Microsoft Teams – Manage team schedules with Shifts

Table of Contents

What is Shift?

Shifts is known to be Microsoft Teams schedule management tool. Shifts help the users to create, update, and also manage their schedules for the team.

Below are some features, which ease the work for the teams users when it comes to managing the team or group within the application.

Schedules – The schedule option helps the users to create, manage, and edit a schedule with Shifts in the Microsoft Teams application. A Shifts schedule shows days at the top, team members can be seen on the left side, and the assigned shifts is located in the calendar.
Groups – This option helps the users to name a group like a job or a project type or location. It keeps the groups more organized.
Shifts – Here, you can select where you should add a shift. Either you can create it from scratch, or you can copy the existing shifts.
Open shifts – You can see each schedule here, which has an open shifts row. You can add open shifts to the work schedule, which anyone can request.
Time Clock – This option enables you and your team to Clock in and out of a shift from their mobile device.
Requests – You can use this option to review the requests for time off, shift swaps, and offers.
Share – Once you finish your schedule, you can share this with your team. This way, everyone is up can be updated.

Create a Shifts schedule

Microsoft Teams Shifts, you can create a schedule, assign shifts to the project or team members. In addition, you can copy and use shifts again and add it as open shifts.

Schedules and groups

Follow these steps to create a new schedule:

First, select create a new schedule to build the schedule from scratch.

You can also choose view to select an existing schedule.
Now, select Create on the team or your group of users you want. To create this, you should be a team owner if you want to create one in Microsoft Teams.
Next, select add group to organize the schedule, which is based on your job type or location.
Select More options > Rename group, type the group name, then select Save, it will rename the group.
To add users to your group, select Add people, select someone, then select Add.

Create a shift for your team member

If you want to create a shift for your team member, select their row, then choose More options > Add shift.
You can add or edit the start and end times, custom label, break timings, shift notes, activities, and then select Save.

Copy a shift

If you want to reuse the same shift for your entire schedule, select More options > Copy. Alternatively, you can press CTRL + C.
To include shift activities, you can turn the Always include shift activities when copying shifts Tap “ON,” then select done.
To paste anything, select an empty slot, then select More options > Paste. Also, you can press Ctrl + V for the same.

Add an open shift

Select a day, then choose More options>Add open shift.
If you want to copy or switch to another schedule, you can select Copy schedule, or select the menu, then select a shift to switch to.

Manage a Shifts schedule

You can manage and view your entire team schedule by using Shifts in Microsoft Teams apps.

View a schedule

To switch between different calendar views:

First, select Day to ensure there are no conflicts happening in a shift.
You can add day notes as well to share a message with your team members; those are assigned to a specific shift. Select a day, and type a message.
Select Week if you want to see the team members’ hours’ overview.
Select Month to check, review or schedule shifts for the period of bimonthly and monthly.
To view your schedule according to shift type, select View > Shift.
Select People to check the team member’s availability.
Select Shifts to ensure you have enough command and coverage for a shift.

Manage requests

Select Requests to review requests from the team, such as time off, shift swaps, and offers.

Select a specific request to review and then choose a response.

Clock in and out

Select Clock in for your team to clock in and clock out with their mobile device.

Share a schedule

When your updates are ready to share with the team, choose Share with team, then select Share.