Employee scheduling software helps ensure you have the right people in the right place at the right time. We review the top 9 employee scheduling solutions.
Getting the right employees to the right place at the right time is a challenge that businesses face every single day. Scheduling that’s 90% accurate simply isn’t good enough—one missed job could cost your business a lot of money.
That’s why your business needs employee scheduling software that you can trust. The right scheduling software can help you deploy your employees with maximum efficiency and ensure that no job is ever missed.
In this guide, we’ll review the top 10 employee scheduling software platforms for 2023 and explain how to choose the best one for your business.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one employee scheduling software
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Good for automatic scheduling
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Good for PTO management
What to Look For in a Employee Scheduling Software
Scheduling software is central to the smooth operation of your business. Here are a few of the key features to look for when choosing a scheduling platform:
- Seamless user interface: Creating schedules should be easy. Many top platforms offer drag-and-drop functionality so you can rearrange assignments and shifts in seconds.
- Time tracking: Many scheduling tools also enable employees to clock in and out. Having an accurate record of how much time employees spend working makes it significantly easier to bill clients and run payroll.
- Time off management: There’s more to scheduling than just assigning employees to tasks. An all-in-one scheduling software can also help you manage paid time off (PTO), sick time, and more.
- Mobile functionality: Employees need to be able to view their schedule in the field and managers need to be able to reassign employees on the go. The best scheduling platforms offer feature-rich mobile apps for iOS and Android.
The 9 Best Employee Scheduling Softwares of 2023
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one employee scheduling software
We’ve packed Connecteam with scheduling features that business owners and supervisors are sure to love. And of course, we think it’s one of the best employee scheduling platforms around.
To start, Connecteam makes creating schedules simple. You can drag and drop employees onto a multi-project scheduling board or drag and drop tasks onto an employee’s schedule. If you need to make changes, just click and drag. It’s fast, simple, and smooth.
For businesses with consistent scheduling needs, Connecteam offers repeat assignments and templates. These can save supervisors hours when scheduling routine workweeks.
Supervisors can also give employees a say in their schedules. Employees can accept or reject schedule changes. They can also trade shifts with other employees through Connecteam. If employees have vacation days or times they’re unavailable, that information can be added to the schedule to avoid conflicts.
The Connecteam app enables employees to view their schedule on the go. Employees can tap on a task to view instructions, attachments, notes, and photos. So, they’re immediately oriented to the work that needs to be done.
Did You Know?Connecteam integrates with Google Calendar so your employees can transfer their shifts right from the app into their personal calendars.
Connecteam also offers GPS tracking functionality. Supervisors can know when team members reach a jobsite and quickly reassign employees to urgent jobs based on who’s closest.
Connecteam also supports time tracking. Employees can clock in and out from jobs throughout the day. That makes it easy for your payroll team to keep track of overtime and bill the right client for every hour worked. It also makes running payroll a breeze.
Perhaps the best thing about Connecteam is that all these features won’t break your company’s operations budget. Connecteam is completely free for small businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Paid plans start at just $29 per month and include up to 30 users at no additional charge.
You can try out Connecteam free for 30 days to find out for yourself just how seamless our platform makes scheduling.
Key Features
Create custom scheduling templates
Supports time tracking and payroll integration
Add information and attachments to shifts
Enable employees to accept and trade shifts
Pros
Extremely user-friendly interface
Mobile apps for employees and supervisors on the go
Track task completion on the schedule
Integrates seamlessly with payroll processes
Cons
Does not automatically assign employees to shifts
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Humanity — Good for: Automatic scheduling
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Humanity is a neat employee scheduling platform for supervisors who want to lean on automated features. This software can use information about your employees’ qualifications and the demands of specific jobs or tasks to automatically assign employees to shifts.
The result isn’t always perfect since it’s hard to translate all of a supervisor’s knowledge about employees into parameters for Humanity’s scheduling algorithm. However, it’s easy to make adjustments and this can speed up the time it takes to schedule large groups of employees.In addition to automated scheduling features, Humanity offers support for compliance requirements. Supervisors are alerted if an employee doesn’t have the appropriate certifications for a job or if an employee is working beyond legal limits. For highly regulated industries like trucking, this can be a major plus.
