A booking is how you ask for workers: you say where and when the work is, which position you need and how many people, and which agencies you want it offered to. This guide takes you through placing one from start to finish.
Enter complete and accurate information so the agencies can allocate the right workers. Everything you enter is shared with the worker before their shift, so list anything they'll need on site — for example required documents or accreditations. Make sure the primary contact is someone who can be reached for the whole job, as they may be contacted on site.
Before you start
You need the address of the site, the position and how many workers you need, and the times of the shift.
Your contracted agencies are pre-selected on the booking — you reorder them to set who gets first refusal, and you need to leave at least one selected. Make sure the agencies you want are set up for that district and position.
If your unit has sub-units, decide which one the booking belongs to and set it first — changing it later clears what you've entered.
Tier is a grading used by some organisations. If your organisation prices a single tier, it's pre-set, so leave it as it comes.
Bookings can only be placed up to the limit set for your district. Dates beyond it are greyed out in the calendar.
How to place a booking
The form is a single page of numbered sections, each with its own question as the heading. Work down it in order.
Select Book Now in the left-hand navigation (or Create a new booking on the Dashboard).
What's the job called? — type a Job Name if you want one. It's optional and just for your own reference; leave it blank and the job is labelled by its site address. Tick Job name visible to talent if the workers should see it too.
If your unit has sub-units, set the Sub-Unit first — changing it later clears what you've entered.
Where's the job? — pick the address. Sites you've booked before are listed under Recent Locations, so it's usually one click.
When's the job? — select the date(s). Two months are shown at a time; use the arrows for later months. "You can select one or multiple days for your booking" — selecting more than one date makes it a multi-day booking. Dates beyond your district's limit are greyed out.
Who's the primary contact? — choose the Manager the worker will ask for once on site.
Attach PDF — optionally attach a single document, for example a site brief. Make PDF visible to talent decides whether workers see it too.
What do you need? — this section repeats for each date you selected. Enter Position, Tier, How Many (the number of workers you need), Start Time and Finish Time, and optionally a Latest Start. Add more staff adds another position to the same day; Delete removes the day. Responsibilities are filled in from the position, with View/edit to change them for this booking.
Optionally use Add Attire and Add instructions — free text for anything workers need on site (for example gate or entrance, parking, or PPE beyond the attire). Instructions you've used before are saved under Suggestions, so you can pick a previous one instead of retyping it. Don't put rates or prices in this field.
Select Checkout. The next page shows the booking back to you — "Please verify your job details and confirm your booking."
Under Staffing, open Select Staff and set the agencies for the booking — they start selected, so drag them into the order you want them offered the work, then Save Selection.
Review your booking and select Confirm.
What happens next
The booking is offered to the agencies you selected, on a staggered schedule that follows the order you set — each agency shows as Pending until its invitation is due, then Sent. Each agency allocates its own workers to the places, and your booking's fulfilment count rises as they do. You can follow it under My Staffing → Future, and on the Calendar if it's enabled for your organisation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose which individual worker fills a place? No. You choose and order the agencies, and each agency allocates its own workers. Where your organisation uses preferred workers, you can request specific people through My Team.
What if I deselect every agency? You won't be able to save your selection — leave at least one agency on the booking.
How far ahead can I book? Up to the limit configured for your district. Any date beyond it is greyed out in the booking calendar.
Can I change the booking afterwards? Yes, while it's still in the future — but editing unassigns the workers already allocated and a fee may apply. See the guide on editing a future booking.
What should I not put in Instructions? Rates or prices. Instructions are shown to workers, so keep them to practical site information.
Where do I see the rate for a position? As you build the booking. Select Book Now and scroll through the positions to see the cost (in £) for each one. Floor Managers have prices hidden by default, and floor managers can't place bookings at all. If you're any other role and no rates are showing, or you have a question about the rates themselves, contact your Dayforce Flex Work support contact.