Using Excel or pen and paper for creating schedules in your business will inevitably result in conflicts, staff confusion, and excess staff. To streamline scheduling processes, let’s examine the top scheduling software options for small businesses.
As a manager, scheduling employees is an essential task that requires a significant amount of time and effort. Careful consideration of requests for time-off and shift preferences, along with ensuring that all shifts have the appropriate number of staff, is a delicate balancing process.
Thankfully, small business owners can simplify and streamline the scheduling process with scheduling software, which frees up their time to concentrate on other crucial elements of operating their businesses.
This article delves into the finest employee scheduling software designed for smaller businesses, and its potential to aid entrepreneurs in saving time, enhancing productivity, and boosting efficiency.
The 7 Best Scheduling Softwares of 2023
1. Connecteam — Best all-in-one scheduling software for small businesses
Designed for ease of use and simple schedule creation and management, Connecteam is an inclusive small business scheduling software that offers advanced features. Small business owners and managers can both take advantage of its benefits thanks to its user-friendly interface.
Examining Connecteam further can reveal how it can make scheduling easier for your business:
Smart scheduling saves time and effort
Connecteam provides a variety of features that simplify and enhance the scheduling process. The shift scheduler feature from Connecteam enables you to generate fully personalized schedules that include single or multiple shifts, as well as replicate existing ones. Additionally, you can employ custom templates to set schedules to repeat as per your requirements.
By taking into consideration your team members’ availability and abilities, you can allocate shifts to the suitable employee, guaranteeing that they are assigned to tasks that are appropriate for them. Additionally, employees are permitted to relinquish assigned shifts and claim open ones with or without the supervisor’s endorsement.
2. mHelpDesk — Good for scheduling recurring jobs
Small businesses can benefit from mHelpDesk’s robust software that offers a variety of tools to enhance operational efficiency, reduce manual effort, and boost customer contentment. Besides staff scheduling, companies can employ mHelpDesk’s functionality to handle other activities such as generating invoices and managing payroll. Moreover, the software supports a mobile app that empowers field technicians with the ability to stay informed and modify job statuses while on the move.
The use of mHelpDesk can greatly decrease paperwork, simplify communication, and eradicate superfluous manual tasks for small enterprises. Although it comes with a steep expense, this scheduling software is an outstanding choice.
3. Wrike — Good for managing time off requests
For small business managers searching for a straightforward and adaptable solution to track time and manage projects, Wrike is an excellent choice. With Wrike, it’s effortless to log work hours automatically and create secure timesheets, making it a top-notch tool for tracking billable hours and promoting cross-functional teamwork. Furthermore, it can be customized to suit each user’s reporting and workflow requirements.
Although Wrike lacks a drag-and-drop scheduling feature, it can prove highly beneficial when it comes to managing bigger or multiple teams assigned to intricate endeavors. Additionally, small businesses can give it a test run before committing to paid plans as the company offers a restricted free plan.
4. 7shifts — Good for auto-scheduling with AI integrations
Despite being advertised as a solution specifically for restaurant management, 7shifts is suitable for any small business that operates with shift work. It offers comprehensive scheduling features, such as communication, task management, and time tracking. Employees can conveniently view their schedules from their mobile devices while managers can access and monitor schedules while on the move.
Also featured in 7Shifts are some remarkable capabilities. You can gather all data about applicants and newly-assigned employees using the application, upload training files, and handle the compensation and disbursement of employees from the app itself.
5. Deputy — Good for allowing employees to swap shifts
Deputy simplifies employee schedule management by providing a digital time clock, time tracking tools, attendance tracking tools, and features that ensure compliance with labor laws. Employees can effortlessly exchange shifts using the platform, which streamlines workflow and minimizes the involvement of management. Additionally, Deputy is equipped for integration with various payroll software and compatible with both Android and iOS systems.
Small business owners have reported that its simple and intuitive interface makes it an ideal choice for employees who aren’t as technically proficient. Your team can easily set it up and utilize it daily.
6. Jobber — Good for small businesses with dispatch needs
Managers can easily create jobs and assign them to teams using Jobber’s scheduling and dispatch features. A progress indicator ensures that managers always have an eye on tasks and assignments. Personalized calendars, with color coding and filters, enable managers to quickly locate specific details related to each job, including team availability.
Furthermore, Jobber has the capability to interface with various other applications, such as Stripe, Square, and Mailchimp, and is operable on both mobile devices and desktops.
