ByteBloc Software, LLC
9952 Grandview Drive
La Mesa, CA  92026

Phone:  760.510.9900
Fax:  801.640.3185

Email: (Sales)
service@bytebloc.com

Email: (Support)
support@bytebloc.com

Version 5 of EPSKED, the emergency physician scheduling program, contains multiple new and enhanced features that represent significant improvements over previous versions of EPSKED. To assist with your migration from EPSKED 4.1 to EPSKED 5, these changes are summarized in the following sections.

  WebSked compatibility was added with the addition to EPSKED of a WebSked dropdown menu containing both publish and download options. WebSked is an Internet based scheduling solution that integrates with EPSKED. WebSked requires use of EPSKED for schedule creation. The advantages of adding WebSked are that it handles all of the provider interactions that normally require time consuming "hands on" work by the schedule administrator. WebSked simplifies the gathering of provider requests for shifts on or off (imported directly from WebSked without having to be manually entered by the scheduler), keeps available a continually updated "live" schedule, facilitates rescheduling by allowing providers to see who is available for shifts, and provides an easy mechanism for proposing and accepting schedule changes. WebSked also sends reminders of scheduled shifts, hopefully eliminating the "forgotten" shift. WebSked can be accessed through a computer connected to the Internet and is compatible with use by both PCs and the Mac.

  From WebSked, providers can enter general notes about a specific schedule that are then displayed when the schedule administrator is viewing that provider's personalized master, request, or individual schedule in EPSKED. Schedule administrator can edit the note in EPSKED to add their own reminders for the provider's schedule.

  Shift can now be split by up to three providers, with EPSKED correctly keeping track of the hours scheduled for each provider.

  Providers can split shifts in WebSked (with these changes automatically included when the schedule is imported into EPSKED).

  As an option, a total for SCHEDULED SHIFTS can be requested for each provider. Previous versions of EPSKED allowed only using SCHEDULED HOURS as a target value.

  Wish Off entries can be entered from the Scheduler - Off Request screen. A Wish Off entry for a shift makes a provider Off for the shift unless the shift cannot otherwise be filled, in which case EPSKED can use the provider rather than leaving the shift unscheduled. Shifts that a provider has requested as Need Off shifts (simply called Off Shifts in previous EPSKED versions) will not be scheduled. This feature should help improve scheduling flexibility.

  Changes to provider shift and hour preferences made in the Scheduler can be copied to become Customizer values by typing <Ctrl+Insert>. This feature helps avoid having to exit the Scheduler and open the Customizer to make changes to Customizer values.

  Changes to provider shift and hour preferences made in the Customizer can be copied to become Scheduler values in the current variant by typing <Shift+Insert>. This feature is useful if a provider's normal requests have changed since a schedule was created and you want to apply the changes to the current schedule.

  The 'Summary...Categories...To Print' dropdown menu option controls which summary categories are published to WebSked for review by your scheduled providers.

  The Options...Printer option of "Do not print requested hours on request forms" option also controls the WebSked option for providers to change their requested hours in a request schedule posted to WebSked.

  The maximum multiweek period has been extended to 13 weeks (was previously a maximum of 12 weeks).

  EPSKED Assist allows use of one purchased copy of EPSKED on multiple computers without requiring additional activation codes. All EPSKED features are activated in EPSKED Assist except the ability to create new schedules.

  When providers edit their hours in WebSked, the reason list contains fixed values of Busy, Slow, Sick, Relief late, Understaffed, Time Change, in addition to allowing entry of a freeform text entry. These options are also available to the schedule administrator in EPSKED when making changes to the scheduled hours from the Overtime screen.

  Cycle/Lock scheduled shifts are displayed in white on black during shift highlighting, making them easier to see. (EPSKED version 4.1 and prior displayed them in black on gray, which was difficult to see on some monitors.)

  An entire schedule for a provider can be deleted from the Scheduler Hilite One Provider screen by typing <Shift+Delete> when the provider to be removed has their schedule highlighted. This feature is useful for removing fictitious providers before distribution. (Addition of fictitious providers can help limit scheduling of your normal providers when there are not enough hours requested by your providers to fill all shifts in your schedule. Please contact ByteBloc Software for suggestions if you think this might be useful for your schedule.)

  If a provider has requested 0 hours and therefore cannot be computer scheduled but is otherwise available for a shift, the provider status is now shown in the Availability Window as "ok - wants 0".