).

# Publication

Until you publish the schedule, it stays a draft and is invisible to employees. To share the shifts, click **"Publish"** in the top right corner — the details are in [Publishing schedule changes](https://help.proplanum.com/en/article/publishing-schedule-changes-13yt17e/).