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Shift Rotations

Control how shifts are assigned and rotated within each roster.

Each roster in Upstat defines its own shift pattern. You control how users are rotated, how long each shift lasts, and what scheduling logic is used. These settings determine how coverage is spread across your team.

How Shift Rotations Work

Once a roster is saved, Upstat dynamically generates shifts based on:

  • The selected rotation type
  • Shift duration in hours
  • The order of users in the roster

Shifts are generated on demand and cached for visualization and alerting. They are not stored permanently in the database.

Rotation Types

Each roster supports one of the following rotation strategies:

  • Sequential
    Users take shifts one after another in order. Once the last person is assigned, rotation returns to the beginning.

  • Weekly Rotation
    Each user’s shift is pushed forward by one day each week. This helps avoid the same person being on-call the same day every week.

  • Even Distribution
    Shifts are spread evenly across the scheduling window to balance load among all users.

![Placeholder: Rotation Type Dropdown Screenshot]

Shift Duration

Shift duration controls how long each shift lasts, in hours.

  • Default is 24 hours
  • Can be customized to shorter or longer periods depending on coverage needs
  • Works in combination with rotation type to build the full shift schedule

For example:

  • A 24-hour shift with Sequential rotation means one user per day
  • A 12-hour shift with Even Distribution creates finer-grained coverage across more users

Best Practices for Larger Teams

In larger rosters, using Weekly Rotation or Even Distribution can help:

  • Avoid repetition in who is always on-call certain days
  • Share responsibility more evenly
  • Reduce on-call fatigue over time

These strategies are especially useful for shared support or multi-role teams.

Summary

  • Shift rotations define how on-call responsibility moves through a roster
  • You can choose from Sequential, Weekly Rotation, or Even Distribution
  • Shift duration is fully configurable per roster
  • Dynamic shift generation ensures performance and flexibility
  • Rotation strategy helps balance fairness, variety, and burnout reduction

Learn more