> ## 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.

# How shifts work in PlanMyRounds

> Shifts are the building blocks of every roster. Learn what a shift template is, the difference between default and custom shifts, and who can manage them.

A **shift** in PlanMyRounds is a named time block that defines when doctors are on duty — for example, *Morning OPD*, *Night ICU Cover*, or *Weekend On-call*. Shifts are the building blocks of every [roster](/docs/rosters/overview): when you create one, you choose which shifts to include and the scheduler assigns doctors to cover them.

> [!NOTE]
>
> This page covers individual shift templates, listed under **Shift Requirements** in the sidebar. To combine several shifts into a reusable weekly pattern you can reuse across rosters and Auto Duty, see [Shift Schedules](/docs/shifts/shift-schedules).

## What a shift template defines

Each shift template captures everything the scheduler needs to know:

| Field | What it means |
| - | - |
| **Name** | A label your team will recognise — for example, *Morning OPD* or *Night Duty*. |
| **Start and end time** | The window the shift covers. The duration is calculated automatically. Overnight shifts that cross midnight are handled correctly. |
| **Required doctors** | The minimum number of doctors needed to cover this shift each day it appears. |
| **Minimum seniors required** | The minimum number of senior doctors that must be on this shift. |
| **Recovery time settings** | How many hours of rest a doctor needs after working this shift before they can be assigned again. |

## Default vs. custom shifts

PlanMyRounds ships with a set of **default** shifts that cover common hospital patterns. These can't be edited — they're there to get you started quickly.

You can also create as many **custom** shifts as you need, tailored to your department's schedule. Custom shifts are scoped to your organisation — other teams can't see or use them.

> **Default shifts**
>
> Provided by PlanMyRounds. Visible to every organisation. Can't be edited or deleted.

> **Custom shifts**
>
> Created by your admin team. Scoped to your organisation. Editable any time.

## How shifts appear on a roster

When you view a [published roster](/docs/rosters/publishing-a-roster), each shift is shown in a distinct colour on the calendar. The colour palette cycles through four colours based on the order shifts were configured, so you can tell them apart at a glance.

> [!TIP]
>
> Senior doctors are marked with an asterisk (`*`) next to their name on the calendar — a quick way to confirm the senior-to-junior ratio on any given day.

## Who can manage shifts?

| Action | Doctor | Admin |
| - | :-: | :-: |
| View shifts on the calendar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Browse the shift library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Create a custom shift | — | ✓ |
| Edit a custom shift | — | ✓ |
| Edit a default shift | — | — |

## Next steps

> **[View your shifts](/docs/shifts/viewing-shifts)**
>
> Browse, search, and inspect the shift library for your organisation.

> **[Create a shift](/docs/shifts/creating-shifts)**
>
> Build a custom shift template for your team.

> **[Build a Shift Schedule](/docs/shifts/shift-schedules)**
>
> Combine shifts into a reusable weekly pattern for rosters and Auto Duty.

> **[Set up an Auto Duty](/docs/auto-duty-planning/overview)**
>
> Use a Shift Schedule to generate duty plans on a repeating schedule.

> **[Coverage requirements](/docs/concepts/coverage-requirements)**
>
> How Required Doctors and Min Seniors Required are used by the engine.


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