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Custom shift templates let you tailor PlanMyRounds to the way your department actually runs. Once a shift is created, it’s available to pick when building any roster.
Only admins can create or edit shift templates. If you don’t see the Create New Shift button, your account doesn’t have admin access.

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Create a custom shift

1

Open Shift Requirements

Go to Shift Requirements in the sidebar.
2

Start a new shift

Select Create New Shift in the top right.
3

Name it

Enter a Shift Name your team will recognise — for example, Morning OPD or Night ICU Cover.
4

Set the times

Pick a Start Time and End Time. The duration is calculated automatically. Overnight shifts that cross midnight are handled correctly.
5

Set the headcount

Enter the Required Doctors — the minimum number of doctors needed to cover this shift each day it appears.
6

Set the seniority floor (optional)

Enter the Minimum Seniors Required — how many of those doctors must be at senior level.
7

Save

Select Create Shift. The new shift is immediately available the next time you create or edit a roster.

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Recovery time settings

By default, each shift uses the recovery rules configured at the roster level (set in Step 4 of the creation wizard). You only need custom recovery times if this specific shift needs longer rest than your organisation’s standard — for example, a long night shift that warrants extra recovery. Toggle on Use Custom Recovery Times to override:
Setting custom recovery times significantly higher than the defaults can reduce scheduling flexibility — the engine has fewer valid assignments to choose from. A warning appears if your values are more than 50% above the standard minimums.

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Editing or removing a shift later

You can change a custom shift any time from its detail page — see Viewing your shifts. Default shifts can’t be edited or deleted. Changes take effect for future roster generation. Already-published rosters keep the shift definitions they were built with.

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Next steps

View your shifts

Find, search, and inspect everything in your shift library.

Build a Shift Schedule

Combine your shifts into a reusable weekly pattern for rosters and Auto Duty.