Employee Scheduling The Best Employee Scheduling Software For Small Businesses In 2024 By Riddhiman Roy Employee Scheduling 2 comments Last Reviewed: November 8, 2024 Picture this: a vibrant morning huddle in your conference room, team members discussing the day’s tasks and goals, and maybe a bit of friendly banter. Sounds like a perfect workday, right? However, last-minute scheduling conflicts and changes can disrupt the whole process. To avoid that, stop punishing yourself with manual scheduling and try employee scheduling software for small businesses today! Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders Compare the Best Employee Scheduling Software for Small Businesses Select up to 5 Products from the list below to compare Product Analyst ScoreAwardsUser Sentiment ScoreStart PriceFree TrialCompany SizeDeploymentWhen I Work 86 None90%Excellent $2.50Per User, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Homebase 84 Best for Collaboration91%Excellent $24.95Per Location, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Sling 84 None91%Excellent $1.70Per User, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Shiftbase 75 None90%Excellent $3.50Per Employee, Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise WhenToWork 61 None89%Great $40Monthly Yes Small Medium Large Cloud On-Premise Compare Compare Our analysts did in-depth research to curate a list of the best employee scheduling tools for small businesses. I tried and tested each of those products to explore the ease of use, scheduling and time tracking, employee management, and other unique features like mobile scheduling and geofencing. I accessed Sling, Homebase and Shiftbase via their free starter plans. For When I Work and WhenToWork, I relied on free trials to get a feel for each solution and test its effectiveness. Here’s a quick overview: Best Employee Scheduling Software for Small Businesses According to our analysts, these are the five best tools for small business employee scheduling based on value for money, usability, features and vendor support programs. Sling 84 Sling PricingDemo Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$1.70 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Sling is cloud-based software that's incredibly easy to use, even if you’re not tech-savvy. One of the things I love about Sling is its automated scheduling feature, which saved me a lot of time by eliminating the need to create schedules each week manually. Sling is particularly well-suited for businesses in the restaurant industry but works just as well for other small businesses, such as fitness centers and spas. It’s easy to set up, highly rated by users and even offers a free version — perfect for businesses just starting out. While Sling has some great features, there are a few limitations to be aware of. It doesn't offer as much customization as some of its competitors, which might be a drawback if you need a highly tailored scheduling solution. Additionally, Sling's pricing is based on the number of employees, which can get expensive for larger businesses. Pricing: Sling’s pricing is straightforward and based on the number of employees. Its free plan offers great value by letting you schedule up to 50 employees in one location and offers features like shift scheduling and time off requests. This is a big deal, as many of Sling's competitors (like When I Work and Deputy) charge for these features. Its paid plans start at $2 monthly for each employee, and you can cut 15% off your bill if you choose to pay annually. Adopt a Data-Driven Approach: In our analysis, Sling scored an impressive 95 for its reporting and dashboard tools. You can generate reports and visualizations on time and attendance, scheduling history, employee performance and more. The platform supports automated weekly or monthly reporting based on your rules and offers filtering options to find and audit reports.Simplify Task Management: According to our research, Sling is one of the top-ranked products for managing shifts and tasks. It supports 87% of key task management requirements out of the box, including custom task creation, rotating and recurring shifts, open shift bidding, auto-assigning vacancies, shift feedback, task notes and shift swapping.Manage Schedules From Anywhere: Sling offers one of the highest-rated mobile apps, with 4.7 and 4.6 ratings on the Play Store and Apple Store, respectively. It supports employee punch-ins, push notifications, time tracking, geofencing/GPS tracking, calendar integrations and team messaging options.Manage Employees Efficiently: Based on our data, Sling’s employee management tools are its second highest-rated module, with a rating of 87. This is on par with scheduling stalwarts like Deputy. It offers budgeting, employee self-service options, labor forecasting, shift bidding, multiple pay rates and more. The only limitation is that it cannot send update reminders and alerts for expiring employee documents. Shift Scheduling: Build schedules within minutes while managing time-offs, shift swaps and employee availability. Schedule across geographical locations and time zones while saving templates for future use. Get notifications for double-booking or overlapping shifts, reduce absenteeism and late arrivals, and avoid scheduling overtime. Let employees pick shifts they like while granting approvals.Task Management: Keep employees accountable by adding tasks to shifts. Clarify everyone’s job during shifts while ensuring employees stick to set timelines while finishing assigned tasks. Improve productivity and efficiency by allowing employees to access task lists via mobiles.Time Clock: Track employee clock-ins and outs from a designated terminal, on-site time clock or both. Set early clock-in limits while automatically clocking out employees in case of forgotten log-outs. Review, edit, approve and export timesheets to process payroll seamlessly.Location Management: Create location-specific news feed pages to share important information and messages. Monitor progress while creating to-do lists per location. Authorize multiple display directions and workspaces for every location.Mobile App: Manage schedules on the go while letting employees clock in and out using any Android or iOS device. Use geofencing tools to ensure employees log in and out from designated locations while tracking attendance from anywhere. Send automated alerts or message latecomers in the app. No compliance management tools.Geofencing shows inaccurate login hours.It doesn’t support biometric employee logins. My research into employee scheduling solutions revealed that Sling is a frontrunner, particularly for its