Catch Understaffed Shifts Before They Happen
NextShifts checks every published schedule against your minimum staffing rules, flags the windows that fall short, and shows you who is available to fill them.
How Gap Detection Works
Set the rules once, then let every schedule check itself
Set your minimum staffing
For each location, define how many people you need per day of the week and time window. Add a department if the rule only applies to one team.
Publish the schedule
When a schedule is published, NextShifts compares every assigned shift against your rules. You can also run the check on demand.
Get a gap alert
Any window that falls short becomes an alert showing the date, time, required staff and assigned staff. Managers are notified.
Fill the gap
Open the alert to see available employees who could cover the shift, assign someone, then mark the alert resolved.
Why Gap Detection Matters
An understaffed shift costs more than the wages you saved
No More Surprises
Understaffed shifts are caught when the schedule is published, not when the customers are already queueing.
Fix It in Minutes
Every alert comes with a list of employees who are available for that window, so finding cover is a quick pick, not a phone tree.
Rules Per Location
Each shop or site keeps its own minimums. A busy Saturday lunch and a quiet Tuesday morning are checked against different numbers.
See Coverage Over Time
Coverage analytics show where gaps keep appearing so you can fix the pattern, not just the week.
Gap Detection Features
Everything you need to keep every shift covered
Day and Time Windows
Rules are set per day of the week and time range, so you can require more people at peak hours only.
Department Minimums
Optionally scope a rule to one department so each team is checked against its own minimum.
Automatic on Publish
The gap check runs every time a schedule is published. No extra step for managers.
Required vs. Assigned
Each alert shows exactly how many people the rule needs and how many are on the schedule.
Suggested Cover
See employees who are available for the gap window and pick one to fill it.
Resolve or Ignore
Close alerts once covered, or ignore ones you have accepted, so the list only shows real problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about gap detection
Related Features
More ways NextShifts keeps your schedule covered
Ready to stop guessing about coverage?
Set your minimum staffing once and let every schedule check itself. Start your free trial today.