A shift scheduling system is a digital tool designed to plan and manage employees' working hours in businesses such as restaurants and cafés. Instead of using paper sheets or manual spreadsheets, the system gathers all shift data in one place, so you can easily create, change and share schedules with all your staff. It reduces errors, saves time and gives a quick overview of staffing in your business.

In a busy restaurant, a shift scheduling system can be indispensable. Imagine, for example, that you need optimal staffing on a Friday night, when you need waiters, bartenders and dishwashers. With a shift scheduling system you can assign shifts based on employees' availability, qualifications and preferences. The system can even take working time and break rules into account, so you avoid breaching working environment regulations.

When you work with a POS system, it is important to know the concept of a shift scheduling system, because it gives you an overview of who is working and when. When the systems are integrated, you can, for example, link sales figures directly with staffing and analyse whether you had too many or too few people at work relative to revenue.

A modern shift scheduling system also makes it easy for employees to swap shifts, request holidays and get notifications about changes – all from their smartphone. That gives you a system that creates engagement and overview for both you as a manager and your employees.

Want to read about the online version of a shift scheduling system? Read on here

Also read about integration with a time tracking system here:

How Flexybox uses the shift scheduling system in practice

Flexybox offers an integrated shift scheduling system that efficiently organises employees' shifts and rotas directly in your booking system or POS. This gives you full control over planning, and both managers and employees have access to the latest shift information on their devices. The system syncs with time tracking, so start times and absence are registered automatically and the information can be used for e.g. payroll administration and staffing optimisation.

Frequently asked questions

A shift scheduling system is used to plan employees' future shifts, while a time tracking system records the actual start and end times. The two systems often work together to give an accurate picture of both planned and actual working time.

Yes, most modern shift scheduling systems – including Flexybox – offer mobile access, so both employees and managers can view and adjust planning directly from their smartphone or tablet.

You save time on planning, minimise errors, avoid overstaffing and find it easier to comply with employment law. At the same time, you increase employee engagement by giving staff easy access to their schedules.

Yes, employees can swap shifts or request a swap directly in the system. You (or the person responsible for shifts) just need to approve the change, which makes the process faster and more flexible.