# Request cover for your on-call shift

Can't take your on-call shift? Ask your colleagues on the schedule to cover it. The first colleague to accept takes over your on-call time in that window.

### Request cover for your shift

1. Go to [Who's on-call](https://incidents.betterstack.com/team/0/oncalls ";_blank") and open your schedule.
2. Click the arrow next to **Create override** and choose **Request cover**.
3. Check **From** and **To**. They're prefilled with your next shift.
4. Optionally, answer **Why are you requesting cover?**
5. Click **Request cover**.

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#### Don't see Request cover?
It shows only on schedules where you're on-call now or have a shift coming up. Schedules synced from an external calendar don't offer it.
[/info]

### After you request cover

Better Stack asks your colleagues on the schedule right away by e-mail and in-app notification, where they can accept or decline. Push notifications and direct messages in Slack and Microsoft Teams follow a few minutes apart, and stop once they answer or someone accepts. Colleagues on [holiday](https://betterstack.com/docs/uptime/holiday-mode/) aren't asked.

Until someone accepts, your schedule shows **Your cover request is waiting for an answer.** with a **Cancel request** link. You're notified whenever a colleague accepts or declines.

[info]
#### What happens when a colleague accepts?
They take over only your own on-call time in that window, as an override on the schedule. Teammates' shifts stay as they are.
[/info]

### Request cover from Slack, Microsoft Teams or your phone

- In Slack, type `/cover`. See [Request cover from Slack](https://betterstack.com/docs/uptime/slack/#request-cover-for-your-on-call-shift).
- In Microsoft Teams, mention `@Better Stack cover`. See [Request cover from Microsoft Teams](https://betterstack.com/docs/uptime/microsoft-teams/#request-cover-for-your-on-call-shift).
- In the Better Stack [mobile app](https://betterstack.com/docs/uptime/ios-and-android-mobile-apps/), you can request and answer cover too.