Variable labor minimums and thresholds are configured in a single location’s labor matrix when creating or updating a labor matrix version.
New Labor Matrix Experience
This article covers the new labor matrix experience. If the new labor matrix is not enabled, see the Legacy Labor Matrix - Variable Labor article.
Variable labor jobs are configured with minimums and thresholds that scale with forecasted demand. Minimums set baseline staffing for specific time ranges based on the day’s total forecast. Thresholds increase staffing based on the forecasted sales for each individual hour. Learn more about how labor minimums and labor thresholds work together in forecasting.
Variable labor configurations can range from simple to highly detailed. The labor matrix supports several levels of specificity, including:
Minimums and thresholds can be identical for all jobs or customized per job.
Minimums can be uniform across all days or vary by day of the week.
Thresholds can apply to the full day or vary by day part.
By default, threshold values are entered as dollars. When entree forecasting is enabled, threshold values can be entered as entrees.
Variable labor configurations only apply to jobs with the ‘Variable Labor’ labor type.
Security
Users must have the following permission to configure labor matrix records:
Sales & Cash → Forecasts → Labor Matrix Setup → View/Edit (Single Location Setup)
These permissions can be added to custom user roles or individual users. The Permission Access report can be used to determine which user roles or users already have these permissions assigned. For more information, see User Setup and Security.
Change a Job to Variable Labor
Follow these steps to change the labor type for a job to ‘Variable labor’:
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Jobs at Location to move to the ‘Jobs at location’ section.
4) Locate the desired job, then change the Labor type to ‘Variable labor’.
Only jobs tied the location for the labor matrix are listed.
5) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
Configure Variable Labor Thresholds as Sales or Entrees
Follow these steps to choose sales or entrees as the basis for variable labor thresholds:
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Variable labor to move to the Variable labor section.
4) Under Forecast hours type, choose the metric to base thresholds on: Sales or Entree.
‘Entree’ only appears when entree forecasting is enabled.
5) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
Set Minimums and Thresholds to be One Set of Configurations or Customized per Job
Follow these steps to configure how minimums and thresholds are set for jobs:
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Variable labor to move to the Variable labor section.
4) Under Set minimums & thresholds, select ‘Same for all jobs’ to use one set of configurations or ‘Define by job’ to customize configurations per job.
Switching configuration methods discards existing labor minimum and labor threshold configurations.
5) Configure new labor minimums and labor thresholds.
Same for all jobs
Define by job
6) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
Set Minimums to be One Set of Configurations or Customized per Day of the Week
Follow these steps to configure how minimums and thresholds are set for jobs:
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Variable labor to move to the Variable labor section.
4a) If ‘Same for all jobs’ is selected, toggle on Define by day of week.
4b) If ‘Define by job’ is selected, check Set labor minimums by day of week.
5) Configure new labor minimums for each day of the week.
Same for all jobs
Define by job
6) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
Set Thresholds to be One Set of Configurations or Customized per Day Part
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Variable labor to move to the Variable labor section.
4a) If ‘Same for all jobs’ is selected, toggle on Define by day part.
4b) If ‘Define by job’ is selected, check Set labor thresholds by day parts.
5) Configure new labor thresholds for each day part.
Same for all jobs
Define by job
6) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
Configure Labor Minimums
Follow these steps to configure labor minimums:
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Variable labor to move to the Variable labor section.
4) If defining minimums per job, select the desired job.
5) If defining minimums per day of the week, select the desired day of the week.
6) Click Add minimum.
7) Enter the Start time and End time that the minimum applies to.
8) In the Name column, enter a description for the minimum.
9) Enter the daily forecasted dollar or entree threshold that must be met before the minimum is applied.
10) In the Employees column, enter the number of labor hours forecasted for the configured time range when the daily forecast amount is met or exceeded.
11) To add an additional threshold within the same time range, click the plus button.
12) Enter a daily forecast threshold and labor hours for the additional threshold.
The daily forecast threshold must be greater than the previous threshold within the same time period.
13) Repeat steps 11 - 12 to add as many additional thresholds as needed.
Note: Click the Trashcan button to remove an unneeded threshold.
Deleting all thresholds for a time period deletes the minimum for that period.
14) Repeat steps 6 - 13 to add additional minimums with different time ranges as needed.
Time ranges for minimums cannot overlap.
15) If configuring minimums per day of the week, repeat steps 5 - 14 for all desired days of the week.
16) If defining minimums per job, click Save, then repeat steps 4 - 16 for all desired jobs.
17) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
Configure Labor Thresholds
Follow these steps to configure labor thresholds:
Click steps to expand for additional information and images.
1) Navigate to the desired location’s labor matrix.
Select Admin from the left navigation rail.
Expand the Workforce category.
Select Labor Matrix.
Select the Locations tab.
Click the row for the desired location.
2) Create a new version or open an existing future version.
3) In the left hand section menu, click Variable labor to move to the Variable labor section.
4) If defining thresholds per job, select the desired job.
5) If defining thresholds per day part, select the desired day part.
6) Click Add threshold.
7) Enter the hourly forecast dollar or entree threshold.
8) In the Employees column, enter the number of labor hours forecasted if the hourly forecast amount is met or exceeded.
9) Repeat steps 6 - 8 to add as many additional thresholds as needed.
The threshold must be greater than the previous threshold.
Note: Click the Trashcan button to remove an unneeded threshold.
10) If configuring thresholds per day part, repeat steps 5 - 9 for all desired day parts.
11) If defining thresholds per job, click Save, then repeat steps 4 - 10 for all desired jobs.
12) Click Save version.
An effective date is required to save the version.