7. Skedulo — Good for analytics and detailed reporting
Skedulo allows businesses to streamline their scheduling process, delegate assignments, and monitor employee hours, resulting in reduced managerial burden. A key advantage of Skedulo is its robust analytics and reporting tools that provide small businesses with vital information to facilitate swift compliance reporting and sound decision-making backed by current data.
Skedulo includes pre-installed panels for monitoring metrics and KPIs, enabling managers to evaluate team output, watch operational trends, and oversee customer satisfaction. Additionally, it provides live collaboration capabilities along with tracking team location and project status.
How Does Scheduling Software for Small Businesses Work?
Scheduling software designed for small businesses ensures a digital platform from where managers can create worker schedules, authorize modifications or exchanges, monitor time and attendance, and mechanize other related scheduling chores. Almost all scheduling software comes with a mobile application that empowers employees to view their schedules, relinquish or take up shifts, demand leaves, and interact with team members directly through their mobile phones.
Inclusion of a time clock within scheduling software enables managers to establish overtime restrictions and allows employees to punch in and out from their mobile phones. Time worked is generally converted into timesheets, which can be transferred to payroll software.
The Benefits of Scheduling Software for Small Businesses
Using small business scheduling software offers innumerable advantages such as:
- Saves time: Scheduling software saves small business owners significant time by automating scheduling processes. Managers no longer need to manually write schedules, but can complete the process much faster with a drag-and-drop scheduling tool.
- Improved accuracy: Creating schedules manually can lead to inaccuracies and errors. Scheduling software automatically monitors the scheduling process, flagging inconsistencies or mistakes. It can also ensure adequate coverage and accurately track employee work hours.
- Increased efficiency: Ditching pen and paper and moving towards a digital scheduling solution streamline the process and allows managers to quickly create schedules and make changes as needed. As a result, small businesses run more efficiently and effectively.
- Enhanced communication: Most digital scheduling tools allow employees and managers to easily chat directly from the app, consolidating all scheduling-related communication to one place.
- Saves money: By automating scheduling tasks, small businesses avoid overstaffing or understaffing leading to unnecessary labor costs or lost revenue.
- Employee flexibility: Instead of having to speak directly with a manager, scheduling software allows small business employees to request time off, swap shifts with other employees, or adjust their work schedules directly from their phones.
BONUS: Best Appointment Scheduling Software for Businesses in 2023
If you have clients to schedule, whether you’re a solopreneur or a small business, it’s crucial to have a scheduling software that exceeds expectations. In a competitive market, certain features make one system better than another. Our top 10 favorite appointment schedulers have been selected based on criteria such as ease of use, compatibility with existing software, and customization options, and are suitable for a wide range of business requirements.
Our top picks for the best Appointment Scheduling Software
10to8
By automating scheduling and managing appointments, 10to8, a cloud-based software for appointment scheduling, can save time and reduce frustration.
Clients can schedule their own appointments online by indicating their preferences and availability. 10to8 provides assistance with confirming appointments, sending reminders, managing client information, and soliciting feedback through customer review requests.
It is possible to integrate your 10to8 scheduling page into your website and promote your 10to8 URL through emails and social media. The scheduler can be tailored to match your brand through various branding choices.
By syncing with your calendars and seamlessly integrating with business apps like Zoom and Salesforce, 10to8 allows for easy incorporation into your current workflow. Plus, through Zapier, you can integrate 10to8 with over 1,500 other business apps.
The setup process is highly user-friendly, providing lucid and uncomplicated instructions. Once you’ve completed the setup, managing 10to8 requires minimal effort on your part. You can also enjoy other functionalities such as customized email, text, and phone call reminders that can be triggered according to specific times or service types.
With 10to8, you have the option of asking for reviews and setting up email campaigns all in one place. Additionally, the program offers detailed reports pertaining to staff performance, attendance, no-shows, and other metrics.
HoneyBook
HoneyBook is a top-tier scheduling software that excels at handling reservations and managing clients, as well as sales and operational processes behind the scenes.
HoneyBook excels at arranging appointments with its impressive booking system. The client portal of HoneyBook is uncluttered and easy to navigate, and can be customized to correspond with your website’s theme. Moreover, it synchronizes with your schedules, so you can schedule appointments with ease and precision.
Client information is gathered and appointment history is recorded, while all correspondences are kept in a single accessible location. Furthermore, it is possible to establish intricate workflows that automatically send reminders and confirmations to clients, and internal administrative tasks can be initiated based on client actions.
