---
title: "Plan in Capitech Flow"
url: "https://help.capitech.no/en/article/new-article-006d7cf9-a73b-4b15-bbc1-e4b061a30f4f"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-05-19T11:49:07.831Z"
---

# Plan in Capitech Flow

In Plan in Capitech Flow, you work with shift rotations and operational plans. The operational plan shows planned work in the calendar and should be kept updated, because it affects hours, absence, automatic time registration, and staffing overview.

## What is Plan in Capitech Flow?

In the **Plan** menu in Capitech Flow, you can work with planned work.

Plan is divided into two areas:

| Term | Explanation |
| --- | --- |
| **Shift rotations** | A template or rotation that can be rolled out to the operational plan. |
| **Operational Plan** | The actual plan in the calendar, with planned shifts and working hours for employees. |

## Why is the operational plan important?

The operational plan is important because planned shifts can affect several parts of Capitech Flow.

Planned work in the operational plan can affect:

-   calculation of **absence**
-   suggested working hours for **manual time registration**
-   **automatic time registration** from plan
-   overview of who should have been at work
-   control of missing hours or missing absence

If the operational plan is not updated, you may get errors in both hours and absence.

## What you should do daily

To ensure a correct basis for hours, absence, and staffing, you should regularly follow up on the operational plan.

You should daily:

1.  **Update the operational plan with known changes**  
    Enter changes you know about before the employee arrives at work, before absence is registered, or before automatic time registration is run.
2.  **Check if everyone has arrived at work**  
    Use the plan to see who should have been at work, and if any employees are missing.
3.  **Assess the need for a substitute**  
    If employees are absent, you can use the plan to see where staffing is needed.
4.  **Verify that employees have a plan going forward**  
    Ensure that employees have planned shifts far enough in advance, especially if absence is calculated based on the operational plan.

## What happens if the operational plan is not maintained?

If the operational plan is not updated, it can lead to errors and more manual work.

Common consequences are:

-   employees get incorrectly calculated hours
-   absence is calculated incorrectly
-   absence is missing because there is no planned working time
-   automatic time registration from the plan becomes incorrect or incomplete
-   manager must correct hours and absence afterwards
-   it becomes more difficult to see who should have been at work

This is especially important if you use planned work as a basis for absence calculation or automatic time registration.

## When should you change the operational plan directly?

You should usually change **the operational plan** directly when the change is short-term.

This could, for example, be if an employee temporarily needs to:

-   work in a different department
-   work on a different project
-   work a different shift
-   cover a shift for one or a few weeks

For short-term changes, it is usually most efficient to modify shifts directly in the operational plan. In that case, you typically do not need to change the base plan and roll it out again.

## When should you use shift rotations?

You should consider using or updating **shift rotations** when the change is long-lasting or permanent.

This could, for example, apply when:

-   an employee gets new permanent working hours
-   an employee permanently changes department
-   an employee enters a new rotation
-   an employee leaves
-   a new employee is to enter rotation
-   you make major changes to shifts or staffing

For larger or permanent changes, shift rotations can save time, because you avoid manually changing many shifts in the operational plan.

## How far in advance should you plan?

You should plan as far in advance as you are practically able to.

How far in advance you should plan depends, among other things, on:

-   how often the shift schedule changes
-   how often employees swap shifts
-   how many changes you make to the operational plan
-   whether absence is calculated based on the operational plan
-   whether you use automatic time registration from the plan

If absence is calculated from the operational plan, the employee must have a planned shift on the days the absence applies. If there is no working time in the plan, the absence may be incorrect or lack absence hours.

## Recommended workflow

A good workflow is:

1.  Use **shift rotations** for fixed rotations and larger plan setups.
2.  Roll out the base plan to **operational plan.**
3.  Follow up the operational plan regularly.
4.  Make short-term changes directly in the operational plan.
5.  Reuse the shift rotation for larger or permanent changes.
6.  Verify that the plan covers the period you need for hours, absence, and staffing.

###   

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between a shift rotation and an operational plan?**

Shift rotation is a template or rotation that can be rolled out. Operational plan is the actual plan in the calendar, where you see planned work for employees.

**Why does the operational plan need to be updated?**

The operational plan should be updated because it can affect time calculation, absence, automatic time registration, and the overview of who should have been at work.

**What happens if an employee does not have a shift in the operational plan?**

If the employee is missing a planned shift, absence and hours may be incorrect. If absence is calculated from the operational plan, a missing shift can lead to absence hours not being calculated.

**When should you change the operational plan directly?**

You should change the operational plan directly for short-term changes, for example, a temporary department, project, or shift.

**When should you use the shift rotation?**

You should use the shift rotation for larger or permanent changes, for example, a new rotation, new fixed working hours, a new employee in a shift schedule, or employees who leave.

**Why is automatic time registration incorrect?**

Automatic time registration may be incorrect if the operational plan is not updated with the correct working hours, shift, department, or project.