Purpose Statement

The Call Shift Notification Settings feature allows administrators to control how and when notifications are sent regarding call shift status changes. This ensures that the right personnel receive timely alerts when call shifts are filled or remain unfilled, enabling efficient workforce management and maintaining adequate staffing levels for emergency response operations.

By configuring these notification settings, agencies can automate communication workflows, reduce manual coordination efforts, and ensure critical staffing information reaches the appropriate supervisors, schedulers, and on-duty personnel through their preferred communication channels (SMS and/or Email).

Background Information

Call shifts are temporary staffing assignments used to fill gaps in scheduled coverage, often due to unexpected absences, increased demand, or special operational needs. In emergency services operations, timely communication about call shift status is critical for maintaining minimum staffing requirements and ensuring operational readiness.

The notification system provides flexibility in determining who receives alerts based on three distinct notification triggers:

• Call Shift Initiator: The individual who created the call shift request
• Designated Users: Specific personnel authorized to initiate call shifts
• On-Duty Personnel: Currently working employees with relevant qualifications

This feature is particularly valuable for:

• Maintaining situational awareness among supervisors and administrative staff
• Reducing response time for filling critical staffing gaps
• Creating audit trails for staffing decisions and communications
• Minimizing manual phone calls and text messages for shift coordination
• Ensuring compliance with minimum staffing requirements

Required Permissions

To configure call shift notification settings, users must have one of the following permissions:

• Access Scheduling
  
• Access Setup 
  

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Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Navigate to Call Shift Rules Settings

1. From the main navigation menu, click on Scheduling
2. Select Setup from the dropdown menu
3. Click on Call Shift Rules
4. Click on the Settings tab
   

Step 2: Locate Notification Options

Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page where you will see the Notification Options section. This section controls all notification behavior for call shift status changes.

Step 3: Understand Notification Channels

Both SMS and Email notification channels are available with identical configuration fields. You can configure them independently or use the matching feature (described in Step 7) to synchronize settings across both channels.

Step 4: Configure SMS Notifications

In the SMS Notifications section, you will see three notification recipient options:

Call Shift Initiator:

• Sends notifications only to the person who created the call shift request
• Best used when the initiator needs to track the status of their specific request
• Reduces notification volume for other personnel
  

Anyone who can initiate a call shift:

• Sends notifications to all users with permission to create call shifts
• Allows selection of specific users from the authorized list
  
• Useful for supervisor teams or scheduling coordinators who need broad visibility
  

Notify on-duty:

• Notifies employees who are currently working and meet specific criteria
• Targets employees with a particular qualifier (certification, skill set, or role)
• Can notify employees working on a specific apparatus, station, or assignment
• Ideal for real-time staffing adjustments and operational awareness
  

Step 5: Configure Email Notifications (Optional)

If you want different settings for email notifications than SMS, configure the Email section using the same three recipient options described in Step 4. Consider that email may be better suited for detailed shift information, while SMS is ideal for time-sensitive alerts.

Step 6: Use Match Notification Settings (Recommended for Consistency)

To maintain consistency between SMS and Email notifications:

1. Locate the Match notification settings toggle
   

1. Turn the toggle ON
2. Configure your preferred settings in either the SMS or Email section
3. The matching feature will automatically apply the same recipient selections to both channels
4. Click Save to apply the configuration
   

Note: This feature saves time and reduces configuration errors by ensuring both communication channels have identical recipient settings.

Step 7: Save Your Configuration

After selecting your desired notification recipients for filled and unfilled call shifts, click the Save button at the bottom of the page to apply your changes. The system will immediately begin using these settings for all future call shift notifications.

Best Practices

Notification Strategy:

• Start Conservative: Begin by notifying only the call shift initiator and gradually expand to additional recipients based on operational needs
• Balance Awareness and Notification Fatigue: Avoid over-notifying personnel, which can lead to ignored alerts or missed critical information
• Use On-Duty Notifications Strategically: Reserve on-duty notifications for high-priority situations or when immediate action is required

Channel Selection:

• SMS for Urgent Alerts: Use SMS notifications for time-sensitive call shift status changes that require immediate attention
• Email for Documentation: Consider email notifications for situations where detailed records and audit trails are important
• Match Settings When Possible: Use the match notification feature unless you have a specific reason to differentiate between SMS and email recipients

Role-Based Configuration:

• Supervisory Oversight: Include battalion chiefs and shift commanders in "Anyone who can initiate a call shift" notifications for staffing visibility
• Scheduling Team: Ensure scheduling coordinators receive notifications to track overall staffing patterns and trends
• On-Duty Awareness: Use qualifier-based notifications to alert personnel who might be affected by or interested in available call shifts

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Don't notify all users with call shift permissions for every request—this creates unnecessary notification volume
• Don't forget to verify contact information (phone numbers and email addresses) for recipients before enabling notifications
• Don't disable notifications entirely—some level of automated communication is critical for efficient operations
• Don't configure notifications without considering your agency's chain of command and communication protocols

Compliance Considerations:

• Maintain records of notification settings for audit purposes
• Ensure notification practices align with union agreements or labor contracts regarding overtime and call shift assignments
• Consider FLSA requirements when notifying off-duty personnel about available shifts

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Notifications are not being sent. What should I check?

A: Verify the following:

• Notification settings are saved properly (click Save after making changes)
• Recipients have valid contact information in their user profiles (phone numbers for SMS, email addresses for email)
• Your agency's SMS and email integration settings are configured correctly
• The call shift status has actually changed (filled or unfilled) to trigger the notification

Q: Some users receive notifications while others don't, even though they have the same permissions. Why?

A: Check the following:

• Verify each user's contact information is complete and accurate in their profile
• Confirm the users are specifically selected in the "Anyone who can initiate a call shift" section if that option is enabled
• Check if the missing users have opted out of notifications in their personal settings
• For on-duty notifications, verify the users meet the qualifier or assignment criteria configured

Q: What's the difference between notifying "Anyone who can initiate a call shift" and "Call Shift Initiator"?

A:"Call Shift Initiator" sends notifications only to the single person who created that specific call shift request. "Anyone who can initiate a call shift" sends notifications to all selected users who have permission to create call shifts, providing broader visibility across the scheduling team

Q: Can I configure different notification settings for different types of call shifts?

A: The notification settings apply globally to all call shifts within your agency. If you need different notification workflows, consider creating separate call shift rules with distinct settings or using the on-duty notification criteria to target specific groups based on qualifiers or assignments.

Q: How quickly are notifications sent after a call shift status changes?

A: Notifications are typically sent within 1-2 minutes of the status change. SMS notifications may arrive slightly faster than email, depending on carrier processing times and email server configurations.

Q: Will the match notification settings override my existing configurations?

A: Yes, when you enable "Match notification settings," it will synchronize the settings between SMS and Email based on whichever section you configure. Make sure to review both sections before saving if you want to maintain different settings.