Applies to versions: 1.8, 1.9, 1.10

IPSASH Advanced Schedules

The IPSASH Advanced Schedule module extends the IPSSCH schedule module to allow multiple complex rules with conditions, actions and repeat/date ranges.

The Advanced Schedule system allows creating one or more rules for a schedule group:

 

• Access Advanced Schedules by clicking on the "Advanced Schedules" tab in Schedule Groups under Administration -> Schedules.

 

 

• To make a new rule, click the "Add New Rule" button.

 

 

• If the rule applies every day, enter 1 for the "Schedule repeats every" option. For a weekly schedule, enter 7 and select a starting date. 7-day repeating schedules will show days as Monday -> Sunday. Any other repeat length will show days numbered based on their position in the repeat cycle.

 

Rule Applies

• Rules can apply for all time, up to a set date, after a set date, or only between specified dates.
• Set a "Select to enforce a start date for this rule" if you'd like the rule to start at a set date. If unset, the rule will not be restricted to start at a set time.
• Set a "Select to enforce an end date for this rule" if you'd like the rule to end at a set date. If unset, the rule will not end.
• Within the repeat cycle, the rule may only apply on certain days and/or for certain times. To have the rule valid for the entire time each cycle, set the "From:" to the first day at 00:00:00 (midnight) and the "To" to the last day at 23:59:59.

Conditions

• Conditions can be created to restrict when the advanced schedule rule will apply.
• Two "Run actions if" modes are possible.
  • "All conditions are true" means that all the conditions you specify must be true at the same time for the rule to run.
  • "Any condition is true" means that if any one (or more) conditions you specify are true, then then rule will run.
• Each condition can be a requirement that it be met.
  • If: Requires that the following details be true.
  • If Not: Requires that the following details be false.
  The two options allow identifying the condition you want to meet to take action(s) below. For example, if you want to have a rule that only fires if an employee has worked 8 hours in a day. Or, you might want a rule that only fires if an employee failed to work hours in a day.
• The "Status" allows a condition to look at what an employee has done.
  • Out: The employee is clocked out
  • In: The employee in clocked in. No job, or any job/work order.
  • In Default Job: The employee is clocked in to their default job
  • In No Job: The employee is clocked in, but not into a job
  • In Work Order: The employee is clocked into the specified work order
  • In Job In Work Order: The employee is clocked into the specified work order and job
  • Benefit: The employee has the selected benefit time used
  • Any Benefit: The employee has any kind of benefit time used
  • Holiday: The employee has received holiday time
  • All time: All worked, benefit and holiday time for the employee
.
• "For at least" means that this minimum time must be met for the condition to be true. If 00:00:00 there is no minimum time requirement. If you want a minimal requirement, select 00:00:01
• "and no more than" means that this maximum time there can be for the condition to be true. If 00:00:00 there is no maximum time requirement.
• The "When" allows setting the time frame for the Status and For at least..and no more than conditions above.
  • Since Hire: During the entire time since the employee was hired
  • During Current Calendar Day: During the current calendar day in the time zone of the employee
  • During Rules Applies Interval: From the start of the rule "From:" to the end of the rule "To:"
  • Currently and Consecutively: Employee is currently in the selected state, and has been in for the specified time
  • During last (hours:minutes:seconds): At any time during the specified previous hours.
.

