Blog

March 22, 2018

Simplify Your Schedules with Block Time

With the use of block time, schedules are much easier to manage by only showing shifts that need to be filled. Block time is similar to a placeholder for a position or shift and once applied, that position or shift is no longer open or available.

Block time can simplify your schedule in the following situations:

  • Non-Shift time – when a schedule does not require 24/7 coverage, block time can be used to prevent members from signing up for shifts when coverage is not needed
  • Find Coverage Alerts – when sending find coverage alerts, any shifts with applied block time will not be included
  • Special Events schedules – schedules that only need open shifts during specific dates and times (i.e. football games, parades, training, etc)
  • Different Staffing Levels – a single schedule may require different coverage for different days of the week or during specific hours (i.e. 3 medics during the day but only 2 medics in the evening)

A monthly calendar view will show a lot of extra open shifts when block time is not used, see below.

monthly calendar 1

That same monthly calendar is much simpler after block time is applied, see below:

monthly calendar 2

Using Repeats & Rotations to Add Block Time

Just as members are scheduled for recurring shifts, block time can be scheduled using Repeats & Rotations. Instead of selecting a member’s name for the Repeat and Rotation, select Block Time. After selecting Block Time, the steps are the same as if it were a member being scheduled (e.g. select the schedule and position(s), then enter the details of the rotation for the dates and time to block). Once the rotation is applied, the open shifts will no longer display on the calendar view.  If ranges of block time ever need to be removed, simply use the Date Range Delete feature.

On the Repeats and Rotations page, select Block Time from the Member list, shown below:

Block Time

Using the Hourly Editor to Add Block Time

Block time can be applied one shift at a time through the Hourly Editor. To add the block time, select the position under the Schedule, then select Block Time from the Member drop-down list at the bottom of the screen. Select the time to be blocked and click Add. A gray bar will now appear to show the position is blocked. To remove block time, simply click the trash can on the scheduled block time.

From the Hourly Editor page, select Block Time from the Member list, shown below:

Member list

For additional details on how to simplify your schedule with block time through Repeats & Rotations or the Hourly Editor, please watch the how-to video below:For questions or additional help with simplifying your schedule using block time, please contact the Support Team at 888.749.5550 or support@aladtec.com. As always – thank you for using Aladtec!

~ Your Aladtec Team