A shift scheduling and workforce management web app built with Flask, featuring role-based dashboards, live in-app notifications, and full audit logging.
AssistantScheduler helps managers build and maintain employee shift schedules while giving employees real-time visibility into their own upcoming work. When a manager creates, edits, or deletes a shift, the affected employee is notified instantly — no page refresh required.
Live demo: assistantscheduler.onrender.com
- Role-based access control — separate dashboards and permissions for Managers and Employees (Service Sales Reps, Assistants)
- Shift management — create, edit, and delete shifts with route assignment, PPE requirements, and notes
- Real-time notifications — powered by Flask-SocketIO with per-user rooms, so updates appear live without polling or refreshing
- Audit logging — every create/update/delete action is recorded with the acting user and timestamp, visible to managers
- Employee & route management — manager tools for maintaining employee records and delivery routes/stops
- Secure sessions — HttpOnly, Secure, and SameSite-flagged session cookies; bcrypt password hashing
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Backend | Python, Flask |
| Real-time | Flask-SocketIO, eventlet |
| Database | PostgreSQL (production), SQLite (local dev) |
| ORM / Migrations | SQLAlchemy, Flask-Migrate (Alembic) |
| Auth | Flask-Login, bcrypt |
| Forms | Flask-WTF |
| Production server | Gunicorn (eventlet worker) |
| Hosting | Render |
- Notifications are written to the database and pushed live via a
notify_user()service helper, which emits a SocketIO event scoped to auser_{id}room — ensuring updates only ever reach the intended recipient's active session. - Blueprints separate manager and employee routes (
app/manager,app/employee) for clear permission boundaries. - Session cookies are configured with
SameSite=LaxandSecure=Truein production to reduce cross-site request risks.
- Python 3.12+
- PostgreSQL (or SQLite for local development)
# Clone the repo
git clone <your-repo-url>
cd CintasSchedulingApp
# Create and activate a virtual environment
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txtCreate a .env file (or export these directly) before running the app:
| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
SECRET_KEY |
Flask session signing key | Yes |
DATABASE_URL |
PostgreSQL connection string | Yes (falls back to local SQLite if unset) |
FLASK_ENV |
Set to production in deployed environments |
Recommended |
flask db upgradeflask runVisit http://127.0.0.1:5000 in your browser.
gunicorn --worker-class eventlet -w 1 --bind 0.0.0.0:$PORT run:apppytestCintasSchedulingApp/
├── app/
│ ├── employee/ # Employee-facing routes & templates
│ ├── manager/ # Manager-facing routes & templates
│ ├── models.py # SQLAlchemy models
│ ├── services.py # Shared service helpers (notifications, audit logging)
│ └── __init__.py # App factory
├── migrations/ # Alembic migration history
├── tests/ # Test suite
├── config.py # App configuration
└── run.py # Entry point
- Employee self-service shift swap requests
- Email notifications in addition to in-app
- Manager-facing analytics on scheduling patterns
Specify your license here (e.g., MIT).