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Scheduling Software

Scheduling software automates the scheduling of events, employees, rooms, and other resources. Scheduling tools help businesses to manage the planning of internal and external activities. Typically, a scheduling app provides tools such as a shared calendar for real-time project, task, employee, and resource scheduling and other features for forecasting, allocation, and resource management. You can also edit, update and manage information such as timesheet records, location, and employee skill sets, and categorise resources from the online scheduling interface. By automating scheduling, the tool reduces paper-based processes and double booking. Be it for scheduling employees, shift scheduling, or booking appointments, an easy use online scheduling tool is the ideal solution for effective time tracking and activity management. Get started with this list of scheduling software available in the UK.

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FMS:Employee offers solutions for large (750+ employees) organizations with powerful, integrated scheduling features. Learn more about FMS:Employee
FMS:Employee offers solutions for organizations with powerful, integrated scheduling features. These solutions are built for flexible, collaborative workplaces and designed to increase efficiency and productivity for in-office and remote employees. FMS:Employee features desk and resource scheduling, interactive floorplans, contactless workflows, visitor management, and much more. Designed for large 750+ employee size organizations. Learn more about FMS:Employee

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Forecast helps you plan staffing needs, schedule your team across projects, and optimize time to ensure project success. Learn more about Forecast
Forecast is a team scheduling and capacity analysis software that helps you plan staffing needs, schedule your team across projects, and optimize time to ensure project success and a happy team. With Forecast, you can make smarter scheduling decisions by visualizing your project pipeline, scheduling your team fluidly, and balancing workloads to improve utilization. Learn more about Forecast

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Experience effortless and conflict-free temp scheduling with Zoho Workerly's temp scheduling software. Learn more about Zoho Workerly
Zoho Workerly's temp scheduling software help you assign temps with jobs and notify them in a few clicks. Temps can mark their availability that allows you to focus on scheduling them with appropriate jobs to avoid schedule clashes. Learn more about Zoho Workerly

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Top rated all-in-one solution designed for trade businesses. Easily manage your jobs from when they come in until they are paid. Learn more about Fergus
Whether it's residential call-outs or large commercial jobs, Fergus full-service job management software for trades and service businesses gives you all the tools you need to run a successful business. Built by a plumber, Fergus takes care of all the details from quoting, scheduling and invoicing through to managing your team and Health & Safety. With more than 10 million jobs already created in Fergus, our visual workflow can help you manage all of your jobs on the go, whether it's 3 or 300. Learn more about Fergus

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
UKG Ready is the all-in-one HR solution that guides and empowers your people to make their day-to-day easier. Learn more about UKG Ready
Designed for small businesses where everyone wears multiple hats, UKG Ready is the all-in-one HR solution that guides and empowers your people to make their day-to-day easier. From HR and payroll to talent and time, we’re the partner in your corner rooting for your success and giving you the tools, support, and time needed to focus on growth and making a difference. Learn more about UKG Ready

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
UpKeep is rated the #1 mobile-first Scheduling Software to streamline work orders, facility, and asset management. Learn more about UpKeep
UpKeep's Scheduling Maintenance Software is a modern maintenance and asset management solution for your team. From your desktop to your phone and even your tablet, UpKeep is easily accessible from anywhere at any time. Create work orders on-the-go, get notifications when tasks are updated, and receive alerts straight from your app when assets go down making your business run more efficiently than ever before. Learn more about UpKeep

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Spektrum - Your Complete Solution for Employee Time and Attendance Management Learn more about Spektrum
Spektrum is a cloud-based time and attendance solution that offers employee time tracking, scheduling, leave management, and reporting tools. The software allows employees to punch in and out from any device, managers to create schedules and track attendance, and HR to easily manage employee leave requests. Key features include automated attendance tracking, absence management and customisable reporting. Learn more about Spektrum

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
United Kingdom Local product
The blissfully simple resource management tool that helps busy teams schedule people and projects, and keep work on track. Learn more about Resource Guru
Resource Guru is the blissfully simple resource management software that helps busy teams keep projects on track. Get a clear view of team availability and time off and find the perfect person for every job. Create schedules at speed, keep workloads realistic, and ensure everyone is aligned on upcoming work. Track your team’s time for insights on forecast and actual hours. Dig deeper with customizable reports on utilization across projects and clients. Try it free for 30 days! Learn more about Resource Guru