Learn more about HumanityKey Features
- Automatically assigns employees to jobs
- Flags compliance-related conflicts
- Enables employees to trade shifts
- Supports time tracking for payroll
Pros
- Admin dashboard for reporting
- Wide range of integrations
Cons
- Automatic scheduling isn’t always perfect
- No drag-and-drop functionality
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Deputy — Good for: PTO management
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Deputy is a well-designed employee scheduling software that works well for a variety of scheduling tasks. You can drag-and-drop tasks on each employee’s schedule, manage conflicts, and enable employees to trade shifts without supervisor involvement.
One of our favorite things about Deputy is the way it handles PTO. You can track time off requests and leave accruals within the platform and easily see when employees are scheduled to be away. It also offers attendance tracking.In addition, Deputy offers some handy demand forecasting tools. These can be used to predict what days and times your company will be most busy based on historical data and project timelines. You can use this data to brace for overtime or help supervisors decide when to allow employees to take PTO.
Learn more about DeputyKey Features
- Drag and drop tasks onto employees’ schedules
- Automatically assign employees to shifts
- Track leave requests and balances
- Predict employee demand based on project timelines
Pros
- Includes time clocks
- User-friendly mobile apps
Cons
- Expensive for larger businesses
- Limited built-in communication features
Pricing
Starts at $3.5/user/month, for Scheduling or Time & Attendance Trial: Yes — 31-day Free Plan: No
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QuickBooks Time — Good for: QuickBooks users
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
QuickBooks Time is a time clock app first and foremost, but it has enough scheduling features to make it worth considering for your business. With this platform, you can schedule employees by shift or by job and easily publish schedules. If you need to make changes, employees are notified with mobile alerts.
QuickBooks Time is very easy to use, but it doesn’t offer a lot of advanced features. For example, employees can’t trade shifts and there are no tools for tracking time off.That said, the time clock tools in QuickBooks Time are excellent. The platform offers GPS-based tracking so you always know where your employees are. It also integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks payroll and accounting software.
Learn more about QuickBooks TimeKey Features
- Simple, efficient time tracking software
- Assign employees by shift or to jobs
- Employees receive mobile alerts for schedule changes
- Seamless integration with other QuickBooks software
Pros
- Very easy to use
- Mobile apps for scheduling on the go
Cons
- Doesn’t enable employees to trade shifts
- Does not track leave requests or employee availability
Pricing
Starts at $20/month + $10/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
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ScheduleAnywhere — Good for: Complex scheduling needs
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
ScheduleAnywhere is a powerful employee scheduling software with a lot of customization options. It’s one of the best solutions for scheduling large numbers of employees reliably.
Some of the handy features ScheduleAnywhere offers include automatic schedule rotations and employee certification and compliance tracking. Employees can self-assign shifts with manager oversight. Supervisors can also send out messages to employees within ScheduleAnywhere to quickly fill open shifts.
ScheduleAnywhere isn’t as pretty as other scheduling platforms and its user interface can feel outdated at times. But if that doesn’t bother you, this platform is packed with advanced features to help you manage complex scheduling requirements.
Learn more about ScheduleAnywhereKey Features
- Strong workforce management tools
- Customizable reporting tools
- Integrated messaging app to fill open shifts
- Automatically rotate employee schedules
Pros
- Enables employees to self-assign shifts
- Track employee skills and qualifications
Cons
- No time tracking features
- Outdated user interface
Pricing
Starts at $25/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Zoho People — Good for: HR management with scheduling features
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Zoho People is primarily an HR management software, but it offers a number of handy features for staff scheduling. Managers can schedule shifts and easily stay in compliance with regulations around breaks and time off. You can also set up automatic shift rotations.
