Purpose Statement

The Manage Rotation Rules feature allows administrators to configure which shift rotation patterns are available for use throughout their department's scheduling system. This ensures that only relevant rotation schedules appear when creating shift boards, assignments, and personnel schedules, streamlining the scheduling process and reducing clutter in rotation selection menus.

Background Information

First Due offers an extensive library of pre-configured rotation patterns designed to accommodate the diverse scheduling needs of fire and EMS departments nationwide. These rotations include common patterns such as 24-on/48-off, 48-on/96-off, Kelly schedules, and numerous specialized rotation types. The platform continuously expands this library to support evolving departmental scheduling requirements.

By managing rotation rules, administrators can customize their department's scheduling interface to display only the rotation patterns actually used by their agency. This is particularly valuable for departments that:

• Use multiple rotation patterns across different stations or divisions
• Want to simplify the user interface for field supervisors creating schedules
• Need to maintain consistency with union contracts or workplace agreements
• Are transitioning between different rotation patterns and need to phase out legacy schedules

Managing rotation rules is a foundational step in setting up your department's scheduling system and should be configured before creating shift boards or assigning personnel to rotations.

Required Permissions

To manage rotation rules, users must have:

• Access Scheduling
• Access Setup

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Navigate to Scheduling Setup

• From the main navigation menu, click on Scheduling
• Select Setup from the Scheduling dropdown menu or submenu
   

Step 2: Access Rotations Configuration

• Within the Scheduling Setup section, locate and click on Rotations
• This opens the rotations management interface
   

Step 3: Open Rules Management

• Click on Rules to access the rotation rules configuration area
   

• Select Manage Rules to view the available rotation options
   

Step 4: Review Available Rotations

• The Manage Rules interface displays all rotation patterns available in the First Due system
• Rotations are organized in a browsable list with an Excluded section showing all system rotations
• An Included section shows rotations currently enabled for your department
   

 

Step 5: Select Your Department's Rotations

• Use the search function to quickly find specific rotation patterns by name or characteristics (e.g., "24-48", "Kelly", "48-96")
• Alternatively, scroll through the available rotations to browse all options
• Click on each rotation your department uses to select it
• Selected rotations will be highlighted or marked
   

Step 6: Include Rotations in Your Configuration

• After selecting a rotation, click the arrow pointing to the right (typically located between the Available and Included sections)
• The selected rotation will move to the Included section
• Repeat this process for all rotations your department uses
• To remove a rotation from your configuration, select it in the Included section and click the left-pointing arrow
   

Step 7: Save Your Configuration

• Once all desired rotations appear in the Included section, click Save
• The system will confirm your rotation rules have been updated
• These rotations will now be available when creating shift boards, assignments, and schedules throughout the Scheduling module
   

Best Practices

Configuration Recommendations:

• Audit before selecting: Review your department's current shift schedules, union agreements, and station-specific rotation patterns before configuring rotation rules
• Include only active rotations: Select only the rotation patterns currently in use or planned for implementation to keep the interface clean and user-friendly
• Consider future needs: If your department is planning to transition to a new rotation pattern, include both current and future rotations during the transition period
• Document rotation assignments: Maintain external documentation of which stations or divisions use which rotation patterns for reference

Implementation Tips:

• Start with core rotations: Begin by including your department's primary rotation patterns before adding specialized or station-specific rotations
• Test rotation functionality: After saving rotation rules, create a test shift board to verify that the correct rotations appear in selection menus
• Coordinate with supervisors: Communicate rotation rule changes to scheduling supervisors to ensure they understand which patterns are available
• Review quarterly: Periodically review your included rotations to ensure the list remains current with operational needs

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Over-inclusion: Selecting too many rotations can clutter the interface and make scheduling more confusing for users
• Insufficient research: Failing to verify exact rotation patterns with station captains or shift commanders before configuration
• Skipping documentation: Not recording which rotations are used by which organizational units
• Ignoring updates: First Due regularly adds new rotation patterns; check for updates when your department's scheduling needs change

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: I cannot find a specific rotation pattern in the Available list. What should I do?

A: First, use the search function with different keywords—try searching by schedule type like "24-hour" or by specific characteristics rather than the exact name you're looking for. The rotation may be listed under an alternative name, so browse through similar rotation patterns to see if you can identify it. If the rotation truly doesn't exist in the system, contact First Due support to request the addition of your specific rotation pattern.

Q: I saved my changes, but they aren't appearing when I try to create a shift board. Why not?

A: First, ensure you clicked the Save button after moving rotations to the Included section. Next, try refreshing your browser or logging out and back in to ensure the updated configuration loads properly. If the old rotation list persists, clear your browser cache and try again.

Q: I accidentally included the wrong rotation. How do I remove it?

A: Navigate back to Scheduling Setup Rotations Rules Manage Rules. Select the incorrect rotation in the Included section and click the left-pointing arrow to move it back to the Available section. Remember to click Save to update the configuration.

Q: Can I remove a rotation that's currently being used in active schedules?

A: You should first transition all active shift boards and schedules away from the rotation you want to remove. Verify that no personnel are currently assigned to that rotation pattern. Only after confirming no active use should you remove the rotation from the Included section to prevent scheduling conflicts and data integrity issues.

Q: How many rotations should we include in our configuration?

A: Most departments include between 2-6 rotation patterns. The best practice is to include all rotations actively used across your department, but avoid including unused patterns "just in case" as this complicates the scheduling interface and can confuse users during shift board creation.

Q: Can we customize existing rotations or create our own custom rotation patterns?

A: First Due provides an extensive library of pre-configured rotations designed to cover most departmental needs. If your department uses a unique rotation pattern not available in the system, contact First Due support to discuss adding it to the platform. Custom rotation creation is not available directly within the interface.

Q: Will changing rotation rules affect our existing schedules and shift boards?

A: No. Changing which rotations are included in your configuration only affects which rotations appear in dropdown menus when creating new schedules or shift boards. Existing shift boards and personnel assignments will continue to use their currently configured rotations without disruption.

Q: Can different users or divisions see different rotation options?

A: Rotation rules are configured at the department level, not the user or division level. All users with scheduling permissions will see the same included rotations when creating schedules. However, permission settings control who can create or modify schedules using those rotations.

Q: What happens when First Due adds new rotations to the system?

A: New rotations added by First Due automatically appear in the Available section of the Manage Rules interface. However, they will not appear in your Included section or be accessible for scheduling purposes until you manually select and include them, then save your configuration.