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Breely is your front desk solution. Automate customer interactions, from scheduling to engagement, so you can focus on your business. Learn more about Breely
Breely is the front desk for your business. We help to manage and automate every customer interaction — like scheduling appointments, collecting client information, and engaging with clients, so you can focus on the core of your business. Learn more about Breely

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Google Workspace is how teams of all sizes connect, create, and collaborate — to drive innovation from any device, and any location.
Spend less time planning and more time doing with shareable calendars that integrate seamlessly with Gmail, Drive, Contacts, Sites and Meet so you always know what's next. Schedule events quickly by checking colleagues' availability or layering their calendars in a single view. View and edit your schedule from your phone or tablet. Use our optimised mobile apps or sync with your phone’s built-in calendar. Learn more about Google Workspace

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
With Team Chat, Phone, AI Companion, and more, Zoom Workplace is the platform for your best work.
Zoom Workplace brings communication, employee engagement, spaces, and productivity solutions together on a single platform with Zoom AI Companion capabilities woven throughout. Streamline communications with tools that work together effortlessly through solutions like Meetings, Team Chat, Phone, Mail & Calendar, and Scheduler. Elevate a chat to a meeting or phone call to get to a resolution faster. Improve productivity with products that are built for modern work through solutions like Whiteboard, Clips, Notes, Surveys, and Docs. Optimize office experiences and hybrid work collaboration with flexible workspace solutions like Rooms, Workspace Reservation, Visitor Management, and Digital Signage. Whether you’re reserving your desk with Workspace Reservation, preparing for a client visit with Visitor Management, or finding your workstation with our wayfinding feature, you can do it all from the Workspaces tab. Learn more about Zoom Workplace

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Streamline your scheduling process and drive more revenue with Wix’s online booking solution.
Get booked and drive more revenue with Wix Bookings, the leading online scheduling solution from Wix- trusted by 11 million+ businesses. Sell services, memberships, packages and more. This all-in-one business management platform includes essentials like an intelligent booking calendar, automated emails & SMS messages, staff management systems, custom analytics, a full marketing suite and more. Manage it all from your desktop or on the go with the Wix mobile apps. Learn more about Wix

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Schedule employees’ working hours, make plans on a timeline, organize shifts and track time spend on each assignment with Clockify.
Clockify enables simple scheduling with an overview of project milestones, total assigned hours, assignees and task length. Complete data can be broken down by team members to check their capacity and see their assignments in detail. You can schedule tasks across different shifts, define start times for each task and define a daily hours limit. Customize non-working days in your scheduling process, drag & drop directly in a schedule to make adjustments. Learn more about Clockify

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Schedule jobs, coordinate teams, track time and track projects, all in one place.
QuickBooks Time is proudly part of the QuickBooks family, and works alongside leading accounting tools like QuickBooks Online, Xero and MYOB. Schedule jobs, coordinate teams, track time and track projects, all in one place.” Learn more about QuickBooks Time

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Automate your client bookings, cancellations, reminders, and payments by using the world's friendliest online scheduling software.
Meet the personal scheduling assistant that works 24/7 behind the scenes to fill your calendar & take busywork off your plate. From the moment clients book with you, Acuity is there to automatically send branded & customized booking confirmations to you and your clients, deliver text reminders, let clients reschedule on their own, and process payments or accept donations. With Acuity, your day-to-day runs more smoothly even as business get busier. All you need to do is show up at the right time. Learn more about Acuity Scheduling

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Calendly helps individuals, teams, and organizations globally automate the meeting lifecycle by removing the scheduling back and forth.
Calendly helps individuals, teams, and organizations automate the meeting lifecycle by removing the back and forth with scheduling. Calendly’s cloud-based platform offers a new layer of the modern digital technology stack by connecting with critical tools to automate scheduling workflows, creates a more delightful customer experience, and provides insightful, measurable data to drive better business outcomes. Today, more than 20 million users across 230+ countries use Calendly to simplify meetings, collaborate more effectively and efficiently, and drive business forward. Learn more about Calendly

