Schedule request due dates
Updated October 8, 2026 · 2 min read
A schedule request due date is the last day clinicians can send day requests, time off and weekly preferences for the next schedule. Set it before the scheduler starts building, so every request is weighed at once, and handle anything later as a trade after the schedule is published.
What to collect before the due date
- Time off: vacation, conferences and other whole days away, which a scheduler approves.
- Day requests: a specific day off, or a specific shift someone wants to work.
- Weekly preferences: standing patterns, such as no nights before a clinic day or a preference for evening shifts.
Collecting all three at once shows conflicts early, such as four people asking for the same Saturday, before any shift is placed.
An example timeline
| Step | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Requests open | October 15 | Clinicians enter time off, day requests and weekly preferences |
| Due date | November 1 | Requests close and the scheduler starts the draft |
| Draft | November 2 to 10 | The month is built and checked; only schedulers see it |
| Publish | November 15 | Everyone sees the schedule, and calendar links pick it up |
| After publishing | From November 15 | Changes go through trades and giveaways |
These dates are an example, not a standard. Count back from the day you want to publish by the time your scheduler needs to build and check a month.
How many requests, and who gets them
In a national survey of EM residency programs run in early 2023, 128 of the 137 programs that answered accepted schedule requests during ED blocks, and the median was 3 requests per block (2 to 4 for the middle half of programs).
- Approve time off first, since it blocks whole days.
- Ask people to mark which requests matter most, so those are protected when two collide.
- Keep a record of whose requests were granted, and give priority next time to anyone who lost out.
- Apply the same limit to everyone, including the scheduler.
After the due date
A late request is easier to handle as a trade after publishing than as an edit to a finished draft. Illness and emergencies can't wait for a due date at all; that is what backup or jeopardy call is for.
In Capillary, clinicians send day requests, time off and weekly preferences before the due date, schedulers approve time off, and drafts stay private until published. After publishing, clinicians can give away or swap shifts, with rest and overlap checked before anyone agrees. See it in the demo.
Common questions
- How far ahead should the due date be?
- Far enough for the scheduler to build, check and publish before people need to make plans. Count back from your publish date by the time a month's build takes.
- What if someone misses the due date?
- Treat the request as a trade or giveaway once the schedule is out. Reopening a draft for one late request can move other people's shifts.
- Is every request granted?
- No. Coverage comes first, and requests can collide with each other. A limit per person and a record of who got what help spread the misses fairly.
Build your ED schedule with rest checked on every save.
Capillary checks role, overlapping shifts and rest, including shifts at other sites, before anything is published or traded.