user-friendliness. The intuitive interface simplifies schedule creation and management, even for those with limited technical expertise. The platform offers highly customizable templates and automation features, making it easy to generate regular reports.What truly impressed me was the feature set offered in the free plan. Beyond basic scheduling, it provides time tracking, communication tools like news sharing, private messaging and long-term scheduling. This exceeds what many of its competitors offer in their free plans. Also, the ability to schedule up to 50 employees at no cost is a huge advantage for growing small businesses.However, for larger enterprises with complex staffing needs, Sling might not be the perfect fit. While it excels in core scheduling functions, it lacks advanced features like a built-in AI, hiring and onboarding tools, and employee engagement trackers. It doesn't let you automate scheduling or analyze sales forecasts to optimize workforce allocation.Additionally, scheduling conflict alerts are limited to employee availability and don't consider skill sets or preferences. For businesses seeking a more comprehensive workforce management solution with AI-powered assistance, Sling may require further exploration alongside other options in the market. Pros User-Friendly and Intuitive: Many users appreciate Sling's easy-to-use interface, which makes scheduling and other tasks straightforward and accessible without extensive training. Comprehensive Features in the Free Version: Users find the free version of Sling highly functional and often better than some paid alternatives. Optimized Shift Management: The ability to create repeating shifts and use shift templates saves time and effort in planning. Improved Efficiency and Organization: Sling helps organize schedules and increase efficiency by reducing scheduling errors. Cons Notification Overload: There can be too many notifications, especially for chats that users are not actively involved in. Sling doesn’t offer the privacy tools required to customize notifications for managers and employees. Occasional Glitches and Loading Issues: Some users experience occasional bugs, app crashes or slow loading times after a system update. Learn more about Sling Manage calendars and schedules from anywhere with the mobile-optimized platform. Source Our Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Mobile Capabilities 100 Leave Blackout Periods Not Supported Reporting and Analytics 95 Bulk Actions Not Supported Employee Management 87 Multiple timezone Support Not Supported Shift Management 87 Auto-Scheduling Not Supported Collaboration 82 Schedule Filters Not Supported Price:$$$$$ Deployment: Platform: Company Size Suitability: S M L Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders Shiftbase 75 Shiftbase PricingDemo Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$3.50 Company SizeSmall, Medium DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Shiftbase is workforce management software that helps businesses with frontline workers manage employee schedules, track time, monitor attendance, handle time-off requests and maintain employee profiles. It offers a comprehensive set of features to streamline HR processes and optimize shift and task management.The platform supports shift templates, recurring shifts, drag-and-drop scheduling and flex teams, which makes it easy to allocate workforce efficiently. It also helps manage personnel costs, track wage costs and create schedules based on work hours or budgeted labor costs.Shiftbase has great features for time tracking and PTO management. Employees can view their schedules, request time off and track their hours through the mobile app. Managers can approve or deny time-off requests and monitor employee attendance. This helps ensure employees are paid correctly and comply with company policies.The human resource management module is also very useful. It helps create and manage employee profiles, store important documents, and manage employee communication. Also, compliance management tools enable businesses to adhere to labor laws and regulations. It includes features for tracking overtime hours, managing minimum wage compliance, adhering to the Working Hours Act (ATW) and generating audit reports.Pricing: Shiftbase offers a free plan that's perfect for small businesses with up to 75 employees. Even the free plan comes with features like customer support, team diversity and app usage. If you need more features, you can upgrade to the Starter Pack or Premium Pack.The Starter Pack is $3.75 per user per month, and the Premium Pack is $4.75 per user per month. You get a 14-day trial period and can save up to 13% on your platform costs by paying annually. Start Scheduling For Free: The starter plan lets you manage up to 75 employees in one location across five teams for free. You can manage employee profiles, create schedules, assign tasks and set role-based permissions. Employees can also track time manually via the mobile app.Streamline PTO Management: Shiftbase's time and attendance management tools, highly rated with a 91 score by our analysts, offer a streamlined PTO management process. Employees can easily request and track time off, while managers can efficiently approve or deny requests and monitor attendance. This not only reduces administrative burden but also ensures accurate payroll calculations and compliance with labor regulations. Employee Scheduling: Create and publish work schedules with an overview of expected costs. Repeat standard shifts by dragging and dropping into upcoming schedules while building custom templates. Get employee availability reminders when creating schedules while sending automated shift reminders. Invite employees to pick open shifts.Time Tracking: Prevent errors while recording employee work hours using an online time tracking module. Employees can clock in via mobile apps or desktops based on GPS locations. Copy work hours from timesheets to time registration automatically while saving manual effort and errors.Absence Registration: Automate absence management processes while tracking vacation hours and employee leave requests. Employees can create leave requests while forwarding them automatically for supervisor approval. Get a real-time overview of accumulated vacation hours while entering balance hours for new employees.Resource Management: Manage vacation balances, employment contracts, employee work hours and information from one place. Process employment contract modifications while calculating overtime hours accurately. Set employee birthday and anniversary notifications.HRM: Build personnel files with