When changing the shift pattern a few weeks ahead from the current week (using the default shift pattern assignment and rotation cycle), the weeks from this week to the week with the new shift pattern ticked, also ticks with the new shift pattern and not the original shift pattern selected. You would expect the shift pattern to change only from the future weeks selected.
For example, if the current week is 15/08 and I change shift pattern on w/c 5th Sept. The weeks 15/08, 22/08 and 22/09 change to the new shift pattern ticked. Shouldn't only weeks from 5/09 onwards change to new shift pattern ticked?
The Default Shift Pattern Assignments applies to all weeks (past, present and future; from the Plan Start Date to the end of the Planning Horizon). They are the assignments for a default week. The dates in that dialog only apply when using a Rotation Cycle of more than one week. Rotation Cycles are used to allow customers to have shift patterns that vary between Week 1 and Week 2, (For instance, they only work every other weekend). The date simply allows Orchestrate to know which week is Week 1 and Week 2.
If you would like to change shift patterns for specific weeks, please use Daily Adjustments. If your shift patterns are going to change permanently. Use the Default Shift Pattern Assignments to match how they will be from the relevant week commencing date onwards, and then use Daily Adjustments to change the next few weeks back to how they are right now.
The rotation cycle is working as designed. The label for the dates does say "Rotation Cycle Start Date" to reinforce the point of the planning.