Your First 30 Days in 7shifts: What to Expect
👋 Welcome to 7shifts!
We're thrilled to have you on board! This Getting Started guide is specifically designed for Admins (the Account owner) who are setting up a 7shifts account for the first time. It walks you through the full onboarding process to help you build your team, configure your account, and start scheduling with confidence.
Your first schedule can be live in 7shifts within 7 days, and your full operation up and running within 30 days. This article is your starting point: it covers what you need before you begin, maps all nine setup steps across three phases, and links you directly to each one in order.
Before you begin
Have the following available before beginning Phase 1.
- A valid email address and phone number you have access to. 7shifts uses this address to communicate with you and verify your identity as an Admin or the Account owner (Super Admin).
- Your floor structure mapped out. Know your departments (e.g., Front of House, Back of House, Bar) and the roles within each (e.g., Server, Line Cook, Bartender) before you start building. Changes after setup are possible but could add time.
- A web browser for initial setup. Company Settings and account configuration can only be updated in the web app. The mobile app displays these settings as read-only.
Note: 7shifts starts with a 14-day free trial that includes a guided setup and access to all features. No credit card is required to start. If you're picking up this setup mid-stream from a previous Admin, start at whichever phase matches your current account state. Each article is written to stand alone.
How the setup journey for Admins is structured
The setup path runs across three phases, each with a clear finish line. The day ranges are reference points, your restaurant sets the pace.
Phase 1 - The Foundation (Days 1–4)
Build your account structure (locations, departments, and roles), configure your company-wide settings, connect your POS, and get your team into 7shifts. If your POS requires agent installation or vendor coordination, you'll set up time clocking in the meantime so your first schedule isn't delayed.
- Your first 30 days in 7shifts (you are here!)
- Build Your Account Structure to Unlock Scheduling
- Connect Your POS to 7shifts
- Add Your Team to 7shifts
Phase 2 - The First Schedule (Days 5–7)
Assign your team to departments and roles, send shift invites, and publish your first live schedule. This is the activation milestone - the moment your team receives their first 7shifts schedule notification.
- Assign Employees to Departments and Roles
- Send 7shifts Invites and Confirm Employee App Activation
- Build and Publish Your First Schedule
Phase 3 - Running Your Business (Days 8–30)
Connect 7shifts to your payroll workflow, confirm time tracking is running accurately, get your team onto the mobile app, and start using various tools to manage your operation day to day.
- Connect the Stack: Time Clocking and Labor Reports
- Run Your Operation: Labor Reports, Log Book, and Task Lists
Understanding 7shifts user levels
7shifts uses a permission hierarchy to define what each user can see and do. As the Admin completing this setup, you're operating at one of the top two levels.
- Account Owner (Super Admin): One per account. Full authority over all settings, integrations, and other Admin users. The only user who can promote, demote, or deactivate other Admins.
- Admin: Full control over account-wide configuration, including Company Settings, integrations, access control, and compliance. Admins cannot add, update, or remove other admins.
- Manager / Assistant Manager: Restricted to assigned locations and departments. Managers use the tools Admins configure and can't change account-level settings.
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Employee: Access to their own schedule, availability, and shift communications only.
For more details on user types in 7shifts, see User Types in 7shifts and User Type Access Levels in 7shifts.
The core areas and functions reserved exclusively for Admins are Company Settings, Location settings, and the Billing page (managers cannot access these).
What's next
You now have a complete map of your 30-day setup journey. Your account is ready for its structural foundation!
Your next step is to build your account structure to unlock scheduling. We'll walk you through creating your locations, departments, roles, and company-wide settings in one continuous flow.