Filling an open shift¶
Goal: "Mrs. Lee's Tuesday 9–1 is open. Who can take it?" Send the shift to well-matched caregivers, let CareQB sort the replies, and assign it in a couple of clicks.
Where: Home → Unfilled shifts → Find fill-in, Calendar → click a shift → Initiate fill-in finder, or Requests → Open a new request
Quick paths¶
| I want to… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Fill a shift that's already in the schedule | Home → Unfilled shifts → Find fill-in |
| Fill a shift that isn't in the schedule yet | Open a new request → choose the client → Define Shift |
| Fill several shifts at once (a weekend, a new client's week) | Grouped requests |
| A caregiver just called out | Handling callouts. CareQB usually starts the request for you. |
| Add a bonus or update for everyone I've asked | Request → Bulk follow-up / Message remaining caregivers |
| Someone accepted by phone | Request → Assign / change fill-in |
| The client no longer needs coverage | Request → Cancel request or Update status → Resolved – no fill-in needed |
1. Start the request¶
From Home → Unfilled shifts, click Find fill-in next to the shift. CareQB builds the request and searches for caregivers.
To create one from scratch, click Open a new request:
- Select client.
- Populate request from: pick from Upcoming Open Shifts, or Define Shift (day, start, end, and whether it's overnight).
- (Optional) Offer as: which CareQB line the texts come from.
- (Optional) Ignore availability conflicts to include caregivers whose recorded availability doesn't cover the shift.
- Create the request.
If CareQB notices other open shifts for the same client, it offers to initiate a grouped request instead.
2. Review who will be asked (Pending)¶
The request opens in Pending. Nothing has been sent yet.
- Primary list: the best candidates, who are asked first. A-Tier caregivers are prioritized here.
- Secondary list: backups, saved for escalation later.
- Each caregiver shows their qualitative match. Use Filter by match? to drop poor fits (for example, below 30%).
- Search to add caregivers, or open Expanded Caregiver Search to loosen criteria (such as ignoring "needs car"), include caregivers with availability conflicts, or filter by distance.
- Adding someone with a conflict? CareQB shows the schedule conflicts and lets you choose Add to Primary or Add to Secondary.
Matching is driven by client and caregiver profiles. See Profiles & matching.
The message¶
CareQB drafts it from the client's care description, key preferences (cats, dogs, smoking), parking, and the shift time. Best-match caregivers (who know the client) get a shorter, friendlier version. Edit either before sending. Home entry details are only shared after someone accepts.
3. Send¶
Choose Initiate request with: Primaries only or Both lists, then Initiate fill request.
- Caregivers already involved in another live request are queued and get this one when the other finishes, so nobody is double-booked by text.
- Pre-schedule escalation to secondary caregivers? Set a delay (for example 30 minutes). If the shift is still open, CareQB sends it to the secondary list automatically and nudges anyone who hasn't replied. You can Escalate now, reschedule, or Cancel Escalation at any time.
4. Watch the replies¶
CareQB sorts each reply:
| Reply | What CareQB does |
|---|---|
| Willing to fill in | Lists them as accepting |
| Inquiry (a question) | Flags it for you to answer in the chat |
| Declined | Sends a thank-you (if enabled) and closes that conversation |
Click any name to open the chat. Need more reach? Add caregivers (they get the same message, or you can edit theirs) or send a Bulk follow-up such as "We've added a $15 bonus for tonight."
5. Assign the shift¶
Click Assign fill-in? next to an accepting caregiver, or Close & assign to caregiver:
- Optionally add a message to the caregiver confirming the shift.
- Optionally send a message to caregivers who haven't replied (for example, "Thanks, this one's filled").
- Automatically add shift to scheduling software? CareQB pushes the assignment to your scheduling software if it supports it. See Scheduling software.
Everyone else still waiting is told the shift has been filled.
Auto-assign for best matches: when a best-match caregiver accepts a single-shift request, CareQB can assign them automatically. Grouped requests are never auto-assigned.
Other outcomes¶
| Situation | Do this |
|---|---|
| Accepted by phone or in person | Manually add accepting caregiver?, then assign |
| Filled outside CareQB (just for the record) | Update status → Assign / change fill-in. No messages are sent and nothing is pushed. |
| Client no longer needs coverage | Cancel request, optionally with a message to remaining caregivers and an internal note. Or Update status → Resolved – no fill-in needed. You can also automatically cancel the shift in your scheduling software. |
| Request timed out with no taker | Reopen request? to resend to non-responders and add new people. Or adjust Reschedule request timeout for: |
| Assigned the wrong person | Update status → Reset to unfilled or Assign / change fill-in |
| This one is urgent | Prioritize this request now? |
Tips¶
- Keep client care descriptions current. They're the heart of every request message.
- Start with primaries and pre-schedule escalation. Your best matches get first chance, and you don't have to remember to widen the search.
- Track it all on the Requests tab.