A user is being notified before their shift has started

Question

Certain group members are receiving notifications before their shift has begun; why is this happening?

Environment

All versions of xMatters

Answer

If a shift rotation happens during an active shift, sometimes the users who are sharing that shift may receive notifications (even if their rotation time hasn't begun or has already ended).

For example, if a shift is scheduled to start at 02:00 AM and end at 08:00 AM, but the shift rotation time is scheduled for 05:00 AM, this will result in multiple users splitting the shift and therefore receiving notifications for the total time the shift is active (regardless of their own rotation time). This can be resolved by setting the Next Rotation Time to before or after the associated shift time.

To minimize overlapping users and prevent incorrect notifications, synchronize your shift repeat and rotation times. Specifically, set both the shift repeat and rotation to occur at the same time (e.g., both at 12am or both at 1am in your local time). This helps eliminate the small time overlaps that can occur when shift repeat and rotation times are slightly offset.

Also check your shift duration settings carefully. Incorrectly set shift durations (such as excessively long durations) can cause rotation issues. Adjust shift durations to match your team's actual on-call schedule.

To change a shift's rotation time

1. In the Groups menu, select Groups.
2. Start typing the name of the group you want in the search bar, then select it from the drop-down list.
3. Click Shifts, then find the shift you want to modify.
4. Select Rotation.
5. Update the date and time next to Next Rotation Time.
6. Click Save Changes.

For more useful information about how to schedule shifts and add rotations, check out our online help.