---
title: "Create a basic on-call schedule | Grafana Labs"
description: "Define a single rotation layer for one team with at least one responder to ensure coverage."
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# Create a basic on-call schedule

In this milestone, you create a basic schedule that uses a single rotation with team members taking turns to be on call. This schedule lets you route alerts sent to your escalation chain based on the current on-call assignment.

Schedules provide a structured way to manage team on-call coverage and automate shift handoffs. When used in escalation chains, IRM identifies who is on-call for a schedule and sends alert notifications to the appropriate users.

For this example, you configure a 24-hour daily handoff rotation:

To create a new schedule, complete the following steps:

1. Create a new on-call schedule.
   
   1. Open the schedule list from the IRM navigation menu.
   2. Start creating a new schedule.
   3. Choose a guided on-call rotation setup.
   4. Enter a descriptive name for the schedule (for example, `Production SRE`).
   5. Save the schedule. The rotation configuration modal opens automatically.

Now configure a single rotation layer. The first user in the rotation is on call when the schedule starts.

1. Add a rotation layer to your schedule.
   
   1. Add a new rotation. Skip this step if the rotation editor is already open.
   2. Select at least one responder. Drag to reorder; the top user is first on-call.
   3. Save the rotation.

> **Tip:** Add yourself as the current on-call user for initial testing to avoid sending notifications to teammates. Make sure your [personal notification rules](/docs/grafana-cloud/alerting-and-irm/irm/notify-responders/personal-notification-rules/) are configured so you actually receive the test notifications.

To verify the schedule, return to **Schedules** and locate the new schedule. View **Final schedule** to confirm rotation coverage and timing, and verify **On-call now** shows the expected user.

In the next milestone, you create an escalation chain that routes alerts to the current on-call responder from this schedule.