Compass - Nimbly Documentation

Bulk Schedule Overview

10 min read

Bulk Schedule Feature - User Flow Documentation

Overview

The Bulk Schedule feature enables administrators to create and manage schedules across multiple sites and departments simultaneously. This powerful tool streamlines the scheduling process for organizations with multiple locations, reducing hours of manual work into a simple 4-step wizard.

Table of Contents

  1. Feature Overview
  2. Bulk Schedule Creation Wizard
  3. Draft Management

Feature Overview

What is Bulk Schedule?

The Bulk Schedule feature allows administrators to:

  • Create multiple schedules simultaneously across different sites and departments
  • Apply consistent scheduling patterns organization-wide
  • Set default configurations that can be customized per location
  • Save drafts for later review and approval
  • Manage and track all draft schedules in one place

Key Benefits

  • Time Efficiency: Create hundreds of schedules in minutes instead of hours
  • Consistency: Ensure uniform audit patterns across all locations
  • Flexibility: Override settings for specific sites when needed
  • Collaboration: Save drafts for team review before deployment

Accessing Bulk Schedule

From the Sites Page

Navigate to the Sites management page at https://admin.hellonimbly.com/admin/sites. In the top right corner of the page, you’ll find the “Create Bulk Schedule” button. Clicking this button will launch the Bulk Schedule creation wizard.

Create Bulk Schedule Button

Bulk Schedule Creation Wizard

The bulk schedule creation process is organized into a 4-step wizard that guides users through configuration, customization, and deployment.

Bulk Schedule Home Page

Once you click the “Create Bulk Schedule” button, you’ll be taken to the Bulk Schedule home page. This page features two main tabs:

  1. Create Schedule (Default tab) - Opens the schedule creation wizard
  2. Drafts - View and manage saved draft schedules

The Create Schedule tab is selected by default. You can switch between tabs by clicking on them.

Bulk Schedule Home Page

Step 1: Configure Schedule

This is the foundation of your bulk schedule where you select what to schedule and when.

1.1 Questionnaire Selection

Purpose: Choose which questionnaire/audit form will be scheduled across your sites.

Questionnaire Selection

What users can do:

  • Search questionnaires by name, description, or tags
  • View questionnaire details (last updated, total questions)
  • Select one questionnaire that will be used for all created schedules

Important notes:

  • Only active questionnaires are shown
  • The same questionnaire will be applied to all site-department combinations
  • Users can see when the questionnaire was last updated to ensure they’re using the latest version

1.2 Schedule Mode Selection

Purpose: Choose how inspections will be triggered.

Schedule Mode Options

Available Modes:

  1. Schedule: Create recurring inspections based on your selected pattern

    • Audits occur at predetermined times
    • Follows the schedule pattern you configure
    • Ideal for regular, predictable inspection needs

  2. Ad hoc: Only allow on-demand inspections

    • No schedules created
    • Infinite schedule done and report created
    • No restrictions on when inspections can be performed
    • Perfect for unexpected or as-needed inspections

    Ad hoc Mode

  3. Schedule + Ad hoc: Create scheduled inspections plus allow additional on-demand inspections

    • Combines both scheduled and on-demand capabilities
    • Ensures regular inspections while allowing flexibility
    • Best for operations needing both routine and spontaneous audits

1.3 Schedule Period

Purpose: Define the time period when schedules will be active. Schedules will only be created within this date range.

Date Range Configuration:

  • Start Date: The date when schedules begin (required)
  • End Date: The date when schedules stop (optional)
    • Select a specific end date
    • Choose “Infinite” for no end date (schedules continue indefinitely)

Quick Period Selection:

  • Next 30 days
  • Next 3 months
  • Next 6 months
  • Next 12 months

Time Configuration:

Use the time selector component to choose both start and end times for your schedules. You can either select from pre-defined time slots or set custom times.

Pre-defined Time Slots:

  • All Day: Entire day (12:00 AM - 11:59 PM)
  • Morning: 5:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  • Afternoon: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Evening: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Night: 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM

Custom Time Range:

  • Set specific start and end times
  • Next Day Option: When enabled, allows scheduling across midnight
    • Example: Today 3:00 PM to Tomorrow 2:00 PM (24-hour range)
    • Useful for overnight shifts or extended audit windows

1.4 Schedule Pattern Configuration

Purpose: Define when and how often the audits should occur.

