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Managing employee rosters can be a real headache, especially when you juggle diverse teams and shift hours. Traditional tools like papers or spreadsheets are clunky and require lots of manual adjustments. That’s why employee rostering apps are available to make the rostering process hassle-free for busy business owners.

However, navigating the sea of digital apps out there can be overwhelming, so we’ve tried the available options and picked out the 10 best employee rostering apps for small businesses.

Top 10 Employee Rostering Apps

1. Camelo

Camelo offers a versatile solution for creating employee rosters, catering to various industries such as healthcare, restaurants, coffee shops, and cleaning businesses. Its user-friendly web interface allows for seamless drag-and-drop roster creation, while the mobile app empowers you to share and adjust schedules on the go.

Beyond rostering, Camelo equips you with tools for time tracking and team communication. Automated reminders, real-time notifications, and smart scheduling suggestions streamline the rostering process and ensure team accountability.

The platform goes a step further by providing detailed reports to enhance roster efficiency and keep you well informed.

There’s a free plan with limitations. We recommend Standard ($1.9/month per user) or Pro ($3.5/month per user) as there are unlimited tools useful for rostering and tracking your team.

2. Connecteam

Connecteam is an employee management platform that comes packed with various features for rostering and team management. You can manage shifts, tasks, and worked hours easily in one app.

Connecteam’s rostering capabilities include time tracking tools, inconsistency alerts, in-app chat, and much more. Connecteam extends its functionality to onboarding, training, and employee engagement. You can leverage tools like forms, checklists, and surveys to enhance employee experience.

Connecteam offers a free plan for teams with up to 10 users, and paid plans start at $29/month.

3. FindMyShift

FindMyShift is an app designed to make employee rostering a breeze for managers. The drag-and-drop calendar interface allows you to create rosters in no time. For repetitive shift setups, you can save templates so you don’t have to create them from scratch every time.

The app isn’t just about rostering; it also enables employers to handle employee availability and search for suitable team members for each shift. FindMyShift also offers essential tools such as time and attendance tracking, reports, and integrations.

The app is free for businesses with five staff or fewer. For larger teams, paid plans start from $25 per month.

4. 7shifts

7shifts is a powerful rostering app designed for businesses in the hospitality industry. Whether you run a restaurant, cafe, or bar, 7shifts is tailored to meet the unique rostering needs of these establishments.

With 7shifts’ simple interface, you can drag and drop to quickly adjust shifts to meet changing staffing requirements. Labor costs are automatically calculated, so it’s easy to optimize costs while ensuring adequate coverage.

One standout feature of 7shifts is its ability to integrate with various point-of-sale (POS) systems. This helps businesses make informed staffing decisions based on actual sales data. And that’s not all — the app is a place for managers and employees to communicate regarding rosters, shift swaps, and time off.

There’s a free plan and 3 paid plans on 7shifts. Paid plans start at $29.99 per month for each location.

Also read: Top 10 Free Apps for Startups and Small Businesses

5. Sling

Sling is a handy app made for various kinds of businesses to manage work rosters. It keeps everything in one place – rosters, sales, costs, work hours, time off requests, and more. Managers have the power to tweak rosters, figure out who’s up for the job, and chat with the team in real time.

Besides useful tools for rostering your team, Sling also offers time clock, cost calculator, and messaging, making management easier for businesses. It ensures your team shows up on time, in the right place, and with all the work information they need.

Sling has a free plan that lets you schedule and message. If you want extra features like keeping track of time, Sling’s paid plans start at $1.70 for each user every month.

6. When I Work

When I Work is a versatile software for businesses seeking efficient employee rostering. The app’s intuitive interface, drag-and-drop scheduling, shift reminders, and real-time updates allow users to create, manage, and communicate work rosters. It’s also easy to understand staffing needs using the availability tracking feature.

The in-app messaging feature fosters communication in the workplace and makes it easier for teams to work together. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with popular payroll and HR software, making admin work easier for business owners and managers.

When I Work offers 3 paid plans, starting from $2.5 per user each month.

7. Homebase

Homebase helps business owners and hourly workers manage rosters that match their sales and labor goals. It has cool features such as templates and auto-scheduling.

Key features of When I Work include online scheduling, time clock, and messaging. The app seamlessly integrates with popular platforms like Quickbooks, ADP, and other payroll systems, making the rostering process easier.

Besides rostering, Homebase provides tools for hiring, onboarding, time tracking, team chats, and HR management. The app helps manage labor costs by keeping track of hours, breaks, and overtime. It even does the math for total hours worked, making payday way easier.

