Else Start Next Bid Group can be added to the end of all Prefer Off and Avoid bids along with certain Set Condition bids, in both a Pairing and Reserve bid group. If you do not see the Else Start Next Bid Group option, it is not available. By attaching the Else Start Next Bid Group option, you tell the N-PBS Scheduler that if a legal schedule cannot be created using this bid preference, you would prefer to move to the next bid group, either a Pairings bid group or a Reserve bid group.
If you use this command in your last bid group, the N-PBS Scheduler uses the system-generated bid groups to complete your block. This means the N-PBS Scheduler will attempt to build you a pairings block using the Award Pairings system-generated bid preference. If a complete block still cannot be built, the N-PBS Scheduler attempts to build you a Reserve block using the system-generated bid preference Start Reserve.
If you submit a bid with an Else Start Next Bid option in a bid group without a bid group after it, you will see the following message:
Note: Bid Groups are independent of each other. Bid Preferences are only relevant for the bid group they are contained in. The N-PBS Scheduler clears anything (Pairings or Reserve Days) and begins processing the next bid group.