Getting Started
Cover Ninja is available for venues via a web app. Please visit app.coverninja.co.uk. Your instructors can download the mobile app from both The App Store and the Google Play store.
We’d love to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to drop us a line at stuff@coverninja.co.uk. We’ll aim to get back to you within 24 hours during working hours.
Cover Ninja loves to hear feedback from it’s users. We are constantly evolving and feedback from our Venues and Instructors is vital to our progress. If you are happy with our service then we’d love for you to leave us a lovely review on the App Storeor Google Playstore. If you’ve got an opinion, we’d love to hear it. Drop us a line at stuff@coverninja.co.uk. We’ll aim to get back to you within 24 hours during working hours.
Cover Ninja is free to download. Venues pay a monthly fee of £50 plus VAT for the use of Cover Ninja. This entitles your timetabled instructors to use Cover Ninja for your venue for free.
Cover Ninja aims to deliver fantastic value for money to it’s customers and we will always aim to keep the price of Cover Ninja simple, transparent and affordable. The subscription fees go towards 1) Our tech – We are constantly evolving Cover Ninja and adding new features. 2)Marketing – We are busy spreading the word to build our community – recruiting and onboarding more amazing Venues and Instructors. 3) The Cover Ninja team and office – We have a small, dedicated team of Ninjas working behind the scenes to provide you a great service.
You can view Cover Ninja’s Terms of Use here.
You can view Cover Ninja’s Privacy Policy here.
You can view Cover Ninja’s Cookie Declaration here.
You can view the Venue Software Agreement here.
Your Cover
A blue tick signals a confirmed cover while an orange circle signals a pending cover. Or you can use the tabs across the top to view only confirmed/pending/past covers.
When a cover is confirmed it means that we have confirmed a cover instructor to teach that class. You are able to see who is confirmed to cover the class from the Your Cover tab on the Web App, where it says ‘Cover Instructor’. You can click on the name of the cover instructor to view the profile of the cover instructor.
When a cover is confirmed it means that we have confirmed a cover instructor to teach that class. You are able to see who is confirmed to cover the class from the Your Cover tab on the Web App, where it says ‘Cover Instructor’. You can click on the name of the cover instructor to view the profile of the cover instructor.
If a cover is pending, it means a cover instructor is yet to be confirmed for the venue. In the ‘Cover Instructor’ column on the web app it will either say TBC, or Instructor Found. If it says TBC, then no one has said they are able to cover yet. If it says Instructor Found then it means that there is someone who can cover but they are not in your top choice, so the app is waiting a little longer to find the most suitable instructor. After the given timeframe and when the most suitable instructor is confirmed, you will be notified by email and the cover will move to confirmed and display the name of the cover instructor.
A blue tick signals a confirmed cover while an orange circle signals a pending cover. Or you can use the tabs across the top to view only confirmed/pending/past covers.
If a cover is pending, it means a cover instructor is yet to be confirmed for the venue. In the ‘Cover Instructor’ column on the web app it will either say TBC, or Instructor Found. If it says TBC, then no one has said they are able to cover yet. If it says Instructor Found then it means that there is someone who can cover but they are not in your top choice, so the app is waiting a little longer to find the most suitable instructor. After the given timeframe and when the most suitable instructor is confirmed, you will be notified by email and the cover will move to confirmed and display the name of the cover instructor.
You are able to see who is confirmed to cover the class from the Your Cover tab on the Web App, where it says ‘Cover Instructor’. You can click on the name of the cover instructor to view the profile of the cover instructor. From here, you can click ‘view’ where it says insurance or certifications. You will then be able to see the documents they have uploaded. You can click ‘open in browser’ to open the document and you are then able to right click the image and save to your computer if you need.
You are able to see who is confirmed to cover the class from the Your Cover tab on the Web App, where it says ‘Cover Instructor’. You can click on the name of the cover instructor to view the profile of the cover instructor. From here, you will be able to view their phone number and email address. If you click on the email address it will open up an email to them for you to write.
The Your Cover tab of the web app shows all the cover covers past, present and future for your Venue. You can click on past to view all covers in the past. You are then able to click ‘date’ to order the covers by date to see all the covers that happened in a particular time frame.
If a cover is still Pending, you are able to cancel the request by expanding the request and clicking ‘cancel cover request’.
However, if a cover instructor has already been confirmed for your class, please contact them immediately to let them know that they will not be covering. You must also contact us at stuff@coverninja.co.uk with the subject line: Cancel Cover Request, so that we are able to cancel the request on the app and it will be removed from your dashboard.
When cover is confirmed for your venue, you will receive an email notifying you. You will also be able to see this in the Your Cover tab of the Web app. A confirmed cover will have a blue tick and the name of the cover instructor.
