HelpTeam & rolesTake over a counter
Take over a counter
A counter in use is never taken silently. If the person at it has gone home or moved on, you tap the counter and press Take over, and the counter is yours. They are told, with your name and the reason.
Quick answer. Press the Counter control in the top bar, tap the counter someone else is at, and press Take over. To give a reason, press Add a reason first. If the person is with a visitor right now, use Grab & call instead.
Example Soumya signed in at Counter 2 and has gone home without signing out. Karthik presses Counter in the top bar, taps Counter 2 (it says “Taken by Soumya”), presses Add a reason, chooses “They have gone home”, and confirms. Counter 2 is now his. Next time Soumya opens turnda, a note says Karthik took over Counter 2 at 14:05, with the reason, until she presses OK.
How to take over
- Press the Counter control in the top bar. It reads “Sign in”, “Not signed in” or “At counter”. The window “Your counter” lists every counter of the line; one someone else is at says “Taken by Soumya”.
- Tap the counter someone else is at. A box asks “Take over from Soumya?” and says “Soumya gets signed out.” A free counter is simply tapped to sit there (“Tap to sit here”).
- Press Take over. Screen readers hear it as, for example, “Take over Counter 2 from Soumya”. The page says “You are now at Counter 2.” This quick way records the reason “Took over the counter”.
- To say why, press Add a reason first. A window names the person and the counter, and whether they are with a visitor. If they were active a moment ago, it adds “Soumya is active at this counter right now. Make sure they know.”
- Under Why? choose a reason. They have gone home · Shift change · They are on a break · They asked me to · Other. Other needs a few words under Say why, in a few words. The button stays greyed out until you choose, and says which.
If the person has already left in the meantime, the box says “Nobody is at Counter 2 now. You can sign in there.”
Who is allowed
| You are | You can take over… |
|---|---|
| Staff placed at this location | A counter whose person is not holding a visitor. If they have a visitor called to them or on hold at the counter, you are refused — see below. |
| A manager of this location | Any counter at that location, whether or not the person has a visitor. |
| The owner | Any counter. |
A counter with a visitor on it. If the person is holding a visitor, a member of staff sees “Soumya has A12 at this counter. Use Grab & call to take the visitor to your own counter, or ask a manager.” A manager or the owner can take over anyway; the visitor stays at the counter and is now with them (“A12 stays at Counter 2 and is now with you”). See Grab & call.
The other person is told
- Their page shows “Karthik took over Counter 2 at 14:05. Reason: They have gone home. You are no longer at a counter.” until they press OK. It is waiting for them when they next open turnda. It also appears as a warning with an OK button in the amber Warnings list beside the bell (it is not repeated in the bell itself).
- The reason window tells you this beforehand: “Soumya will be told, with your name and this reason. It is written to the Activity record.”
- Nothing here deletes anything. The takeover is in the Activity log, and the Activity page lists it under “Counters that changed hands”.
Sign someone out instead
Managers of the location also see a Sign out button beside a counter someone else is at, to release it without taking it. Use it when nobody needs the counter, only to tidy up.
Common questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| We just share a tablet. | Use Switch person. It changes who is using the tablet without removing anyone from their counter. |
| Can I take over while I am serving someone? | If you already sit at another counter, you are asked what happens to the visitor you hold, before the move. |
| Does the shift rule apply? | If your location uses the “only around their shift” rule, taking over follows it too. See Schedule: Rules. |
When a colleague takes over yours
When a colleague takes over your counter or grabs your visitor, you see who, when and why on your own screen, on any computer or tablet, until you press OK.
Related: Switch person · Grab & call · Presence & counters