Actions

• "Do" describes the action that will be takes
  • Clock In: Clock the employee in, if out. If already in, clock them out, then back in.
  • Clock Out: Clock the employee out, if in. If already out, clock them in, then back out.
  • Clock In to Job: Clock the employee in to the selected job. If already in, change job. If already in the job, clock out and back in.
  • Clock In to Job in work order: Clock the employee in to the selected job and work order. If already in, change job. If already in the job/work order, clock out and back in.
  • Use Benefit Time: Use the selected benefit type for the employee. For example, to pad the day with vacation time to meet the employee's schedule.
  • Deduct Worked Time: Remove worked time from the employee. For example, to create an Automatic lunch/break.
  • Send an alert: Send an email to the Schedule Group alert email address. For example, to create an alert for early, tardy, excessive lunch, approaching overtime, in overtime, etc.
  • Deny Clock: If the rule's conditions are met as the result of an employee clocking, deny the clock. For example, to prevent early or late clock-in, clocking into the wrong job, clocking in when not scheduled, etc.
• "When" is the time that the action will be applied to (always fires immediately)
  • Trigger at time: Take the action at the specified time. For example, if using benefits, they can be set to be used at 8:00 AM. The day that will be used for this action is governed by the following rules.
    • The date and time can be in the past only if within the rules apply interval.  For example, if the rule applies from 5:00PM to 6:00PM, the time for the trigger cannot be prior to 5:00PM.  If it is ( i.e. if you specify 4:00PM), it will be interpreted as 4:00PM on the next day (or week, see below).
      • If the day and time are prior to the rules apply interval start, the system will walk forward a number of days equal to the "Schedule repeats every" option and apply the rule then. For example, the rule starts Wed at 5:00PM and repeats weekly. If you specify 4:00 PM Wed it will apply next week on Wed at 4:00
    • If the date and time are beyond the rule's start and stop times then the system will move forward another day.
  • Trigger (HH:MM:SS) after rule occurs: Take the action immediately (00:00:00) or some time after the conditions were met.
  • Trigger (HH:MM:SS) before rule occurs: Take the action immediately (00:00:00) or some time before the conditions were met. For example, deduct time 1 hour prior to the time the conditions became true.
  • Trigger (HH:MM:SS) after last punch: Take the action immediately (00:00:00) or some time after the last punch. For example, use benefit time immediately after the employee clocked out for the day.
  • Trigger (HH:MM:SS) before last punch: Take the action immediately (00:00:00) or some time before the last punch. For example, take a break (deduct time) 2 hours before the employee clocked out.
• "Duration" controls the length of the action that will be taken. For deduct time, the Target will limit the deduction amount such that the duration will not end up putting the employee below the target. For Use times, the Target will limit the use such that the duration will not end up putting the employee over the target.
  • Up to Duration: This is the maximum duration that will be used. If no target is set, this duration will be used.
  • Targeting - No Target:: Just use the full duration, no additional limit.
  • Targeting - Daily Worked Time verses Daily Schedule: Considering worked time only, use enough time so that daily worked time will meet Daily schedule. For example, if deducting time for automatic breaks, take up to an hour, but if that hour would put the employee below their daily scheduled hours, stop there. I.e. Employee scheduled for 8 hours, but has worked 8.5 hours. Take "Up to Duration" of 1 hour, targeting Daily Worked Time verses Daily Schedule will only deduct 30 minutes, resulting in the employee meeting their schedule. In the same example, if the employee worked 9.5 hours, the deduct would be the full hour. And, if the employee worked 7.5 hours, nothing would be deducted.
  • Targeting - Daily Worked Time and Benefit Time versus Daily Schedule: Consider worked time and benefit time vs the daily schedule.
  • Targeting - Weekly Worked Time versus Weekly Schedule: Consider the weekly worked time vs. the total time scheduled for the week. When using weekly times and schedules, care should be taken that the rule triggers at a time that matches the employee's schedule. The "week" is considered Monday to Sunday for the employee in their time zone.
  • Targeting - Weekly Worked Time and Benefit Time versus Weekly Schedule: Consider worked time and benefit time for the week.
  • Targeting - Daily Worked Time versus Specified Hours: Consider daily worked time vs. the time specified in the box to the right. For example, this can be used when all employees should work 8 hours in a day, and don't have set schedules.
  • Targeting - Daily Worked Time and Benefit Time versus Specified Hours: Consider daily worked and benefit time.
  • Targeting - Weekly Worked Time versus Specified Hours: Consider weekly worked time.
  • Targeting - Weekly Worked Time and Benefit Time versus Specified Hours: Consider weekly worked and benefit time.

Notes and Considerations

Advanced schedules allow automatic handling of a wide variety of situations and add great flexibility to the TimeIPS system. This same flexibility can make creating rules, conditions and actions challenging. Rules can be configured that are valid, but cause unexpected results, such as an action that makes another rule take an action causing the first rule to take an action again. This can create a "loop" where an employee is clocked in/out, changes jobs, uses benefit time, etc., over and over.

We recommend carefully testing and validating rules and/or consulting with TimeIPS technical support when creating and configuring your rules.