Configuring Coverage Requirements

What Are Coverage Requirements?

Coverage requirements define how many employees of each role you need working at a location on each day of the week. For example, you might need 3 nurses on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, and 4 on weekends.

Coverage requirements are the foundation of scheduling in CrewHR. They tell the system what needs to be staffed so you can build schedules that meet your needs.

Accessing the Coverage Matrix

1. Navigate to Locations and select a location
2. Go to the Schedule tab
3. You will see the coverage requirements matrix

The matrix displays a grid with roles on the left and operating days across the top. Each cell shows how many of that role are needed on that day.

Setting Coverage Numbers

1. Click on a cell in the matrix to edit it
2. Enter the number of employees needed
3. The number saves automatically

For example, if you need 5 nurses on Monday:

• Find the "Nurse" row
• Click the "Monday" cell
• Enter 5

Assigning Shift Templates

Each coverage requirement can be associated with a shift template that defines when those employees work (start time, end time, break duration).

When setting coverage, you can select which shift template applies. This lets you have different shift times for different roles or days.

How Coverage Requirements Are Used

Coverage requirements drive several features:

• Schedule Builder: When creating a draft schedule, the builder uses coverage requirements to show how many slots need to be filled
• Coverage Metrics: Draft schedules display filled vs. required counts so you can see gaps
• Auto-Schedule: The AI scheduler uses coverage requirements to automatically generate assignments
• Distribution Rules: Coverage numbers are distributed across zones based on your distribution rules

Multiple Shifts Per Day

If a role needs coverage across multiple shifts (e.g., morning and evening), you can set up multiple coverage requirements for the same role with different shift templates.

Tips

• Start with your busiest day: Set the coverage for your highest-demand day first, then adjust other days relative to it
• Account for breaks and overlap: If you need continuous coverage, consider overlap time when shift changes happen
• Review regularly: Coverage needs often change seasonally. Revisit your requirements periodically

Common Mistakes

Coverage exceeds available employees

If you set coverage requirements higher than the number of employees you have in that role, the schedule builder will flag unfilled slots. Either hire more staff or reduce coverage numbers.

Forgetting to set a shift template

Coverage requirements without a shift template will not generate proper time slots. Make sure each requirement has an associated shift.

Next Steps

• Understand distribution rules to control how staff are spread across zones
• Create a draft schedule using your coverage requirements