---
pdfexport: true
alias: tutorials-shift-planning-cover-employee-absence
timetoread: true
description: "Cover an absence with a qualified replacement and verify shift staffing."
---

# Cover Employee Absence

## Overview

An employee absence can leave a shift short of qualified personnel. Shift Planning lets you temporarily reassign a qualified colleague to cover the gap.

This page contains two scenarios:

- Coverage within a **Team**/Shift - cover an absence by moving a cross-certified employee.
- Coverage from another **Team** - handle two absences in a **Team**, offer a replacement from another **Team** through the pool, and record the availability of an off-duty **Employee** as backup. Verify coverage in both **Teams**.

## Before You Start

Complete [[tutorials-shift-planning-configuration]] and restore the starting assignments after [[tutorials-shift-planning-calendar-day-types]].

| **Item** | **Required state** |
| --- | --- |
| Access | Sign in as the manager of the operating **Employees**, with the access listed in [[tutorials-shift-planning-configuration#planner-role-features]].|
| Exercise date | Third date of the generated interval, counting its start as day 1. **Calendar Day** generation used **Start Position** `1`; **Employee Calendar Days** exist for the same date. |
| Shift and **Team** | `TeamA` works Shift 2, `TeamD` works Shift 1, `TeamB` works Shift 3, and `TeamC` is off-duty. |
| Starting assignments | `A1`, `A2`, and `A3`: `ControllerAssemblyOperator`. `A4`: `ControllerTestTechnician`. All belong to `TeamA`. |
| Qualifications | `A3` holds both `ControllerAssemblyOperator` and `ControllerTestTechnician` **Certifications**. |
| Absence type | `Absence` exists in Generic Table `CalendarDayType`, with **IsWorkingDay** and **IsSystem** set to `false`. |
| Exceptions | `A1`-`A4` have no absence, non-working-time, pool, availability, or temporary-assignment exceptions on the exercise date. No other **Employee** temporarily covers Final Test on Shift 2. |

Table: Absence-coverage starting conditions

Open `ControllerProductionShiftPlan` > **Calendar**, display the exercise date, and select `ControllerAssembly` and `ControllerFinalTest` in the **Workgroup** filters. Clear any previous validation results. Keep permanent **Employee** assignments unchanged throughout the exercise.

## Coverage within a Team

### Record Absence

1. Confirm the starting Shift 2 counts: three Assembly Operators (`A1`, `A2`, `A3`) and one Test Technician (`A4`).
2. Select only `A4` on the exercise date. Select **Set Non-Working Days**, choose `Absence` as **Non-Working Day Type**, and select **Set**.
3. Keep the **Employee Calendar Day** for `A4` selected and select **Validate**.
4. Inspect the warning and error indicators above the exercise date and hover over them to read the Shift 2 messages. Confirm both results:

    | **Workgroup** | **Required** | **Available** | **Expected result** |
    | --- | --- | --- | --- |
    | `ControllerAssembly` | `2` Assembly Operators | `3`: `A1`, `A2`, `A3` | Surplus warning (`W`). |
    | `ControllerFinalTest` | `1` Test Technician | `0` | Shortage error (`E`). |

    Table: Shift 2 coverage with A4 absent

    ![Employee A4 Absent](../../images/shiftplan_errorsceario1.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-setnon-workingdays]]

### Temporarily Assign Employee

1. Select only `A3` on the exercise date. Confirm the **Calendar Day** is working, `A3` has no non-working-day exception, and **Is Temporarily Assigned** is `false`. Verify the Active `ControllerTestTechnician` **Certification**.
2. Select **Assign Temporarily** and enter the following values:

    | **Field** | **Value** |
    | --- | --- |
    | **Workgroup** | `ControllerFinalTest` |
    | **Team** | `TeamA` |
    | Position | `ControllerTestTechnician` |

    Table: Temporary destination for A3

3. Select **Assign**. Confirm **Is Temporarily Assigned** is `true` and the saved destination matches the table. Keep the absence of `A4` recorded.

4. Select the **Employee Calendar Day** for `A4`, which still has **Non-Working Day Type** set to `Absence`, and select **Validate** again.

5. Confirm the previous Shift 2 Assembly surplus warning and Final Test shortage error are no longer reported. `A4` remains absent; `A3` supplies the required Final Test coverage. **Teams** D and B retain their original assignments and Assembly surplus on Shifts 1 and 3.

    ![Employee A3 Temporarily Assigned](../../images/shiftplan_coveragesceario1.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-assigntemporarily]]
    - [[tutorials-howto-validateshiftplan]]

## Coverage from Another Team

**Team** A cannot always cover a shortage internally. In this exercise, `A2` and Test Technician `A4` are absent, so `A1` and `A3` must remain in Assembly. The planner needs a qualified replacement from another **Team**.

**Team** D will offer working `D3` through the pool as the intended replacement for **Team** A. Record the availability of off-duty `C3` as a backup in case the planned reassignment cannot go ahead. Plan the change before Shift 1 starts: `D3` will move from Shift 1 to Shift 2, rather than work both shifts.

