Enable or disable attendance shifts

Updated in January- 2026 | Subscribe to watch greytHR how-to video

Once attendance shifts are created in greytHR, as an admin, you may need to manage which shifts are available for day-to-day operations. This is especially useful when your organization uses seasonal or temporary shifts, that are required only for specific periods and not throughout the year.

Using the Enable/Disable Attendance Shifts feature, you can control the visibility of shifts without deleting them, ensuring cleaner shift lists and avoiding confusion during shift assignment.

From the Shift page, as an admin, you can:

• View active and disabled attendance shifts

• Disable an attendance shift

• Activate disabled shifts when required

View active and disabled attendance shifts

To view attendance shifts, from the greytHR Admin portal, go to Settings icon > System Settings > Attendance > Shift. The Shift page appears.

• On the Shift page, you can view two tabs: 

  • Active – Displays all enabled shifts (selected by default)

  • Disabled – Displays all disabled shifts

This tab-based view helps you clearly differentiate between shifts that are currently in use and those that are inactive.

Disable an attendance shift

You can disable shifts that are temporarily not required, such as seasonal or special-purpose shifts.

1. On the Shift page, click the Active tab.

2. Select a shift you want to disable and click Disable. A pop-up appears displaying Shift Name and Shift Timing.

3. Select Disable Shift to confirm.

Note: You can Edit, Disable, and Delete any active shift.

Note: 

• When a shift has no dependencies—such as Shift Rotation Policy, Attendance Scheme, Employee Filter, or future-dated Shift Roster—the system allows the shift to be disabled successfully, and the shift is moved to the Disabled tab.

• When the Shift has dependencies, then a shift linked to any policy or configuration, a Cannot Disable Shift message appears, clearly indicating that the shift is already attached to a policy. The system displays the shift details, including the shift name and timing, along with a structured list of dependencies grouped under Shift Rotation Policy, Attendance Scheme, and Employee Filter. In such cases, the shift cannot be disabled until all related dependencies are removed.

Restrictions on disabling a shift

You cannot disable an attendance shift in the following situations and an error message will be displayed.

1. The shift is assigned to one or more Shift Rotation Policies.

The shift is assigned to one or more employees in the Shift Roster for future dates.

The shift is part of one or more Shift Change Policies.

Any combination of the above situations applies.

Activate a disabled attendance shift

You can re-enable a previously disabled shift at any time.

1. On the Shift page, click the Disabled tab.

2. Select a shift you want to activate.

3. Select Activate.

The shift is immediately moved back to the Active tab and becomes available for assignment.

Shift visibility in Attendance Info page

If an employee is assigned a shift that has been disabled:

• An info icon appears next to the shift name in the Attendance Info page

• Clicking the icon displays a Shift Details pop-up showing Shift Name, Shift Timing, and a note-This shift is currently disabled is displayed.

Shift selection while editing attendance

While editing attendance or changing shifts:

• The Shift Type dropdown displays only active shifts

• Disabled shifts are hidden and cannot be selected

This ensures that only valid and usable shifts are assigned to employees.

Additional Information

• Disabled shifts are hidden from all assignment lists (Shift Roster, Override pages, Rotation Calendar, etc.)

• Disabled shifts retain past records and do not impact past data.

• A disabled shift can be reactivated anytime.

• Only users with Admin role or appropriate permissions can enable or disable attendance shifts.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why should I disable an attendance shift instead of deleting it?

Disabling a shift allows you to temporarily hide it from assignment while retaining historical attendance data and reports. This is useful for seasonal shifts, such as Ramadan shifts, that may be required again later.

Will disabling a shift affect past attendance records or reports?

No. Disabling a shift does not affect historical attendance data, past reports, or previously assigned shifts.

Who can enable or disable attendance shifts?

Only users with the Admin role or appropriate permissions can enable or disable attendance shifts.

How do I disable an attendance shift?

To disable an attendance shift, from the greytHR Admin portal, go to Settings icon > System Settings > Attendance > Shift.

1. Click the Active tab.

2. Select the shift you want to disable.

3. Click Disable.

4. In the pop-up, click Disable Shift to confirm.

The shift is disabled and moved out of the Active shift list.

Why am I unable to disable a shift?

You cannot disable a shift if it is:

• Linked to one or more Shift Rotation Policies

• Assigned to employees in the Shift Roster for future dates

• Part of one or more Shift Change Policies

In such cases, the system displays a Cannot Disable Shift message along with dependency details.

What happens when I try to disable a shift with dependencies?

The system displays a Cannot Disable Shift message showing:

• Shift name and timing

• A list of dependencies grouped under Shift Rotation Policy, Attendance Scheme, or Employee Filter
  The shift can be disabled only after all dependencies are removed.

Where can I see disabled shifts?

Disabled shifts are available under the Disabled tab on the Shift page. They are clearly marked and can be re-enabled at any time.

Can I assign a disabled shift to an employee?

No. Disabled shifts are hidden from all assignment screens, including shift roster creation, manual override, and shift change screens.

What happens if an employee is already assigned a shift that is later disabled?

The assigned shift remains unchanged. An info icon appears next to the shift name in the Attendance Info page to indicate that the shift is currently disabled.

Can a disabled shift be reactivated later?

Yes. You can activate a disabled shift at any time, after which it becomes available for assignment again.

How do I activate a disabled attendance shift?

 To activate a previously disabled attendance shift, from the greytHR Admin portal, go to Settings icon > System Settings > Attendance > Shift.

1. Click the Disabled tab to view all inactive shifts.

2. Select the shift you want to activate.

3. Click Activate.

The shift is immediately moved to the Active tab and becomes available for assignment.

Will disabled shifts appear in the Change Shift dropdown?

No. Only active shifts are displayed in the Shift Type dropdown while editing or changing attendance.

Related Article:

Override employees' shifts

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