On-Call Schedules

Why On-Call Scheduling?

When an incident occurs at 3 AM, someone needs to respond. On-call scheduling ensures there's always a designated person responsible for responding to alerts — and that the burden is shared fairly across your team.

Alert24's on-call scheduling helps you:

• Define rotation schedules so responsibility is shared
• Ensure coverage 24/7 without gaps
• Route alerts to the right person at the right time
• Prevent burnout by distributing on-call fairly

Setting Up an On-Call Schedule

Step 1: Create a Schedule

1. Navigate to On-Call in the navigation bar
2. Click Create Schedule
3. Name the schedule (e.g., "Primary On-Call", "Backend Team On-Call")

Step 2: Add Team Members

Add the team members who will rotate on-call duty:

1. Click Add Members
2. Select team members from your organization
3. Set their notification preferences (email, SMS, push)

Step 3: Configure Rotation

Define how the on-call rotation works:

• Rotation type — Daily, weekly, or custom
• Handoff time — When the on-call shift changes (e.g., 9:00 AM Monday)
• Timezone — The timezone for the schedule

Step 4: Review and Activate

Preview the schedule to verify coverage, then activate it.

[Screenshot: On-call schedule setup]

Rotation Types

Daily Rotation

On-call responsibility rotates to the next person each day at the configured handoff time. Good for small teams where each person is on-call for a day.

Weekly Rotation

Each person is on-call for a full week before handing off. This is the most common rotation for engineering teams — it provides continuity without excessive burden.

Custom Rotation

Define custom rotation intervals or schedules for complex requirements. Useful when:

• Different people cover weekdays vs. weekends
• Shifts overlap during business hours
• Some team members have reduced on-call frequency

Managing Your Schedule

Overrides

Life happens. When someone can't cover their scheduled on-call shift:

1. Open the schedule
2. Click Add Override
3. Select the date range and the replacement person
4. The override takes effect immediately

Overrides are temporary and don't change the underlying rotation.

Viewing the Schedule

The schedule view shows:

• Current on-call — Who is on-call right now
• Upcoming shifts — The schedule for the next several weeks
• Past shifts — Historical on-call assignments

Calendar Integration

Export your on-call schedule to your calendar (Google Calendar, Outlook, etc.) so you always know when you're on-call.

Notifications

When an alert fires, the on-call person receives notifications through their configured channels:

• Email — Immediate email notification
• SMS — Text message (requires phone number in profile)
• Push notification — Mobile push notification

Alert24 sends notifications in the order configured and escalates if the on-call person doesn't acknowledge within the configured timeframe. See Escalation Policies for details.

Best Practices

• Start with weekly rotations — They're the simplest to manage and provide good continuity
• Ensure at least 3 people in each rotation — This prevents excessive on-call burden
• Set clear handoff times — Monday morning is common for weekly rotations
• Use overrides generously — Don't make people cover shifts during vacations or personal commitments
• Review the schedule monthly — Ensure it's still fair and has no gaps as team membership changes