Availability
2 min read
Availability
Availability defines when a staff member is generally available or unavailable to work on an ongoing basis. It is not leave, and it is not a one-off absence.
INFO
Availability is a rostering guidance tool. It helps managers make better scheduling decisions, but it does not strictly prevent someone from being rostered.
Use availability to record recurring limits such as study days, second-job hours, school pickup windows, or regular unavailable days.
Why availability is important for casual staff
For casual teams, availability is often a key input for roster planning.
- It helps managers target shift offers to staff who are actually available.
- It reduces back-and-forth messaging and declined shift offers.
- It lowers avoidable roster edits after publication.
When casual availability is current, rostering is faster and more reliable.
Availability vs leave
| Availability | Leave |
|---|---|
| Ongoing pattern or restriction | Specific approved time away |
| Usually repeats (weekly/fortnightly) | Usually a date range request |
| Used to shape future roster options | Used to remove staff from work days |
Common availability patterns
- Recurring unavailable days (for example every Tuesday).
- Time-window restrictions (for example unavailable before 10:00).
- Temporary short-term restrictions (for example for the next 4 weeks).
How availability is used
- Staff submit availability information (or managers enter it on their behalf).
- Managers approve, decline, or adjust entries.
- Approved patterns affect roster planning and conflict checks.
Managers can still override availability in operational circumstances when required.
INFO
Availability entries are most useful when they are specific, date-bounded where possible, and kept up to date.
What managers should do regularly
- Check pending availability requests before publishing new rosters.
- Update entries that are no longer current.
- Use availability and leave together when resolving coverage gaps.
Next steps
- See Managing Availability for full manager actions.
- See Leave to handle approved time-off requests.
- See Creating Rosters to apply availability during roster build.