Retail Scheduling Software: The Best Options for 2024

Retail employee scheduling isn't always a walk in the park. You've got last-minute shift swaps, seasonal demand to meet, and all your other small business duties on top of it all. The right retail scheduling software can help. But what IS the right retail scheduling system?Spreadsheets and online calendars will only get you so far. And as your business scales, they might someday cause more headaches than they cure.A dedicated retail store scheduling software can help you with retail time tracking, team communication, and may even help you with payroll.To help you simplify your search and find the best platform available, we've broken down the top retail scheduling software options for 2024. We've even thrown in a few scheduling tips and best practices for good measure.

What is retail scheduling software?

Any digital tool that helps you stay on top of retail scheduling is considered retail scheduling software. Retail scheduling software can replace manual time-tracking and scheduling methods, and in some cases, include additional functionality like communication tools, automatic scheduling assistance, and payroll integration.

Retail scheduling software vs. retail scheduling app: what's the difference?

Retail scheduling software is typically used at a retail location. This type of software is capable of handling employee schedules and shift changes, and may be installed on your location’s computers. Retail scheduling apps are more often used on mobile devices, but may have similar features to retail scheduling software.Sometimes a retail scheduling app is more focused on the employee experience, allowing them to access their schedule on the move. In some cases, a retail scheduling app is also capable of allowing employees to clock in or out from their mobile device.When possible, a retail scheduling app rich in features is a better option. These offerings often also have a traditional retail scheduling software for your in-store desktop, while offering the flexibility and mobility of a mobile app. That makes it a win-win for you and your team.

Is there a free employee scheduling app?

Especially when you’re dealing with all the costs that come associated with running a small business, you may be interested in an employee scheduling app but not sure if it’s within budget.Fortunately for you, Homebase offers a free scheduling app for retail employees. This app includes basic time tracking, point-of-sale (POS) integration, and a payroll add-on if you decide you like the interface. The free Homebase offering supports one location and up to 20 employees, giving you plenty of room to grow.With both a mobile app and desktop support, you can easily access Homebase anywhere, managing your employee schedule with ease. On average, managers using Homebase save five or more hours each week. Think of all the business planning you could do with that time!

Features to look for when choosing your retail scheduling software

But back to the software. The ideal retail scheduling software should go beyond simple scheduling. When looking for the best option, look for software that includes features like:

• Automated scheduling with labor cost optimization
• Time-clock and scheduling notification alerts for your team sent via SMS
• Payroll support and functionality
• Ability to manage PTO and benefits
• Compliance support with labor laws in your area
• In-depth analysis that provides insights on labor costs, hour usage, and more
• The ability to scale as your company grows
• Low barrier to entry with easy usability for your team
• Great customer support for when things don’t go as planned
• Tools to help you base your schedule on sales targets
• Integrations with your POS system, payroll, accounting, etc.

For example, Homebase goes beyond staff scheduling and includes time clocks, payroll, internal staff communication tools, and hiring and onboarding assistance. And, it can scale and grow with your company. That means you don’t have to worry about pivoting to another tool down the road.

The 5 best retail scheduling software platforms for 2024

1. Homebase

Homebase is a dedicated management platform designed for small businesses with hourly workers. Homebase is more than a simple scheduling app. Homebase also handles payroll, hiring and onboarding, HR, and timesheets, facilitates great team communication, and practices to boost and maintain employee happiness. Best for: Small businesses with hourly staff.Pros

• An all-in-one solution.
• Tools for scheduling, payroll, time clock, hiring and onboarding, team communication, HR and compliance, and employee happiness.
• Integration with POS systems, jobs boards, and payroll services.
• Available as an iOS and Android mobile app.

Cons:

• Not all features are available on the free plan.

Pricing:

• Starts at a free plan for 1 location and up to 20employees.
• Ranges from $20 to $80 per month per location, depending on the package and the number of features included.

2. ConnectTeam

ConnectTeam is an employee management platform that helps you simplify team communication and improve professional skills. It has three “hubs” specialized for different sections of your company, from Operations to Communications to HR.Best for: Companies whose teams are fully remote, and those focused on training. Pros:

• A mobile app that enables scheduling via a visual calendar.
• Sends notifications and reminders to staff, and offers an in-app chat function.
• Document management, and clock-in and clock-out support.
• Enables weekly goal setting, rewards, and various training efforts.

