How is Schedulewright different from ordinary scheduling software?
Most scheduling tools assign people to open shifts and check availability. Schedulewright starts earlier: it collects what the organization requires and what each person prefers, gives each a weight, and then searches for the schedule that best balances all of it. The output isn't just a filled roster; it's a filled roster with the reasons attached.
Can employees enter their own preferences?
Yes. Each person on the roster gets a sign-in and their own page, where they enter requested days off, availability, opt-ins such as weekend nights, and standing preferences (a weekday or shift type to prefer or avoid, rated mild, moderate, or strong). The scheduler sees all of it before building.
Does the scheduler retain control?
Completely. The scheduler defines the shifts, chooses which rules apply, decides which are absolute, and sets how much weight employee preferences carry relative to organizational priorities. After a build, the scheduler can pin any shift by hand and rebuild around it, and nothing is published until they say so.
What happens when preferences conflict?
The algorithm compares the cost of each option using the weights you set, and takes the lower-cost one. A strong preference outweighs a mild one; a heavily weighted rule outweighs a lightly weighted one. The result shows each trade-off it made and why, so you can accept it, change a weight and rebuild, or fix it by hand. Some conflicts can't be resolved to everyone's satisfaction; the aim is that they're decided consistently and visibly rather than by whoever asked last.
Can we define our own shifts?
Yes. Shifts are whatever your operation runs: their names, hours, and how many people each needs on weekdays, weekends, and holidays. Overnight shifts, short shifts, and different headcounts by day of the week are all supported. Schedulewright isn't limited to a day/night pattern.
Does Schedulewright work outside healthcare?
It was designed around clinical scheduling because that's a demanding case: round-the-clock coverage, rest rules, long blocks. But nothing in it is specific to hospitals. Any team that schedules people into defined shifts and wants to weigh preferences against requirements can use it.
Can scheduling decisions be explained?
Yes. After each build, the scheduler sees where the schedule went against a preference or rule, and what it would have cost to do otherwise. That's what makes it possible to answer "why did I get that shift?" with something better than "that's how it worked out."
Where does our data live, and what does it cost?
Your data is stored in a database that belongs to your team, and you can export it at any time. Schedulewright holds names, shifts, and requested dates, nothing more. It's free during the beta.