employee notes, automatic leave accrual, contract reminders, notifications for anniversaries and birthdays, and automatic calculation of plus/minus hours. You can track employee competencies and certificates, monitor employee well-being through overtime and absence tracking, and receive alerts when documents expire. Limited pre-built integrations.The platform lacks demand forecasting and analytics tools.It doesn’t offer built-in AI. Shiftbase is a workforce management and scheduling platform that offers one of the best starter plans for free. You can start managing employee databases and schedule shifts of up to 75 employees in one location across five teams.In my experience, Shiftbase was easy to onboard if you’re not migrating from other scheduling platforms. However, the process is more cumbersome when you’re looking to migrate employee and scheduling data from an external platform. Unlike its competitors, Shiftbase cannot automatically set up your account using a CSV and Excel file containing your business data.One of the things I like most about Shiftbase is how easy it is to create flexible schedules, factoring in staff costs, revenue and budgets. Managers can track working hours through the website, mobile app or clock terminal. This gives insights into attendance and wage costs, allowing for better decision-making and optimized staffing. Additionally, it’s easy to manage employee leave and absences with Shiftbase, making it ideal for businesses with flexible or part-time staff.The platform can connect directly with payroll systems, reducing manual data entry and ensuring accurate, on-time payments. Shiftbase also offers basic reporting tools that help businesses understand budget allocation and staff work hours.Based on my experience and the feedback from other users, Shiftbase is a great option for businesses that need a simple and efficient way to manage their workforce. However, it lacks many advanced features that may be essential for larger enterprises with bigger teams. For example, it doesn't offer built-in AI for conflict alerts, seasonal demand analysis or workforce optimization based on seasonal trends.Overall, Shiftbase is a suitable choice for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a user-friendly and affordable workforce management solution. Its ease of use and focus on core scheduling and time-tracking features make it a good option for businesses with straightforward scheduling needs. However, larger enterprises with complex requirements, such as advanced analytics, AI-powered optimization or integration with multiple systems, might find Shiftbase's feature set limited. Pros Increased Flexibility: Users appreciate the ability to assign different roles and create flexible rosters, making the platform suitable for self-rostering and cross-team visibility. It offers color coding to differentiate users and tasks, improving visual clarity. Ease of Use: The software is user-friendly and requires minimal training. It simplifies scheduling and time tracking, especially when compared to manual or Excel-based methods. Time-Saving: Shiftbase significantly reduces the time spent on administrative tasks like calculating hours and scheduling, with users reporting substantial time savings. Responsive Support and Help Resources: Users consistently highlight the excellent customer service for its quick responses and effective issue resolutions. Cons Lengthy Setup Process: Transitioning to Shiftbase from other systems requires a time investment. Users mention that setup can take two to three days, but the platform is highly efficient once it’s operational. Challenging User Interface: While Shiftbase is functional, users mention that its presentation, particularly in areas like team rosters and part-time employee scheduling, could be more refined with color-coded visual representations. Limited Advanced Features: The platform has limited functionalities, such as no custom fields, rigid reporting templates and a lack of customizable graphical representations for tracking specific tasks or plotting work hours. Clocking Issues: The system doesn’t automatically log out employees based on their physical location. Users have complained about spending time manually adjusting or verifying clock-in and clock-out times when employees forget to log their hours properly. Lack of Detailed Change Logs: There are no clear records of who removed or altered shifts, which limits accountability and tracking. Learn more about Shiftbase Embedded training resources guide you through sign-up to let you start scheduling in minutes. Our Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Leave and Absence Management 91 Leave Blackout Periods Not Supported Schedule Management 84 Group Chat Not Supported Mobile Capabilities 83 Read Receipts Not Supported Reporting and Analytics 81 Auto-Scheduling Not Supported Shift Management 79 Compliance Warnings Not Supported Price:$$$$$ Deployment: Platform: Company Size Suitability: S M L Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders When I Work 86 When I Work PricingDemo Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$2.50 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons When I Work enables businesses with hourly workers to manage their employee schedules. It's a great tool for businesses that need to create, communicate and track work schedules easily. The platform is user-friendly and has features like drag-and-drop tools, schedule templates and customizable automation.It also offers built-in time tracking, communication tools and payroll integrations. Employees can clock in and out directly through the app, swap shifts and submit time-off requests. Managers can access timesheets, identify labor cost trends and control overtime expenses.It's particularly well-suited for restaurant and retail businesses managing shift schedules and those with multiple workers in different locations. If you're looking for a basic time-tracking tool with built-in GPS, an easy way for employees to request time off or trade shifts, and built-in payroll software, When I Work is a great option.However, if you need detailed reports on employee work, prefer phone-based customer service or require integration with multiple external solutions, you may want to explore other options. When I Work offers a limited number of reporting templates, only has chat and email support, and lacks pre-built integration with popular business apps.Pricing: When I Work doesn’t have a free plan but offers a 14-day trial period. It offers three plans: Essentials, Pro and Premium. All plans include essential features like team messaging, time off management and