Cons:

• The free plan only allows ten users and has limited features.
• The three “hubs” are priced separately, which may be confusing if you’re looking for a genuine all-in-one solution.

Price:

• Starts with a free plan.
• Rises to $29 per month for Basic, $49 for Advanced, and $99 for Expert.
• Each paid plan covers 30 users and charges extra for each additional user.

3. ZoomShift

ZoomShift prioritizes employee scheduling above all else, offering numerous templates, employee notifications, and a comprehensive dashboard view that covers all core functionality. The software also offers payroll reporting you can export, as well as time tracking.Best for: Businesses that need support with scheduling, time tracking, and labor costs.Pros:

• Offers work scheduling and time off tracking.
• Manages vacation time within the same app.
• Enables shift swaps.
• Offers a generous free plan with core functionality.

Cons:

• Offers a 14-day free trial but no free plan.
• Has fewer features than some similar competitors.
• Prices per employee per month rather than solely by features, so it may add up for larger teams.

Price:

• Offers a free 14-day trial for premium plans.
• Paid plans start at $2 per employee per month for Starter, and $4 per employee per month for Premium.

4. Humanity

Software app Humanity puts AI at the forefront, offering automated scheduling, demand forecasting, reporting, and more. Humanity offers a desktop platform, as well as a mobile app focused on the employee experience.Best for: Businesses with many employees who could benefit from legal support and automation.Pros:

• Integrates with HR management platforms such as Oracle Human Capital Management and BambooHR.
• Uses data and templates to help schedule automatically.
• Offers AI-powered forecasting to help predict demands.

Cons:

• Very wide focus, less specific or tailored to retail businesses with hourly-paid staff.
• May be too complex and overwhelming for the needs of a small business.

Price:

• Offers a free trial.
• Plans range from Starter to Classic to Enterprise.
• Pricing is available on request.

5. Sling

Sling is a scheduling and employee communication platform that seeks to help companies save hours and reduce labor costs. It aims to make scheduling easy and quick, supports messaging, task management, and more.Best for: Sling has particular experience with large hospitality and food businesses.Pros:

• Offers visual templates for fast scheduling and easy internal communication via the app-style messaging feature.
• Also includes time tracking, payroll processing, overtime tracking, syncing for sick days, and customizable labor reporting.
• Simple to use for both managers and staff.
• Offers a number of integrations, from Shopify to Square to ADP and more.

Cons:

• Designed for use by big and small businesses, rather than specializing in the challenges and unique situations faced by small businesses specifically.
• Supports timesheet exports and integrations, but doesn’t offer payroll on the platform.

Price:

• Offers a free trial.
• Starts at a free plan with key features, unlimited locations, and employees.
• Premium starts at $2.00 per month per user.
• Business starts at $4.00 per month per user for all features.

How to Create a Fool-Proof Retail Scheduling System

But even the best retail scheduling software isn’t enough on its own. You still need the right practices in place to create a schedule that keeps you happy—and your team.Stick to these best practices as you proceed on your retail scheduling journey and you’ll be in great shape. (And as an added bonus, the right retail scheduling software, like Homebase, can even help you with each of these best practices.)

Understand labor laws in your area

Retail businesses have a responsibility to understand and comply with all of the labor laws for the states in which they operate. This includes paying minimum wage, following overtime regulations, and providing mandatory breaks.How software helps: Retail scheduling software can offer guidance on labor compliance, automate time-off, and more. For example, Homebase automatically tracks PTO in accordance with local laws, taking that off your plate.

Schedule in advance

Schedule in advance to avoid staff getting bogged down or running into scheduling conflicts. When you schedule well in advance, you’re able to communicate schedules to staff early, leave wiggle room for anyone needing to change their schedule, and ultimately creating a better experience for your entire team.How software helps: Retail scheduling software like Homebase can automate your scheduling, basing it off previous availability and potential demands. And, it can send automatic notifications to team when the schedule is ready, keeping everyone in the loop.

Reduce overtime

Try to reduce overtime where you can, as this will save you labor costs and reduce staff burnout. It’s important to pay staff overtime if they work it, but you don’t want this to be a regular occurrence.How software helps: Tools like Homebase can automate scheduling and offer reports on labor usage and trends. This allows you to stay on top of overtime and labor usage, and ensure nobody is regularly working overtime.

