How to Choose the Right Scheduling Software for Your Business

It can be difficult to choose the best scheduling software for your business, especially with so many different features, options, integrations and providers available in the market.

To make things easier, we have created the following guide, which includes the most important features to consider when choosing scheduling software. We also explore the importance of scheduling software, and the difference it could make to your business.

Why use scheduling software at all?

It's a question the foundU team are asked often - why use scheduling software at all? Why not continue using Excel spreadsheets or other paper-based solutions?

We'll admit that scheduling software might not be suitable for every business. That's why it's important to consider your business needs and goals before choosing a solution. But for those businesses who want to generate optimised and compliant schedules in a fraction of the time, scheduling software is a no-brainer.

Read on below as we discuss the most important features to consider when choosing a scheduling software solution.

Easy-to-use design

The first (and possibly the most important) feature to consider when choosing a solution is how easy it will be to implement and use.

The more intuitive the scheduling software solution is, the faster you and your team will be able to implement it and start using it to streamline employee scheduling. 

The foundU platform's single-screen scheduling tool is designed to be easy for you and your team to use. With a drag-and-drop scheduling functionality, complete visibility of employee availability, and oversight of wage costs, creating perfect schedules is a cinch.

Able to scale with your business

Whether you manage a single-venue retail store, or a national transport and logistics business with multiple sites or locations, the scheduling software you choose should easily scale up or scale down with your business as required.

In times of growth, you'll want to be able to focus on onboarding new employees successfully - not finding a new software provider. In times of uncertainty, you don't want to be burdened with an outdated solution that no longer suits your business. 

At foundU, we've taken the time to ensure our platform can be scaled to suit your business. Whether you run a 50 or 500-man operation, our drag-and-drop scheduling tool allows you to generate the schedules you need 

Integrates with payroll

Software integrations can make a big difference to the amount of time you spend on admin. One of the best integrations to look out for is between your scheduling software and payroll platforms. 

As an all-in-one workforce management solution, the foundU platform includes integrations between scheduling and payroll. When a manager approves a shift, the data flows onto the payroll module and is used to automatically generate a payslip. This saves you time on data entry and ensures that your employees are paid correctly.

Hayley Lee, Operations Manager at Managed Workforce Group, praises the integration between scheduling, payroll and invoicing, saying it has significantly increased accuracy.

"One of the highlights of foundU is the integration between scheduling and invoicing - it offers so much value," Hayley said.

"It increases accuracy but it also provides a clear audit trail that's easy to follow."

Accessible anytime, anywhere

Ever been away from the office and needed to make a change to a schedule?

Using cloud-based scheduling software gives you the flexibility to generate and edit schedules anytime, anywhere. If you manage a multi-site business with venue managers who are responsible for employee scheduling, having a cloud-based solution also gives them the flexibility to generate and edit schedules as they need to.

If your software allows for reporting, you will also have access to these insights with just a few clicks, whenever and wherever you need them. 

Allows schedules to be shared

The best scheduling software doesn't just make it easy for managers to generate perfect schedules. It also has tools that enable you to share schedules with your staff.

A great example is foundU's employee app, which makes it easy for employers to communicate to staff clear information on schedules, work availability, shift offers, pay and more. The app also enables employees to clock in and out for shifts, submit timesheets, update their details or apply for leave - all from their phone.

Tim Rippon, Managing Director at NurseU, praises the employee app, saying it has significantly reduced the time he spends on admin.

"All essential information is collected along the onboarding process, and can easily be updated through the employee app when changes occur, saving considerable administration time," Tim said.

The bottom line...

When it comes to choosing the right scheduling software for your business, the range of options available in the market can make it difficult to decide. The most important thing is that the solution you choose adds value to your business operations.

Want to know more about foundU? Book a Demo.