Available Schedule Types:

Daily Schedule
  • Description: Audits repeat every day
  • Configuration:
    • Schedules will be created for every single day within your date range
    • Set start and end dates (or choose “Run Indefinitely”)
    • Define audit time window (e.g., 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
  • Use case: Daily opening/closing checklists, daily safety inspections

Daily Schedule

Weekly Schedule
  • Description: Audits repeat weekly on selected days
  • Configuration:
    • Select which days (Monday through Sunday)
    • Quick Selection Buttons:
      • Weekdays (Monday-Friday)
      • Weekends (Saturday-Sunday)
    • All seven days listed for individual selection
    • Schedules created for selected days each week
  • Use case: Weekly inventory counts, weekly equipment maintenance

Weekly Schedule

Monthly Schedule
  • Description: Audits repeat monthly on specific dates
  • Configuration:
    • Select specific dates of the month (1st through 31st)
    • Quick Selection Buttons:
      • Bi-monthly (1st and 15th)
      • Start of month (1st)
      • End of month (28th, 29th, 30th, or 31st based on the month)
    • Automatically handles months with fewer days
  • Use case: Monthly compliance audits, monthly safety reviews

Monthly Schedule

Custom Schedule
  • Description: One-time audits on specific dates
  • Configuration:
    • Pick any individual dates from a calendar
    • Schedules created only for selected dates
    • No recurrence pattern
    • Each date can have different time windows
  • Use case: Special events, seasonal audits, one-time inspections

Custom Schedule

Step 2: Advanced Settings (Optional)

This optional step allows administrators to set default configurations that will apply to all schedules unless overridden.

Important Configuration Rules:

  1. Settings configured here apply to all schedules by default
  2. You can override these settings for specific site-department pairs in the next step
  3. If a site-department has custom settings, those take priority over these defaults

Advanced Settings Overview

2.1 Check-in & Check-out Settings

Purpose: Control how auditors interact with location-based requirements.

Enforce Check-in:

  • Auditors can only check in after the scheduled start time
  • Use case: Enable for on-site inspections, disable for remote audits

Enforce Check-out:

  • Auditors can only check out before the scheduled end time
  • When enabled: Auditors must complete check-out process within scheduled hours
  • When disabled: No check-out requirement
  • Use case: Track time spent on location, ensure proper closure procedures

Check-in & Check-out Settings

2.2 Active Schedule Period

Purpose: Define automatic expiration for schedules.

Configuration:

  • Automatically expire schedules after a specified duration
  • Set duration in: Minutes, Hours, Days, or Weeks
  • Example: Expire after 30 days
  • Use case: Temporary campaigns that should auto-deactivate, time-sensitive audits

2.3 Signatures & Verification

Purpose: Configure completion verification requirements.

Signature Types:

  1. Digital Signature:

    • Standard electronic signature
    • Number of signatures required (0-2)
    • Higher numbers for critical audits requiring multiple approvals

  2. Selfie Signature:

    • When enabled, auditors must take a selfie photo
    • Verifies auditor presence at location
    • Prevents fraudulent completions

Supervisor Assignment:

  • Optionally assign a supervisor to review completed audits
  • Supervisor receives notifications for review
  • Can approve or request corrections

2.4 Notifications & Alerts

Purpose: Configure automated reminders and alerts.

Schedule Reminders:

  • Mobile App Notifications:

    • Set reminder timing (e.g., 30 minutes, hours, days, weeks before)
    • Example: “Remind 30 minutes before schedule start”
    • Assigned auditors receive push notifications automatically

  • Email Notifications:

    • Selected users will receive email notifications for all schedules
    • Notifications sent for:
      • Schedule creation
      • Schedule modifications
      • Completion alerts
      • Overdue notices

Notifications Settings

Step 3: Site & Department Configuration

Purpose: Configure which departments will receive schedules at each site.

When you first enter this step, you’ll see:

  • No assignments configured
  • Add site and department assignments to define where schedules will be created

Site & Department Configuration

3.1 Adding Assignments

Process:

  1. Click “Add Assignment”
  2. Select a site from the dropdown
  3. Select a department for that site
  4. Create multiple assignments as needed

Add Assignment

Important Notes:

  • You can create unlimited assignments
  • Same site can be used multiple times with different departments
  • No duplicate restrictions - flexible configuration allowed

3.2 User Assignments

User Assignment is Optional:

  • System Default: If no users assigned, system will automatically use auditors, supervisor, and issue owner from site settings
  • Custom Assignment: Override default assignments from site settings
  • Multiple Auditors: Now supports assigning multiple auditors instead of single auditor
  • Leave empty to use site defaults

User Assignment Options:

Optional: System will auto-assign auditors, supervisor, and issue owner from site settings. Click to customize.

