> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart: build your first roster

> Set up your PlanMyRounds organisation, add staff and shift templates, then build and publish your first clinical roster in a few guided steps.

This guide takes you from a fresh PlanMyRounds account to your first **published duty plan**. Plan on about **10 minutes**.

## Prerequisites

* A PlanMyRounds account ([sign up](https://planmyrounds.com/))
* **Admin** access to your organisation (only admins can create shifts and rosters)
* Your team of doctors added under **Members**
* An idea of the shift pattern you run (e.g. *Morning OPD 08:00–17:00, Night Cover 20:00–08:00*)

## Steps

**1. Add your team**

Go to **Settings › Members** in the sidebar and invite the doctors who will be on duty. For each member set:

* **Role** — admin or doctor
* **Seniority** — senior or junior (used by the scheduler for senior-to-junior ratios)
* **Department / pod** (optional) — makes team selection faster later

> [!TIP]
>
> Add a few extra doctors as a buffer. It gives the engine room to balance workload fairly and absorb absences.

**2. Create your custom shifts**

Go to **Shift Requirements** in the sidebar. PlanMyRounds ships with default shifts, but you'll usually want a few custom ones tailored to your department.

Select **Create New Shift** and fill in:

* **Shift Name** — e.g. *Morning OPD*, *Night ICU Cover*
* **Start Time** and **End Time** (overnight shifts that cross midnight are handled automatically)
* **Required Doctors** — minimum headcount per day
* **Minimum Seniors Required** — seniority floor for the shift

See [Creating shifts](/docs/shifts/creating-shifts) for recovery-time overrides and other options.

**3. Approve any leave for the period**

The scheduling engine only respects leave that is **Approved** before generation starts. Pending requests are ignored.

Go to **Leave** and approve (or reject) any outstanding requests covering your roster dates. See [Approval workflow](/docs/leave/approval-workflow).

**4. Open the duty plan wizard**

Go to **Duty Plans** in the sidebar and select **Create New Plan**. The wizard walks you through four steps:

1. **Period and details** — pick a Start Date and End Date (use the **Next Week** / **Next Month** quick buttons), and optionally name the plan (e.g. *Cardiology — June 2026*).
2. **Shift configuration** — choose which shifts to include and how many doctors each one needs per day. Apply one pattern to every day, or use different patterns for weekends / specific weekdays.
3. **Team selection** — pick the doctors for this plan. Filter by department or pod. A live **coverage check** warns you if you don't have enough doctors for the period.
4. **Scheduling rules** — set max consecutive work days, minimum rest days per week, minimum rest hours between shifts, senior-to-junior ratios, and other constraints.

See [Creating a roster](/docs/rosters/creating-a-roster) for full details on each step.

**5. Generate**

Select **Generate**. The engine runs in the background and usually produces a **Draft** roster within a minute. You're taken straight to the roster detail page.

If generation **Fails**, it's usually not enough doctors, rules that are too tight, or too much approved leave in the period. Adjust inputs and retry.

**6. Review and publish**

Check coverage, workload distribution, and any flagged conflicts on the draft. When you're happy, select **Publish**.

The roster goes live, becomes visible to the whole team, and a shareable link is available. See [Publishing a roster](/docs/rosters/publishing-a-roster).

## What's next

> **[Handle swaps and cover](/docs/swaps/overview)**
>
> Let doctors trade duties after the roster is published.

> **[Edit a published roster](/docs/rosters/editing-a-published-roster)**
>
> Make manual adjustments when real-world changes happen.

> **[Understand the rules](/docs/rosters/roster-constraints)**
>
> Learn how work, rest, and fairness constraints shape the schedule.

> **[How shifts work](/docs/shifts/overview)**
>
> Default vs custom shifts, recovery times, and the shift library.

> **[Automate future duty plans](/docs/auto-duty-planning/overview)**
>
> Set up an Auto Duty so PlanMyRounds notifies staff, collects availability, and generates the roster on a repeating schedule.

> [!TIP]
>
> Need help? Email [support@planmyrounds.com](mailto:support@planmyrounds.com).


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