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How does the Shift functionality work in the Dusk FSM?

## How Does the Shift Functionality Work in the Dusk FSM

Shift functionality is a core part of the Dusk FSM scheduling engine. It supports **capacity management** and helps ensure staff are not overbooked or underutilized.

Shifts are optional, but when enabled they make it clear when staff are available for Work and help the scheduling tools recommend and validate assignments.

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## How shifts appear in scheduling views

When a shift is assigned to a staff member, shift availability is visualised in scheduling views.

* **White areas** represent available working time
* **Grey blocks** represent unavailable time

In this example, the staff member works Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with a 1 hour lunch break. Two Work items are assigned from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

![Gantt View with Shifts](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20250207-165227-389.png)

If you schedule additional Work and there is not enough time remaining in the shift, a warning appears.

![Scheduling Warning for Insufficient Shift Time](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20250207-165238-182.png)

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## How to set up shifts

Shifts are defined based on your business needs. You can create:

* **Generic shifts** such as Weekday Shift or Weekend Shift, which can be assigned to multiple staff
* **Staff specific shifts** named after an individual staff member if your team prefers personalised scheduling

Generic shifts are usually best for larger teams because they are easier to manage and reuse.

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## Create a new shift

1. Go to **Personnel, Staff, Shifts**
2. Select **Shift** to create a new shift
3. Enter a shift name
4. Define the start and end times for each day of the week
5. Add breaks if required
6. Select **Save**

![Create a New Shift](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20250201-000435-281.png)

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## Assign a shift to staff

You can assign a shift when creating a staff member or when updating an existing staff record.

### Assign a shift

1. Go to **Personnel, Staff**
2. Select a staff member, or select **Staff** to create a new one
3. Find the shift dropdown field
4. Select the appropriate shift
5. Select **Save**

![Assign Shift to Staff](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20250207-164339-215.png)

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## How shifts affect scheduling

When shifts are enabled, they appear across Gantt view, Calendar view, and other scheduling tools.

* shift availability displays as grey and white bars next to staff and contractors
* scheduling outside of shift hours triggers warnings
* staff planning views show shift coverage summaries to support capacity planning

![Staff Availability by Shift](https://help.duskmobile.com/uploads/markdown/20250201-000656-528.png)

Shifts also improve the quality of staff recommendations when using Staff Business Rules, because availability is validated against shift times.

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## Why use shifts

Shifts help you:

* prevent scheduling Work outside staff availability
* support capacity planning and workload balancing
* align scheduling with real availability
* improve compliance and visibility into staff coverage

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## Related Articles

* [How Do the Staff Business Rules Work in Dusk FSM](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Personnel/How-Do-the-Staff-Business-Rules-Work-in-Dusk-FSM)
* [How to Manage Skills in Dusk FSM](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Personnel/How-to-Manage-Skills-in-Dusk-FSM)
* [How Do I Use the Gantt View in the Dusk FSM](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Work/How-Do-I-Use-the-Gantt-View-in-the-Dusk-FSM)
* [How to Use the Work Calendar View in Dusk FSM](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Work/How-to-Use-the-Work-Calendar-View-in-Dusk-FSM)
* [How the Dusk FSM AI Driven Staff and Contractor Scheduler Works](https://help.duskmobile.com/article/Field-Service-Management/How-the-Dusk-FSM-AI-Driven-Staff-and-Contractor-Scheduler-Works)

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Updated on January 06, 2026

How does the Shift functionality work in the Dusk FSM?

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