availability management. The premium plan offers additional features like role permissions, labor sharing and custom shift reports.Time and attendance services are considered add-ons and cost around $1.50 to $2, depending on the plan you choose. The Essentials plan starts at $2.50 per user per month, and the Pro and Premium plans start at $3 and $5 per user per month, respectively. Top-Ranked Scheduling Solution: When I Work stands out as a leader in employee scheduling, with an analyst rating of 85 in our research. This puts it alongside industry heavyweights like Deputy (87) and 7Shifts (86). It offers a comprehensive set of features, including scheduling, time tracking and team communications, all of which are ready to use immediately, reducing setup time.Effortless Shift Management: Our research shows that When I Work offers 96% of tools for creating and managing employee shifts out-of-the-box. These include everything from creating recurring shift templates and customizing layouts to features like open shift bidding and automatic vacant shift assignment. You can also add feedback, task notes, swap shifts and receive automated reminders.Powerful Mobile App: The mobile app keeps everything you need for streamlined scheduling at your fingertips. It offers mobile scheduling, time tracking, geofencing, customizable push notifications and built-in chat for easy team communication.Seamless Integrations: When I Work scored 92 for integrations in our analysis, effortlessly connecting with a wide range of business tools. These include accounting solutions like QuickBooks Online, Google and Apple Calendars, HR and payroll software like Rippling and Gusto, Square POS systems, and integration platforms as a service (iPaaS) such as Zapier and Tray.io. Employee Scheduling: Create work schedules in one click based on employee availability and eligibility. View team availability, manage time off and track shift trades from one place. Allow employees to pick up and trade shifts while boosting workplace efficiency and productivity. Schedule multiple teams across job sites while preventing unnecessary overtime.Time and Attendance: Track attendance, time off and breaks while turning any internet-connected device into an online time clock. Integrate schedules to control costs while applying pay rules. Implement an online time clock with a GPS facility for uniform clock-ins and outs across devices. Let remote employees log in and out using any device while receiving attendance data in real time.Timesheets: Record weekly attendance changes into timesheets while setting differential pay rates for multiple positions. Monitor labor costs while auditing time records with labor distribution reports. Audit and approve timesheets from mobile or desktop while preventing overtime before it happens. Configure paid and unpaid breaks on schedule and time clock.Shift Planning: Plan, swap and approve shifts using a mobile or desktop while empowering teams to collaborate on schedules. Ensure cost-effective shift coverage while creating schedules that work for the entire team.Scalability: Start with a single team or location and scale to multiple teams across geographical locations as per business growth. Schedule multiple teams across various job sites. It lacks compliance management tools.Geofencing shows inaccurate login hours.The platform doesn’t support biometric employee logins. According to the reviews, users praise When I Work’s user-friendly design and all-in-one features for scheduling and time tracking. The customer support team is another win — responsive and helpful via chat and email. However, the pricing structure is a point of contention for some users, with complaints about hidden fees and a lack of transparency before signing up.What truly set it apart was its affordability for small and medium businesses. The starter plan, costing just $1.50 per location per month, offers unlimited employee scheduling and auto-scheduling — features usually reserved for top-tier plans in competitors like 7Shift and Homebase.However, communication features are restricted. During testing, I could send individual and group messages, but there's no bulletin board or newsfeed functionality, and message read receipts are absent.Security is another concern. The platform lacks biometric clock-in options, opening the door to potential time theft through buddy punching. Additionally, it doesn’t support geofencing or GPS tracking. I couldn’t remotely track staff shifts to ensure they were following established procedures.Overall, When I Work offers a compelling solution for small and medium businesses with a user-friendly interface, robust features and a budget-friendly starter plan. However, be mindful of the pricing concerns and other limitations, which can be a problem for growing teams and businesses. Pros Intuitive and Efficient: Users appreciate the user-friendly interface and comprehensive features that centralize managing all scheduling needs from a single app. Prompt Customer Support: Users report getting timely and helpful assistance from the vendor’s support team through live chat and email. Enhanced Employee Experience: The app boosts staff productivity by offering them flexible tools to control their work schedules. Improved Integration and Accessibility: Most users have had a positive experience connecting the platform with other necessary third-party tools. Cons Pricing and Transparency Issues: Users have complained about the vendor’s pricing practices, which include hidden costs and a lack of clear information before signing up. App Glitches: Users reported issues with iPhone and Android apps, particularly with tasks like staff punch-ins and location tracking using the phone’s GPS. Learn more about When I Work Organize your scheduling dashboard with color-coded layouts, labels and tags. Source Our Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Mobile Capabilities 100 Message Read Receipts Not supported Shift Management 96 Leave Blackout Period Not Supported Employee Management 87 Custom Tags Not supported Schedule Management 85 Biometric Time Clocking Not Supported Leave and Absence Management 83 Shift Tracking Not Supported Price:$$$$$ Deployment: Platform: Company Size Suitability: S M L Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders Homebase 84 Homebase PricingDemo Best for Collaboration Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$24.95 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons Homebase helps businesses manage employee schedules, maintain timesheets and streamline payroll processes. Managers can create staff shifts using drag-and-drop scheduling tools and