Gord,

I think I can help you, I have gotten a little farther than it seems you
have. I can click to see who is qualified in the order of seniority, with
phone numbers and highlighted to show if they are signed up for overtime.

I have this as a pivot table and to go one step farther I have it setup in a
binary pin chart so each position upto 48, if I remember correctly, so that
there is 48 specific job specifications with a numeric code in binary terms
that are concantenated together.

If you would like it, I'll take a few minutes and clear the names and
numbers of my employees and send it to you. my name is
Ed Ayers

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Having been a supervisor for 30 years in exactly the same situation I can
empathize.

There is no easy way to do what you want. So many variables make it extremely
difficult and time-consuming.

About all you can do is have a master list with names, qualifications, job
categories, seniority dates etc. which you can filter on.

Also a weekly and daily schedule so's you can see who is working, who is on Days
Off, who just went home.

Then you must go through it manually as you are now doing.

Particularly difficult when you have A crew just finished, B crew coming in, C
crew starting shift after that and you have D crew only on Days Off, but they
have a shift picnic arranged for the day.

And when you can't get someone to cover.........look at who's shift you can
change to come in a shift or day early then try to find someone to cover that
person for the next shift or day.

The rules are........do anything to cover the current shift and let the next
poor slob try to cover the holes you built<g


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 08:39:00 -0800, Primocheeseman
wrote:

I have to schedule 170 people over 3 shifts 7 days a week in a complex union
environment. The rules to the calling people in, covering open slots, and job
qualifications is extremely difficult.

The focus of the problem is tha it takes about 30 minutes to replace someone
when they call in sick. I check which employees are qualified, if they are
already working, if they have at least 8 hours off before and after the
position I must fill, see if they have signed up for over time; if they are
qualified and signed up-I must call them senior to junior, If I can not fill
the opening, I must start at the junior people qualified with 8 hrs off
before and after the slot and require them in. Yesterday I had 3 call ins for
2nd shift, it took 4 hours to cover the openings.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!