There are two ways to create a shift in Careswitch: fill out the shift form yourself (Manual), or describe what you need to Looper, the Assistant. Both create the same shifts — pick whichever is faster for the situation.
Before you start
Every shift belongs to a client and one of their services. Before a service shows up in the shift form it needs a signed care plan and a start date, and it can't be archived. (You'll also want a bill rate set on the service so its shifts can be billed.) If the care plan or start date is missing, set the service up first.
New shifts are created Unassigned (they show orange on the calendar). Putting a caregiver on the shift is a separate step — see Schedule vs. Offer vs. Tentative.
Create a shift manually
From Shifts, click Create → Manual, then fill out the form:
Client — who the shift is for.
Service — the service being delivered (only schedulable services appear).
Specify policy? — optional. Leave it off to let Careswitch resolve the billing policy automatically, or turn it on to lock a specific policy.
Bill rate — defaults from the service; adjust if needed. (A third-party policy may override this when the shift is billed.)
Start date, plus start and end time (in 5-minute increments).
Repeats — turn on to make it a recurring series (see Recurring shifts and editing a whole series).
Click Save. The shift appears on the calendar, unassigned.
Create a shift with Looper
From Shifts, click Create → Assistant, then describe what you need in plain language — for example:
"Schedule personal care for John Smith every weekday from 9am to 1pm starting next Monday."
Looper reads the request, asks about anything missing or unclear (which client, which service, what times), and then creates the shifts. You can type or use voice.
Which should I use?
Looper is fastest for quick or one-off shifts, and when you'd rather just describe what you want.
Manual gives you fine control — custom bill rates and modifiers, profit calculators, and different times per day on a recurring schedule.
FAQ
Why isn't my service showing up?
A service only appears once it has a signed care plan and a start date, and isn't archived. Finish setting the service up and it'll be selectable. (A missing bill rate won't hide the service, but you'll need one set before its shifts can be billed.)
Do I have to assign a caregiver when I create the shift?
No. Shifts start out Unassigned (orange). Assign a caregiver whenever you're ready.
What about live-in shifts?
Live-in services are always set up as a recurring weekly schedule and use the service's paid work hours instead of a start and end time.