pre-built templates. They can also define rules to put schedules on autopilot for recurring tasks based on employee availability, skills and labor budget.The platform is mobile-optimized and offers a native app for employees to view schedules, communicate, set preferences and trade shifts. You can use a POS system to track employee attendance and work hours or use the app to let staff log time from their phones. The platform maintains timesheets while integrating with payroll modules for wage calculation.Verify employee identity and location with the built-in photo capture or GPS time clock functionality. Additionally, you can automate break tracking and overtime calculations to comply with shift worker regulations. The platform sends automatic alerts for employee absences or late logins while allowing managers to record daily summaries using the manager log.Pricing: Homebase offers four pricing plans: Free, Essentials, Plus and All-in-one. The Free plan is ideal for businesses with one location and up to 20 employees. It includes basic features like timesheets, time clocks and scheduling. The Essentials plan adds team communication, performance tracking and remote tools for $20 per month when billed annually.The Plus plan includes labor costs and budgets, time off tracking, and permissions for $48 per month when billed annually. The All-in-one plan offers everything in the Plus plan plus new hire onboarding and HR compliance features for $80 per month when billed annually. Start Scheduling For Free: Homebase allows you to schedule up to 20 employees in one location at no cost. You get basic scheduling tools, a time tracker and POS integration to manage employee shifts from anywhere.Streamline Team Communication: The platform excels in collaboration tools, helping managers run their teams efficiently. It includes everything you need, from one-on-one chats and team messaging to a bulletin board, newsfeed and even read receipts. Plus, you can recognize outstanding employees with shout-out cards and appreciation notices.Go Mobile: The Homebase mobile app boasts impressive ratings — 4.4 on the Play Store and 4.8 on the Apple Store. Managers can create open shifts for qualified employees to claim, while features like geofencing and time tracking improve overall control. The app informs everyone with push notifications for upcoming events and alerts employees about late logouts or missed breaks.Create the Perfect Software Stack: According to our analysis, Homebase ranks exceptionally well for its integration and extensibility with third-party solutions. It allows you to easily import or export data in CSV or Excel format. You can connect it with popular solutions like QuickBooks Online, Rippling, Gusto and ADP. It offers a native payroll integration at a cost. You can access its API with partner integrations and design custom connections with any tool! Scheduling: Create, copy and save schedules that can be modified or reused later. View employee availability and time off requests, manage shift changes, and forecast labor costs.Time Clock: Clock in and out from the web, a tablet or an integrated POS. The advanced subscription packages can prevent employees from clocking in early for their shifts and returning from breaks early. The time clock feature can also round time and allow for automatic clock-out.Timesheets: Track clock-ins, breaks and overtime hours with online timesheets. Generate a daily summary of activities, track breaks and export timesheets to payroll, reducing time errors.Team Communication: Send direct messages and broadcast messages to entire groups directly through the app.Hiring: Streamline the hiring process by providing pre-written job descriptions, interview reminders and applicant tracking capabilities. Post open jobs to Craigslist and other job boards. Import new hires to the schedule automatically. It doesn’t allow users to hide the shift start and end time from employees.The platform doesn’t automatically add holiday hours to timesheets; you need to enter them manually.Employees cannot edit their schedules. In my research, I was particularly impressed by the guided onboarding process. The intuitive setup allowed me to get the platform up and running within minutes, enabling easy scheduling without a steep learning curve. This ease of use also extends to onboarding employees.The auto-documentation request feature stood out to me. I could define the required documents for each employee, and the system automatically sent follow-up reminders. This automation significantly streamlined the process of maintaining up-to-date employee profiles with all the necessary paperwork.Homebase’s integration with other tools, such as payroll processors, accounting solutions and POS systems, is a huge plus. It saves time and reduces the hassle of manual data transfers, making the overall management process smoother. Additionally, the system can handle basic hiring, onboarding, payroll and compliance management, making it an all-in-one HR suite for small businesses.However, I encountered some drawbacks. One notable issue was the auto-scheduling feature. While the idea behind it is great, it proved complicated in practice and lacked customization options to meet my specific needs.Users have reported facing issues with the vendor’s customer support team. There were reports of delayed responses, and the support hours were insufficient for businesses operating outside regular U.S. business hours. Despite these issues, the platform’s cost-effectiveness, especially with the free basic plan, makes it a viable option for small and medium enterprises. It offers essential scheduling and time-tracking features without hidden costs and implementation complexities. Pros Ease of Setup and Use: Many users found Homebase easy to set up and navigate. The platform is intuitive, making it simple for both managers and employees to use. Scheduling and Time Tracking: The platform simplifies employee scheduling, making it easy to create, modify and track schedules. It includes useful features like a time clock, timesheets and attendance tracking. Integration with Other Tools: Users appreciated its integration with various payroll processors and POS systems. Accessibility: You can access the software from various devices, including desktops, tablets and smartphones, enhancing flexibility for managers and employees on the go. Cost-Effectiveness: Several reviews mentioned that the free basic plan suffices for smaller businesses, providing essential features without extra cost. Cons Undo and Modification Limitations: The lack of an undo feature can be problematic if accidental changes or deletions