Configuring Auto-Approval Rules

Auto-approval rules allow qualifying shift swaps to be approved automatically without manual admin review. This reduces administrative overhead while maintaining scheduling integrity through configurable criteria and safeguards.

Accessing Auto-Approval Settings

Navigate to Operations > Scheduling > Auto-Approval in the sidebar. The settings page shows the current rule configuration, approval history, and toggle controls.

Enabling Auto-Approval

1. On the Auto-Approval page, toggle Enable Auto-Approval to on.
2. Select the scope for auto-approval:
   • All Sites — rules apply company-wide.
   • Specific Sites — select which sites allow auto-approved swaps.
3. Click Save.

Once enabled, swap requests that meet all configured criteria are approved instantly. Requests that do not meet the criteria remain in the manual review queue.

Important: Auto-approval only applies to shift swaps between guards. Vacation requests, new shift assignments, and schedule changes always require manual approval.

Setting Approval Criteria

Criteria define the conditions a swap must meet for automatic approval. Configure these under the Rules section:

Same-Site Requirement

• Enabled by default — both guards must be assigned to the same site.
• When disabled, cross-site swaps can also be auto-approved.

Qualification Matching

• Role match — the replacement guard must hold the same role or position as the original assignment (e.g., Armed Guard, Patrol Officer).
• Certification match — the replacement guard must have all required certifications for the shift (e.g., firearms license, first aid).
• Experience level — optionally require the replacement guard to meet a minimum experience threshold.

Schedule Conflict Check

• Always enabled — the system automatically verifies the replacement guard is not already scheduled for an overlapping shift.
• This check cannot be disabled to prevent double-booking.

Hours Limit

• Set a maximum weekly hours threshold. If accepting the swap would push the replacement guard over this limit, the swap is routed to manual review.
• Default: 40 hours (configurable to match your overtime policies).

Time Window

• Set a minimum lead time for auto-approval (e.g., swaps must be requested at least 24 hours before the shift starts).
• Last-minute swaps below this threshold require manual review regardless of other criteria.

Configuring Notifications

When a swap is auto-approved, notifications keep everyone informed:

1. Go to the Notifications tab on the Auto-Approval page.
2. Configure who receives notifications:
   • Both guards — always notified (cannot be disabled).
   • Site supervisor — toggle on to notify the site supervisor of auto-approved swaps.
   • Admin digest — receive a daily or weekly summary of all auto-approved swaps.
3. Choose the notification channels:
   • Push notification (mobile app)
   • Email
   • In-app notification
4. Click Save.

Tip: Enable supervisor notifications for high-security sites so on-site managers are always aware of personnel changes, even when swaps are auto-approved.

Override and Manual Review Options

Auto-approval does not remove admin control. Several override mechanisms are available:

Per-Swap Override

• Any auto-approved swap can be reversed by an admin within a configurable window (default: 4 hours).
• Go to Scheduling > Shift Swaps, find the auto-approved swap, and click Reverse.

Guard-Level Exclusions

• Exclude specific guards from auto-approval eligibility.
• Go to Team > Guards > [Guard Name] > Settings and toggle Exclude from Auto-Approval.
• Useful for guards on probation, performance improvement plans, or restricted assignments.

Temporary Pause

• Pause auto-approval company-wide or for specific sites without losing your rule configuration.
• Click Pause Auto-Approval on the settings page. Reactivate at any time.

Force Manual Review

• Flag specific shifts or time periods for mandatory manual review.
• When creating or editing a shift, check Require Manual Swap Approval to exempt that shift from auto-approval.

Reviewing Auto-Approval History

Track how auto-approval is performing:

1. Go to Scheduling > Auto-Approval > History.
2. View a log of all auto-approved swaps with:
   • Date and time of approval
   • Both guards involved
   • The criteria that were evaluated
   • Whether any criteria were borderline
3. Use the Export button to download the history for auditing.

Best Practices

• Start conservative — enable strict criteria initially (same site, same role, 48-hour lead time). Loosen rules gradually as you gain confidence.
• Monitor the first month — review the auto-approval history weekly to ensure the rules produce good outcomes.
• Use guard exclusions sparingly — widespread exclusions negate the time savings of auto-approval.
• Keep supervisors notified — especially for sites with specialized security requirements.

Related Articles

• Scheduling Shifts
• Using Shift Schedule Templates
• Managing Vacation & Time-Off Requests