If a request has been posted and no one is able to cover, Cover Ninja will be in touch with you. At this point, you are able to decide whether you would like to change the cover request. There are a few things that you may wish to change in order to find someone to cover:
Change the receiving group:
You can change who you want to receive the request. This may mean opening up the request to more people. Go to Get Cover and choose the date and class you need cover for. On the third step you will have the option to edit the receiving group by clicking on the edit button by receiving group. You can add or remove more groups to this receiving group. Once you have edited, you can click to post the request.
Change the class name and category
You can change the type of class so that you could potentially find someone to cover the class. Go to Get Cover and choose the date and class you need cover for. On the third step, click on the name of the class and you can click to edit the name and description. You must then also click on the category and change this to best reflect the class you are posting your request for. Once you have edited, you can click to post the request.
Change the pay rate
You may wish to edit the pay rate in order to find someone to cover. Go to Get Cover and choose the date and class you need cover for. On the third step, click on the edit button by the pay rate and change the pay rate. Once you have edited, you can click to post the request.
Get Cover
When cover is confirmed for your venue, you will receive an email notifying you. You will also be able to see this in the Your Cover tab of the Web app. A confirmed cover will have a blue tick and the name of the cover instructor.
Yes! All of your instructors classes will be pre loaded onto the app.
They need to go to the Get Cover tab and choose the date they need cover for. On clicking the date, their class will appear. They select the class and click Next. All information has already been pre-loaded by the venue for the class and so tey can just click ‘Post Cover’ and the request will go out to all eligible instructors. They are able to add further notes that will only be viewable by the confirmed cover instructor. The venue has set their preference on who will receive the request, but they are also able to prioritise instructors they would like to be chosen to cover. They can click on the receiving group edit button and then click to prioritise instructors. This will only show instructors that they venue has OK’d. They can choose one or multiple instructors and this means that if they are available then they will be chosen, ahead of any other instructors. The first person to respond out of the prioritised instructors will be chosen. If none of them are available or eligible to cover, then the app will choose someone from the venue’s pre-set preferences.
When an instructor has posted a request for your venue, it will appear in the Your Cover section of your web app. An orange circle signals a pending cover. When cover is confirmed, you will receive an email notifying you and can view the status of the confirmed cover in Your Cover (with a blue tick).
As soon as cover is confirmed for your venue, you will receive an email notifying you. You can also view this in the Your Cover section of your web app. A blue tick signals a confirmed cover while an orange circle signals a pending cover. Or you can use the tabs across the top to view only confirmed/pending/past covers.
When a cover is confirmed it means that we have confirmed a cover instructor to teach that class. You are able to see who is confirmed to cover the class from the Your Cover tab on the Web App, where it says ‘Cover Instructor’. You can click on the name of the cover instructor to view the profile of the cover instructor.
You have set your receiving groups in the Timetable section of the app. This determines who gets the cover request (they must also fit all the other criteria such as insurance, certification, location, availability etc). You are able to edit the receiving groups before you post a cover request. Once you click to edit it, you can add or remove groups by selecting or deselecting the tick. You can then move around the order of priority by the holding and moving the button on the right hand side. The higher the receiving group the more priority someone is given to cover. The app will chosen someone that has accepted the request in the highest up receiving group.
All your venues classes should appear. If they are not appearing, they that means they are not in the Timetable section. Once added to your Timetable section they will appear in Get Cover.
At the moment, you will need to post these as separate cover requests. Do not worry though – we are working on being able to post them as part of a ‘shift’ so watch this space!
You can add in any extra information that you think will be useful for the cover instructor such as how to run the class, tips about what kind of music the class like, anything you would like them to communicate to your class etc. This will only be viewable for the instructor that is confirmed to cover your class.
The request goes to everyone that is eligible from your pre-set receiving groups, whether you or your instructor posts the request. The request will go to everyone eligible at the same time but the app knows who has preference and who to choose to cover.
When you click to prioritise an instructor it will bring up a list of the venue’s instructors for you to choose from. However, the instructor you choose to prioritise will only receive the request if they fit all the other prerequisites, such as class type, location, availability etc. Therefore, even if you select them, they will only receive the request if it is relevant to them.
All the information on the cover review comes from the class in the Timetable section. If something is incorrect, you must change it on the Timetable tab and then it will appear on the Get Cover tab.
If you or your instructor who is posting the request knows who you would like to cover, they can be given preference. This means that if they say they can cover, they will be chosen immediately. However, if they are not available the app will choose someone from the venue’s preferences.
Click on the receiving group edit button and then click to prioritise instructors. This will only show instructors that are linked to the venue (in your All Instructors list). You can choose one or multiple instructors and this means that if they are available then they will be chosen, ahead of any other instructors. The first person to respond out of the prioritised instructors will be chosen. If none of them are available or eligible to cover, then the app will choose someone from the venues pre-set preferences.