occur. User Interface Issues: Some users found the new updates and interface changes cumbersome, with issues like light markings, lack of lines and frequent refresh rates. Others mentioned that the iPad app is not optimized and often mimics the mobile website, limiting its functionality. Customer Support: Several reviews highlighted delayed responses from customer support and insufficient support hours, which can be challenging for businesses operating outside regular hours. Also, the platform heavily targets the U.S. market and offers limited support for international users. Learn more about Homebase Define rules to auto-assign the next best employee in case of last-minute cancellations. Source Our Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Collaboration 100 Leave Blackout Periods Not supported Mobile Capabilities 100 Workflow Automation Not Supported Schedule Management 90 Mobile Collaboration Not supported Employee Management 87 Custom Reports and Visualizations Not Supported Leave and Absence Management 83 OSHA Compliance Not Supported Price:$$$$$ Deployment: Platform: Company Size Suitability: S M L Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders WhenToWork 61 WhenToWork PricingDemo Learn More & ReviewsOr request free trial Starting Price$40 Company SizeSmall, Medium, Large DeploymentCloud OverviewBenefitsKey FeaturesLimitationsResearcher’s SummaryPros & Cons WhenToWork is a cloud-based platform that helps businesses create and manage schedules for hourly workers. It offers a free mobile app that supports time tracking, allowing employees to punch in and out of work remotely.One of the standout features is its one-click scheduling algorithm, which generates optimal shift schedules while minimizing conflicts and reducing human error. Employees can easily input their preferred, disliked and unavailable work times, allowing managers to make informed decisions when creating schedules. This feature enhances employee satisfaction and minimizes scheduling conflicts.WhenToWork also prioritizes clear communication and accountability within teams. It automatically sends notifications to employees when their shifts are created or updated, ensuring everyone stays informed. This enhances employee engagement and reduces the risk of missed shifts.Pricing: WhenToWork offers a simple pricing structure based on the number of employees and the duration you choose to pay ahead. It doesn’t restrict its feature set based on subscription plans, meaning you get all its features as a bundle with every pricing structure.Its pricing starts at $38 per month for managing up to 10 employees. You can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annually. WhenToWork also offers a 30-day trial period, allowing you to test the platform before committing. Effortless Schedule Management: WhenToWork’s scheduling toolkit is its highest-rated module, with an 89 rating from our analysts. From ad-hoc adjustments to automated scheduling, the platform provides a flexible, efficient solution. It also offers features like break scheduling, color-coded schedules and configurable options that improve the overall scheduling process.Efficient Reporting: Rated 81 by our analysts, the platform’s reporting toolkit is its second highest-rated module. It offers customizable dashboards and pre-built reports to meet your unique reporting requirements. With the ability to create custom reports, apply filters and generate visualizations, you can easily drill down into data, identify trends and make data-driven decisions. Additionally, WhenToWork's report scheduling and sharing capabilities streamline communication and collaboration. Flexible Scheduling: You get multiple scheduling views, task templates and drag-and-drop tools to create different types of recurring schedules for multiple locations.Import/Export: It lets you import shifts via Excel and .CSV files or export schedules in Excel format.Automated Assignments: You can define rules to automatically assign shifts based on employee preferences and availability.Employee Self-Service: Design unique portals for each team member based on their seniority, job roles and access requirements. Employees can log in via desktops or the mobile app to view and swap schedules, receive messages, and submit time off requests. Limited pre-built integrations.Lacks demand forecasting and analytics tools.Doesn’t offer built-in AI. WhenToWork is a user-friendly online scheduling solution for small and medium-sized businesses. Its intuitive interface and straightforward features make it a viable option for businesses looking to ditch paper trails and digitize their scheduling operations.My experience with WhenToWork began with a simple sign-up process that required minimal information. The platform guided me through a brief onboarding process, where I provided details about my business and team members. While the onboarding process was straightforward, I noticed the business category list didn’t offer many options for construction-related industries.Upon accessing the web platform, I was greeted by a somewhat outdated design that felt reminiscent of an earlier era. While the layout was clean and easy to navigate, a modern update could benefit its overall aesthetic. The main menu has sections for schedules, employees, trades, time off, messaging, reports and current on-duty employees.The mobile app, however, offers a more streamlined experience with a user-friendly interface. It provides quick access to schedules, shift trades, time off, messaging, staff information and a link to the full web version. The app's dashboard offers a clear overview of assignments, time off, shift trades and messages.The messaging features are designed for efficient team communication. You can send and receive messages, create urgent alerts, and post on a bulletin board. The “Reports” section offers customizable reporting options, allowing you to generate reports based on various criteria and export them for further analysis.Overall, WhenToWork is a suitable option for businesses with basic scheduling needs. Its user-friendly interface, straightforward features and robust reporting capabilities make it a viable choice for organizations that prioritize simplicity and ease of use. However, businesses seeking a more modern and feature-rich platform may need to explore other options. Pros Ease of Use: Users praised the platform’s user-friendly interface and ease of use across all user types. Its intuitive navigation simplifies shift management, schedule swaps and coworker communication. The platform also provides useful "how-to" videos, making it easier for users to understand the system without