# Availability saves on its own

![Availability saves on its own](/files/help/employee-availability-2.mp4 "Days save as you mark them. Submit is a separate step.")

An employee’s days on **Availability** save as they go. The page says we save as you go. There is no separate save button for each day. Publishing a schedule does not create pay.

1. Open **Availability** in the employee portal.
2. Select days that are still open. Past days are disabled.
3. Choose **Preferred**, **Available**, or **Can't work**.
4. Leave the page, or keep marking. The days stay on the month.
5. Choose **Submit** when a scheduler should treat the month as submitted.

**Copy last month** repeats the previous month onto this one and saves that copy.

## What you should see

Before any days, the chip says Not started. After days are marked, it says In progress. After **Submit**, it says Submitted and the confirmation says Availability submitted.

**Copy last month** confirms with Copied last month.

A scheduler sees In progress for a month that has days and has not been submitted, and Submitted after **Submit**. See [Review who is available](/hrms/attendance/availability-inbox).

## If something looks wrong

If a day does not stick, the message is Failed to save availability. Mark the day again.

**Submit** and **Copy last month** stay unavailable on a past month and on a locked month. A past month says This month has already passed. A locked month says: This month is locked. Ask a scheduler to reopen it if you need to make a change.

**Submit** is the step that marks the month submitted. Marking a day saves the day and leaves the month In progress until you submit.