A buddy bid lets you identify another crewmember to bid with, and tries to create blocks for each buddy that have the same pairings on the same dates.
Notes:
Both crewmembers must enter the other crewmember as a buddy for buddy bidding to occur. The senior crewmember is dropped to the same level as the junior crewmember.
Reduced Block (part time) and Regular Line (full time) bidders cannot use the Buddy Bidding feature. For Buddy Bidding to work, Users must be the same class. That is, Both Regular Line Bidders OR both Reduced Block.
Crew members who are buddy bidding with a more junior crewmember should also submit a Current or Default bid, even though it won’t be used for buddy bidding. If something happens, such as their buddy forgetting to bid properly, the N-PBS Scheduler uses their bid at their regular seniority to create their block.
Buddy Bidding Processing
Buddy bidding is only performed if both crewmembers enter each other in the buddy field. You can only identify one crewmember as a buddy.
The N-PBS Scheduler attempts to maximize the number of buddiable pairings awarded to each crewmember. Buddiable means that both crewmembers have been awarded the same pairing. The N-PBS Scheduler attempts to complete each buddy's block with buddiable pairings first. If it cannot fill each crewmember's block with buddiable pairings it will attempt to put non-buddiable pairings on each crewmember's block using the junior crewmember's bid. Shuffling of buddy and non-buddy pairings will also occur but the N-PBS Scheduler will give priority to non-buddy pairings. The N-PBS Scheduler also uses the system-generated Award Pairings bid to add buddiable pairings.
Buddy Bidding Position Processing
The N-PBS Scheduler considers positions when awarding buddiable pairings.
Buddy Bidding Position Examples
Award Pairings IF Position F1, F2, F3
The first buddy could receive F1 and the second receive F2, or the first could receive F1 and the second receive F3 and so on.
Award Pairings IF Positions SP
The first buddy would be awarded the SP position and the second buddy would receive any position available.
Buddy Bidding on the Reasons Report
Each pairing that is awarded with a buddy is listed as buddied on the Reasons Report.