Shift 4 Grabs – S4labour

What is Shift 4 Grabs?

Shift 4 Grabs enables managers to post vacant shifts for employees to claim via S4 Connect.

Employees can nominate themselves to work these vacant shifts or offer their own assigned shifts for others to pick up. Managers retain full control over approvals, ensuring rota accuracy and operational flexibility.

Shift 4 Grabs supports posting vacant shifts to multiple sites within an organisation. Eligible employees across selected sites can view and claim available shifts, helping to maximise shift coverage and reduce gaps.

Key Points

Managers can post vacant shifts to one or more sites within their organisation.
Employees only see shifts for their job roles and only if they are not already scheduled at that time.
Site and distance information is displayed for each shift, helping employees choose suitable locations.
Rotas must be published for vacant shifts to be visible.
The offering Manager reviews and approves all shift pickups, including those picked up from staff other sites.
Employees remain responsible for their assigned shifts until the offering manager approves a change.
Temporary transfers are created automatically for employees picking up shifts at non-home sites.

How to Use Shift 4 Grabs Without Multi-Site

Go to the rota page for your site.
In the bottom left corner click Add Vacant.
Select a role from the dropdown menu and add shift times.
To make Vacant Shifts visible to eligible employees click the Publish Rota button in the top right of the screen

Note: If you have multi-site enabled and just want to publish to the home site there is no need to click on the 'shift 4 grabs' button it automatically assigns it to the home shift.

How to Use Shift 4 Grabs With Multi-Site

Go to the rota page for your site.
In the bottom left corner click Add Vacant.
Select a role from the dropdown menu and add shift times.
Click the ‘Shift4Grabs’ link
When prompted, select one or more recipient sites from the popup list by ‘ticking’ the checkbox.
When you are happy with your selection click ‘confirm’
A notification will appear in the top right confirming your selection
To make Vacant Shifts visible to eligible employees across the selected sites click the Publish Rota button in the top right of the screen

Tip: Use the site selection popup to target only those sites where you need extra cover, maximising the chance of filling shifts quickly.

What Happens Next

Employees view and claim shifts via the S4 Connect app
When an employee requests to pick up a shift, managers receive a notification in S4 Manage.
Review the request, including the employee’s home site and the site of the shift.
Approve or reject the request (employees will be notified in S4 Connect). If approved, the system creates a temporary transfer for the employee if needed.
The rota updates to show the shift as filled, and costs are updated accordingly.

Why Use Shift 4 Grabs?

Fill vacant shifts faster by reaching a wider pool of eligible employees.
Improve rota coverage and reduce the need for agency or last-minute cover.
Enable flexible working across multiple sites, supporting both managers and employees.
Maintain full control and oversight of shift changes and approvals.

How Shift 4 Grabs (Multi-Site) Works

Managers select recipient sites for each vacant shift using a popup on the rota page.
Employees at selected sites (with the correct job role and availability) see the shift in their “Shifts for Grabs” list, with site and distance details.
When an employee from another site claims a shift, a temporary transfer is created for that day.
Managers approve or reject all shift pickups, with full site context shown.
Employee-initiated shift drops remain restricted to their home site and job role.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Shift 4 Grabs

Q: Who can see and claim vacant shifts posted using Shift 4 Grabs?
A: Employees can only see and claim shifts that match their job role and for which they are not already scheduled. If multi-site is enabled, eligible employees at all selected recipient sites can view and claim the shifts.

Q: How do I post a vacant shift to multiple sites?
A: If your organisation has multi-site enabled, after adding a vacant shift, click the ‘Shift4Grabs’ link and select one or more recipient sites from the popup. Confirm your selection, then publish the rota to make the shifts visible across those sites.

Q: What happens if an employee from another site claims a shift?
A: When an employee from a different site claims a shift, a temporary transfer is automatically created for that day. The manager must approve the request before the shift is reassigned.

Q: Can employees offer their own shifts for others to pick up?
A: Yes, employees can offer their assigned shifts for others to claim. However, these shift drops are only visible to employees at the home site and within the same job role.

Q: Do managers need to approve all shift pickups?
A: Yes, managers must review and approve every shift pickup, whether the employee is from the same site or another site. No shift change is final until approved.

Q: Will employees see shifts at sites far from their usual location?
A: Yes, if multi-site is enabled and the site is selected as a recipient, employees will see shifts at those sites. Site and distance information is displayed to help employees choose suitable shifts.

Q: What if my organisation does not use multi-site?
A: If multi-site is not enabled, vacant shifts can only be posted and claimed within the same site. If you would like multi-site enabled speak to your Customer Success Manager.

Q: When do vacant shifts become visible to employees?
A: Vacant shifts only become visible to eligible employees after the rota is published.

Q: Are there any restrictions on who can claim a shift?
A: Yes, employees can only claim shifts for their job role and only if they are not already scheduled at that time. For multi-site, they must also work at the site that has been offered the shift.

Q: How does Shift 4 Grabs help with rota management?
A: It allows managers to fill vacant shifts quickly, improve coverage, and reduce manual work, while maintaining full control over approvals and shift assignments.

Q: What if I have already published the rota but need to add a vacant shift?
If you add a new vacant shift after publishing the rota, you will need to unpublish the rota first. Add the shift and ensure the Shift 4 Grabs posting is allocated to the correct site and confirmed. Once done, republish the rota.