Consecutive shift limits¶
A consecutive shift limit caps how many days in a row an employee may be given a shift that starts at the same time - for example, no more than two afternoons in a row. Use it to stop one person from being scheduled onto the same kind of shift for most of the month and to spread morning and afternoon work more evenly across the team.
The limit is a soft rule that Smart Schedule applies when it builds the plan. It works hard to keep every run within the limit, but in a tight staffing situation it may still exceed it if that is the only way to cover a need - coverage always wins over the limit. A day off or a weekend breaks the run, so the count starts again after the gap.
The rule groups shifts by start time: two shift templates that start at the same time (for example a 6-hour and an 8-hour afternoon shift both starting at 15:00) count towards the same run.
Where the limit is set¶
The limit can be set at three levels. A more specific level overrides a less specific one:
| Level | Where | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Contract | Contract form - Max same shifts in a row | Everyone on that contract (the default) |
| Shift | Shift form - Max same shifts in a row | That shift and every shift starting at the same time |
| Employee | Employee detail - Shift limits tab | One person |
Leave a field empty to inherit from the level above. Empty at the contract level means no limit.
Set it on a contract¶
- In the left menu, go to People > Contracts and open (or create) a contract.
- In Max same shifts in a row, enter the maximum number of consecutive days (1-31). Leave it empty for no limit.
- Click Save.
Per-shift exceptions¶
To use a different limit for one kind of shift on this contract, add a Per-shift exception:
- In the contract, under Per-shift exceptions, click Add per-shift exception.
- Pick the Shift and enter its Max same shifts in a row.
- Add more rows for other shifts if needed. Rows left half-filled are ignored.
- Click Save.
A per-shift exception outranks the value set on the shift itself, so it is how employees on this contract become the exception to a shift-wide rule.
Set it on a shift¶
- Go to Settings > Configuration > Shifts and open the shift.
- In Max same shifts in a row, enter the limit. Leave it empty to inherit from the contract.
- Click Save.
Because the rule groups shifts by start time, the limit applies to every shift that starts at the same time as this one. The form lists those shifts under Also applies to.
Set it for one employee¶
- Open the employee detail and go to the Shift limits tab.
- Add an override, pick the Shift, and enter Max same shifts in a row.
- Click Save.
An employee override outranks both the shift and the contract, in either direction - it can be stricter or looser. With no overrides, the tab shows No overrides - the shift and contract settings apply.
How strongly it is enforced¶
How hard Smart Schedule works to respect the limit is governed by the Max Consecutive Same Shift weight in the Solver Profiles. A higher weight makes the solver avoid long runs more aggressively. The default is set as a safety margin, so in most cases you do not need to change it.
Note
The limit is never enforced at the cost of leaving a required slot uncovered. If the only employees who can cover a slot have already reached their limit, the scheduler still assigns the shift. Where a limit is respected but you expected it to be broken, check that a day off or weekend is not resetting the run, and that no shift or employee override is loosening the contract value.