Hot Schedules

How do I setup HotSchedules?

• Access www.hotschedules.com.
• Log in with the username and password provided on the Welcome Sheet.
• You will be directed to the setup page where you will be asked to create a new username and password.
• You will also answer 3 security questions.
• You can opt into email or text alerts

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     How do I log in ?            

• You can log in on the website  http://www.hotschedules.com.  There you can get information about HotSchedules products and services.  You can also log in to HotSchedules with your username and password.

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• Do you have an iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry App?  
•  Yes, we have an application for the iPhone, Android and Blackberry.  

What if I forgot my username and password?

If your email address is attached to your account, you may retrieve your username and password yourself by following the steps to the left. You can also contact your manager to reset your password and provide you with a new welcome sheet. If you set up security questions when you set up your account, you can call Customer Care to verify your login information.

How do I access my schedule?

On the iPhone application:

• When logged into the app, view the My Schedule screen to see when you are working.
• Tap the shift in question to see who else is on the schedule for that shift.
• For example, tap your Dinner shift on Monday to see the other bussers working that day.

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How do I access my schedule?

On the Android application:

• View the My Schedule screen to see when you are working.
• Tap the shift in question. This will bring up a new box asking you which day part you would like to view the entire schedule for (Lunch or Dinner in the example below). Tap whichever day part you would like to see the schedule for.
• On the next page, you will be able to select Everyone Else Working to see the entire schedule.

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How do I access my schedule?

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• Select the drop down menu labeled View Entire Schedule.
• Select the schedule you would like to view.
• A new window will generate that will display the entire schedule.

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Releasing/Swapping Shifts

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• On the Home tab, you will see your schedule listed under My Plate.
• Select Release/Swap to the right of the shift you would prefer not to work.
• You will have an option to select a reason for releasing the shift.
• Select Submit to release that shift or Cancel to go back to the original view.
• If you release it, a message will appear confirming that you are still responsible for the shift until it is picked up and approved by a manager. Select OK.
• The shift will remain on your schedule until a trade is approved.
• If you wish to cancel the release, select Cancel Release beside the shift.</>

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Releasing/Swapping Shifts on the app

• Under My Schedule select the day you want to release/ swap
• Choose AM or PM
• Release the Shift
• !  Please remember that all shift trades have to be approved by a manager.This means that you are still responsible for a shift that you have released until someone else picks it up and a manager approves the trade.

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Picking up shifts

• On the Home tab, you will see your schedule listed under My Plate.
• If there is a shift available on a day you are not working, you will see a Pickup Shift link.
• Click Pickup Shift to see the details for the available shift(s).
• If you would like to work that shift, you have the option to enter a Pickup Reason and then select Pickup Shift to the right of the shift details.
• Your schedule will show **Shifts Pending Approval** for that day now.
• A notification will be sent to the manager to approve or deny your pickup request.
• You will receive a message with their decision on HotSchedules. You will also receive an email or text if you have those options configured on the account.

Picking up shifts on the app

• Under My Schedule select the day you want to Pick Up
• Choose AM or PM​
•  Pick up the Shift​
• !  Please remember that all shift trades have to be approved by a manager. This means that you are still responsible for a shift that you have released until someone else picks it up and a manager approves the trade.

FAQ about Releasing/Swapping/Pick Up

• How do I know if a manager has approved a shift pickup, release, or swap?  

 Once a manager approves a shift pickup, release, or swap, each staff member involved in the shift trade will immediately see the change to his or her schedule via the web or APP. Additionally, they will receive a confirmation message via HotSchedules messaging, and if configured, text messaging and external e-mail.

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• I released one of my shifts. I get a message that another staff member picked it up. Am I still responsible for that shift?  

 Yes. You are responsible for that shift until a manager approves the shift trade. Once a manager approves the shift trade, you will receive a message. It then becomes the responsibility of the other staff member.  When in doubt, check your home page or call the IVR. If the shift still shows or the IVR says you are scheduled, it is your responsibility.  

FAQ about Releasing/Swapping/Pick Up

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•  I am a server and my co-worker just released a front desk shift. Why am I unable to see the shift for pickup?  

    You can only view available shifts for pickup for schedules that you are a part of. In this example, you would have to be part of the front desk schedule in order to view the released shift.  If you are not part of a schedule, but can cover shifts, talk to the Workgroup Manager and ask them to add you to that schedule. 

• If I pickup or release a shift and then change my mind, can I cancel it?  

   Only if it has not been picked up by a staff member and a manager has not already approved it. You can cancel it anytime prior to the manager approving it. Once approved by a manager, the shift trade cannot be canceled without coordinating with the staff member who picked it up and the manager.