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Boost your business bookings with more va va Vagaro! Join the 220,000+ global professionals using Vagaro scheduling software. Start your 30-day free trial today.
Boost your business bookings with more va va Vagaro! Join the 220,000+ global professionals using Vagaro scheduling software. A robust, intuitive scheduling software to help build your business. Get booked & paid 24/7. Manage appointments & packages while on any device. Get a logo, website, online store & branded app to look like the pro you are. Attract new customers on the Vagaro Marketplace & social media booking tools. Retain customers & boost sales via text & email marketing. Reduce no-shows with automated reminders. Easy to use POS hardware & payment processing. Prices start @ £30/month. Free 1 month trial. Learn more about Vagaro

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Smartsheet is an online work execution platform empowering organizations of all sizes to plan, manage, automate, and report on work.
Smartsheet, an online work execution platform, empowers organizations to plan, track, automate, and report on work. Over 80,000 brands rely on Smartsheet for project and work management because of its easy-to-use interface, real-time Gantt charts and dashboards, and work automation features. *2018 Awards: Named a Leader in Enterprise Collaborative Work Management by Forrester Research, Selected to Deloittes Fast 500 List, Recognized for Technology Innovation & Vision by 451 Research Learn more about Smartsheet

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Google Calendar is a scheduling solution that helps users create shareable calendars and schedule team meetings or events.
Google Calendar is a scheduling solution that helps users create shareable calendars and schedule team meetings or events. Users can add or find conference room details for scheduled meetings within Google Calendar. This solution supports scheduling one-time activities as well as recurring events, such as staff meetings. Teams can create events, add guests, select rooms/locations, add event descriptions and attachments, plus more. Learn more about Google Calendar

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Streamline HR and payroll processes and get fast access to employee data using one intuitive platform.
Paycor is a comprehensive HR and talent platform that combines operational efficiency with powerful employee development tools. Our unified HCM experience centralizes all workforce data, eliminating the need for multiple systems and providing seamless access to critical information. Paycor empowers leaders with innovative tools to coach, develop, and upskill their teams, driving engagement and retention. Leaders rely on Paycor to automate routine tasks, ensure compliance, and gain valuable insights, while fostering a culture of continuous growth and talent optimization. Learn more about Paycor

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Mindbody simplifies scheduling, seamlessly manages your business end-to-end, attracts new clients, and grows your revenue.
Mindbody’s all-in-one software has everything you need to seamlessly manage your business end-to-end and grow your revenue. From booking and scheduling to client and staff management, automated marketing and in-depth reporting to integrated payments and lead management, Mindbody helps you thrive. Plus, Mindbody offers innovation you can’t get elsewhere, including an AI front desk, as well as 700+ partner solutions, open API, and an exclusive network of new clients. Learn more about Mindbody

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Housecall Pro helps home service companies schedule jobs, assign technicians, and set arrival windows—all from one intuitive platform.
Housecall Pro helps home service businesses streamline scheduling and maximize bookings. Customers can easily book jobs online via a business website or Google. Housecall Pro’s platform captures all necessary information to automate the entire process, from the initial booking to estimates and invoicing. It can even schedule automatic follow-ups for recurring jobs. Field technicians can update availability, receive automatic alerts for upcoming jobs, and set arrival windows so customers know when to expect them. Switching from pen and paper can seem like a hassle, but Housecall Pro makes the transition easy. Join over 45,000 businesses and sign up for a free trial today! Learn more about Housecall Pro

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Procore is a cloud-based construction management platform with a comprehensive set of products spanning the construction lifecycle.
Procore is the leading cloud-based construction management platform with a comprehensive set of products spanning the construction lifecycle, from pre-construction to project completion. One of the core benefits of Procore’s platform approach is that products are deeply integrated, providing a streamlined user experience and centralised access to project information. Procore’s mobile application allows customers and collaborators to access project data from the office or site. Learn more about Procore

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Wrike is a project management software with prebuilt templates, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, automated approvals, reporting, and more.
Wrike is an award-winning project management and scheduling software trusted by 20,000+ companies and over two million users worldwide. Schedule projects using custom-field request forms, resource management and allocation, Gantt charts, time tracking, shared calendars, automated reports, approvals, and workload overviews. Automate your processes with Wrike's 400+ applications. Customize workflows and reduce the need for emails, meetings, status updates. Work smarter, not harder with Wrike. Learn more about Wrike

