Managing Shift Differentials in BambooHR

The article provides guidance on managing Shift Differentials in BambooHR, which allows for additional pay rates for employees working outside standard hours. It outlines the setup, editing, and management processes, including how to assign employees and adjust permissions. Administrators and HR managers with appropriate access can utilize these features effectively. The article emphasizes the importance of verifying account settings before implementation and explains how to navigate the system to create and manage differentials. It also covers troubleshooting common issues and includes links to related resources for further support. This comprehensive guide ensures efficient management of employee compensation for non-standard shifts.

  • Jul 2, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Managing Shift Differentials in BambooHR
Article Text
Time & Attendance (Time Tracking) is only included as an add-on.

Summary

Shift Differentials in BambooHR help you manage additional pay rates for employees who work outside standard business hours, such as evenings, nights, or weekends. This guide explains how to set up, edit, and manage shift differentials, assign employees, and adjust permissions.

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Table of Contents

If you're a BambooHR Payroll customer, make sure to check out this help guide to learn more about how shift differentials function in a payroll run!

Who this is for

This guide is for BambooHR administrators and HR managers who manage Time & Attendance and Payroll. You must have Full Admin access or custom access with Time & Attendance settings or Manage Shift Differentials permissions.

Before you start

Before setting up shift differentials:

  • Verify that Time & Attendance and/or Payroll are enabled in your BambooHR account.
  • Ensure you have permission to manage Time & Attendance settings.
  • If you use Payroll only, note that employees cannot be directly assigned to differentials in BambooHR. Instead, use the Hours Importer, API, or manual entry in Payroll.

Shift Differentials in BambooHR

Shift Differential hours will be automatically calculated with BambooHR Time & Attendance or can be manually added by customers using the Hours Importer, Hours API, or via direct edit in Payroll. If you're using BambooHR Payroll, shift differentials will be applied to the employee's base or project/task pay rate.

Customers can use Shift Differentials in several configurations:

  • Time & Attendance only
  • Payroll only (via Hours Import/API/manual entry)
  • Both Payroll and Time & Attendance (the most seamless experience)

1. Add Shift Differential: Click this button to add a new shift differential to your account.

2. Name: This column lists the name of the shift differential. All names must be unique and can be up to 50 characters.

3. Schedule: This column shows the days and times determined in the differential setup.

4. Employees: This column shows the number of employees assigned to this differential. Click on the number to see who is in the differential.

5. Rate: This column shows the percentage or dollar amount that the employees earns by working this shift.

6. Archive: The Archive button allows you to file away shift differentials if they are not in use. If you unarchive a differential, the original employees will be assigned this differential. If those employees have been assigned to a conflicting differential, you'll have a chance to remedy this before restoring the archived differential.

7. Delete: This removes the differential from the shift differential settings. However, any data relating to this differential will still be available on the employee's timesheet and in the following reports: Payroll Hours Input, Wages & Hours, Payroll Register, Payroll Register with Hours, and Complete Summary. If you delete a differential, we recommend changing the name before deleting (i.e. Overnight - DELETE), as you will not be able to set up a new differential with the same name as a deleted differential in the future.

Set up Shift Differentials in BambooHR

1. Navigate to Shift Differentials

Go to Settings > Time & Attendance > Shift Differentials.

Click Add Shift Differential to create a new one.

2. Name the Shift Differential

Enter a name for your differential.

  • Names must be unique and up to 50 characters long.
  • None cannot be used as a name.
  • If you plan to delete it later, rename it first (e.g., Overnight  DELETE) since deleted names cannot be reused.
3. Select a Schedule Template

Choose one of the following templates or create a Custom Schedule. You can adjust hours as needed. The day selected is when the shift starts.

Schedule TypeDefault Settings
Weekday EveningsMonday-Friday, 4:00 PM-12:00 AM
OvernightMonday-Friday, 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM
WeekendsSaturday-Sunday, 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Custom ScheduleNo defaults
4. Set the Pay Rate

Choose whether the differential adds a percentage or a fixed dollar amount to the employees normal hourly rate. The rate must be zero or greater.

5. Assign Employees
  • If Time & Attendance is enabled, select which employees will receive the differential.
  • If Payroll only is enabled, this section shows No Employees.

You can still assign hours manually through:

6. Manage Existing Differentials

Once differentials are created, you can:

  • Edit to update details such as time, rate, or assigned employees.
  • Archive to deactivate without deleting; employee assignments remain intact.
    • Unarchiving reactivates the differential, though the system may prompt you to resolve scheduling conflicts.
  • Delete to permanently remove a differential.
    • Data tied to deleted differentials remains visible in timesheets and reports (e.g., Payroll Hours Input, Wages & Hours, Payroll Register).

Timesheet Display

When employees work during a differential period:

  • Their timesheet (web or mobile) shows the Shift Name with a $ icon next to affected hours.
  • Totals appear similar to Holiday hours, showing both hours worked and the differential rate.

Access and Permissions

Default Access

  • Full Admins and Account Owners can manage shift differentials automatically.

Custom Access

Access can be granted through Settings > Access Levels > What Can People with this Access Level Do? > Time & Attendance:

  • Check Manage Shift Differentials (and optionally Manage Project Tracking).
  • Or enable Time & Attendance Settings, which includes both permissions.
Access ConfigurationResulting Permissions
Time & Attendance Settings OnlyCan manage all Time & Attendance settings, including shift differentials and project tracking.
Shift Differentials OnlyCan manage only shift differentials.
Shift Differentials + Project Tracking + Time & Attendance SettingsFull control over all Time & Attendance settings and project tracking.
Shift Differentials + Project Tracking (no Time & Attendance Settings)Can add, edit, and delete both project tracking and shift differentials.

For more information about granting custom access to shift differentials, click here.

Shift Differentials Troubleshooting

SymptomCauseFix
Overlapping schedule warningEmployee is assigned to two overlapping differentials.Remove the employee from one shift or adjust the schedule.
Cannot add employeesPayroll-only setup prevents direct assignment.Use the Hours Importer, API, or manual entry instead.
Deleted name cannot be reusedDeleted differential names are locked.Rename before deletion (e.g., “Overnight - DELETE”)

Variants by Role

RoleAccess/Action
Account Owner/Full AdminFull control to add, edit, delete, and assign differentials.
Employee with Time & Attendance AccessCan view assigned employees’ differentials and adjust schedules if access is granted.
EmployeeCan view differential hours and pay rate on their timesheets.
URL Name
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