New Features
New Time Off Module Icon: Airplane
Mobile App: Time Off Request Portal
Mobile App: Notification Settings
Schedule Planning: 15-Minute Hour Increments
Schedule Preferences Visibility Improvements
Shift Swap Notifications
What's Improved
Chat Experience
Timecard Management
Shift Swaps
Mobile App Performance & Stability
Time Off Portal Icon change to a Airplane Icon
Overview
The Time Off Portal refresh displays an Airplane icon rather than the calendar icon view. This creates parity across our Desktop Application and Mobile App.
When to Use This
Manage your time off requests as normal, using the new Plane Icon.
Step-by-Step
Open the Shiftlab Mobile App or Desktop APp.
Navigate to the right side bar panel: Airplane Icon
View all Time Off information as normal.
FAQ
Why don't I see the Calendar Icon view for Time Off Requests anymore?
This icon has been updated to reflect an Airplane which is the same module.
Does the new Airplane Icon remove any existing time off requests from before?
No, all the information is the same, just the icon changed. The Time Off Portal allows you to review your submitted requests and their current status.
Mobile App: Time Off Requests Portal
Overview
Employees can now manage their Time Off Requests directly from the Shiftlab Mobile App. The new Time Off Portal allows users to submit new requests, review existing requests, and track their request status without needing to log in to the web application.
When to Use This
Use the Time Off Request Portal whenever you need to:
Submit a new Time Off Request
Review pending or approved requests
Track the status of previous requests
Step-by-Step
Open the Shiftlab Mobile App.
Navigate to Time Off.
Select Request Time Off.
Enter your request details.
Submit your request for approval.
Return to the Time Off Portal at any time to review the status of your requests.
FAQ
Can I submit Time Off Requests from my phone?
Yes. Time Off Requests can now be submitted directly from the Mobile App.
Can I view my previous requests?
Yes. The Time Off Portal allows you to review your submitted requests and their current status.
Mobile App: Notification Settings
Overview
The Mobile App now includes a dedicated Notification Settings page, allowing users to customize which notifications they receive.
When to Use This
Manage your notification preferences to receive the updates that are most important to you.
Step-by-Step
Open the Shiftlab Mobile App.
Navigate to Settings.
Select Notification Settings.
Enable or disable the notification types you'd like to receive.
Save your changes.
FAQ
Can I change my notification preferences at any time?
Yes. Your notification preferences can be updated whenever needed.
Schedule Planning: 15-Minute Hour Increments
Overview
Managers can now enter minimum and maximum planned hours using 15-minute increments, allowing for more precise schedule planning.
When to Use This
Use this enhancement when configuring labor plans that require greater scheduling accuracy.
What's Changed
You can now enter planned hours using decimal values representing 15-minute increments, making it easier to fine-tune staffing plans.
FAQ
Can I still enter whole hours?
Yes. Whole-hour values continue to be supported alongside 15-minute increments.
Schedule Preference Improvements
Overview
We've improved how employee preferences are displayed when creating schedules.
When to Use This
These improvements help managers identify employee preferences while scheduling shifts.
What's Changed
Preference indicators are now displayed when hovering over shifts that overlap an employee preference.
Employee preferences can now be viewed even when a scheduled shift already exists for the same time period.
FAQ
Why is this helpful?
Managers can now better balance scheduling decisions while still considering employee availability and preferences.
Shift Swap Notifications
Overview
We've expanded Shift Swap notifications to help employees stay informed throughout the swap process.
When to Use This
Notifications are automatically sent during Shift Swap activity.
What's New
You'll now receive notifications when:
You receive a new Shift Swap request.
A Shift Swap you've initiated has been accepted.
A Shift Drop you've created has been accepted by another employee.
FAQ
Do I need to enable these notifications?
Notification delivery depends on your personal notification preferences and your organization's settings.
What's Improved in This Release
We've made several improvements throughout Shiftlab to enhance reliability, usability, and overall performance.
Chat Improvements
The chat experience has been refined to make communication more reliable across both web and mobile.
Improvements include:
Improved reliability for editing, saving, deleting, pinning, and forwarding messages.
Fixed message input visibility when using the mobile keyboard.
Improved loading when accessing chat through the Admin Portal.
Restored attachment functionality within the Mobile App.
Improved chat loading in mobile web browsers.
Enhanced message editing for longer conversations.
Improved validation when creating new chat channels.
Timecard Improvements
Managing payroll lock periods is now more reliable.
Improvements include:
Corrected an issue affecting Timecard Lockdown dates to ensure dates display accurately.
Shift Swap Improvements
We've improved the reliability of Shift Swap permissions.
Improvements include:
Corrected permission behavior to ensure Shift Swap settings work as expected.
Mobile App Improvements
The Mobile App continues to receive quality and usability enhancements.
Improvements include:
Improved Dark Mode consistency throughout the app.
Better overall interface stability and user experience.
Enhanced reliability across several core mobile workflows.
Performance & Stability
In addition to the enhancements above, this release includes numerous behind-the-scenes improvements designed to improve the overall performance, stability, and reliability of Shiftlab across both the web application and Mobile App.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to update the Mobile App to access these features?
Yes. Update to the latest version of the Shiftlab Mobile App to access the newest features and improvements.
Will these changes affect my existing schedules or Time Off Requests?
No. Existing schedules and requests remain unchanged. These updates enhance how you manage and interact with them.
How do I receive Shift Swap notifications?
Shift Swap notifications are automatically sent based on your notification preferences and your organization's notification settings.
Who can use the Time Off Request Portal?
Availability depends on your organization's Shiftlab configuration and permissions. If you don't see the feature, contact your Shiftlab administrator.