You must edit the receiving groups and choose to prioritise an individual instructor. As a venue, you are able to then remove all of the other groups in the receiving groups so it just shows that person (or peoples) name. This means the request will only go to that person(s) and no one else. Or, you can prioritise that person, but leave the other receiving groups on. This means that if your prioritised instructor is able to cover, they will be chosen, but if they are not able to cover, then the app will choose the next most relevant instructor.
Once you have posted a cover request, the request will appear in the Your Cover on the web app. You will be able to see it as a Pending request and it will have an orange circle. When Cover Ninja confirms a cover instructor, you will receive an email letting you know. You can still view the request in the Your Cover tab but it will now have a blue tick and be confirmed.
If you posted a request and it is still Pending in the Your Cover tab you are able to cancel the request by clicking the X.
However, if a cover instructor has already been confirmed, please contact us at stuff@coverninja.co.uk with the subject line: Cancel Cover Request, and we will cancel the request. Be sure to let the cover instructor know that they are not needed to cover.
I’m afraid you are unable to post a request if the class is within 2 hours.
Your Instructors
At some venues, some instructors get paid different amounts to the standard pay rate. If this is the case for one of your instructors:
- Click on the tick next to the name of the instructor
- Click Actions
- Click Update pay rate. You can then specify the rate they would get if they covered a 30 mins/45 mins/ 60 mins class.
This means the request they get will show their bespoke pay rate, whilst other instructors would see the rate that is for the class, on the Timetable section.
- Click on the tick next to one or more instructors.
- Then click Actions.
- From here click Update employed status. You can then specify if they are PAYE or Freelance.
- Click on the tick next to their name
- Click Actions
- Click Remove from my list
- You will be asked if you want to move to Cover list or remove fully from the venue. If you move to cover list so that they are still linked to you and give priority over cover, then click on move to cover list. If you remove them from your venue, they are no longer linked to your venue and don’t have priority over cover. Neither you or your instructors will be able to prioritise this instructor anymore.
- Click on the tick next to their name
- Click Actions
- Click Remove from my list. If you remove them from your venue, they are no longer linked to your venue and don’t have priority over cover. Neither you or your instructors will be able to prioritise this instructor anymore.
For now, you must email stuff@coverninja.co.uk with the name and email of who you would like to add. Very soon, you will be able to do this through the Instructors tab so watch this space!
This means that they are linked to your venue and given priority to cover over the wider Cover Ninja database. Only add people to your cover list who you know and trust for cover. Being on your cover list also means that you or your instructors are able to prioritise them when posting a cover request.
No! As long as they are linked to your venue via the app, it is totally free for your timetabled and cover instructors to accept unlimited requests from your venue.
This is all of your timetabled and cover instructors that are linked to your venue.
Cover Groups
What are cover groups?
Cover groups are essentially your way of grouping your instructors. You can make as many cover groups as you want and then you are able to add them, in order, to your receiving groups in the Timetable section so the app knows exactly the order of priority you want to give it your instructors for cover. You can make favourites groups for different venues or classes.
- Click on Cover Groups on the left tab
- Click All Instructors
- Scroll down or search for the name of the instructor.
- Click the tick next to their name
- Click Actions
- Click Add to other cover group
- Click the name of the cover group or create a new cover group and then click it so the blue tick appears
- Click save
This is all of your timetabled and cover instructors that are linked to your venue.
- Click on Cover Groups on the left tab
- Click ‘add new’ or New cover group
- Name your cover group
- Choose from a list of your instructors who you would like in your cover group and click the blue tick to add them
- Click save instructors
- Whilst in the cover group, click on the tick next to the name of the instructor or instructors you want to remove
- Click Actions
- Click Remove from this group
- When asked to confirm, click yes.
As many as you want!
- Firstly you have to make sure you have made your cover groups in the Cover Groups tab
- Then you must click on Timetable on the left tab
- You can then edit the receiving groups. You can do this for the Master receiving groups or just for select classes
Edit Master Receiving groups
If you edit your master receiving groups, it will affect any classes in your Timetable that have Master as the receiving group. This will be their new receiving group.
- Click Edit Master Receiving Groups
- Add or remove groups by selecting or deselecting the tick. The request will only go out to eligible people out of the groups you have selected. The request will not go to anyone in the groups that you have not selected. You can then move around the order of priority by the holding and moving the button on the right hand side. The higher the receiving group the more priority someone is given to cover. The app will chosen someone that has accepted the request in the highest up receiving group.
Edit Receiving groups for certain classes
- Select the class or classes you would like to edit the receiving groups for by clicking on the tick to the left of the class name.
