The Microsoft Teams Shifts app gets some improvements for importing schedules from Excel

In December 2023, Microsoft made updates and enhancements to its Shifts app within its Teams service. Recently, the company announced two additional improvements that will be incorporated into Shifts. This app is designed for frontline workers who have non-traditional work schedules and their managers who need to manage their schedules.

In a recent blog post, Microsoft announced that the Shifts app has been updated with enhancements for importing schedules created in the company’s Excel spreadsheet. Although this capability has been available in Shifts for some time, users previously had to stay on the app during the importing process to check for any errors that may have occurred.

According to Microsoft, today’s update alters the current situation in some ways.

• You no longer need to remain in Shifts app while your schedule file is being processed, as you can come back to the new page to review the import status and check for import errors.
• Any manager can see the 10 latest schedule creation actions through Excel import, which makes collaboration easier between managers on a team.

Please note that only the desktop and web app versions of Shifts have the Excel import feature.

Another addition to Shifts is now available on the iOS and Android app versions. This feature allows frontline workers to notify their managers of their availability to work. However, it was previously limited to displaying availability on recurring days only.

A significant enhancement has been made by Microsoft to this feature. In the updated mobile Shifts app, frontline workers can now indicate their availability for both recurring and specific dates. This will enable workers with non-traditional work schedules to effectively communicate their availability to their managers.