> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What is Auto Mode?

> Auto Mode controls how much of an Auto Duty planning cycle runs without an admin clicking Generate or Publish — here's what each level actually does.

Auto Mode is a setting on an [Auto Duty](https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/auto-duty-planning/overview.md), not a separate feature. It controls how much of a [Planning Cycle](https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/auto-duty-planning/running-a-planning-cycle.md) happens without you clicking anything.

## The three levels

| Setting | What happens | Who's still in the loop |
| - | - | - |
| **Off** (default) | The cycle notifies staff and collects availability, then waits. You click **Generate Duty Plan** and, separately, **Publish Roster**. | You, at both steps. |
| **Generate duty plan automatically** (Auto Mode) | The cycle generates on its own once the review window closes, even if some responses are still pending. | You, at Publish. |
| **Publish automatically** | The generated Duty Plan publishes immediately, with no review step. Requires automatic generation to be on. | No one — fully unattended. |

## What doesn't change

Turning on Auto Mode doesn't change what the engine considers. The same [scheduling rules](https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/rosters/roster-constraints.md), the same doctor pool, and the same Shift Schedule apply whether a cycle is fully manual or fully automatic — see [What an Auto Duty covers](https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/auto-duty-planning/overview.md#what-an-auto-duty-covers). It only changes who has to click Generate and Publish.

> [!WARNING]
>
> With **Publish automatically** on, a Duty Plan goes live with no human review. If the engine produces a schedule with soft violations, those go out to the team unreviewed. Reserve this level for teams and periods where you already trust the inputs.

## Next steps

> **[Set up an Auto Duty](https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/auto-duty-planning/setting-up-an-auto-duty.md)**
>
> Where these toggles live and how to configure them.

> **[Run a planning cycle](https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/auto-duty-planning/running-a-planning-cycle.md)**
>
> See exactly where each Auto Mode level changes the cycle's stages.


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