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Terminology

This page explains the key terms used in WFM. Understanding these concepts will help you navigate the system effectively.

User (Employee)

An employee - typically a contact centre agent. Users are imported directly from Daktela, so you don't need to create them manually.

Each user has:

  • Skills - What they can do and at what proficiency level
  • Workplace - Where they work
  • Contract - Their working conditions and hour limits

Skill

A skill corresponds to a queue in Daktela (e.g., "Support", "Sales", "Technical Help"). It defines what type of calls or requests an agent can handle.

Each agent can have multiple skills with different proficiency levels. When planning, the system assigns agents to shifts based on which skills are needed at any given time.

Skills are imported automatically along with users from Daktela.

Workplace

A workplace is an organisational unit for which you create schedules. It can represent a physical location, a team, or any other grouping of agents.

Each workplace has:

  • Operating hours
  • Assigned employees
  • Allowed shifts

One agent can be assigned to multiple workplaces.

Need

A need defines how many agents with a specific skill must be working at a specific time.

Example: "On Monday from 8:00 to 12:00, at least 3 agents with the Support skill are required."

The schedule is built to satisfy these needs.

Schedule (Schedule Plan)

A schedule is the assignment of employees to shifts for a specific period and workplace. It contains the exact start and end times for each shift.

A schedule goes through these states:

  • Draft - Being created, not visible to agents
  • Prepared - Agents can view their schedules

Contract

A contract defines an employee's working conditions - which days they work, maximum hours per day, per week, or per month.

WFM respects contracts when generating schedules and warns you if an employee would be over-scheduled or if any conditions would be violated.

Examples: "Full-time 40 hours/week", "Part-time 20 hours/week".

Shift

A shift defines a work block - when it starts, how long it lasts, and on which days it applies.

Each shift has:

  • Name and abbreviation - Displayed in the schedule (e.g., "Morning 8h", "M8")
  • Start time and duration - When the shift begins and how long it lasts
  • Days - Which days of the week the shift applies to
  • Breaks - Scheduled breaks within the shift

Request

A request is an employee's appeal to modify their schedule. Agents submit requests through WFM, and managers approve or reject them. Managers can also create requests on behalf of employees.

Request types are configurable in Settings > Request Types. Common examples include:

  • Time off (vacation, sick leave)
  • Shift change
  • Home office

Period

A period is a time range for which you create a schedule (e.g., "May 2026" or "Week 18"). Periods help organise schedules and are typically monthly.