Microsoft testing an app for managing shift workers’ schedules

Microsoft has released a new productivity application with closed access called Project Sonoma to both Google Play and the iTunes App Store that helps shift workers keep track of their daily toil. Employees who need to keep track of their ever-changing schedules can see shifts, request swaps, and chat with teammates either one-on-one or in groups.

There hasn’t been any official announcement about the launch but you can sign up for a waiting list if you want to get in. The app looks somewhat like Slack, given its team chat emphasis. However, the main aim is managing employees’ schedules with three sections on the main screen: My Shifts, Requests, and Messages.

The first allows the employee to track their schedules and see when they’re working next. Requests let them ask for schedule changes or swap shifts with others. Meanwhile, the Messages section is a simple team chat where you could receive important updates from the management, ask questions of co-workers, and chat with your work colleagues.

Rubbishing speculations that Project Sonoma is the result of a small acquisition oracqui-hire on Microsoft’s part, TechCrunch quotes a Microsoft’s spokesperson as saying:

"Project Sonoma is an app we are testing with a limited group of customers that lets employees view and manage their work shifts from their phone. People whose company has signed up to participate during the testing phase can install and use the app. We are not disclosing the names or number of companies participating in the test.

"We're always building and incubating new solutions to help people get more done, and we don't have any availability timelines or details to share at this time. We can confirm that Project Sonoma has been developed internally by Microsoft from the ground up and is not based on an acquisition."

The app’s existence was first spotted by the blog Mspoweruser.com, which saw it was live on Google Play in preview mode. The app was updated on Google Play just a few days ago, but the iOS version has been live since June 10th.