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Manager Guide

Manager Dashboard Complete Guide

Master the XShift AI manager dashboard with this comprehensive guide covering all features, navigation, and best practices.

13 Dashboard Sections
For Managers & Head Managers

Dashboard Navigation

The manager dashboard uses a left sidebar navigation. All sections are accessible from the sidebar menu.

Core Features
Schedule, Employees, Workforce Insights
Communication
Messages, Announcements
Management
Settings, Billing, Locations

Dashboard Overview

Your central hub for organization metrics and quick actions

/[orgId]/home

Dashboard Stats

  • Total active employees count
  • Upcoming shifts this week
  • Pending time-off requests (requires approval)
  • Pending shift pickup requests
  • Quick metrics overview

Activity Feed

  • Recent employee activities
  • Schedule changes
  • New time-off requests
  • Shift drops and pickups
  • Real-time updates

Quick Actions

  • Create new shift button
  • Add employee button
  • View pending approvals
  • Access schedule calendar
  • Navigate to all dashboard sections

Schedule Management

Create, edit, and publish employee schedules

/[orgId]/schedule

Calendar View

  • Three view modes: Day, Week (default), Month
  • View toggle buttons shown as icons (top right of calendar controls)
  • DAY VIEW:
  • - Shows single selected date with full date header
  • - Lists all shifts for that day as cards (vertical list, no hourly grid)
  • - Each shift card shows: title, location, time range, staffing count, assigned employees
  • - DRAFT badge shown on draft shifts
  • - No time slots grid - just chronological list of shifts
  • WEEK VIEW (default):
  • - Desktop: 8-column grid (1 time column + 7 day columns)
  • - Shows all 24 hours (12 AM to 11 PM) as rows
  • - Day headers show weekday abbreviation (Mon, Tue, etc.) and date number
  • - Each hour/day cell is a clickable area
  • - Shifts displayed inside their corresponding hour cell
  • - Mobile: Day-by-day accordion list instead of grid
  • MONTH VIEW:
  • - Desktop: 7-column grid (Sun-Sat)
  • - Shows full month calendar with day numbers
  • - Each date cell shows up to 3 shifts as mini cards
  • - "+X more" indicator if more than 3 shifts on a day
  • - Grayed out dates for previous/next month
  • - Mobile: Agenda list showing only days with shifts
  • Navigate between periods using left/right arrow buttons
  • Date range or current date shown at top center
  • "Today" button to jump to current date instantly
  • Click any shift card to open "Manage Shift" modal
  • Current day highlighted with indigo color border/background

Shift Color Coding

  • DRAFT SHIFTS (not yet published):
  • - Yellow: No employees assigned (needs attention)
  • - Bright Pink: Fully staffed (ready to publish)
  • - Medium Pink: Partially staffed (needs more employees)
  • PUBLISHED SHIFTS:
  • - Blue: Scheduled/published and fully staffed (upcoming shift)
  • - Purple: In-progress (employee currently clocked in)
  • - Green: Completed (employee clocked in and completed shift)
  • - Orange: No-show (past shift with assigned employees who never clocked in)
  • - Red: Cancelled shift
  • - Gray: Edge cases (published but understaffed, rare)
  • Color-coding helps identify shift status at a glance
  • Dark mode versions of all colors available

Quick Action Buttons (Top Right)

  • Refresh: Manually refresh schedule data from server
  • Recurring Shifts: Create repeating shift patterns (daily/weekly/monthly)
  • Auto-Generate: AI-powered automatic employee assignment to unfilled shifts
  • Publish Schedule: Publish all fully-staffed draft shifts (only shows when enabled)
  • - Badge shows count of fully-staffed drafts ready to publish
  • - Only visible if "Require Publish Approval" is enabled in settings
  • Create Shift: Open modal to create single shift manually
  • Save as Template: Save current schedule as reusable template
  • Apply Template: Apply previously saved template to new date range
  • All buttons have icons for visual clarity
  • Mobile view hides button text, shows icons only

Search and Filters

  • Search bar: Search shifts by title, employee name, or location
  • Filter by location: Dropdown to show shifts for specific location only
  • - Shows "All Locations" by default
  • - Lists all active locations in organization
  • Filter by status: Dropdown to filter by shift status
  • - Options: All Status, Scheduled, In Progress, Completed, Cancelled
  • Filters update calendar view in real-time (no page refresh)
  • Search and filters work together (combined filtering)
  • Current filter displayed below page title if active

