Catalogue updated 12 September 2026.
Rostering engine · Rule catalogue
Explore the scheduling rules.
Explore 133 rules for planning shifts, allocating positions and checking swaps. 102 have settings your administrator can change.
Scheduling rules
Explore 133 rules across14 families. Filter by purpose, scheduling layer and configuration options to find the rules relevant to your operation.
Scheduling rules
133
Families
14
Configurable
102
Fixed product rules
31
A hard constraint must be satisfied for a roster to be feasible.Soft constraints express preferences that the solver balances according to their weights. Review the resulting roster and any outstanding violations before publishing.
- Hard, required for a feasible roster.
- Soft, weighed and minimised.
- Hard and soft, available with hard or soft enforcement.
- an administrator controls the setting.
- the product defines the rule.
133 rules in 14 families.
Allowances and overtime6 rules
- Banked-hours balance for swapped shiftsAllowances and overtimeSwapHardFixed
- Consumed extension allowance in swapsAllowances and overtimeSwapHardFixed
- Consumed instructor allowance in swapsAllowances and overtimeSwapHardFixed
- Consumed shift allowance in swapsAllowances and overtimeSwapHardFixed
- Consumed work-request allowance in swapsAllowances and overtimeSwapHardFixed
- Overtime limit after a swapAllowances and overtimeSwapHardTunable
Coverage and demand10 rules
- Availability for position allocationCoverage and demandTacticalHard and softTunable
- Avoid optional shift assignmentsCoverage and demandStrategicHardTunable
- Optional pattern-block coverageCoverage and demandStrategicHard and softTunable
- Optional shift coverageCoverage and demandStrategicHard and softTunable
- Permitted flexible shift conversionsCoverage and demandStrategicHard and softTunable
- Preferred flexible shift conversionCoverage and demandStrategicSoftTunable
- Required pattern-block coverageCoverage and demandStrategicHard and softTunable
- Required position-slot coverageCoverage and demandTacticalHard and softTunable
- Required shift coverageCoverage and demandStrategicHard and softTunable
- Substitute staffing restriction in pattern rostersCoverage and demandStrategicHard and softTunable
Data integrity17 rules
- Future shifts only in swapsData integritySwapHardFixed
- Matching dates in multi-day swapsData integritySwapHardFixed
- Operational shift types for swapsData integritySwapHardTunable
- Preserve approved swap assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve externally owned assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve externally owned pattern blocksData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve historical pattern assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve historical position assignmentsData integrityTacticalHard and softTunable
- Preserve historical shift assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve locked pattern assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve locked position assignmentsData integrityTacticalHard and softTunable
- Preserve locked shift assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Preserve pinned position assignmentsData integrityTacticalHard and softTunable
- Preserve replacement assignmentsData integrityStrategicHardFixed
- Replacement eligibility for swapped days offData integritySwapHardFixed
- Swaps between different shiftsData integritySwapHardFixed
- Swaps within one published rosterData integritySwapHardFixed
Employee preferences9 rules
- Morning-shift restrictionEmployee preferencesStrategicHard and softTunable
- Partner preference for different shiftsEmployee preferencesStrategicHard and softTunable
- Partner preference for the same shiftEmployee preferencesStrategicHard and softTunable
- Preferred working days in pattern rostersEmployee preferencesStrategicSoftTunable
- Preferred working-day coverageEmployee preferencesStrategicSoftTunable
- Requested days in pattern rostersEmployee preferencesStrategicHard and softTunable
- Requested working-day preferenceEmployee preferencesStrategicSoftTunable
- Undesired days in pattern rostersEmployee preferencesStrategicHard and softTunable
- Undesired working-day preferenceEmployee preferencesStrategicSoftTunable
Fairness and distribution11 rules
- Balanced allocation of requested daysFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced allocation of undesired daysFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced pattern-block allocationFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced requested days in pattern rostersFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced shift allocationFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced time on positionFairness and distributionTacticalSoftTunable
- Balanced undesired days in pattern rostersFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced weekend dutyFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced weekends in pattern rostersFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Minimum staff allocationFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
- Minimum staffing for pattern rostersFairness and distributionStrategicSoftTunable
Leave and absence7 rules
- Approved leave in pattern rostersLeave and absenceStrategicHard and softTunable
- Approved leave protectionLeave and absenceStrategicHard and softTunable
- Balanced public holiday dutyLeave and absenceStrategicSoftTunable
- Balanced public holidays in pattern rostersLeave and absenceStrategicSoftTunable
- Position assignments outside leave and dutyLeave and absenceTacticalHardFixed
- Public holiday working restrictionLeave and absenceStrategicHard and softTunable
- Swap compatibility with leave and dutyLeave and absenceSwapHardFixed
Night work3 rules
Qualifications and currency25 rules
- Assignments after training completionQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Assignments within employment datesQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Main qualification in pattern rostersQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Main qualification preferenceQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Minimum time on each qualificationQualifications and currencyTacticalHard and softTunable
