Getting Started: Setting up an on-call schedule

Question

How do I create an on-call schedule for my team or group?

Environment

• All versions of xMatters

Answer

As demonstrated in the following video and instructions, the main steps for creating and managing an on-call schedule are:

1. Create a shift: Add a shift to a new or existing group and set the shift's duration and recurrence.

2. Set the shift's timeframe and rotation: Add shift members, set their contact order, configure delays between them, and (optionally) configure rotation so the on-call person changes over time.

3. Verify the schedule on the calendar: Preview escalations and the on-call calendar to confirm the start/end times, repeat pattern, and who is on call on specific days.

Create a shift

1. Click the Groups tab.

2. Select an existing group or create a group.

3. Click the Shifts tab.

4. Click Add Shift.

5. Give the shift a name and optional description.

6. Select the start time and end time for the first occurrence of the shift, for example: today from 9 AM to 5 PM.

7. Choose when and how often the shift should recur, for example: on weekdays.

8. For multi-day or weekend shifts, make sure the recurrence is set only on the day the shift starts (for example, repeat weekly on Saturday for a shift that runs 8:00 AM Saturday to 8:00 AM Monday).

9. Click Save.

For more information about creating shifts and configuring shift timeframes, see Schedule Shifts.

Set the shift's timeline

1. On the Shifts tab, select the shift.

2. To add a member to the shift, start typing in the search bar (a minimum of two characters is required) and select a user, group, or dynamic team from the drop-down list. (Note: users must already exist in xMatters, so you'll need to create or add them first.)

3. To arrange members in the order you want them to be contacted, drag them to a new position in the list.

4. To add a wait time between members, click the clock icon that appears on the timeline in between those members.

5. Type in the number of minutes for xMatters to wait before notifying the next member in the timeline.

6. If your shift uses rotation, make sure the shift span and rotation settings match the pattern you expect (for example, a weekly span that rotates every week on Monday). Use the In Rotation option next to each user to include or exclude them from the rotation.

7. Click Save Changes.

For more information about configuring the shift timeline and the different types of escalation delays, see Escalate alerts within a shift. You can also periodically change the order of members in the shift timeline, to more evenly distribute notifications; for more information, see Rotate positions within a shift.

Check how the schedule appears

• If the on-call calendar shows different start/end times or repeat periods than you expected, review the shift configuration:

  • Confirm the shift span (for example, daily vs. weekly) matches how you intend the rotation to work.

  • Check the recurrence days for multi-day shifts to avoid overlapping occurrences (for example, configure a weekend shift to repeat only on its start day).

  • Verify rotation settings (such as "rotate weekly") are set to the correct interval and day.

• Use Preview Escalations and the on-call calendar to confirm:

  • Who is on call for specific dates and times.

  • That the rotation and escalation path behave as expected.

• Use Highlight Gaps to ensure there are no gaps in shift coverage.

• To adjust who is on call for a particular date without changing the full series, ensure you are editing the correct occurrence (for that date) rather than the entire series template. If you need to fill a one-off gap (for example, a single week), you can create a one-time shift for that period so the rest of the rotation is not affected.

Questions or comments?

To discuss or ask questions, please post in our Community.

Read the next article in our Getting Started series: Sending your first xMatters Message.