Roster

Monday, 11 November 2002
How to create a good, repeating roster with:
  • a variable need for manpower: three shifts on quiet days and four shifts during peak days?
    Francois Greeff:
    I have tried to use an Excel roster
    to satisfy my requirements.

    But that requires a genius
    and many days of sweat.
    In fact
    I think it is impossible.

  • with staff for all shifts?
  • complying with labour laws?
  • with sufficient days off for staff, preferably adjacent?
  • a pleasant rhythm between shifts?
  • a salary based on 45 hours per week?
  • and with a budget that is too small to pay for the price of a tailormade roster software program?
Francois Greeff contacted SUMit with these questions. Being a manager he is responsible for the roster of his ± 50 employees at a large petrol station between Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Well, who am I to disagree with him? His requirements are indeed hard to solve without artificial intelligence software.

But hard does not mean impossible.

I just can't let go of such a nice, impossible puzzle. It is a nice challenge to find a solution and gain the honourable title of Genius.

Solution: Roster Scheduling Method

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Francois has received a solution from me: a low-budget do-it-yourself method to schedule a roster using a Excel spreadsheet. Francois is now a happy SUMit customer.

Order the on-line roster method now

Curious? Read more about the SUMit roster design training.

Till next week,
Nut