Homebase is free for as many workers as you have in one location. If you need more advanced features or you have to manage multiple locations, paid plans start at $19.95 per location every month.

8. Deputy

Deputy is a complete solution for managing schedules and workforce information. This rostering tool empowers managers to oversee employee hours, attendance, and work details effectively. It allows employers to assign shifts, share rosters via SMS or email, and manage multiple locations. You can also calculate shift costs and compare wage rates with sales forecasts.

With Deputy’s centralized dashboard on the app, users can access their rosters, request time off, trade shifts, update information, and communicate with their team.

Deputy offers flexible pricing plans for different business needs and budgets, starting at $3.50 per user per month.

9. Shiftboard

Shiftboard is an employee roster app designed for businesses with complex scheduling needs, making it ideal for medium to large enterprises with specific requirements. It caters to mission-critical industries, product-centric businesses, those with fluctuating staffing needs, and high-volume staffing.

Shiftboard uses AI and auto-scheduling to help managers create efficient rosters by forecasting scheduling needs and generating shift reports. The app goes beyond scheduling; it helps manage the entire hiring process. You can track candidates, onboard new hires, and facilitate employee training.

Shiftboard offers three pricing versions, with costs ranging from $45 to $276. For specific details, we recommend you contact the vendor directly.

10. Humanity

Humanity is a useful tool for creating rosters if you manage hourly workers. You can see when your workers are available, edit and make rosters, and track things in real time. The interface is simple and easy to use for both managers and employees.

Humanity also allows you to plan overtime and breaks, making sure you comply with labor laws. There are also tools to help you manage your budget and see if you’re spending too much on labor.

There are different plans with prices from $3.5 to $5 for each user or a monthly fee of at least $100 each month.

Final Word

With diverse features and user-friendly interfaces, employee rostering apps have changed how businesses roster their team and work together. From drag-drop rostering on the web to auto rostering and real-time updates, these apps help businesses improve their operations, enhance flexibility, streamline communication, and ensure compliance with labor laws. Try out our top 10 picks and see which one suits your business best!

Google’s suite of flexible online tools can help improve your marketing strategies and streamline your business processes. You’re likely acquainted with Google Business Profiles as well as Google Analytics. This article will highlight seven free Google tools.

7 Free Google Tools for Small Businesses

Google for Retail Businesses

Google for Retail Businesses is an excellent choice for brick-and-mortar and e-commerce businesses. If you own an online retail shop it is possible to post the inventory you have on Google and drive more customers into your website.

You can also choose to achieve the Top Quality Store badge, which indicates that Google has concluded that you provide the best customer experience. Google gives these badges to companies that have excellent customer reviews, speedy shipping, or even early return policies.

Think With Google

Think with Google is a no-cost resource offering a wealth of content as well as case studies as well as interviews with industry experts. It is updated regularly with new content, which means it’s an excellent resource to get ideas and keep up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry.

Also read: 6 Best Google Authenticator Alternatives

Google Alerts

Google Alerts is an easy method to monitor your business’s online presence. You can create one for both your business or products or Google will notify you via email whenever something of interest is published online.

Google Alerts can help you identify the positive media coverage coverage about your company, and also quickly spot negative reviews about your company. You can also install Google Alerts on your competitors to ensure you are aware of the type of press coverage they’re getting.

Google Trends

Google Trends provides data and search tools that you can use to find new trends in the industry. It pulls data directly from Google Search and provides real-time details on topics that are trending and keywords.

Google Trends lets you see how interest has shifted over time and the way it differs according to location. It will also highlight related subjects and queries that you might consider fascinating.

Google Forms

Google Forms is a free tool to collect data from customers. It is possible to use Forms to create online polls or surveys and then monitor the results live. Additionally, you can summarise these results by creating graphs and charts.

When you create a brand new Google Form, you can select a template from three different categories: personal educational, personal, and. The template can be customized by incorporating images or altering the fonts and colors.

There are a variety of ways to send Google Forms. There are many ways to share a Google Form. You can place it on your site send it an email or even send it a URL. It is also possible to share the form on Facebook or X (formerly called Twitter).

Google Search Console

Google Search Console gives you information about your website’s traffic and teaches you how to improve the performance of your website. You’ll know how your site is performing right now and upload individual pages for inclusion in Google’s search index. This will ensure that your site’s content is easily accessible to the people you want to reach.

