Scheduling and Routines

Availability: Available from the Essentials plan (99 SEK/mo).

The routine system in EquiDuty handles what would otherwise require spreadsheets and manual planning: ensuring all stable tasks get done and that work is distributed fairly over time. This guide explains routine templates, scheduling, and how the fairness algorithm works.

What Is a Routine Template?

A routine template is a blueprint for a task. It describes what needs to be done, how long it takes, and how many points it earns. Templates are the foundation for automatic scheduling.

Creating a Routine Template

Go to Routines → Templates and click New template.

Fill in:

• Name – Concise and clear, e.g. “Morning Mucking” or “Hay Distribution”
• Description – Detailed instructions for the person performing the task
• Estimated time – Number of minutes. The system uses this to calculate how much time is spent per person per day
• Points – How much this task weighs in the fairness system (see below)
• Steps (optional) – Break the task into subtasks, e.g.:
  1. Muck the stall
  2. Add fresh bedding
  3. Refill water
  4. Check for any injuries

Click Save when done.

Assignment Modes

Each template has an assignment mode that controls how tasks are distributed:

Auto – The system chooses who performs the task based on the fairness algorithm. Best for regular tasks that should be shared equally.

Manual – An Administrator manually assigns who is responsible. Good for tasks requiring specific skills (e.g. “Young horse training session”).

Self – Stable members can sign themselves up for the task (volunteer tasks). Works well for activities like trail rides or extra training sessions.

Unassigned – The task is generated in the schedule without a responsible person. Visible to everyone and can be claimed by anyone.

Generating a Schedule

With templates in place you can now create a schedule.

1. Go to Routines → Schedules

2. Click New schedule

3. Configure the schedule:

   • Name – E.g. “Weekly Mucking” or “January Daily Routines”
   • Start date and End date – The period the schedule covers (or leave end date empty for an ongoing schedule)
   • Frequency – Daily, every other day, specific weekdays, etc.
   • Which horses – All horses, a specific group, or individual horses
   • Which templates – Select one or more routine templates to include
   • Which people – Select which stable members should be included in the rotation

4. Click Generate to create the schedule

The system now creates individual tasks for each day in the period and assigns responsible people based on your settings.

Preview and Adjust

Before confirming you can see a preview of the generated assignments. Use the calendar or list view to check:

• That no days are missing a responsible person
• That workload looks reasonable per person
• That vacations and absences are accounted for (see below)

Click individual tasks to manually swap the responsible person if you want to make adjustments.

The Fairness Algorithm

EquiDuty’s fairness algorithm is designed to distribute work evenly without you having to think about it.

Points System

Each completed task earns the person points based on the template’s set value. Tasks with more work earn more points. The system tracks each person’s accumulated points over time.

The Distribution Principle

When the system needs to assign a new task and the assignment mode is Auto, it prioritizes the person who currently has the lowest accumulated points among those available.

The effect is that whoever has done the least work recently is automatically assigned the next task. Over weeks and months the workload evens out.

Weighting and Exceptions

You can fine-tune the algorithm:

• Weight factor per person – A part-time groom might should have 50% of the workload compared to a full-time employee. Set a weight factor (0.1–2.0) per person in Member settings.
• Absences – Mark a person as absent for specific days (vacation, illness). The algorithm automatically skips them.
• Skill restrictions – Tag specific tasks as “Requires qualification X” and only people with that tag are assigned those tasks.

Cumulative Points

Points are tracked cumulatively and are not automatically reset. This allows the algorithm to compensate for longer imbalances. If you want to start fresh you can manually reset points via Reports → Fairness Points → Reset period.

Viewing and Managing Assignments

Calendar View

Go to Routines → Schedule for the calendar view. Click a date to see that day’s tasks. Color coding shows status (not started, completed, overdue).

List View

Switch to list view for a compact, table-formatted overview. Filter by person, horse, or time period.

Swapping Responsibility

If you need to change who performs a specific task:

1. Click the task in the schedule or list view
2. Click the current person’s name
3. Select a new responsible person from the dropdown
4. Click Save

The change doesn’t affect the fairness algorithm retroactively – points are only adjusted upon actual completion.

Marking Tasks as Completed

Stable members mark their tasks as completed via the mobile app or web interface:

1. Open My tasks in the dashboard
2. Find the task
3. Click Mark as completed
4. Optionally add a comment (e.g. if something unusual was observed)
5. Confirm

Administrators can mark tasks as completed on behalf of any stable member.

Reminders and Notifications

EquiDuty can send reminders when a task:

• Is assigned to a new person
• Is X hours before its planned execution time
• Has not been marked as completed and is overdue

Configure notification settings per person under Settings → Notifications. Available channels: email, push notification (requires the app), and Telegram.