Zoho People can also keep track of timesheets. As a human resources management system, it excels at integrating HR-related processes like leave requests and payroll processing. It also puts your your employees’ HR self-service portal and schedules in one place, which can be convenient for smaller businesses.
However, Zoho People shouldn’t be used for complex scheduling tasks. It lacks features like demand prediction and automatic scheduling. It also doesn’t enable employees to trade shifts or communicate directly about the requirements of specific shifts or jobs.
Learn more about Zoho PeopleKey Features
- Includes timesheets and payroll integration
- Automatic shift rotations
- Integrated leave management system
- Manage breaks and compliance
Pros
- Very easy to create and manage shifts
- Schedules and HR portal are in one place
Cons
- Employees cannot trade shifts
- No built-in communication features
Pricing
Starts at $1/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Skedulo — Good for: Project-based scheduling
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Skedulo is a good choice for businesses that have a lot of projects to manage, each with their own requirements for employees with different certifications. The software lets you write in rules around the employee requirements for each project or task. It then uses automations to simplify the process of putting the right employee on each job.
Skedulo’s interface is clean and modern, which makes it easier to navigate the software’s many features. Businesses with employees in the field will especially like that Skedulo can be used to track employees’ GPS locations and re-assign them on the fly.The Skedulo mobile app isn’t quite as seamless to use as Connecteam’s app. However, it works well for communication between supervisors and employees. It also supports push notifications so employees know right away when their schedule is changed.
Learn more about SkeduloKey Features
- Match qualified employees with project requirements
- GPS tracking to reassign employees in the field
- Supports instant messaging
- Write notes on each job or shift
Pros
- User-friendly mobile app with GPS tracking and messaging
- Supports automatic scheduling
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- May be overkill for small businesses
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Shiftboard ScheduleFlex — Good for: Optimizing productivity
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Shiftboard stands out for its impressive reporting and analysis capabilities. The platform can help you split shifts, reassign underutilized employees, and reduce overtime labor costs. If you feel like your scheduling isn’t working quite right and want to figure out why, this software is worth a look.
Shiftboard also offers a wide range of standard scheduling tools. It helps with managing employee work schedule preferences, distributing overtime fairly among workers, and predicting demand weeks or months into the future.Shiftboard’s user interface could use an update, but it works reasonably well once you get used to it. The mobile app ensure your employees always have access to their schedules and are notified of changes right away.
Learn more about Shiftboard ScheduleFlexKey Features
- Optimization tools to reduce overtime costs
- Demand prediction
- Integrated leave management
- Timesheet software and payroll integration
Pros
- Excellent reporting features to improve productivity
- Easy to adjust to schedule changes on the fly
Cons
- Outdated user interface
- No instant messaging features
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Fourth (Previously called: HotSchedules) — Good for: Retail stores
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
HotSchedules by Fourth is an employee scheduling software specifically designed for retail stores and restaurants. In addition to enabling you to schedule shifts with ease, it also helps supervisors to track shoppers and diners in your business over time. Using this data, HotSchedules can predict how many employees you’ll need for any given day and time.
The HotSchedules user interface feels a little clunky at times, but it has all the features managers need. Schedules integrate seamlessly with Google Calendar and employees can be notified in real time when their schedule changes. Supervisors can also get alerts when employees start accruing overtime.HotSchedules offers timesheet management and integrates with a variety of payroll providers. Hourly employees can also use a self-service portal within the app to gauge how much they’ve earned during the current pay period.
Learn more about Fourth (Previously called: HotSchedules)Key Features
- Track demand for your business over time
- Overtime alerts
- Self-service timesheet portal for employees
- Enables employees to trade shifts
Pros
- Predict how many employees you need on any day
- Excellent built-in scheduling analytics
Cons
- Clunky to assign shifts
- Very limited communication features
Pricing
Pricing is not publicly available Trial: No Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Employee Scheduling Softwares
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Start for free
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $3.5/user/month, for Scheduling or Time & Attendance
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Starts at $20/month + $10/user/month
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Starts at $25/month
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Starts at $1/user/month
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Contact vendor for price
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Contact vendor for price
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Pricing is not publicly available
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14-day
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31-day
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30-day
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yes
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Free Up to 10 users
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What is Employee Scheduling Software?