- Minimum time on each working positionQualifications and currencyTacticalHard and softTunable
- Pattern assignments after training completionQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Pattern assignments within employment datesQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Qualification assignment priorityQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Qualification currency hoursQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Qualification distribution in pattern rostersQualifications and currencyStrategicSoftTunable
- Qualification eligibility after a swapQualifications and currencySwapHardFixed
- Qualification priority in pattern rostersQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Qualification validity across a pattern blockQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Qualification validity on the shift dateQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Required pattern-block qualificationsQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Required position qualificationsQualifications and currencyTacticalHard and softTunable
- Required shift qualificationsQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Support-period assignment restrictionQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Support-period restriction in pattern rostersQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Suspended qualification restrictionQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Suspended qualifications in pattern rostersQualifications and currencyStrategicHard and softTunable
- Suspended qualifications in swapsQualifications and currencySwapHardFixed
- Suspended qualifications on positionQualifications and currencyTacticalHard and softTunable
- Work across held qualificationsQualifications and currencyStrategicSoftTunable
Request integrity5 rules
- Monthly request limit after a swapRequest integritySwapHardTunable
- Monthly shift-extension limit after a swapRequest integritySwapHardTunable
- One pending swap per shiftRequest integritySwapHardFixed
- Pending extensions on swapped shiftsRequest integritySwapHardFixed
- Pending work requests on swapped shiftsRequest integritySwapHardFixed
Rest and recovery11 rules
- Consecutive duties before an assignmentRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Consecutive roster-day limitRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Consecutive working days after a swapRest and recoverySwapHardTunable
- Consecutive working-day limitRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Minimum consecutive days offRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Minimum duration of off-duty periodsRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Minimum rest after a swapRest and recoverySwapHardFixed
- Minimum rest before position allocationRest and recoveryTacticalHard and softTunable
- Minimum rest between dutiesRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Rest after accumulated working hoursRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
- Rest after consecutive dutiesRest and recoveryStrategicHard and softTunable
Shift patterns10 rules
- Minimum consecutive days in pattern rostersShift patternsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Minimum consecutive duty daysShift patternsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Minimum continuous time on positionShift patternsTacticalHard and softTunable
- Non-overlapping pattern assignmentsShift patternsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Non-overlapping position assignmentsShift patternsTacticalHard and softTunable
- Restricted position sequencesShift patternsTacticalHard and softTunable
- Sector continuity preferenceShift patternsTacticalHard and softTunable
- Single pattern block per dayShift patternsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Single shift per calendar dayShift patternsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Working-shift coverage within a pattern blockShift patternsStrategicHard and softTunable
Team and membership6 rules
- Assignments within unit membershipTeam and membershipStrategicHardFixed
- Compatible staff categories in swapsTeam and membershipSwapHardFixed
- Pattern assignments within unit membershipTeam and membershipStrategicHardFixed
- Team assignment consistencyTeam and membershipStrategicHard and softTunable
- Team compatibility in swapsTeam and membershipSwapHardFixed
- Unit membership for swapped shiftsTeam and membershipSwapHardFixed
Training and supervision3 rules
Working time limits10 rules
- Annual worked-hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Combined duty and standby hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Contracted working-hours targetWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Daily hours within a single shiftWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Daily worked-hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Maximum continuous time on positionWorking time limitsTacticalHard and softTunable
- Monthly worked-hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Quarterly worked-hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Rolling worked-hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
- Weekly worked-hour limitWorking time limitsStrategicHard and softTunable
No rule matches that filter.
How to read it
Understand rule priority, scope and settings.
Hard and soft
Hard requirements take priority. A feasible roster has no hard violations. Soft rules express weighted preferences. Some rules support either priority; use the setting that reflects your policy.
Three layers
Strategic rules shape the roster. Tactical rules govern positions through the day. Swap rules check proposed exchanges.
Configuration options
Settings vary by rule: activation, threshold, weight or priority. Fixed product rules remain part of the engine. Confirm the scope for the release and configuration you are evaluating.
Map your requirements to the rule catalogue.
Start with a 20-minute discovery call about your scheduling requirements and the rules that need closer review. We’ll then arrange a demonstration tailored to your priorities.