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling
Brevo, is the leading customer relationship management (CRM) suite.
Forge lasting customer relationships and accelerate growth with Brevo, the most approachable CRM suite. Build brilliant customer experiences across email, SMS, push, and more. Coalesce data sources for precise targeting and a single customer view. Automate, segment, and A/B test for campaigns tailored to your audience. Trusted by 500,000+ businesses worldwide, Brevo offers premium solutions and support to enhance clients’ marketing strategies and drive their ROI. Get in touch to learn more. Learn more about Brevo

Features

  • Group Scheduling
  • Timesheet Management
  • Customer Database
  • Self Service Portal
  • Mobile Access
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Reminders
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Calendar Sync
  • Appointment Scheduling

Scheduling Software Buyers Guide

Scheduling software makes it easier for businesses and their employees to manage events, such as meetings, deadlines, and other time-sensitive situations. This type of software is used heavily in project management and plays a crucial role in reducing the amount of paperwork with the time spent dealing with that paperwork. Crucially, scheduling software allows a company to manage the schedules of its staff in one centralised system, making it easier to manage everyone’s time.

Some of the core features of scheduling software include the ability for staff to enter things into their schedule as quickly and easily as possible, have that information be centralised, and allow the tracking of jobs and assigning of shifts. The software should improve the workflow of an organisation by reducing the time spent organising schedules, as well as reducing problems caused by miscommunications.

The primary benefits of this type of software are the ability to quickly and easily enter new items into the scheduling system, reducing time spent on this activity. It is also a single point of authority also reduces the possibility of scheduling conflicts. It also allows for the scheduling of resources and inventory, shift management and employee attendance tracking.

One of the main advantages of scheduling software is that its uses are applicable in most areas of a business. While appointment scheduling software is focused on appointments and task management software on tasks, this software is concerned with all forms of scheduling throughout the organisation, from employee attendance to supply chain management.

The level of complexity needed by an organisation when it comes to scheduling will, of course, depend on several factors. These include the size of the organisation and its requirements regarding things like remote access. Organisations with a small number of employees working from a single location will have simpler scheduling requirements than large organisations with employees spread out around the country or even the world. Scheduling solutions will typically include many features that make time management easier, including:

  • Allow business owners to manage their employee schedules with real-time tracking of their calendars
  • Provide automatic reminders to employees about upcoming appointments using the available medium of choice
  • Provide instant confirmation or denial of a booking request based on availability
  • Provide resource scheduling, such as booking rooms or equipment for certain events
  • Allow business owners to manage employee work hours with time clock management features
  • Enable the tracking and managing of field service employees and resources

What is Scheduling Software?

Scheduling software is used by businesses to more effectively manage the time of employees and resources. This, in turn, allows the organisation to operate more efficiently by reducing the time spent on scheduling and eliminating things like scheduling conflicts. It also enables the automation of certain tasks—such as approval or denial of bookings based on availability—and tracking employee attendance.

In the past, businesses have used paper and, later, spreadsheets to handle schedule management. As flawed as these tools are for this purpose, their weaknesses become more evident as more parts of a business move into the cloud. Scheduling software makes it easier to keep track of everything happening in all areas of the business, providing a single point of authority for scheduling information. That single point of authority ensures that there are no “crossed wires” due to things like missed communications since bookings are entered directly into the system and are then immediately available to all.

As an organisation grows and becomes more complex, the use of scheduling software shifts from a tool of efficiency to one of necessity. The increasing number of ways in which business tasks can be automated essentially turns scheduling into a bottleneck that results in inefficient time usage. Automating certain aspects of scheduling itself speeds up the process but also helps to eliminate human error from the schedule. It also makes accountability easier since any booking can be easily traced back to a specific user. This level of visibility is not all about holding employees accountable for mistakes. Having such a degree of accountability enables a business to empower its employees to handle more of their scheduling, such as selecting their shifts.

What are the benefits of scheduling software?

