How do I find cover when someone is out?
Last updated August 4, 2026
Press Find cover for Aug 6 on a time-off heads-up in Rebuild desk rotation. It opens that day on the schedule in a new tab with the person's shift already open, so covering the shift is just picking a different name.
- On the time-off heads-up, press Find cover for Aug 6. The schedule opens in a new tab on that day.
- If the person has exactly one shift that day, it is already open in the edit dialog. Pick the replacement in the Person dropdown. The list is grouped by who is free, who is already working, and who is out, so the safe picks are at the top.
- Press Save. The shift now belongs to the cover person. Just that day changes, not the repeating pattern.
The yellow banner keeps your place
The page you land on has a banner at the top, for example Finding cover: Nadia Osei — Thursday, Aug 6, 2026 · approved time off (PTO). It holds the who, the day, and the why, so you never have to remember them or flip back to the other tab. If you navigate to a different week while browsing for a name, the banner grows a one-click link back to the day you came for. The X dismisses it when you are done.
If they have no shift that day
Sometimes the person's shift is already off the schedule, or was never there. The banner then tells you what the day would normally hold, for example: They usually work 2 PM – 8 PM at Circulation Desk + Information Desk on Thursdays. Nothing is on the schedule for them this day, so there is no shift to reassign. Add a cover shift if the desk still needs someone.
The Add a cover shift button opens a new shift with the date and their usual first desk already filled in. Pick the cover person and adjust the times if the cover only takes part of the day.
If they have several shifts that day
The banner says how many shifts they have, and no dialog opens on its own. Click the shift you want to change, swap the person, and repeat if more than one needs cover.
Note
Approving time off does not remove anyone's shifts. What you see on the day is what is really scheduled. If the person's shift is still there during approved time off, it is yours to cover, clear, or leave. If it is already gone, add a cover shift only if the desk actually needs someone.
Tip
Not every time-off heads-up needs cover. If the desk can go unstaffed that day, press Got it on the heads-up and move on. Got it only hides the heads-up on your browser. It does not change the schedule.