Fill open shifts in When I Work from Claude

7 October 2026 · When I Work MCP server

You can ask Claude or ChatGPT who works this week in When I Work and which shifts nobody has taken yet. The AI finds the employees who can take an open shift and assigns it. A new shift that it creates is a draft by default. To start, add https://when-i-work.usefulapi.io/mcp to your AI client as a connector.

Which prompt do I start with?

Which shifts are still open this week? For each one, show who is eligible to take it and who said they are not available.

What does the AI do, step by step?

1. It lists the shifts in a time window, open shifts included, with wheniwork_list_shifts. It maps ids to names with wheniwork_list_users and wheniwork_list_locations.
2. For an open shift, it finds who can take it with wheniwork_list_eligible_users_for_shift, and checks wheniwork_list_availability and wheniwork_list_time_off_requests.
3. It assigns the shift with wheniwork_update_shift, or creates a new one with wheniwork_create_shift.
4. When you are ready, it publishes the drafts with wheniwork_publish_shifts.

How do I stay in control of the changes?

• wheniwork_create_shift creates a draft by default, and employees do not see a draft. The tools can also publish, so tell the AI to keep new shifts as drafts until you review them.
• An open shift that is already published stays published when the AI assigns it. The change is visible at once.
• wheniwork_publish_shifts does not itself send notifications. wheniwork_unpublish_shifts returns shifts to draft.
• When I Work can remove a shift's breaks when the shift changes. After an assignment, ask the AI to check the breaks of that shift.
• Most AI clients ask you to approve each call that changes data. This depends on the client's settings.

What do I need?

A When I Work developer key (W-Key), and the email and password that you use at app.wheniwork.com. If you have no developer key, ask When I Work support for one. See the setup steps for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and other clients.