Also read: How to Build A Successful Google Ads Campaign

Google Keep

Google Keep is a tool that lets you create and edit notes. Google Keep, you can make notes and edit them anywhere. It is accessible via your tablet, phone, or laptop. Additionally, each note is stored and updated across all devices.

You can easily locate and sort your notes by labels, colors, or other characteristics. Notes can also be pinned on top of the list to ensure they’re easily found. You can also easily locate and access your notes when they’re part of a work project with Google Docs.

You can also utilize Google Keep to create to-do lists and schedule alarms to remind yourself of your tasks. It’s a cost-free and simple tool that you can utilize to stay on top of your schedule and organize everything you think of all in one spot.

Time tracking is crucial for small businesses to monitor productivity, manage projects, and ensure accurate billing. But manually keeping track of time can be tedious and error-prone. That’s where time tracking software for small businesses comes in.

This article will discuss the 10 best time tracking solutions specifically designed for small businesses.

1. Traqq

Traqq is a user-friendly time tracking software that is ideal for small businesses. It offers features like automated time tracking, activity monitoring, and detailed reports, providing valuable insights into employee performance and project costs.

Features:

• Record time spent on tasks and activities without manual input.
• Track time even when you are offline or experience internet connectivity issues.
• Adjust hourly pay rates individually for your employees.
• Create 4 administrator tiers with different access privileges and monitoring capabilities.
• Form groups to generate team productivity reports.
• Customize screen recording settings, desktop screenshots, and tracking options for web and app usage.
• Blur screenshots to ensure employees’ privacy.
• View average daily activity for easy monitoring and assessment.

Pricing: Free up to 3 seats. The premium plan starts at $6 per user/month.

2. Time Doctor

Time Doctor is a time tracking software for small businesses that also provides project management features. The tool’s website and application monitoring, distraction alerts, and productivity reports enable small businesses to identify and address time-wasting activities, ultimately leading to improved efficiency and success.

Features:

• Create custom user roles and define specific permission settings for enhanced security and control.
• Seamlessly integrate with over 60 tools.
• Access Time Doctor on computers, tablets, and mobile devices.
• Gain insights into employee web and app usage with convenient summaries and website history reports.
• Help employees stay focused by receiving alerts for potential distractions.
• Create tasks, assign projects to team members, and easily track and review progress to ensure effective project management.
• Keep track of employee attendance and measure their level of engagement.

Pricing: Starting at $5.9 per user/month.

Also read: 7 Ways to Improve Your Time Management

3. TMetric

TMetric’s affordability and seamless integration with popular business tools make it a cost-effective solution for small businesses, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.

Features:

• Track and measure the activity level of your team members.
• Create projects, set rates, and establish budgets for efficient project management.
• Access a flexible reporting system to generate comprehensive reports tailored to your business needs.
• Implement a PTO policy for employee time-off management.
• Assign tasks and distribute the workload.
• Simplify the billing process by setting billable rates and effortlessly generating invoices based on tracked time and expenses.
• Integrate with over 50 apps.

Pricing: Offers free plan. Professional plan starts at $5 / month.

4. Timeular

Timeular is a time tracking tool for small businesses that allows you and your team to effortlessly track and manage time. Whether it’s tracking billable hours, managing projects, or improving productivity habits, Timeular offers a user-friendly solution that helps small businesses streamline their operations and achieve success.

Features:

• Maintain privacy with a 24-hour delay in time entries appearing on the manager’s side, fostering trust and autonomy.
• Utilize the physical time tracker device.
• Keep track of working hours and monitor overtime with dedicated tracking capabilities.
• Integrate Timeular with over 3,000 platforms.
• Timeular prioritizes data privacy and security by ensuring full compliance with GDPR regulations.
• Export reports in different formats such as PDF, CSV, or XLSX.

Pricing: Starting at $7.50 / month.

5. TimeCamp

TimeCamp provides valuable insights into project costs, resource allocation, and employee performance, empowering small businesses to make informed decisions. The app’s robust reporting capabilities offer detailed analytics and visualizations.

Features:

• Access TimeCamp conveniently through the desktop application.
• Track project time and monitor budget utilization for effective project management.
• Generate accurate invoices based on recorded timesheets.
• Set adjustable rates for different tasks or projects to ensure accurate billing and cost calculation.
• Create personalized reports based on your specific needs.
• Access real-time reports.

Pricing: Offers free plan. Premium plans start at $2.99 per user/month.

6. Harvest

With Harvest, small business owners can easily track and manage time, expenses, and projects. The software allows users to track time through a web browser, desktop app, or mobile device. Harvest’s invoicing and expense tracking features simplify billing and expense management, ensuring accurate and timely payments.

