Understanding Distribution Rules: EVEN, MIN_MAX, and SECTION_DRIVEN

Distribution rules control how staff are allocated across different sections (departments/areas) within a location. When you set a coverage requirement like "5 Nurses on Monday," distribution rules determine how those 5 nurses are split between sections like ICU, ER, and Pediatrics.

Quick Reference

EVEN - Best for equal staffing across all sections. Simple complexity.

MIN_MAX - Best for guaranteeing minimums while allowing flexibility. Moderate complexity.

SECTION_DRIVEN - Best for full control over exact counts per section per day. Advanced complexity.

EVEN Mode

EVEN mode automatically divides staff equally across all sections. Any remainder rotates to different sections each day for fairness.

How It Works

1. Calculate base: Total staff ÷ Number of sections = Base per section

2. Handle remainder: Extra staff rotate to different sections each day

Example

Setup: 5 Nurses, 3 Sections (ICU, ER, Pediatrics)

Monday: ICU 2, ER 2, Pediatrics 1 (remainder goes to ICU)

Tuesday: ICU 1, ER 2, Pediatrics 2 (remainder rotates to ER)

Wednesday: ICU 2, ER 1, Pediatrics 2 (remainder rotates to Pediatrics)

When to Use EVEN Mode

Use EVEN mode when all sections have similar staffing needs, you want hands-off automatic distribution, and fairness in remainder allocation matters.

MIN_MAX Mode

MIN_MAX mode lets you set minimum and maximum staff per section. The system fills minimums first, then distributes remaining staff while respecting maximums.

How It Works

1. Fill minimums: Each section gets its minimum first

2. Distribute remainder: Extra staff go to sections that have not hit their maximum

3. Cap at maximum: No section exceeds its max

4. Rotate remainders (optional): Enable fairness rotation to alternate which section gets extras

Configuration Options

Same Every Day: When enabled, uses the same min/max values for all days. When disabled, you can set different values for each day of the week.

Fairness Rotation: When enabled, the extra staff beyond minimums rotate to different sections each day instead of always going to the same sections.

SECTION_DRIVEN Mode

SECTION_DRIVEN mode lets you specify exact staff counts for each section on each day. The system uses your numbers directly with no automatic distribution.

You fill in a table specifying exactly how many staff each section needs for each day. In this mode, the Role Coverage Matrix totals are calculated from your section counts, not the other way around.

When to Use SECTION_DRIVEN Mode

Use this mode when each section has unique, specific staffing requirements, requirements vary significantly by day (weekdays vs weekends), you need complete control over the schedule, or historical data drives specific section needs.

Choosing the Right Mode

Ask yourself: Do all sections need roughly equal staffing? If yes, use EVEN mode. If no, do you need guaranteed minimums per section? If yes, use MIN_MAX mode. If you need exact control per section per day, use SECTION_DRIVEN mode. When in doubt, start with EVEN mode and adjust later.

Common Mistakes and Solutions

Mistake 1: Minimums exceed total coverage

Problem: You set ICU min: 5, ER min: 4, Pediatrics min: 3 (total: 12) but only have 10 nurses. Solution: Either increase total role coverage to at least 12, or reduce section minimums to fit within 10.

Mistake 2: All maximums are too low

Problem: You have 10 nurses but max 3 per section across 3 sections (max total: 9). Solution: Increase at least one section maximum to accommodate all staff.

Mistake 3: Using SECTION_DRIVEN when needs change frequently

Problem: You manually set exact counts, but requirements change weekly. Solution: Switch to MIN_MAX mode for more flexibility while maintaining constraints.

Step-by-Step: Configuring Distribution Rules

Setting Up MIN_MAX Mode

1. Navigate to Locations → [Your Location] → Schedule

2. Find the role you want to configure

3. Select Min/Max per section mode

4. For each section, enter Minimum (guaranteed number) and Maximum (cap)

5. Toggle Same Every Day off if you need different values per day

6. Enable Rotate extra seats for fair remainder distribution

7. Check the Preview Pane to verify your configuration