December 5th, 2024, Release Notes: HS| Mobile & Main 5.128: Daily Records, FWW, Labor Positions & Mobile Time request

Summary

Select the release feature from the table below to be taken directly to that section of the release note.

Release date for all features: December 5ht, 2024

Add Alphanumeric Store ID to API

• Enabled by default? - Yes
• Set up by customer admin? - No
• Enable via support ticket? - No
• Affects configuration or data? - Yes
• Roles affected: - Customer using specific APIs

What's Changing?

Several APIs have been updated to support Alphanumeric Store IDs alongside existing numeric Store IDs addressing a critical need for compatibility with enhanced identifier formats. Additionally, SOAP API documentation has been revised to ensure accurate error handling and guidelines. 

Reason for the Change

This change enables compatibility with alphanumeric identifiers, ensuring seamless API interactions and avoiding disruptions in data flow. By expanding identifier support, we align with operational requirements and enhance API utility for broader use cases.

Customers Affected

Customers utilizing specific APIs. 

Release Note Info/Steps

Affected APIs: 

The following APIs have been updated to support both numeric and alphanumeric store IDs:

• getEmpAvailabilityV2
• getEmpsV3
• setEmpJobs
• getTimeCardsV2

APIs Requiring Documentation Updates Only:

These APIs already support Alphanumeric Store IDs. SOAP documentation will reflect updated error handling and compatibility details: 

• getSchedules (v5)
• getEmpInfo (v2)
• getEmpJobs (v2)
• getStores
• setForecastDriverV2
• getTimecardsV5

Updated Documentation:

• SOAP API documentation HotSchedules_SOAP API Specifications_v3_updated May 2024.docx
• Includes enhanced error handling and compliance information. 

Technical Consideration:

• Alphanumeric Store Ids are limited to a maximum of 50 characters.
• APIs must maintain backward compatibility with existing numeric Store IDs. 

Fourth Analytics- Support Scheduled Overtime Changes (Daily Records) 

• Enabled by default? - Yes
• Set up by customer admin? - No
• Enable via support ticket? - No
• Affects configuration or data? - Yes
• Roles affected: - Scheduling Managers with permissions to view salaried employees. 

What's Changing?

When overtime is removed in HotSchedules Daily Records export is updated to indicate this change. 

the LabourTrans export now includes both posted and unposted shifts, ensuring a complete view of all scheduling data. This is configurable with the setting EXCLUDE_UNPOSTED_SHIFTS_LABOURTRANS_EXPORT (default: false). 

Hours for shifts that cross business days will now be fully reported under the day the shift started. This change ensures that data reflects the accurate distribution of hours, avoiding split reporting. configurable via the LABOURTRANS_SPLIT_SHIFTS_BY_BUSINESS_DATES setting. 

Reason for the Change

These updates address critical inconsistencies between HotSchedules and Fourth Analytics, ensuring accurate data reporting for overtime hours, unposted shifts, and shifts spanning multiple business days. 

Customers Affected

Customers with Fourth Analytics. 

Release Note Info/Steps

If overtime is removed from HotScheules then this information is now removed from Daily records. 

The LabourTrans Export will now include unposted shifts unless a company opts out. In addition, if shifts cross business days hours are fully reported under the starting day of the shift. 

FWW: Update Employee Info Center

• Enabled by default? - Yes
• Set up by customer admin? - No
• Enable via support ticket? - No
• Affects configuration or data? - No
• Roles affected: - Customers with FWW enabled

What's Changing?

The Employee Information Center on theScheduler has been enhanced to include regular schedules, providing managers with direct access to an employee's standard work schedule without navigating to the Staff List. This update introduces a split- panel view under a new "Availability & Regular Schedules" header, displays primary job labels, and includes labor positions and scheduling threshold for better visibility and management. These changes streamline manager workflows and improve the accessibility of key scheduling information directly within the Scheduler. 

Reason for the Change

These updates enhance the Employee Information Center by improving accessibility to critical scheduling information. Managers can now quickly reference regular schedules, labor positions, and scheduling thresholds directly from the Scheduler, streamlining their workflows and reducing the need to switch screens. 

Customers Affected

Customers with FWW enabled. 

Release Note Info/Steps

To validate this feature, ensure FWW is enabled and review the updates below. 

Updates to the Employee Info Center pop-up:

1. Availability & Regular Schedules:

   • Displays the regular schedule in effect for the selected week on the scheduler.

   • Added as a split- panel view under a new "Availability & Regular Schedules" header.

   • If a client does not use regular schedules, the header defaults to "Availability" only.

2. Schedules/Jobs:

   • Job Labels are updated to display the employee's primary job label if one exists (e.g, Bartender (Primary)).

3. Positions:
   • Added a sortable list of labor positions, visible only if Labor Positions are enabled for the client.
4. Threshold:
   • A new "Thresholds" section has been added, displaying the following metrics:
     1. Days scheduled in a week
     2. Hours scheduled in a week
     3. Hours scheduled in a day
     4. Hours between scheduled shifts
     5. Maximum consecutive days                         

Default Alphabetical Order- Labor Positions

• Enabled by default? - Yes
• Set up by customer admin? - No
• Enable via support ticket? - No
• Affects configuration or data? - No
• Roles affected: - Customer accessing forecasting page and have Labor Positions

What's Changing?

Managers reviewing forecast projections can now view labor positions sorted alphabetically by their short names, improving clarity and usability on the Forecasting Projections page. 

Reason for the Change

This enhancement addresses usability by ensuring labor positions are clearly and consistently sorted. Managers can now review and manage forecast projections more efficiently, without needing to manually identify and rearrange positions. 

Customers Affected

customer accessing forecasting page and have Labor Positions.

Release Note Info/Steps

To validate head to the Forecasting Projections page and view that labor positions are now alphabetically sorted within their respective labor categories. 

Example: We have 4 Labor Categories (BOH, FOH, Key, Maintenance), each with Labor Positions assigned:

• BOH: AM Prep, Dakm, DDish
• FOH: Bar, Busser, Dbar
• Key: Key
• Maintenance: Maintenance

On the Forecasting Projections page, the result should be AM Prep, Dakm, DDish, Bar, Busser, Dbar, Key, Maintenance. 

Android & iOS: Correct Time Off & Request Labels 

• Enabled by default? - Yes
• Set up by customer admin? - No
• Enable via support ticket? - No
• Affects configuration or data? - No
• Roles affected: - Employees, Managers using Mobile Application

What's Changing?

My Schedule now correctly displays the status of time-off requests submitted by employees, making it easier to identify the nature of each request. 

Reason for the Change

This update was made to improve the clarity and visibility of time-off requests for employees. 

Customers Affected

All managers and employees submitting time-off requests via the mobile app (Android and iOS). 

Release Note Info/Steps

Once an unpaid time-off or a paid time-off request is approved, it will display as "Approved Off' on the schedule.