Managing the Unassigned Shift Queue & Custom Categories
📦 Managing the Unassigned Shift Queue & Custom Categories
📘 Article Purpose
This article explains how the Unassigned Shift Queue works in Ontraccr’s Field Schedule, how to create shifts without assigning users, and how to organize those shifts using custom categories.
📥 What Is the Unassigned Shift Queue?
The Unassigned Shift Queue is a holding area for shifts that:
- Have no assigned users
- Were created from a form, a board, or manually without selecting users
It appears as a collapsible left-hand panel on the Field Schedule.
📌 You can drag & drop unassigned shifts directly from this panel onto a user’s schedule.
🔓 How to View the Unassigned Shift Queue
- Open the Field Schedule
- Look to the far left of the page
- Click the arrow icon to expand the panel
- View all unassigned shifts for the visible date range
🛠️ How to Add an Unassigned Shift
You can create a shift without assigning it to anyone:
Manual Method
- Create a new shift via the Add button or click-and-drag
- Leave the Assigned Users and Teams sections blank
- Save the shift → it appears in the unassigned queue
Form Method
- Use a dispatch form without specifying users
- The shift will auto-populate into the unassigned section
🧠 Use unassigned shifts when you know what needs to be done and when, but not who should do it yet.
🧩 Custom Categories for Unassigned Shifts
To better organize unassigned shifts, you can create custom categories with color-coding.
How to Create Categories:
- Go to Settings > Customization > Schedule
- Click on Schedule Categories
- Click Add
You’ll be prompted to:
- Name the category (e.g., “Service Jobs”, “Do Not Reschedule”)
- Choose a color from the palette or input a hex code
- Click Save
Common Category Examples:
- 🟥 High Priority
- 🟦 Service Division
- 🟩 Construction Division
- 🟧 Do Not Reschedule
- 🟪 Low Priority
Once saved, these categories will:
- Be visible in the unassigned shift panel
- Be selectable when creating or editing any shift
✏️ Editing & Organizing Categories
- To edit a category: click the pencil icon
- You can rename it or change the color
- To reorder categories: drag them around within the settings page (not the schedule itself)
📌 This affects the order in which categories appear in the unassigned queue.
🔁 Categories Work Across All Views
No matter what Field Schedule view you’re using (Day, Week, User Week, etc.), the unassigned shift queue (and its categories) will:
- Always be visible for the current date range
- Show all unassigned shifts grouped by category