Features:

• Track and manage time with user-friendly timesheets.
• Set personalized reminders to stay on track with crucial tasks and deadlines.
• Connect your calendar to Harvest for seamless scheduling.
• Generate personalized reports for team members.
• Track project budgets and costs to ensure efficient resource management.
• Create professional invoices directly from timesheets and send them to clients via email for prompt payment.

Pricing: Offers free plan. The pro plan starts at $10.80 per user/month.

7. Everhour

Everhour offers simple and intuitive timesheets, making it easy to monitor and allocate time spent on various tasks and projects. Small businesses can benefit from Everhour’s budgeting and reporting features, allowing them to keep project costs under control and gain valuable insights into team productivity.

Features:

• Generate insightful reports and conduct analysis of the team’s performance.
• Get a clear view of your team’s schedule.
• Keep track of work-related expenses to control project costs.
• Integrate this time tracking software for small businesses with popular accounting tools like QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks.
• Create tasks and organize them into sections for improved organization and project planning.
• Track and manage project billing.

Pricing: Offers free plan. Premium plans start at $5 per user/month.

Also read: Top 10 Team Communication Tools For Businesses

8. TrackingTime

TrackingTime is an excellent choice for small businesses with its task management capabilities, team collaboration features, and productivity insights. The mobile app ensures productivity on the go, while customizable features and data security provide a tailored and secure experience.

Features:

• A flexible time tracker allows users to easily adapt and customize their time tracking approach based on their specific needs and preferences.
• Keep a record of employee attendance and hours logged.
• Get a clear view of project progress.
• Shared reports allow multiple users to access the same reports, promoting collaboration and transparency.
• Utilize reminders to ensure your team stays on track.
• Customize user reports according to your business requirements.

Pricing: Offers free plan. The pro version starts at $5 per user/month.

9. Paymo

Paymo is ideal for small businesses, offering easy project and task management, time tracking, and efficient client billing in one seamless platform. With its easy-to-use interface and extensive features, Paymo helps small businesses streamline their operations and increase productivity.

Features:

• Track time without manual effort, improving accuracy and efficiency.
• Utilize the mobile app and desktop timer.
• Switch between different views to adapt to your preferred time tracking style.
• Get a comprehensive overview of your team’s schedule and tasks.
• Quickly identify team members who are overbooked or underbooked to optimize resource allocation.
• Collaborate with your teammates in real time, ensuring smooth communication and project progress tracking.

Pricing: Offers free plan. Premium plans start at $4.95 per user/month.

10. RescueTime

RescueTime offers automated time tracking, valuable productivity insights, and user-friendly reports to optimize time management and enhance overall efficiency. The standout features of this time tracking app for small businesses are Smart Coaching and Focus Sessions, which ensure you stay on track throughout the day.

Features:

• Monitor time with automated tracking.
• Set custom focus goals for team members to optimize their work schedules.
• Access end-of-day summaries to review your daily activities and accomplishments.
• Engage in focused work sessions and block the websites that most negatively affect your and your team’s concentration.
• Receive valuable insights through Smart Coaching.
• Get notifications that provide updates on your progress.

Pricing: Offers free plan. Premium plan starts at $6.50 / month.

Inflation is an impact on the retail sector, but commerce is still booming. In the US E-commerce sales exceeded $1 trillion to the highest level for the first time since 2022 even though there was a decline in real earnings over the last year. The National Retail Federation (NRF)’s chief economist Jack Kleinhenz anticipates that consumers continue spending even despite the decrease in real income.

However, despite positive market conditions, managing the shipping of goods across borders is a more difficult issue than we anticipated. The supply chain remains stressed, and the rise in inflation has increased the cost of shipping and transportation as US imports fell in 2022 to their lowest since the peak of the epidemic.

However, there are five factors you need to be aware of as a small-business owner to manage imports and exports in the current global economic environment.

1. Be familiar with the customs regulations

It’s essential to study the rules of customs before you decide which products to sell. Different countries have different rates and restrictions on certain kinds of imported goods So you’ll need to know the regulations for each country to which you are shipping items.

It is possible that you require a license to import certain kinds of products, or specific authorization from various government departments, like the Department of Health. The value of an item can affect the price also. For instance, in the US it is not necessary to pay tax on customs products valued at less than $800. If it’s less than $2,500 in value and you don’t have to apply for “formal entry” which means you don’t have to pay the expense of additional documentation and fees such as customs bonds.