- Click Actions
- Click Set Custom Receiving groups
- Add or remove groups by selecting or deselecting the tick. The request will only go out to eligible people out of the groups you have selected. The request will not go to anyone in the groups that you have not selected. You can then move around the order of priority by the holding and moving the button on the right hand side. The higher the receiving group the more priority someone is given to cover. The app will chosen someone that has accepted the request in the highest up receiving group.
These classes will then have a new receiving group and it will say Custom. You can see the receiving groups that are set by clicking on the edit button to the right of where it says Custom.
Yes of course! You need to do this in the Timetable section of the web app.
Edit Master Receiving groups
If you edit your master receiving groups, it will affect any classes in your Timetable that have Master as the receiving group. This will be their new receiving group.
- Click on the Timetable tab on left bar
- Click Edit Master Receiving Groups
- Add or remove groups by selecting or deselecting the tick. The request will only go out to eligible people out of the groups you have selected. The request will not go to anyone in the groups that you have not selected. You can then move around the order of priority by the holding and moving the button on the right hand side. The higher the receiving group the more priority someone is given to cover. The app will chosen someone that has accepted the request in the highest up receiving group.
Timetable
Master receiving groups determine the receiving groups for all the classes on your Timetable that are set to Master. You can see in the Timetable table which classes are set to Master, as the receiving groups column will say Master.
Receiving groups determine who a cover request for that class will go to. Anytime you or your instructor posts a cover request for that class it will go to eligible instructors who are in the receiving groups that you have selected. The request will not go to instructors in groups that are not selected so you control who you want to receive the request. Instructors still nee to be qualified, in the right location, availability etc to receive the request as well.
If you edit your master receiving groups, it will affect any classes in your Timetable that have Master as the receiving group. This will be their new receiving group.
- Click on the Timetable tab on left bar.
- Click Edit Master Receiving Groups.
- Add or remove groups by selecting or deselecting the tick. The request will only go out to eligible people out of the groups you have selected. The request will not go to anyone in the groups that you have not selected. You can then move around the order of priority by the holding and moving the button on the right hand side. The higher the receiving group the more priority someone is given to cover. The app will chosen someone that has accepted the request in the highest up receiving group.
- You must first create the cover group in the Cover Groups section.
- You then either click to edit aster receiving groups or custom receiving groups.
- Add or remove groups by selecting or deselecting the tick. The request will only go out to eligible people out of the groups you have selected. The request will not go to anyone in the groups that you have not selected. You can then move around the order of priority by the holding and moving the button on the right hand side. The higher the receiving group the more priority someone is given to cover. The app will chosen someone that has accepted the request in the highest up receiving group.
The master pay rate is the pay rate for all the classes that are set to master pay rate. You can set a master pay rate for all classes 30/45/60 mins long so that you don’t have to set a pay rate for every single class but just set all classes to the master. You are then able to select separate classes and give them a custom rate, if it is not the same as the master.
You can see which classes have the master pay rate on the Timetable table as have the blue M by the pay rate.
- Click on the Timetable tab
- Click Edit Master Pay Rate
- Slide the button higher or lower to the pay rate for that particular time of class
This means all classes that are set to the master, that are that length (IE 30 mins) will now have that pay rate.
- Click on the Timetable tab
- Select the class or classes by clicking on the tick to the left of their name
- Click Actions
- Click edit pay rate
- Scroll the circle to whatever pay rate you want to set for those classes
- Click Update
This class or classes will now have a custom pay rate that you have set. There will no longer be a blue M, as they are not on the Master pay rate.
Just click on the word ‘day’, ‘class’, ‘instructor’ to order the timetable alphabetically or by day.
A class category determines which instructors receive a request. On set up, an instructor will select the categories of classes that they teach. They will therefore only receive requests that are relevant to their qualifications and experience.
Every class on your timetable has a category so that when the class is posted for cover, the app knows which instructors should receive the request.
- Select the classes you want to edit by clicking the tick box to the left of the name of the class.
- Click Actions.
- Click edit class details.
- Edit the name or description.
- Click confirm changes.
- You are able to order classes by name, day or instructor by clicking on the word ‘day’, ‘class’, ‘instructor’.
- Select the classes you want to edit by clicking the tick box to the left of the name of the class.
- Click Actions.
A custom receiving group is any class that does not have the master receiving groups but they have their own personal receiving groups just for that class.
In the Timetable table, there is a column that says Receiving Groups. Each class will either say Master or Custom. You can click on the little edit button to the right of this to see what the receiving group is, and to edit it.
For a single class
- On the table on the Timetable tab, click on the class category that is set for the class which will bring up a list of all the categories
- Click the name of the category you want to change it to
For multiple classes
- Select the classes you want to edit by clicking the tick box to the left of the name of the class
- Click Actions
- Click edit class category
- Select the category you want from the list
- Click confirm category