### Prepare the Team Shortage

1. On the same exercise date, remove the temporary assignment for `A3` from the preceding exercise using **Remove** > **Remove Temporary Assignment** > **Remove**. Keep the absence of `A4` recorded.
2. Check the additional participants before proceeding:

    | **Employee** | **Starting assignment** | **Qualification and exceptions** |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | `D3` | `TeamD`, Shift 1, `ControllerAssembly`. | Both operating **Certifications** are Active; no absence, pool, availability, or temporary-assignment exception. |
    | `C3` | `TeamC`, off-duty, normally `ControllerAssembly`. | Both operating **Certifications** are Active; **Employee Calendar Day** exists, no absence or other exception, and work availability is unset. |

    Table: Cross-team participants

3. Select only `A2` on the exercise date. Select **Set Non-Working Days**, choose `Absence`, and select **Set**.
4. Select the absence record for `A4` and **Validate**. Inspect Shift 2: Assembly has `A1` and `A3` against a requirement of two; Final Test has no technician against a requirement of one. Moving `A3` would now create an Assembly shortage, so leave `A3` in place.

    ![Employees A2 and A4 Absent](../../images/shiftplan_absencesceario2.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-removetemporaryassignment]]
    - [[tutorials-howto-setnon-workingdays]]
    - [[tutorials-howto-validateshiftplan]]

### Offer Employee Through the Pool

1. Inspect the Shift 1 staffing of **Team** D. Confirm three Assembly Operators (`D1`, `D2`, `D3`) and one Test Technician (`D4`). Releasing `D3` would leave the two required Assembly Operators.
2. Select only `D3` on the exercise date. Confirm **Is Employee Working Day** is `true`, **Is In Pool** is `false`, and **Is Temporarily Assigned** is `false`.
3. Select **Place In Pool**, review the **Employee** and date, and select **Place**.
4. Confirm **Is In Pool** is `true`. `D3` is offered for reassignment but still has the normal **Team** D assignment. Pool placement alone does not fill the shortage in **Team** A.

    ![Pool Employee D3](../../images/shiftplan_poolceario2.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-placeinpool]]

### Record Employee Availability as a Backup

`D3` remains the intended replacement. Record the availability of `C3` so there is a possible backup if `D3` cannot cover the absence. Availability alone does not assign `C3` to the shift.

1. Select only `C3` on the same date. Confirm **Is Calendar Working Day** is `true`, **Is Employee Working Day** and **Is Available To Work** are `false`, and **Non-Working Day Type** is unset.
2. Select **Set Work Availability**, review the **Employee** and date, and select **Set**.
3. Confirm **Is Available To Work** is `true` while `C3` remains off-duty. Pool placement is for a working **Employee**; work availability is for an off-duty **Employee**. Neither operation alone creates a temporary assignment.

    ![Work Availability Employee C3](../../images/shiftplan_availabilityceario2.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-setworkavailability]]

### Temporarily Assign Employee to Team

1. Select only `D3` on the exercise date.
2. Select **Assign Temporarily** and enter:

    | **Field** | **Value** |
    | --- | --- |
    | **Workgroup** | `ControllerFinalTest` |
    | **Team** | `TeamA` |
    | Position | `ControllerTestTechnician` |

    Table: Cross-team temporary destination

3. Select **Assign**. Confirm **Is Temporarily Assigned** is `true` and the saved destination is `TeamA` / `ControllerFinalTest` / `ControllerTestTechnician` on Shift 2. Verify that `D3` is no longer counted on Shift 1 of **Team** D. If the displayed assignment does not match, resolve the discrepancy before accepting the coverage change.

    ![Employee D3 Temporarily Assigned](../../images/shiftplan_tempassignmentsceario2.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-assigntemporarily]]

### Verify Coverage in Both Teams

1. Select the **Employee Calendar Day** for `A4` and select **Validate**.
2. Verify the assignments directly and inspect the current validation results:

    | **Team and shift** | **Assembly: required / available** | **Final Test: required / available** |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | `TeamA`, Shift 2 | `2 / 2`: `A1`, `A3` | `1 / 1`: temporarily assigned `D3` |
    | `TeamD`, Shift 1 | `2 / 2`: `D1`, `D2` | `1 / 1`: `D4` |

    Table: Staffing after cross-team reassignment

3. Confirm the Final Test shortage in **Team** A is resolved without creating a shortage in **Team** D. **Team** B remains unchanged on Shift 3, including its Assembly surplus. `C3` remains an unassigned backup.

    ![Validation](../../images/shiftplan_validationsceario2.png)

??? info "Useful Documentation"

    For the illustrated procedures in this section, see:

    - [[tutorials-howto-validateshiftplan]]

In the first scenario, Assembly had enough qualified **Employees** to cover Final Test internally. In the second, another absence removed that flexibility, so coverage came from **Team** D while preserving its required staffing. `C3` remained available as a backup.

Return to [[tutorials-shift-planning-index]] to review the configuration and learning path.