Create Shifts

  • Click "Create Shift" button (top right) from quick actions bar
  • Shift creation modal opens with form fields
  • 1. Shift Title (required): Enter descriptive name like "Morning Shift" or "Closing"
  • 2. Start Time (required): Datetime picker showing date AND time
  • - Cannot select past dates/times
  • - Includes date, hour, and minute in one field
  • 3. End Time (required): Separate hour and minute dropdowns
  • - Hour dropdown: Shows only hours after/equal to start hour
  • - Minute dropdown: Shows 0-59 minutes
  • - If same hour as start, only shows minutes AFTER start minute
  • - End date automatically locked to same day as start date
  • - Duration calculated and displayed below (e.g., "8h 30m")
  • 4. Location (required): Dropdown of active locations
  • - Shows all active locations in organization
  • - Option to add new location with "+ Add New Location"
  • - If selected, inline text field appears to enter new location name
  • - If location has staffing rules, auto-detects requirements
  • 5. Required Staff Count (default 1): Number of employees needed
  • - Can be locked if staffing requirements enabled for location
  • - If locked, shows blue lock icon and staffing rules info
  • - Displays required roles and counts if staffing rules active
  • - Links to Settings to modify staffing requirements
  • All shifts created as DRAFT status (not visible to employees)
  • Validation: All required fields must be filled
  • Validation: Start time cannot be in the past
  • Click "Create Shift" to save, or "Cancel" to discard
  • Success toast: "Shift created! Use Auto-Generate to assign employees."
  • New shift appears on calendar with yellow color (unassigned draft)
  • Calendar does NOT auto-refresh (prevents disrupting view)
  • Click the new shift card to assign employees manually

Assign Employees

  • Click any shift card on calendar to open "Manage Shift" modal
  • Modal header shows shift details:
  • - Shift title, time range, location
  • - Current staffing count (e.g., "Staffing: 2/3 assigned")
  • Assignment section shows "Assign Employees (X/Y filled)"
  • - If overstaffed, shows yellow "(overstaffed)" warning
  • Each assigned employee displays as labeled slot:
  • - "Slot 1:", "Slot 2:", etc. for required slots
  • - "Extra:" label for overstaffed slots (amber/yellow color)
  • - Slot 1-3 have blue background, Extra slots have amber background
  • Each assigned slot has dropdown to reassign/swap:
  • - Shows current employee name with "(current)" label
  • - Shows all other employees (except already assigned)
  • - Selecting different employee instantly swaps assignment
  • - API call replaces employee immediately
  • - Calendar updates in real-time
  • Empty slots (if understaffed) shown with dropdown:
  • - "Select an employee..." placeholder
  • - Shows only unassigned employees (filters out already assigned)
  • - Selecting employee assigns them immediately
  • - Dropdown resets to placeholder after assignment
  • Staffing status message at bottom:
  • - Green "Fully staffed" if exactly meeting required count
  • - Amber "Overstaffed by X" if exceeding required count
  • - No message if understaffed (empty slots shown instead)
  • Delete Shift button (red) at bottom left to remove entire shift
  • Close button at bottom right to exit modal
  • All changes save immediately (no "Save" button needed)
  • Modal auto-updates shift card colors on calendar
  • Can assign MORE than required count (allows backup coverage)

Publish Schedule

  • Review all shifts in the calendar view for completeness
  • Check that all shifts have required employees assigned
  • Verify no conflicts (red warning indicators on calendar)
  • Preview mode: Click "Preview Schedule" to see employee view
  • Click "Publish Schedule" button (top right of calendar)
  • Confirmation dialog appears if "Require Publish Approval" is ON in settings
  • If approval required: Request sent to HEAD_MANAGER for review
  • If approval not required: Immediate publish confirmation dialog
  • Dialog shows: Number of shifts to publish, affected employees count
  • Warning shown if any shifts are understaffed (less than required count)
  • Option to publish anyway or cancel to fix issues
  • Click "Confirm Publish" to proceed
  • Publishing process: All Draft shifts change status to Published
  • Status color changes from yellow/orange to green on calendar
  • Email notifications sent to ALL assigned employees
  • Email subject: "Your schedule has been published for [date range]"
  • Email contains: Shift dates, times, locations for that employee
  • Employees receive in-app notification as well
  • Published shifts now visible in employee dashboards
  • Employees can now: View shifts, clock in/out, request changes
  • Success message: "Schedule published successfully. X employees notified"
  • Publish action logged in system (for HEAD_MANAGER audit)
  • Can still edit published shifts (shows as "Schedule Updated" to employees)
  • Re-publishing sends "Schedule Updated" emails with changes highlighted
  • Unpublish option: Revert shifts back to Draft (rarely used)

