Your Shifts page is where you post relief coverage, review who's applied, and book a Groover - including direct booking a connected Groover without waiting for an application. This guide covers:
Posting a shift
Choosing how pay is set
Reviewing and approving applicants
Direct booking Groovers
POST A NEW RELIEF SHIFT
Click Post a Shift from your dashboard, or go to Shifts in the left-hand menu and click Post a Shift from there. If you've saved shift templates before, you can start from one to skip re-entering repeat details.
Fill in the shift details:
Title - a catchy, descriptive title tends to get more views. Examples we've seen are "Small animal wellness coverage, no SX" or "Large animal relief shift".
Location - choose which of your practice's locations the shift is for.
Date and hours - the shift date, plus start and end time.
Recurrence - post multiple shifts at the same time, such as recurring Tuesday shifts. You can post to the same day of the week or use the calendar to select specific dates to post multiple shifts.
Compensation - hourly or flat, and the rate itself. Toggle between Employer-Set Pay vs. Groover-Set Pay below for how to decide between setting the rate yourself or leaving it open to applicants.
Production bonus (optional) - add details if you're offering a bonus tied to production.
Shift snapshot - expected caseload, case mix, average number of receptionists and technicians on staff, and a short overview in your own words. This is what Groovers see when they're deciding whether to apply, so the more specific, the better.
Visibility - by default, a posted shift is visible to all of your connected Groovers. Use the visibility settings if you want to limit who can see and apply to a specific shift.
Review the details and submit to make the shift live. You can edit an open shift any time before it has applications or a booking. Once it's booked, most fields lock - cancel and repost if you need to make major changes.
EMPLOYER-SET PAY VS. GROOVER-SET PAY
When you post a shift, you choose how the rate gets set:
Employer-set pay: You enter a fixed hourly or flat rate on the posting. Every Groover who views the shift sees this rate. You can also mark it as negotiable if you're open to discussing it with applicants.
Groover-set pay: You leave the rate open instead of setting one. Each Groover proposes their own rate when they apply, and you'll see their requested rate right on the application when you review it.
Employer-set pay is usually the faster option for routine coverage where you already know the going rate. Groover-set pay can be useful when you're unsure what to offer - for a specialty role, an after-hours shift, or a new location, and want to see what applicants are actually asking for before you commit.
If you negotiate a different rate with an applicant directly (for example, over chat), update the shift posting to reflect the agreed-upon amount so your records — and the Groover's expectations — stay accurate.
Note: for some groups, employer rates or groover rates may be locked at the group level so practices may only have one option.
REVIEWING AND APPROVING APPLICATIONS
Once your shift is posted, you'll be notified by email and in-app as Groovers view or apply to it. Click on the Applications page to see all shift applications, or click straight through from the notification.
For each applicant, you can:
Review their profile - experience, licenses and certifications, species/specialties, past shift ratings and feedback, plus any internal notes or documents your practice has on file for them.
See their proposed rate, if the shift uses Groover-set pay.
Message them directly.
When you've decided, select and book the Groover you want for the shift. The shift moves to booked, the Groover is notified, and it's removed from other Groovers' open shift feed. Applicants who weren't selected will see the shift is no longer available.
DIRECT BOOKING: SKIP THE APPLICATION PROCESS
If you already know who you want for a shift - a Groover you've worked with before, or someone you trust to cover a location - you don't have to wait for an application. Direct booking lets you book a connected Groover onto an open shift immediately.
To direct book, simply post a shift. In the Shift Visibility section at the bottom, select a connected Groover from the Direct Book dropdown to book them directly for that shift. They're notified right away and the shift moves straight to booked - no application step required.
Direct booking is especially useful for last-minute coverage, repeat Groovers you rely on regularly, or shifts where you want a specific person's experience with a location or case mix.
A NOTE FOR GROUP PRACTICES
Everything above works the same way whether you're a single-location practice or part of a multi-practice group - Group Admins have the same posting, reviewing, and booking tools across every practice in their network. If your group has shift approval turned on, a shift you post may be routed to a Group Admin for approval before it goes live to Groovers; you'll be notified either way. You can see all your requests on the Shift Requests page.
Still have questions? Reach out any time through the chat widget or at hey@hound.vet and we'll be glad to help.