Workofo supports workforce scheduling for the aviation industry, where planning is typically based on serviced flights and requires specific competencies for each task.
While Workofo is always tailored to the unique scheduling requirements of each client, the following is an overview of the commonly used planning options.
Main Steps in Flight-Based Planning:
- Prepare a Technologies File
Create a file to map flights to tasks, including the required competencies for each task. - Import Flight Data
Upload flight schedules manually or receive them via system integration. - Automatic Task Generation
Tasks are automatically generated in Workofo using flight data and your Technologies file. They are then refined based on business rules, such as applying standard check-in procedures. - Long-Term Planning
If needed, rolling rosters can be generated for some or all teams or employees to cover extended periods. - Next-Period Planning
Plan for the upcoming month or several weeks, depending on the client's scheduling practices. - Short-Term Planning
Focus on the next few days, adjusting for flight changes and unexpected employee absences.
Long-Term Planning – Rolling Rosters
Rolling roster functionality is enabled on a per-client basis. If you do not see any of the features described in this section, please contact Workofo Support for assistance.
A Rolling Roster is a predefined schedule that repeats over an extended period. While it may not always be the most efficient option, it offers convenience for employees who prefer to know their schedules well in advance.
Rolling rosters can be created for individual employees or for teams. In team-based setups, groups of employees follow the same roster pattern, staggered by a few weeks to ensure coverage and balance.
Manual Rolling Roster
If a rolling roster needs to be entered manually, it must reflect the intended schedule from the beginning of the rotation period.
For example, if a rolling roster change is to start for an employee on 2025-06-01, and it rotates every 4 weeks, then the shifts for that 4-week period must be manually added into the system as a Draft Schedule:
- Manually enter shifts
Add the employee’s shifts for the full rotation period into either a Draft or Actual schedule. - Access the Rolling Roster menu
Open the Rolling Roster menu located in the top right corner of the system interface. - Update the rolling roster settings
Under the section "Shifts and rolling roster shifts differ", locate the employee.
Click "Update settings", then define the period (starting from the "From" date) that should serve as the basis for the rolling roster pattern. - Create shifts based on the rolling roster
Still under "Shifts and rolling roster shifts differ", you can select "Create shifts" if the employee has a rolling roster defined, but their current shifts do not match it.
Optimal-Shifts Based Rolling Roster
A rolling roster can be generated based on workload (tasks) for a reference period using Optimal Shifts. Follow the steps below:
- Select a representative week
Choose a week that reflects normal operations—avoid weeks with public holidays or unusual traffic patterns. - Generate Optimal Shifts
Run the "Avia optimal empty schedule for required flights servicing tasks" report and click "Recalculate optimal shifts".
To ensure accurate task assignment, especially for overnight shifts, extend the selected period by one day before and after the reference week.
For example, if the reference week is 2025-05-12 to 2025-05-18, set the period to 2025-05-11 to 2025-05-19. - Creating a Rolling Roster from Optimal Shifts
Once you have generated the Optimal Shifts, you can create a Rolling Roster for a broader period. Even if the Optimal Shifts were calculated for just one week, the Rolling Roster can span multiple weeks.
To proceed, optimize the schedule using the following settings:
- From–To – Define the full duration for the Rolling Roster period.;
- Optimization Type – Select "Create Rolling Roster based on Optimal Shifts";
- Reference Week – Under "Optimal Shifts for Rolling Roster period", choose the reference week you used when generating the Optimal Shifts.
- Fix the Rolling Roster the same way it was described in "Manual Rolling Roster" section.
- From–To – Define the full duration for the Rolling Roster period.;
Next Period Planning
Once a Rolling Roster is prepared (typically for a subset of employees), upcoming periods—such as the next month—are planned with the following factors in mind:
- Employee availability, including known absences for the period
- Flight schedule for the corresponding timeframe
For detailed guidance, please refer to the article How do I optimise a work schedule? and other resources under the "Work Schedule and Optimization" section.