Microsoft Teams: Excel import enhancements in Shifts app

Updated November 27, 2023: We have updated the content below with additional information. Thank you for your patience.

We are thrilled to announce exciting product enhancements to our import and export Excel experiences in Shifts designed to empower frontline managers to achieve more. 

Here’s what this feature includes:

Import a schedule includes time off and open shifts:

• Frontline managers can import assigned shifts, time offs and open shifts through the same Excel file into Shifts. There will be different worksheets for those 3 entities that managers will require to fill in according to what is wished to be imported.
• To respect Shifts settings, open shifts won’t be synced to Shifts calendar when imported through Excel whenever the open shift setting is disabled for a team.

'Export in a format that can be imported’ includes open shifts and time-offs: 

• Frontline managers can export, for a specific period, a schedule that might include assigned shifts, time offs and open shifts.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 169705

When this will happen:

We will begin rolling out mid-November 2023 and expect to complete by mid-December 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

Import and export time offs and open shifts using Excel.

Until now, Frontline managers have only been able to import assigned shifts from Excel into Shifts. Now, we have expanded the supported entities by providing managers with more flexibility when creating schedules. This feature launch is being carried out in multiple phases. 

Here’s what this feature includes: 

Import a schedule includes time off and open shifts:

• Frontline managers can import assigned shifts, time offs and open shifts through the same Excel file into Shifts. There will be different worksheets for those 3 entities that managers will require to fill in according to what is wished to be imported. 
• To respect Shifts settings, open shifts won’t be synced to Shifts calendar when imported through Excel whenever the open shift setting is disabled for a team. 

Prevent duplication of groups:

Frontline managers can select groups in the import sample file from a pre-populated list with the existing available schedule groups in the team. 

‘Export in a format that can be imported’ includes open shifts and time-offs:

 Frontline managers can export, for a specific period, a schedule that might include assigned shifts, time offs and open shifts. 

What you need to do to prepare:

There is nothing you need to do to prepare for these changes, besides you may want to notify your frontline manager about these updates.