User Assignments

3.3 Advanced Settings Override

Purpose: Override global defaults for specific site-department assignments.

Advanced Settings Override: These settings will override the global defaults for this specific assignment only. Leave fields empty to use global defaults.

Available Overrides:

  • Schedule Time: Custom time windows for this location
  • Check-in & Check-out: Location-specific requirements
  • Active Schedule Period: Different expiration settings
  • Signature Verification: Custom signature requirements
  • Notifications & Alerts: Specific reminder settings

All override options mirror the settings from Step 1 (Schedule Time) and Step 2 (Advanced Settings).

Advanced Settings Override

Step 4: Review & Save

The final step where you verify all configurations before creating schedules.

Review & Save

4.1 Schedule Preview

Review Your Schedules:

You’ll see a summary message: “You’re about to create X schedules across Y sites”

Configuration Summary Displays:

Questionnaire Section:

  • Selected questionnaire name
  • Number of questions
  • Last updated information

Schedule Period Section:

  • Schedule type (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Custom)
  • Start date
  • End date or “Indefinite”

Coverage Section:

  • Total number of schedules to be created
  • Number of departments involved
  • Number of sites involved

Detailed Preview:

  • Complete list of all site-department combinations
  • Each assignment’s configuration
  • User assignments for each schedule
  • Any custom overrides applied

4.2 Saving Options

Option 1: Save as Draft:

Save your configuration to edit and create schedules later.

Draft Creation Process:

  1. Click “Save as Draft” button
  2. Enter a name for your draft schedule (e.g., “Weekly Maintenance Schedule”)
  3. Draft will be saved with “Draft” status
  4. Access and edit from the Drafts tab anytime

Save as Draft

Option 2: Create Schedules:

Immediately create all configured schedules.

Schedule Creation Process:

  1. Confirmation Dialog:

    • Message: “Confirm Schedule Creation”
    • Shows: “You are about to create X schedules across Y site-department combinations”
    • Options: Cancel or Create Schedules

    Confirm Creation

  2. Success Notification:

    • Message: “Bulk Schedules Created Successfully!”
    • Shows: “X schedule(s) have been created successfully”
    • Option: “Create New Bulk Schedule” to start another batch

Success Message

Draft Management

The Draft Management page is your central hub for all saved bulk schedule configurations.

Accessing Drafts

Navigation:

Draft Management

Draft List View

Search Functionality:

  • Search through drafts by draft name
  • Real-time filtering as you type

Draft Table Columns:

  1. Name: Draft schedule name
  2. Questionnaire: Selected questionnaire for this draft
  3. Schedule Mode: Recurring type (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Custom)
  4. Start Date & Time: When the schedule begins
  5. End Date & Time: When the schedule ends (or “Indefinite”)
  6. Actions: Edit and Delete buttons

Draft Actions

Edit Draft:

  • Click the Edit button to load the Create Schedule wizard with all saved draft data
  • Modify any settings or assignments as needed
  • Once you create schedules from a draft, the draft is automatically deleted
  • You can save changes as a new draft if not ready to create

Delete Draft:

  • Click the Delete button to permanently remove the draft
  • Confirmation required before deletion
  • Cannot be undone once confirmed

Conclusion

The Bulk Schedule feature revolutionizes how organizations manage audits and inspections across multiple locations. By consolidating what traditionally required hours of manual configuration into a streamlined 4-step wizard, administrators can now:

  • Save Time: Create hundreds of schedules in minutes rather than hours
  • Ensure Consistency: Apply standardized audit patterns across all locations while maintaining flexibility for site-specific needs
  • Reduce Errors: Eliminate duplicate scheduling and configuration mistakes through automated validation
  • Improve Collaboration: Use draft functionality to review and refine schedules before deployment
  • Scale Efficiently: Manage growing operations without proportional increases in administrative workload

Whether you’re implementing daily operational checks, weekly compliance audits, or seasonal campaigns, the Bulk Schedule feature provides the tools and flexibility needed to maintain comprehensive oversight across your entire organization.

For support or additional questions about the Bulk Schedule feature, please contact your system administrator or refer to the Nimbly support documentation.

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