Employee scheduling software is software that’s designed to help managers assign employees to shifts or jobs. It can be used to create a schedule for each employee and ensure that every shift has a qualified employee assigned to it.
Scheduling software is essential for businesses that need employees in different places or at different times, as opposed to businesses that mainly operate 9-5 in a single office location. It’s used by restaurants and retail stores, construction companies, logistics services, and other businesses.
How Does Employee Scheduling Software Work?
Employee scheduling platforms usually work in similar ways. The majority of platforms start off by enabling managers to map out all of the shifts, projects, tasks, or jobs that need to be covered by employees. They can then begin assigning employees to these various tasks, often by dragging and dropping employees onto a Gantt chart or calendar.
Many employee scheduling platforms offer more granular control over how employees are scheduled. For example, they may enable managers to assign required qualifications to each job and to list each employees’ qualifications. The software will then assist managers in assigning qualified employees to each job and create an alert when an unqualified employee is assigned.
Employee scheduling software may also enable employees to trade shifts or set custom scheduling preferences. Some even have GPS tracking capabilities so that managers can reassign employees in the field based on how close they are to a specific jobsite.
The Benefits of Employee Scheduling Software
Employee scheduling software is essential for many businesses. First and foremost, it ensures that every shift or job has the necessary employees assigned to it. There’s nothing worse for a business than being understaffed or missing a job entirely.
Employee scheduling software can also help your business be more productive and even cut costs. Demand forecasting tools can assist you in deciding how many employees to assign to a shift and save you from paying more employees than you need. Some platforms will also help you distribute hours to reduce the amount of overtime you have to pay.Importantly, employee scheduling software can also make it easier for managers to make changes on the fly. If your labor demand changes at the last minute, schedule apps can send an SMS message or push notification to employees. Many platforms also enable employees to trade shifts.
How Much Does Employee Scheduling Software Cost?
Prices for employee scheduling software can vary widely, in part because many platforms offer much more than just scheduling tools. For example, some platforms include scheduling features, communications tools, HR management tools, and payroll features.
As a rule of thumb, you should expect to pay between $1 and $5 per employee per month for a standalone scheduling software. However, some platforms can be significantly cheaper if they primarily charge a base licensing price instead of a per-employee price.
For example, Connecteam starts at $29 per month for up to 30 employees. For businesses that need to schedule more than 30 employees, each additional user costs just $0.50 per month extra. That works out to well under $1 per employee per month for medium-sized businesses.
There are also some free employee scheduling software platforms. Connecteam is completely free for businesses with 10 or fewer employees.
FAQs
What is the best way to schedule employees?
The best way to schedule employees is to use dedicated employee scheduling software. This software makes it easy for managers to assign employees to shifts or jobs. If you need to make changes, you can reassign employees and notify them immediately.
Can you use Excel to schedule employees?
Small businesses with only a few employees might be able to schedule employees in Excel. However, relying on Excel could be difficult for businesses with more employees or complex scheduling needs. It’s better to invest in employee scheduling software than risk missing an important job.
Is there free employee scheduling software?
Connecteam is a free employee scheduling software for businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Businesses with more than 10 employees can try out Connecteam free for 30 days. Paid plans start at just $29 per month for businesses with up to 30 employees.
The Bottom Line On Employee Scheduling Software
Employee scheduling software is absolutely essential for businesses that need to manage a lot of employees, a lot of shifts, and jobs in multiple locations. Reliable scheduling software ensures that your business always has the right employees in the right place at the right time.
We think Connecteam is the best solution for most businesses. It offers a drag-and-drop scheduling interface, built-in communication tools, payroll integration, and much more. With Connecteam, supervisors and employees can work together seamlessly to ensure shifts are always covered.
Try out Connecteam today to see how it can help your business schedule employees.