Building a DSP weekly schedule without overtime surprises.

Start from shift cycles, not individual shifts

Most DSPs run a small number of repeating start times. Define those first, each with a start time, end time and color, then place drivers into cycles for the days you need. Building from cycles keeps start times consistent and makes gaps visible at a glance.

In FLO these are Cycle 0, Cycle 1, Cycle 2 and Flex, set once in Schedule Settings.

Put the rules in the tool, not in someone's head

The two rules that cause the most trouble are consecutive days and weekly hours. Check them as each shift is placed, not after the week is published. Confirm the exact limits that apply to your company with your own policies and advisors; the approach below is how FLO applies them.

• Consecutive days: six days in a row is the maximum, and a seventh is blocked when you try to place it, including across week boundaries.
• Overtime: hours past 40 in any rolling seven days are flagged as you build, resetting only after two days off.
• Declined shifts are left out of the overtime count, so the numbers reflect who is actually working.

Review drafts before you publish

Treat the schedule like any other document that goes to a large audience: draft it, check it, then publish. A review pass should catch anything unpublished, out of bounds or over 40 hours. Publish week by week so a change to next week doesn't disturb this one.

Let drivers answer every shift

A published schedule is only useful if drivers see it. Sending shifts to drivers' phones, with a clear accept or decline, turns 'I didn't know I was on Saturday' into a status you can see. Filter the week by Approved, Pending or Declined and follow up only where you need to.

Track availability and time off in the same place

Schedules break when availability lives in a separate sheet. Keep each driver's weekly availability on their profile and handle time-off requests where the schedule is built, so approving a request and filling the gap happen together.