Make your scheduling software available on the go

It’s far easier to make sure staff are alerted to shifts and changes in real-time if they have access to scheduling on the go via a mobile app. Because of this, it’s important you find a retail scheduling platform that allows your staff to access scheduling on the go.How software can help: Homebase offers both a desktop and mobile experience, allowing your team to quickly check their schedule, submit changes, communicate, and more while on the move. 

Foster open communication in your team

Retail moves quickly, and scheduling changes are inevitable. While good scheduling on your part is a big component of success, communication is also vital. So, it’s important you make sure your team is comfortable communicating with you and one another about any staff changes, and that you provide the right tools for them to do so.How software helps: The right tool, like Homebase, should offer in-app communication that allows your team to quickly communicate any scheduling changes. Coupled with automated notifications, your team can always be in the loop.

Accommodate requests as best as possible

Your team is both legally entitled to breaks, and deserves to take them. The best retail staff scheduling makes time off as stress-free as possible. You want to be able to grant staff vacation and sick days where possible without forgetting the dates and running into scheduling issues.How software helps: Using a tool that keeps everything in one place will sync days off with timetabling, so there’s no risk of accidentally scheduling someone who isn’t available or causing conflict with staff who have already planned time away.

Locate—and conquer—retail scheduling pain points.

Growing pains are inevitable. Fortunately, retail scheduling software can help you avoid issues and counter those you’re already encountering.

Disorganization

Using print-outs or Excel spreadsheets every week to manage your retail staff scheduling opens your business up to major disorganization. Mistakes happen on Excel, and print-outs are prone to getting lost. This can lead to staffing mixups, frustration, and productivity issues.The solution: Digitize your scheduling with your retail scheduling app and make sure notifications are automatically sent, allowing everyone to stay on the same page.

Store staffing stress

Staffing woes don’t just impact you and your business, they also make for a stressful time for your team. Unfortunately, disorganized scheduling can lead to scheduling overlaps, missed shifts, and a poor customer experience, too. The solution: Find a retail scheduling software that allows for internal communication, that way your team can easily voice challenges, swap schedules, and more.

Unhappy staff

All this scheduling mayhem can lead to unhappy staff. Even something as seemingly innocent as publishing the schedule with one to three days’ notice can lead to staff turnover averaging 42%. Not only this, unhappy staff are likely disengaged, which can result in no-shows, poor customer service, and your business suffering.The solution: Use retail scheduling software to accommodate schedules as best as possible, publish schedules in advance, give your team a voice, and offer a flexible experience.

Frustrated managers

Dealing with disorganized stores, staffing stress, and unhappy staff will also negatively impact retail managers and lead to frustration. When your managers are frustrated, they’re also more likely to disengage, which can have a trickle-down effect on your team.The solution: Regularly check in with your managers to make sure they’re also happy with scheduling. Involve them in the retail scheduling software and show them how they can help manage staffing and scheduling, and create a stress free experience.

Overtime costs

Failure to keep track of staff scheduling because of poor organization and systems means staff may easily end up working too many hours (even as some don’t pick up enough hours). This may lead you to pay unexpected overtime costs, which could put your business profit at risk.The solution: Use automated labor tracking on your retail scheduling software to prevent overtime. Regularly check reports as well to see if there are employees accruing overtime often.

Legal implications

Poor scheduling practices also risk accidentally breaching labor laws when it comes to misclassifying workers, failing to track work hours or keep proper payment records, or rules about time off and breaks versus time worked. This puts your business at risk and could cost you your entire company.The solution: Leverage the labor compliance functionality of your retail scheduling software, from automated labor tracking to additional HR support.

The best retail scheduling tools: Happier staff, happier store

The right retail scheduling software can take a lot off your plate, from building schedules to tracking time to avoiding costly legal woes. When you’re partnered with the right retail scheduling software, and truly using it to the fullest, you can deliver the kind of experience your team deserves. This can allow you to focus on business growth, stress a little less at night, and ultimately create a happier workplace. And who doesn’t want that?Homebase goes beyond scheduling, allowing you to easily track time, manage HR and compliance matters, and even streamline hiring and onboarding. You’ve got enough on your plate. Try out Homebase for free and start delivering the best retail experience possible, today. (And the next day, and the day after that…)

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