Calendly
Calendly is a software for scheduling meetings that can save you time by resolving common scheduling challenges like coordinating availability and handling time zone differences. Additionally, it is compatible with your calendars as well as numerous commonly used business tools.
It is a simple task to integrate your Calendly link into marketing initiatives and your webpage. You have the ability to customize meeting settings, select from a variety of meeting formats, distribute email and text message reminders, and work collectively with your colleagues.
Using Calendly, you can automate the dispatch of text messages or emails when meetings are scheduled, and also send follow-up emails, thank-you notes, feedback surveys, and several other types of messages. Furthermore, Calendly offers a single, user-friendly app for scheduling, monitoring, and handling appointments with ease and convenience.
Acuity Scheduling
Acuity, a software designed for service-based businesses, offers a convenient appointment scheduling solution suitable for those in the small to midsize category. It eliminates the tedious and challenging task of coordinating schedules and time zones through extensive communication.
Acuity can be synchronized with different types of calendars and can be integrated with well-known business programs such as accounting software, analytics tools, email marketing software, CRMs, video conferencing platforms, and numerous others.
Additional functionalities comprise the option to personalize and label your Acuity scheduler, establish scheduling preferences and restrictions, receive online payments, retrieve sophisticated reports, tailor diverse automated email notifications and subsequent communications, and numerous other features.
By embedding your Acuity scheduler into your website, social media, and marketing emails, you can provide your clients with an intuitive scheduling experience that saves time and gives you an advantage over your competition.
Acuity provides clients with four pricing options, which include the Freebie plan as the basic option and the Power Plan at a cost of $45 per month. While the Freebie plan allows booking appointments with a single employee or location, the Power Plan offers the advantage of booking up to 36 employees or locations. If these plans do not meet your booking requirements, Acuity is ready to collaborate with you to develop a tailored solution.
Appointlet
Integrating with various applications, Appointlet is a scheduling system based on the cloud that ensures seamless customer bookings and streamlines operations for businesses of diverse types.
Its streamlined features are advantageous to various individuals such as human resources experts, office managers, entrepreneurs, and others. It enables customization of intake inquiries to collect essential data, the automation of workflows through connection with existing systems, self-booking options for customers, the automation of reminder notifications to reduce missed appointments, and numerous other beneficial features.
There are two options for pricing with Appointlet: free and premium, which is less than $10/month. Regardless of the plan you choose, you will have access to a variety of helpful features that will greatly benefit your daily operations when using Appointlet.
Appointlet integrates smoothly with numerous third-party tools including Office 365, Salesforce, and Google, among others. The application is straightforward to use on a daily basis and doesn’t disrupt the workflow, with a manageable learning process.
AppointmentPlus
AppointmentPlus provides a user-friendly and efficient way of scheduling and booking appointments, as well as enhancing business functions. Its comprehension extends beyond scheduling to encompass the challenges that business proprietors face, particularly in optimizing productivity.
AppointmentPlus simplifies the process of viewing, modifying, and monitoring appointments with its user-friendly dashboard and administrative interface.
You have the option to seamlessly integrate it with your current software infrastructure or utilize integrations from its marketplace to create a tailored customization suitable for your business.
In order to enhance business efficiency and profits, it is crucial to utilize features such as comprehensive reports and reminders for automated scheduling.
AppointmentPlus offers different layers of information to cater to your specific needs, whether you require a comprehensive overview of your business or to delve deeper into daily, employee, or customer trends. By tracking these trends and making necessary adjustments within the system, AppointmentPlus enhances operational efficiency and facilitates smoother business operations.
Simplybook.me
In a highly competitive category, Simplybook.me is an inexpensive booking software that offers a wide range of features that make it exceptional.
Simplybook.me is well-suited for small and medium-sized enterprises and has the ability to boost customer satisfaction, returns and engagement while requiring minimal input from administrators.
The tool connects with email, social media, and personal calendars to avoid double-booking appointments. Reservations are possible through different channels, and it includes the option to generate discounts and marketing campaigns to send to a database of clients and increase repeat business.
By utilizing its auto-reminder capabilities, Simplybook.me will send notifications to customers as a reminder of their scheduled appointments in order to reduce the number of missed bookings.
Additionally, you have the option to gather advance deposits, ensuring the attendance of clients for their scheduled appointments.
This feature can be customized to suit various fields, enabling salons to have repeated reservations while adhering to the privacy regulations of medical facilities as per HIPAA.