Auto Pick Up/Auto Release

• An Auto Pickup is a setting that employees can use to automatically pick up available shifts during a specified time frame. An Auto Release is similar, but this feature can be used to automatically release any shift scheduled at a particular time. Both of these options allow employees to be proactive about picking up and releasing shifts as soon as possible for their coworkers on HotSchedules.
• Example: You are not scheduled on Saturday evening, but you would like to work if possible. There are not currently any shifts available to pickup, but you know a may be released later in the week. So, you set up an Auto Pickup for that night. This means that as soon as a coworker releases that shift, the system will automatically pick it up for you. It will then go to a manager to approve. This saves you some time in getting the request in.

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Auto Pick Up/Auto Release

• Setup an Auto Pickup/Release
• On the Home tab, select the Auto (Pickup/Release) sublink.
• You will see any current auto pickups or releases that you have setup.
• To add a new one, select the Add button.
• Under Auto Type, select whether this is an Auto Pickup or Release.
• Use the drop down menu to select the Date.
• Select whether you would like this to apply to AM, PM, or both shifts. You can even restrict it to shifts after certain times.

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• Advanced Customization allows you to be very specific about the shifts you are willing to pickup/release.
• Schedules - You may want to pickup/release shifts from a certain schedule.
• Jobs - It would only apply to certain job codes.
• Locations—This option is very popular. It allows you to designate the specific locations (sections) that you’d like to pick up.
• Employees - You can even go as far as customizing from which employees you will pick up for.
• Buffer - The time listed here is the amount of notice you require to know that you’ve picked up a shift. The system won’t allow you to select a time less than 2 hours before the scheduled shift. You may always go higher, however.

Auto Pick Up/Auto Release

HotSchedules Messaging FAQ

• What is HotSchedules messaging and who can use it?  

   HotSchedules messaging is a communication tool that allows you to communicate with managers and coworkers. It is like email within the restaurant. Everyone who has a valid user id and password can log into HotSchedules and use this system

• Why are some messages in bold on my screen and other are not?  

   Bold text indicates a message has not been read yet.  

• I only work at the front desk. Why do I get HotSchedules messages from servers?  

   When sending the message, the server sent the message to the entire restaurant, instead of just their workgroup or to a couple other servers. If this becomes problematic, let a manager know.  

• Can I compose messages to my friends outside of work from HotSchedules messaging?  

    No. Messages can only be sent to managers and coworkers that are in the HotSchedules system

HotSchedules Messaging

• Log into your HotSchedules account.
• Navigate to the Messaging tab.
• Select the New Message button to begin composing your message.
• The Compose Message window will appear.
• On the left side of the screen, select who you would like to send your message to.
• You can select individual recipients under To Staff.
• Alternatively, you can select entire schedules under To Schedule. This will select every staff member on that schedule for you.
• Fill out the message Subject as you would in a normal email.
• Type out the body of your message in the Message field.
• Check the box acknowledging the Terms of Use.
• Select the Send button.

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How do I change my availability?

• Log into your HotSchedules and navigate to your Staff tab

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• Navigate to the Settings tab and the Submit Availability sublink
• For each day part, you may select Available or Not Available from the drop down menus.
• If you would like to set partial availability for a day, you may choose Before or After from the list.  This will prompt a time to be entered. (ex. Before 5pm, After 3pm, etc)
• You may type a note to your manager regarding your availability, though this is optional.
• You must navigate underneath the note and choose your Manager from the drop down list you would like to send your availability to for approval.  You may only choose one manager for approval.
• Select Submit.

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How do I change my availability?

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• When you choose the Effective Date you can have up to 4 saved.
• You can choose your availability in the am/pm/or partial availability.
• Select each day individually and make your selection.
• All availability must be approved by a Manager.

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How do I request off?

• Navigate to the Home tab of your HotSchedules account.
• Select the Requests sublink.
• Select the button titled Add Request.
• This will populate the My Toolbar options on the left side of the screen.
• Adjust the starting date and ending date to reflect the date(s) you would like to request.
• Select whether you are requesting off or requesting to work those dates.
• Select the shifts during that dates that you are requesting.
• It is optional to enter a reason for the request.
• Select the Make Request button.

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How do I request off?

• If your request was successful, then those dates will appear under the section labeled View My Requests.
• If your request was NOT successful, you may receive an error message stating that those dates have been blocked. This means that the management team has decided to not allow additional requests to be placed for that date.

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How do I request off?

• Under the main menu tab on the left choose Time off/Requests
• On the bottom right choose the add sign and you can create your request off.
• No requests are final until they are approved by a Manager.
• The Image on the bottom left is a list of all the days that are blocked off from requests.

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