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How to Create Schedule Templates

Schedule Templates help you build schedules faster and more accurately by reusing shifts that stay consistent from week to week. Instead of recreating the same shifts every time, you can apply a template and only adjust what’s changed—saving time and reducing mistakes.

Templates are flexible and can be used for full schedules, specific job roles, or just part of the week.

 

When to Use Schedule Templates

Schedule Templates are especially helpful in situations like these:

  • Your schedule is mostly the same every week - Create one full schedule template and apply it each week. Then, only adjust shifts for time-off requests or exceptions.

  • Certain job roles rarely change - If roles like Cooks or Bartenders work the same shifts every week, you can create a template for just those job roles. Apply the template to quickly fill in those shifts, then schedule the remaining roles manually. 

  • Weekday schedules are consistent, weekends vary - Create a template for weekday shifts only. Apply it each week and manually build the weekend schedule based on business needs.

  • Lunch vs. Dinner staffing patterns - If your lunch shifts are predictable but dinner coverage varies, create a template just for lunch shifts and build dinner manually.

  • Skeleton or minimum-coverage schedules - Create a baseline template that covers only required positions. Apply it first, then add extra shifts if the week is expected to be busier.

 

 

How to Create a Schedule Template

Before creating a template, start by building the schedule exactly how you want it to appear in the template. This can be:

  • A full schedule

  • A minimum or skeleton schedule

  • Shifts for specific job roles only (such as just Cooks or Bartenders)

  • Shifts for certain days of the week (like weekdays only)

If you only want certain departments or job roles included, apply filters first. Only the shifts currently visible on the schedule will be saved in the template.

 

Create the Template

Once the schedule is set up the way you want:

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  1. Go to Options → Schedule Templates → Create New Template from Current Schedule

  2. A pop-up window will appear

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In the pop-up:

  • Enter a Schedule Template Name
    Choose a clear, recognizable name so it’s easy to understand what the template includes (for example: Weekday Lunch Shifts or Cook & Bartender Base Schedule).

  • Select any optional settings:

    • Include Employee Notes – saves any notes entered on shifts

    • Include Unpublished Hours – includes shifts that have not been published yet

  1. Click Create

Your schedule template is now saved and can be applied to future schedules.

 

 

 

How to Apply a Schedule Template

Once a Schedule Template has been created, you can apply it to quickly fill in shifts for the current or future week.

To apply a template:

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  1. Go to the Schedule view and navigate to the week you want to build

  2. Click Options → Schedule Templates → Apply Templates to Current Schedule

  3. Select the template you want to apply

 

When applying a template, you’ll be prompted with a few options to control how it’s applied:

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  • Overwrite Existing Hours

    • When checked, any existing shifts on the schedule will be replaced by the template

    • When unchecked, the template will only add shifts where none already exist

  • Skip Employees with Approved Time Off

    • When checked, shifts will not be applied for employees who already have approved time off during that period

After selecting your options, confirm to apply the template.

 

After Applying a Template

Once the template is applied:

  • The selected shifts will be added to the schedule

  • Shifts will follow the same published or unpublished status saved in the template
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  • A confirmation window will appear showing:

    • How many work items were added

    • How many were skipped due to time-off conflicts

    • How many were skipped because shifts already existed

This confirmation provides a summary only and does not list which specific shifts were skipped.

After closing the confirmation window, review the schedule to:

  • Verify coverage

  • Identify any shifts that may have been skipped

  • Make any needed adjustments before publishing

Applying a template helps speed up schedule creation, but it’s always a good idea to review availability and coverage after applying it.

 

 

How to Manage or Delete a Schedule Template

At this time, Schedule Templates cannot be viewed or edited directly once they are created. Templates can only be applied or deleted.

If you need to make changes to an existing template, the recommended approach is to replace it with an updated version.

 

Delete a Schedule Template

If a template is no longer needed, it can be deleted at any time.

To delete a template:

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  1. Go to Options → Schedule Templates → Manage Templates

  2. Select the template you want to remove

  3. Click Delete

  4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Once deleted, the template will no longer be available to apply to future schedules.

 

How to Make Changes to an Existing Template

If you need to update a template, follow this workflow:

  1. Apply the existing template to the current week

  2. Go to Options → Schedule Templates → Manage Templates

  3. Delete the original template

    • Deleting a template does not affect any schedules that were previously created using it

  4. Make the needed changes to the schedule

    • Add, remove, or adjust shifts as needed

  5. Create a new template from the updated schedule

    • You may reuse the same template name, if desired

This approach ensures the template reflects your most current scheduling needs without leaving outdated versions behind.

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