Employee Management

Add, edit, and manage your team members

/[orgId]/employees

Employee List

  • View all employees in organization
  • See employee name, email, role
  • Active/Inactive status
  • Search employees by name or email
  • Sort by name, role, or status
  • Click employee to view details

Add New Employee

  • Click "Add Employee" button
  • Enter first name, last name (required)
  • Enter email address (required)
  • Enter phone number (optional)
  • Select User Role: EMPLOYEE, MANAGER, or HEAD_MANAGER
  • Select Job Role (if role-based scheduling enabled)
  • Assign to locations (if multi-location)
  • Set base pay rate (optional)
  • Employee receives email to set password

Edit Employee

  • Click employee name from list
  • Update personal information
  • Change user role or job role
  • Update location assignments
  • Modify base pay rate
  • Reset employee password (as manager)
  • Deactivate/activate employee

Deactivate Employee

  • Click employee, then "Deactivate"
  • System shows future shifts that will be unassigned
  • Confirm deactivation
  • All future shifts are automatically unassigned
  • Employee loses access to dashboard
  • Can reactivate later if needed

Analytics Dashboard

Real-time organization performance metrics, on the Analytics tab of Workforce Insights

/[orgId]/workforce-insights

Key Metrics

  • Total employees (active count)
  • Total shifts scheduled
  • Total hours scheduled
  • Attendance rate percentage
  • Schedule coverage percentage
  • Performance scores

Visual Charts

  • Shift distribution charts
  • Hours by employee
  • Coverage by location (if multi-location)
  • Attendance trends
  • Performance trends over time

Reports

Generate and export comprehensive reports, on the Reports and Payroll tabs of Workforce Insights

/[orgId]/workforce-insights

Report Types

  • Advanced Reports: Multi-dimensional analysis
  • Attendance Reports: Track attendance patterns
  • Coverage Reports: Shift coverage analysis
  • Performance Reports: Employee performance metrics
  • Custom date range selection

Export Options

  • Export to CSV format
  • ADP format for payroll
  • Payroll export (timesheet data)
  • Download includes all selected metrics
  • Date range filtering

Time-Off Management

Take requests from employees, add time off for someone yourself, and approve or deny by hand or with optional Autopilot rules

/[orgId]/timeoff

Ways Time Off Comes In

  • Employees request time off from their own Time Off page
  • You add time off for someone yourself on this page, or tell the AI Copilot, for example "Veda is off Oct 6 to Oct 8"
  • You approve or deny by hand, one at a time here, or all at once by asking the AI Copilot
  • Optional: Autopilot rules answer requests the moment they are submitted, using only the rules you write: at least or fewer than a number of days' notice, blackout dates, how many requests or approved requests the person already has this month, quarter or year, how many people are already off those days, requests on certain days of the week, or just notify a manager
  • Anything no rule covers still comes to you
  • If checking and answering a request takes you 2 minutes and you get 30 a month, that is an hour a month; a rule answers each one the moment it is submitted

Pending Requests

  • View all pending PTO requests
  • See employee name, dates, type (Vacation/Sick/Personal/Other)
  • View request reason/notes
  • Check for schedule conflicts
  • Approve or deny with notes

Request Types

  • VACATION: Paid vacation time
  • SICK: Sick leave
  • PERSONAL: Personal days
  • OTHER: Anything else

Approval Actions

  • Click request to view details
  • Click "Approve" to accept request
  • Click "Deny" and provide reason
  • Employee receives email notification
  • Approving takes the person off any shifts they had those days
  • Approved time-off blocks scheduling for those dates

