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Suggestions to automate a monthly roster.

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Posted on by LM-19011749-0

We currently have eight resources providing 24/7 coverage and rely on an Excel file updated manually each month. I would like to explore a more automated approach. I mean, running a flow or building a button in Excel to generate the next month’s schedule—or even the entire year-if that’s possible.

At work, we only use the MS365 Standard license.

In the attached sample:

1.-Rotations occur every two weeks; however, adjustments are sometimes made to cover vacations or absences.
2.-Resources working weekends receive three days off; for example, Jonathan covered two weekends.
3.-Primary on-call support for weekday midnight shifts rotates weekly.

Regards.

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11manish 847 on at

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Yes —you can automate your on-call schedule using Microsoft Excel + Power Automate even with an MS365 Standard license, but with some practical limitations.

Limitations

Power Automate is not ideal for heavy scheduling logic

Excel formulas become complex for many rules

No advanced scheduling engine (like workforce tools)

Best approach = Excel + Office Script (button to generate schedule)
Power Automate can assist but is not ideal for complex scheduling

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LM-19011749-0 4 on at

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Thanks for your suggestion @11manish.

Any tips on how to organize the data?

Regards from Mexico

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11manish 847 on at

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Use separate sheets for resources, rules, schedule, and exceptions
Keep data clean and structured (row-based)

Handle:

Rotation

Leaves

Comp-offs

as independent layers

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