Start with the day you already planned

1. Read the calendar

Connect an iCal/ICS feed from your existing business calendar. Azur Rota reads events and recurring opening hours. A manager sets rules such as “an opening needs a front desk person” or “a closure needs no coverage”, including time for setup and closing.

2. See the requirements

Those rules produce coverage requirements: a role, a number of people and a time window. Gaps show where someone is still needed. Requirements can be recalculated when the calendar changes, with the source event and rule available to explain them.

3. Make shifts people can rely on

Managers create and assign shifts, use templates or copy a week, then publish. Staff can confirm or say they cannot make it. Open shifts let eligible people ask to help; managers review requests unless the owner has enabled the relevant automatic approval setting.

We never rewrite a shift a person owns; we flag it.

That is the calendar-sync rule: if a class moves or disappears, its shift stays put and is flagged for review. A manager decides what should change. Publishing and exchanges are explicit actions, not silent consequences of a calendar edit.

Make room for time away

People with accounts can request time off and set recurring weekly availability. Owners can define blackout dates that warn or block new requests, and limits that warn when too many people would be away. Managers see conflicts on the rota; an availability change does not silently move an existing shift.

Exchange a shift without losing track

Staff can offer cover, offer a shift to the open pool or propose a swap. The original shift remains theirs until the exchange is approved. Qualification, availability, overlapping work and configured hour and rest rules are checked. Managers review exchanges by default; even with automatic approval enabled, exchanges close to the start need a manager.

Record attendance facts, never a rating

Clock punches use server time. Managers can review late and no-show alerts, counts and private notes alongside timesheet exceptions. A missed punch needs context: these facts do not create penalties, change pay or certify anyone’s performance.

Ask for suggestions; keep the decision

Only owners and managers can request staffing suggestions for an opening. Suggestions consider eligibility, scheduled hours, previous work and attendance facts. Pairing preferences are private to owners and managers explicitly allowed to see them. A suggestion never assigns or publishes a shift by itself.

Visible, time-limited help

Azur Rota support accesses a workspace through a time-limited assist session. It starts read-only; an owner must consent to a limited write window before support can make permitted changes. A visible banner identifies the operator and access mode. Owners can review assist history and revoke write permission. Support cannot punch, correct or approve hours, manage accounts, or see private pairing preferences.