> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bold-factory.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure shifts and calendars

> Create work days, build shift cycles and add exceptions for public holidays or closures.

Prepare employee scheduling at three levels. First, define the work days for a single day. Then combine them into shifts. If needed, create local calendars for exceptional dates.

A **work day** contains the working periods of a typical day. A **shift** repeats those work days in a cycle. A **local calendar** overrides the pattern on dates such as public holidays, closures or special work days.

## Before you start

You need permission to manage employee scheduling. Also decide:

* which daily schedules repeat in your factory;
* which fixed or rotating cycles each team uses;
* which sites or areas share the same public holidays and closures.

## Create work days

**Path:** **People > Work days**

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a work day">
    Click **Create new work day** and enter a recognizable name, such as `Morning`, `Night` or `Split day`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add working periods">
    Click **Add period** and specify the **Start time** and **End time**. Add several periods to represent a split day without counting breaks between them as working time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure overnight periods">
    Select **Ends the next day** when a period crosses midnight, such as 22:00 to 06:00.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Represent days off">
    Create a work day without working periods and give it a name such as `Non-working day`. You can use it in shifts, public holidays and closures.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Build a shift

**Path:** **People > Shifts**

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create the shift">
    Click **Create shift**. Enter a name and add a description if it helps identify the cycle.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the first segment">
    Select a work day and specify how many consecutive days it should apply.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete the cycle">
    Click **Add segment** to add the following work days in order. Include segments with the `Non-working day` work day when the cycle includes days off.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the sequence">
    Check that the order and duration of the segments represent the whole cycle before creating the shift.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  For a rotation of five mornings and two days off, add a segment with the `Morning` work day for 5 days and another with `Non-working day` for 2 days.
</Note>

## Add a local calendar

**Path:** **People > Local calendars**

Use a local calendar when you need to apply special dates to a site, town or group of employees. If two plants have different public holidays, create a calendar for each.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create the calendar">
    Click **Create new calendar**. Add a name that identifies the site or area and a description if you need to explain its scope.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the calendar">
    Open the created calendar and navigate to the month you want to configure.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the assignment mode">
    Use **Ask or unassign** to choose a work day after clicking each date. If you will apply the same work day to several dates, select **Set work day type**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign special dates">
    Apply the appropriate work day to each public holiday, closure or day with special hours. Use the work day without periods for non-working days.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next step

Once work days, shifts and calendars are ready, assign them to each employee.

<Card title="Assign employee schedules" icon="calendar-clock" href="/en/guides/people/configure-employee-schedules">
  Assign a shift, local calendar, time zone and individual exceptions.
</Card>

## Related

* [Work days, calendars and shifts](/en/concepts/people/work-days-calendars-and-shifts)


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