Shift Pickups

The moment someone drops a shift, Autopilot can put the best qualified person on it in seconds. Pickups your team makes clear the way you choose, and any waiting on you show on Home under "Needs your OK"

/[orgId]/home

When Someone Drops a Shift

  • With Autopilot call-off cover, Autopilot checks who works at that location, who holds the job, who is free, who has time off and who would go into overtime, the moment the shift is dropped
  • Further out than your cutoff, it puts the best person on the shift in seconds, choosing someone who won't go into overtime whenever it can
  • Closer to the shift, it messages everyone who qualifies, and the first to accept takes it
  • If nobody qualifies, you get an email right away
  • If each call-out costs you 20 minutes of texting and you get 10 a week, that is over 3 hours a week back

Pickup Requests

  • When a pickup needs you, Home shows "Needs your OK"
  • Open it to see who is handing the shift over and who wants it
  • See the date, time and location of the shift
  • Approve or deny each one

How Pickups Clear

  • Auto-Approve: the person who picks it up gets it straight away
  • Smart Approval: straight away if they pass the checks, otherwise they are told why and it does not go through
  • Manager Approval: nothing moves until you approve it
  • Set in Settings, under "Shift Pickup Approval Policy"
  • Email notifications on approval/denial, if those emails are turned on

Messaging

Communicate with employees and teams

/[orgId]/communication

Direct Messages

  • Send one-on-one messages to employees
  • View conversation history
  • See unread message count
  • Real-time message delivery

Group Chats

  • Create team group chats
  • Add/remove members
  • Post messages to entire group
  • Manage group settings

Announcements

Broadcast important messages to all employees

/[orgId]/communication

Create Announcements

  • Click "Create Announcement"
  • Write announcement title and message
  • All employees receive notification
  • Email sent to all employees, if announcement emails are turned on
  • Announcement appears in employee dashboards

View Announcements

  • See all active announcements
  • View announcement history
  • Edit or delete announcements
  • Deleting one takes it off every employee dashboard at once

Locations

Manage multiple business locations

Note: Only visible if multi-location is enabled in settings

/[orgId]/locations

Location Management

  • Add new locations
  • Edit location details (name, address, timezone)
  • Activate/deactivate locations
  • Assign employees to specific locations
  • View employees by location

Staffing Rules

  • Set role requirements per location
  • Define minimum staffing levels
  • Configure required roles for each location
  • System validates coverage meets requirements

Organization Settings

Configure organization preferences and rules

Note: Some settings are HEAD_MANAGER only

/[orgId]/settings

General Settings

  • Organization name
  • Default timezone
  • Default language
  • Multi-location toggle (HEAD_MANAGER)
  • Role-based scheduling toggle

Scheduling Settings

  • Fairness default (Fair/Max mode)
  • Require publish approval
  • Employee schedule visibility
  • Shift pickup approval policy
  • Open shift claim mode

Notification Settings

  • Email notification toggles (14+ types)
  • Shift assigned notifications
  • Schedule published notifications
  • PTO request notifications
  • Shift drop and pickup notifications
  • Clock-in alert notifications
  • New employee notifications

Staffing Rules

  • Configure role-based staffing
  • Set location role requirements
  • Define minimum coverage levels
  • Enable/disable role requirements

Billing

Manage subscription and billing, from the Billing section at the bottom of Settings

Note: HEAD_MANAGER access only

/[orgId]/settings

Subscription Status

  • Current plan (Monthly)
  • Active employee seat count
  • Billing amount (per-employee pricing)
  • 21-day trial status
  • Next billing date

Billing Portal

  • Access Stripe billing portal
  • Update payment method
  • View invoice history
  • Manage subscription
  • Download receipts

Manager Best Practices

  • Review pending approvals (time-off, shift pickups) daily
  • Publish schedules at least 7 days in advance when possible
  • Check analytics weekly to monitor attendance and coverage
  • Keep employee information up-to-date (roles, locations, contact info)
  • Use announcements for important team-wide communications
  • Export reports monthly for record-keeping and analysis

Related Guides

Quick Start Guide

Get started with XShift AI basics

Organization Settings

Configure your organization preferences

Workforce Management Dashboard for Schedule Managers | XShift AI