6 Best Rota Management Software
byKeeping up with your team can be a headache, especially if they work rotating schedules. But the good news is that even if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Many managers are searching for efficient ways to simplify rota management.
The answer you’ve all been looking for lies in rota management software. Here are the key things to know about it:
- Rota management software helps you streamline employee scheduling and save time
- The best options offer multi-location support
- Investing in the right software will improve team communication
- Some options include extra HR features like time tracking and payroll management
- Many providers offer a free trial, so you can try before you commit
Table of contents
- Key features to look for in rota management software
- Rota management software comparison table
- Best rota management software
- Manage your rota efficiently with When I Work
Key features to look for in rota management software
You can’t just start your search for rota management software without preparing for it. It’s important to identify which features you’ll need to look for.
On that note, some key offerings in rota management software include the following:
Multi-location support
Your business may operate across several locations. If so, your rota management software must support multi-location scheduling. It’s a feature that allows you to track teams and schedules for different locations, all from one platform. You can ensure you have the right staff at the right place and time.
Multi-location support also simplifies communication and helps you avoid scheduling conflicts. You can use the added visibility to move staff between locations to cover unexpected shortages. These sorts of last-minute moves are tough to pull off if you build schedules manually.
Labor cost reporting
Ask yourself if you know how much you are spending on labor. If you don’t know, rota management software can help. Top options track individual, shift-level, and location-level labor costs. They’ll help you better understand how much you need to spend to run your business. They’ll also work to identify wasteful practices.
By monitoring labor costs in real time, you can optimize staffing levels at all locations. You can also reduce overtime costs and optimize your workforce distribution. But above all, you’ll be able to avoid frequent payroll overages. And that means improving your profitability and protecting your business continuity.
Automated scheduling capabilities
Roughly two-thirds of hourly workers at food service and retail establishments receive less than two weeks’ notice about their schedules. Some don’t even find out when they are working until the week they are unknowingly scheduled for. As you can imagine, that’s a practice that can place a huge burden on your team.
But rota management software can ease the tension. It will provide your team members with ample notice about when they are supposed to work. You’ll save several hours each week and free up time to tackle more dynamic tasks.
Automated scheduling allows you to get shifts out sooner. If employees have any conflicts, they will have plenty of time to trade shifts or make arrangements with their supervisor. In turn, you’ll have less absenteeism and better overall staffing.
Rota management software comparison table
Here’s a quick look at the rota management software that made our list:
| Software | Price options | Key features | Pros | Cons | Free trial |
| When I Work | Free plan Paid options | Automated scheduling, labor cost reporting, multi-location support | User-friendly, strong customer support | Limited integration on the free plan | Yes |
| BambooHR | Custom pricing | Performance management, employee self-service, time tracking | Comprehensive HR tools | Higher costs for small businesses | Yes |
| Findmyshift | Free plan Paid options | Shift notifications, time tracking, reporting | Simple interface, good reporting features | Basic integrations | Yes |
| Bizimply | Custom pricing | Multi-location support, labor cost tracking, attendance management | Detailed reporting, mobile app | No free trial | No |
| Rotaready | Custom pricing | Forecasting, compliance management, employee self-service | Good support | Steep learning curve | Yes |
| BrightHR | Free plan Paid options | Document storage, absence management, shift planning | Easy to use, good support | Limited features on the free plan | Yes |
6 best rota management software
Our picks of the six best rota management software on the market are as follows:
1. When I Work
Rating: 4.3/5 (G2)
- Time clock
- Payroll tools
- Employee scheduling
- Team messaging
- GPS capabilities
When I Work is a feature-filled rota management software. It doubles as full-service payroll software that allows you to run payroll with a single click. You can send secure messages to your team and simplify communication across all shifts.
If you need a convenient way to log hours, When I Work and its built-in time clock can help with that, too! You can even use the platform’s GPS functionality to ensure your team members are at work when they clock in.
When I Work allows you to start scheduling your staff for free. And if you choose to stick around, competitive pricing makes it easy to slot When I Work into your budget. Plans start at just $1.50 per employee per month. And you can always move up to a higher subscription tier to unlock even more great features.
2. BambooHR
- Performance management
- Employee self-service
- Time racking
Bamboo HR functions as a full-featured HR platform. The software offers good performance management and self-service capabilities. And it also functions as a time-tracking tool. It’s a good all-around option for businesses looking to integrate scheduling with other HR functions.
The problem is that the company doesn’t have transparent pricing. You’ll have to get a custom quote. And if you do, you’ll find that BambooHR can be a bit cost-prohibitive for small businesses.
Making matters worse is that the learning curve is way too steep. You’ll need to give your team plenty of time to learn their way around it. Bamboo HR does offer a free trial. But chances are good that you’ll still be sorting out the basics of the platform by the time your trial ends!
3. Findmyshift
- Shift notifications
- Time tracking
- Reporting
Findmyshift is a very straightforward rota management software that does the basics well. It offers a simple interface that allows users to find their way around in no time. It also includes shift notifications, time tracking, and decent reporting tools. Each of these will help you better understand your labor costs and staffing needs.
The thing is, Findmyshift is somewhat limited with its capabilities and integrations. It’s not going to replace a bunch of different apps. Instead, it will fill a niche role, helping you keep track of schedules across many locations.
Not helping is that even though the company offers a free plan for teams of five, you’ll only be able to store a week’s worth of historical data and plan ahead by seven days.
4. Bizimply
- Multi-location support
- Labor cost tracking
- Attendance management
Bizimply is designed for businesses that operate across multiple locations. It has tools for labor cost management and attendance tracking. And it also helps with compliance. Its multi-location support can help you manage schedules across every store in your portfolio.
Furthermore, the platform includes detailed reporting capabilities. These features are a bit complex, though, so you’ll have to experiment with them to become proficient.
One major sticking point is that Bizimply does not offer a free trial. You’ll have to commit to the software if you want to explore its capabilities. That’s a big ask when other great rota management software options like When I Work allow businesses to try before they buy.
5. Rotaready
- Forecasting
- Compliance management
- Employee self-service
Rotaready is a powerful scheduling tool. It has good forecasting capabilities to help you predict future staffing needs. It also offers compliance management capabilities and self-service tools. Your team can view schedules and request time off within the app.
But Rotaready has the steepest learning curve out of every option on our list. It’s filled with layers of menus and tools. And that means it might not be a good fit for smaller businesses with less robust scheduling needs.
Still, it may be worth considering if you run a complex organization with lots of locations and a huge workforce.
6. BrightHr
- Document storage
- Absence management
- Shift planning
BrightHR offers a user-friendly platform with essential features like absence management. You can store documents within the app and plan shifts weeks in advance. It’s designed to help your business simplify scheduling.
The platform has an easy-to-navigate interface and offers good, but not great, customer support. You won’t get very far with its free plan, though. You’ll have to opt for a paid subscription if you want to actually solve any of your rota management challenges.
Manage your rota efficiently with When I Work
There are lots of great rota management software options out there. But When I Work stands above the rest. It is versatile, user-friendly, and competitively priced. And that’s saying nothing of all of the great add-on features that are available.
When I Work makes it easy to keep up with your schedules. The employee scheduling software has all the tools and features you need to simplify rotation management. You can build custom rotations, communicate with your team via the secure app, track time, and more. When I Work even offers a one-click payroll add-on!
Altogether, When I Work makes life easier for you and your team. But don’t just take our word for it. Sign up for a free trial and experience When I Work for yourself!