There may also be laws that govern the countries you’re legally allowed to import from. The US is one example. It has strict rules for imports from nations that engage in criminal activities including Ghana or Ghana and the Ivory Coast, which are in high danger of aiding modern slavery. If you are importing from China it is necessary to prove that the products originate directly from the Uyghur region in order to be compliant in accordance with The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

It is essential to know as much as you can about the customs procedure to ensure that you don’t face any issues regarding your shipment. “If you fail to supply the proper documentation and follow the proper procedures, you could be at risk of having your items checked and/or seized, which can will result in delays and substantial costs.” According to Agatha Aviso, retail software expert of Fit Small Business.

Also read: 10 Ways Production Tracking Software Can Prevent Supply Chain Delays

2. Establish relationships with freight forwarders and customs brokers.

It can be difficult to handle imports and exports on your own when you’re a small-scale retailer that doesn’t have a full-time shipping specialist on the payroll. It’s why it’s beneficial to establish connections with a partner who can assist you with the processes and paperwork involved with the import process, and also ensure that your products are transported in a timely manner and cleared for customs.

For instance, Customs brokers are experts in the field of export and import law and are able to provide legal advice regarding shipment logistics and other procedures.

Freight forwarders can help you organize all-inclusive transport. When your products reach the point of arrival then they’ll require transportation into the storage facility. This could be a major problem for SMBs that don’t have the resources of a fleet of trucks available. Freight forwarders are the last mile of transportation.

Forwarders for freight online such as Ship4wd can assist you in many aspects of the worldwide shipping processes, including managing customs bureaucracies for you, arranging insurance for cargo, and assisting your small-sized business to gain a foothold over larger businesses with more competitive prices. Ship4wd is a particular service that is geared towards SMBs exclusively, offering the ability to pay with cash flow-friendly options including credit cards and direct debit, as well as a 90-day payment window.

3. Understand landed cost

There are numerous charges and taxes to be considered when importing goods, and shipping costs, product cost tax, customs duties as well as insurance brokers, customs and freight forwarders, as well as other things. The sum is known by the term “landed cost” which is the total cost to deliver the item to the customer.

“Many online retailers fall into the trap of thinking that the cost of goods sold (COGS), as well as shipping charges, are the only expenses that you have to consider when setting the price for the product you sell,” writes Cathy Ostlie who is a Content writer for ShipMonk. “Landed cost is the sum of all these costs and also any additional costs that are paid by the seller after the item has been sold. This makes landed cost a more precise number than costs of goods sold (COGS) to determine your price list.”

Country of Origin could influence the customs duties and other charges you’ll need to pay. For instance an example, a shipment that enters the US with a value of more than $2,500 will require fees and an insurance policy called a surety bond. It is also important to consider various options for transportation, including air freight, sea freight, or courier services that come with different costs. Incorrect calculations could lead to incorrect profit figures, which will in turn throw away the entire profit calculation.

4. Do not forget to double-check the documentation

Incomplete or incorrect paperwork and inadequate labeling or valuation could create the possibility that your product will be taken into custody for examination or at the very least destroyed or auctioned off. So, it’s crucial to ensure that your products are properly classified according to the appropriate HS codes and meet specific labeling requirements, including the country source, security information, or other specific information about the product.

Transportation management platforms like Cargoflip will help make sure that your documents are complete and accurate with the help of digitizing your process. With a software program, it is less likely that you will miss a crucial document or fail to fill in a mandatory field.

Also read: How to Make Sure Your Shipments Arrive in One Piece

5. Be sure to protect your products

Packaging plays a crucial part in the import of retail products. A well-designed packaging system can help ensure your items arrive in good order However, unsatisfactory packaging or packaging that appears as if it’s been damaged or altered could cause suspicion among customs officers. If your items aren’t wrapped in a secure manner, there is a possibility of being confiscated to be examined.

In addition, you’ll require adequate insurance. A lot of retailers commit the error of thinking that shipping firms offer insurance coverage, however, insurance for lost damaged, stolen, or lost products will be the sole responsibility of the carrier. Numerous shipping companies and freight forwarders provide insurance for cargo but you’ll need to inquire about the coverage. It’s not a given.

The insurance company you have in place for your business could offer cargo insurance or you could select an expert in this kind of insurance. Companies such as HDI Global provide marine and cargo insurance and other kinds of insurance plans.

Final word

Importing and exporting can be a challenge, with many challenges, particularly for retail small businesses that have smaller staff and limited resources. But, thorough study and the use of the right tools and partners can make the process easy and efficient, so that you can concentrate on expanding your small-scale company.