needing live support. Better Customization and Flexibility: Users appreciated the ability to customize schedules, permissions and worker roles. It’s easy to switch shifts and see assigned shifts in one place. Easy Reporting: The one-click report generation feature helps users manage budgets and track employee hours. This is especially helpful for administrators manually comparing scheduling costs with budgetary constraints. Improved Remote Workability: Reviews highlight the benefit of accessing the software from any mobile device, making it convenient for teams to check schedules, receive notifications and streamline internal communications. Simple Implementation Process: Users from small and medium businesses appreciated the software’s lightweight nature. It requires minimal IT involvement and can be deployed quickly across multiple departments. Cons Lack of Live Support: Live representatives are unavailable, especially during troubleshooting. Instead, the platform relies on video tutorials, which may not be sufficient in urgent situations. Complicated Staff Availability Settings: Some reviewers found the "date specific" availability options frustrating, as it often caused confusion when scheduling in advance. Also, the inability to fully turn off certain options, like the "dislike" function, can complicate determining worker availability. Limited Enterprise Features: Users from larger businesses noted that the platform lacks advanced enterprise-level security settings and integration support, making it less ideal for organizations with complex needs. Cluttered Interface: The schedule display can sometimes be confusing or cluttered, particularly when many shifts are on the board. This makes it harder to quickly view and understand schedules at times. Learn more about WhenToWork Customize layouts to track shift coverage across every position and department. Source Our Analysis Highest Rated Modules Features Not Supported Schedule Management 89 Leave Blackout Periods Not supported Shift Management 82 Workflow Automation Not Supported Reporting and Analytics 81 Document Sharing Not supported Leave and Absence Management 79 Custom Reports and Visualizations Not Supported Employee Management 62 Broadcast Messaging Not Supported Price:$$$$$ Deployment: Platform: Company Size Suitability: S M L Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders How We Choose Products For the scope of this article, we only considered the freemium version of a product or solutions that are completely free to use. We haven’t included products that only offer a free trial. Using that starting point, our analysts used an in-depth research process to understand the market. They then recommended the best 5 products based on a range of criteria. We looked at the following criteria: feature comprehensiveness, product popularity, user reviews and ratings, SelectHub in-house data, hands-on experience, market analysts’ reports, thought leaders’ opinions and information available in the public domain. Products with better user reviews were given preference, provided they adequately met the other criteria listed. Learn more about our research methodology and editorial standards. What Is Employee Scheduling Software? Employee scheduling software is a platform that helps you create, manage and share employee shifts from a mobile screen. You can design task templates and use drag-and-drop tools to craft shifts and labor budgets. The system tracks vacations and breaks within schedules and sends alerts for scheduling mistakes, PTO conflicts and labor cost distribution. Small businesses often have limited time and resources, and scheduling software is vital to optimize staff levels without unnecessary costs. It helps create efficient schedules, manage overtime per staffing budget and automate compliance with labor laws and worker protection programs. Primary Benefits Maximize Cost Efficiency Employee scheduling systems allocate staff efficiently according to demand, availability, skills and preferences. You can use demand planning tools to align workforces and prevent understaffing during peak seasons or overstaffing during slow periods. Improve Employee Experiences Empowering employees with self-scheduling options helps enhance autonomy, job satisfaction and work-life balance. These platforms let you create a flexible work schedule, which, according to 52% of desk workers, is the best way to support their productivity. Streamline Compliance Automation minimizes the risk of legal issues. You can define rules to comply with state laws, federal regulations and workers’ union demands. The system maintains records of communications, schedules, timesheets and worker information, facilitating quick and efficient reporting and audits. Promote Accountability Time tracking, clock-in kiosks and geofencing tools allow you to accurately track staff productivity and movement throughout your facility. It ensures accurate payrolls, reduces errors and helps you avoid malpractices. Get our Employee Scheduling Software Requirements Template Key Features Here are some of the most important features you should look for in an employee scheduling tool: Collaboration Modules Broadcast messages and customizable news feeds help you communicate important updates. A centralized document library and manager logbook streamline collaboration across departments. You can send direct messages, turn on read receipts for messages and track schedule viewings. Scheduling Tools Use intuitive tools to configure multi-location schedules and sync employee calendars. You can define rules to let AI auto-schedule based on employee availability, skills and preferences. Shift Management You can create multiple types of shifts like rotating, open, split and recurring. Employees can bid on open shifts and swap tasks with colleagues. The system automatically sends notifications to concerned parties for new shifts or swaps. Leave and Absences Customize your leave policies, set blackout dates and define PTO request application procedures. The system automatically tracks employee leaves and sends you conflict alerts during scheduling. Time Tracking Define automation to prevent early clock-ins and use biometric access to prevent unauthorized logins. Staff can manually input work hours or use the mobile app to track time. The system automatically clocks out when a shift is over to prevent unnecessary overtime. You can define break hours within a shift, and the platform sends break reminders to employees. Reporting Custom dashboards, visualizations and reports help you track labor costs, budget, performance, overtime and ROI. The system automatically generates audit reports to maintain compliance with labor regulations. Payroll Integration The platform maintains timesheets and syncs data with payroll systems to efficiently calculate and pay employee salaries. Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders Software Selection Strategy The global employee scheduling software market is expected to grow at a 14.74% CAGR by 2028. It’s important to note that there isn’t one best solution in such a growing industry. What works for others may fail miserably for your business and vice versa. The key is to start by gathering your business executives and identifying the pain points you’re trying to solve with the new software. Follow it up by preparing a requirements checklist that ranks the employee scheduling software features per your needs. Here are the crucial factors you should consider when compiling the checklist: Scalability: Choose a solution that can scale with your increasing workforce and evolving scheduling needs. Ease of Use: Intuitive interfaces and straightforward functionalities contribute to smoother implementation. Integrations: Check if the software connects with other tools your business uses, such as performance evaluation systems, recruiting software, eLearning modules and other HR tools. Mobile Accessibility: A responsive mobile app allows you and your employees to access scheduling information, make changes and receive notifications on the go. Customer Support: A responsive support team can address issues promptly and ensure smooth software operation. Customizations: Customization options contribute to the software’s adaptability to your specific industry and operational needs. Security Measures: Encryption, secure logins and data backup are essential for a safe environment without data breaches. Trial Period: Testing the platform within your business environment allows you to assess its compatibility and effectiveness before committing to a long-term contract. For additional assistance, consider our nine-step software selection process called the Lean Selection methodology. It ensures you dot your i’s and cross your t’s while assessing internal requirements and analyzing the market to find the best fit for your business. Questions To Ask Here are some model questions you can ask yourself to identify your requirements: What are my current scheduling challenges? Which areas can benefit from automation? How many employees will use the software? What are my key operational pain points? Which features will address those pain points? Here are a few questions to ask potential vendors to help you learn more about their software and services: How many years of expertise do you have in the industry? What customer support and training do you offer? What company sizes do you typically work with? Is the product customizable to specific business needs? What data security features does the system offer? Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders FAQs How do you make a simple employee schedule? There are several key steps involved in a small business’s employee scheduling process. Here’s a step-by-step guide: Understand Business Needs: Analyze peak hours, customer demands and operational requirements to determine staffing needs. Collect Employee Availability: Gather availability information from each employee, considering their time-off requests and other constraints. Create a Template: Develop a basic schedule template outlining regular working hours, breaks and shift patterns. Consider Employee Preferences: Take into account employee preferences and skills when assigning shifts to promote job satisfaction and work-life balance. Distribute Work Equitably: Ensure fair distribution of tasks and shifts, considering factors such as employee experiences and responsibilities. Communicate Clearly: Share the schedule with employees through a preferred channel, whether it’s a physical notice board, email or a dedicated scheduling platform. Handle Time-Off Requests: Manage requests efficiently, balancing employee needs with business requirements. Communicate approval or denial promptly. Be Flexible: Allow some flexibility in the schedule by incorporating options like shift-swapping, open shifts and shift biddings to accommodate unexpected changes. Regularly Review and Adjust: Review schedules to identify and address any issues. Be open to employee feedback and make adjustments to improve overall effectiveness. Remember, simplicity is key, especially for a small team or business. As your workforce or business grows, you may explore more advanced scheduling tools or practices to enhance efficiency. Can you use QuickBooks for scheduling? No, QuickBooks itself doesn’t offer scheduling features. But QuickBooks Time is a cloud-based time tracking tool that helps small businesses create schedules, manage timesheets and sync data with payroll and accounting modules. However, it’s easy to outgrow this platform as it offers limited scheduling functionalities. You need to shift to a more robust option for advanced features like chat portals, auto-scheduling, workforce demand predictions and PTO management. Are there free employee scheduling software? Yes, there are plenty of free scheduling tools available. Some platforms offer a free and open API that you can download off the internet, while others have a free pricing plan or trial period that gives you a feel of the platform before moving onto a paid plan. According to our analysts, these are the top 5 contenders for the best free employee scheduling software: Homebase When I Work 7Shifts OpenSimSim Sling Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders Next Steps Investing in employee scheduling software for small businesses can transform your workday narratives from chaos to cohesion. As we wrap up our journey here, we’d like to leave you with our free comparison report. It lets you analyze the market’s top contenders based on custom criteria to find what works for you. Assess your options, make the shift and watch as your vibrant morning huddles become not just a daily routine but a testament to the synergy of a well-scheduled team. What aspects of your business could benefit most from employee scheduling software? What are your thoughts on the impact of AI in your scheduling workflows? We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below! Analyst-Picked Related Content Pricing Guide: Discover the true cost of Employee Scheduling software Comparison Report: An interactive analyst report with comparison ratings, reviews and pricing for Employee Scheduling software Riddhiman RoyThe Best Employee Scheduling Software For Small Businesses In 202407.19.2024