The benefits of scheduling software are focused on the efficiency of scheduling, with a lot of the advantages stemming from the automation and visibility of the scheduling system. Making the system centralised and accessible at all levels of an organisation removes a great deal of opportunity for errors to creep in and scheduling itself to take longer than is necessary. Some of the benefits of scheduling software include:

  • Reduced workload when scheduling: There will be times when a booking needs authorisation, but the vast majority of bookings in a business are routine and can be made without oversight. Because of this, scheduling software can automate the process of approving or denying booking requests where appropriate. What is deemed appropriate can be configured in the software, but a common example is the denial of a booking due to clashing with an existing booking. For example, booking a particular room for a meeting at a time that it has already been booked for.
  • Ability to manage workforce schedules: One of the most readily apparent benefits of this type of software is the ability of managers and supervisors to track employee calendars in real time. The centralised nature of the platform will allow managers to perform skills-based job scheduling, even when dealing with employees who are spread across multiple locations. It also enables said employees to volunteer for open shifts and swap shifts with coworkers without needing to involve a manager or supervisor to update the schedule.
  • Resource scheduling: Scheduling the right person for the job is important and often the first thing that comes to mind when discussing this type of software. However, the workforce is not the only thing subject to scheduling. This type of software will also allow for scheduling certain resources, such as rooms and equipment. This helps to prevent conflicting bookings of those resources from occurring since no one will be able to double-book a resource through the system.
  • Reduce missed appointments: Modern businesses have a range of communication tools to work with, from SMS and email to social media and internal messaging platforms. Software like this makes it possible to leverage those communication mediums to send out automated—or manual—reminders to employees or customers about upcoming appointments and events. By reducing the possibility of missed appointments, a business can cut out the inefficiency of having to reschedule meetings and re-book resources.
  • Effectively manage field service employees: Field service management has long been one of the most difficult aspects of schedule management for businesses. However, thanks to the interconnected nature of technology today, scheduling solutions can give managers and supervisors the ability to track and manage the schedules and activities of their field service employees. Crucially, this also includes real-time updates from the field, so any schedule done from the office can be fully informed. It also allows for location-based decisions, such as booking the nearest available field service employee for a particular job.
  • Complete replacement for traditional scheduling methods: Managing a single calendar is one of the key functions of scheduling software. Having all appointments and bookings stored in one calendar system makes it possible to eliminate double bookings and other conflicts. Moreover, this type of software will usually allow for synchronisation with third-party calendar management applications—such as Google Calendar—making it easier to ensure employees are kept up to date.
  • Centralised time management: The most significant benefit of scheduling solutions is the ability to keep a centralised calendar for the organisation’s time management needs. This has a range of benefits, from making it easier to eliminate double bookings to allowing relevant parties to see what certain employee or resource schedules look like before making decisions. It also reduces the time spent organising things. In the past, arranging a meeting might have taken several phone calls and plenty of back and forth trying to find a time that works for everyone. With this software, the availability of everyone concerned is visible and easily referencable.

What are the features of scheduling software?

The features of scheduling software focus on the efficient management of time, both of people and resources. By making it easier to schedule and removing or reducing the opportunity for mistakes and accidents in the schedule, the software helps organisations reduce costs and work more effectively. The features used in line with that goal can vary from solution to solution, but several common features should be found in most scheduling solutions. Here are some of the most common features of scheduling software:

  • Calendar management: The core feature of any scheduling software is to manage a centralised calendar for the organisation. This calendar provides visibility throughout the organisation—permissions allowing—and is updated in real-time. It allows anyone attempting to make a booking to instantly see what resources and people are available at a given time. It also makes it easier for staff to see upcoming appointments. It is increasingly common for these software solutions to provide synchronisation with third-party calendar management applications, allowing employees to get work-related scheduling information in their calendar applications.
  • Real-time automated scheduling: Most scheduling solutions will offer some degree of automation in their feature set. The most basic example of this is the automatic approval or denial of a booking based on the availability of the requested resources and people. Not all bookings will be so straightforward, but it is certainly the case that a meeting booked to take place at the same time and in the same room as a meeting that is already booked cannot go ahead, and the software can automatically inform the person attempting to make the booking that it is not possible. A related feature is the ability to manage a list of allocations that can be substituted if the requested resource was unavailable but later becomes available due to a cancellation or rescheduled event.
  • Workforce/shift scheduling: The use of scheduling solutions like this is not limited to one-off events like meetings and interviews but can also be used to manage employee schedules overall. There will typically be functionality for tracking employee schedules in real-time and setting those schedules in the case of shift employees. In these systems, employees will also be able to see the schedule and volunteer for open shifts themselves. It also allows managers and supervisors to schedule skills-based jobs over multiple locations, making more effective use of the available talent pool within the entire organisation, rather than just those employees in the building.
  • Automatic appointment reminders: While often seen as a relatively minor inconvenience, missed appointments are an expense and one that can become significant in large organisations. The cost associated with blocking off part of people’s schedules, operating any equipment and taking up a room is still there, but the meeting needs to be rescheduled because of a no-show. Scheduling software can’t guarantee this won’t happen, but automatic appointment reminders will significantly reduce the number of appointments that are missed because someone legitimately forgot or didn’t know they had a meeting. And, because they are automatic, they do not require anyone to actively send out the reminders.
  • Field service management: Schedule management becomes increasingly complex as an organisation grows, and that complexity exponentially increases when there are field service employees involved. Many scheduling solutions include the ability to manage the activities of their field service employees and resources with ease. This includes managing dispatch schedules, initiating service orders, and optimising vehicle routes. Location data also enables managers to make the most efficient use of their resources by scheduling the nearest available field service employee for a given task.
  • Time clock management: Time clock management is a crucial aspect of any organisation with a good number of employees. Scheduling solutions will typically have a provision for managing employee work hours, including tracking their check-in and check-out times. It will also allow for the tracking of paid time off. Information about employee attendance can be easily exported for reports about an employee being repeatedly late for work or missing days entirely. Some solutions also offer integration with third-party software solutions, such as payroll processing or human resources (HR) software.
  • Resource scheduling: Scheduling the use of resources is just as important as scheduling employees since there is only a finite amount of resources, and double booking them wastes time and causes internal conflict. It is common for scheduling software to allow managers and supervisors to schedule events and appointments along with the required resources. For example, an interview with a particular employee would also require the booking of a room to carry out that interview. A meeting would require a room and equipment, such as a projector. The software will allow the tracking of these resources so that they can be properly booked when needed, ensuring that they are always available for a properly scheduled event or appointment.

What should be considered when purchasing scheduling software?

When purchasing scheduling software, it is crucial to consider what features are important to the buyer. For example, paying extra for the ability to manage field service employees when the organisation does not have any field service employees is a waste of money. The buyer should also consider the flexibility of the software solutions being considered. Most Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions make it easy to upgrade a subscription anytime, making it less important to consider future needs when choosing a solution. Another crucial factor is the size of the organisation. The time management needs of a small business can be drastically different to those of a medium-sized business. Below are some of the more specific things a buyer should consider when looking for a scheduling solution:

  • What are the key features of the scheduling solution? When looking at a scheduling software solution, a buyer should always consider the key features of that solution, and more specifically, if those features align with the needs of the organisation. For the most part, vendors of this type of software offer comparable selections of features, but not all features will be considered standard. Each solution will be different, but some of the more common features that might be omitted are inventory management, online time clock management, and routing.
  • What are the costs of the software? The cost of the software is important but can become a little complex when dealing with SaaS solutions, as there are often different subscription tiers. Some solutions are even free, but, as one might expect, free scheduling solutions are limited compared to their premium counterparts. It’s also important to weigh up the ongoing financial commitment. A one-time software purchase—something becoming less common these days—would mean a substantial upfront cost. On the other hand, SaaS is much less costly upfront but is an ongoing financial commitment. It is also crucial to consider the cost of deployment if the buyer intends to deploy the solution locally.
  • Will the business benefit significantly from the software? One of the most important things to consider when making any substantial purchase or shift in the way a business is run is whether that change will benefit it. Scheduling software undoubtedly improves the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of scheduling within an organisation. However, is the organisation at a point where those savings are substantial enough to justify the cost of the software solution?
  • Is the scheduling software suitable for the size of the business? Modern scheduling solutions—particularly SaaS solutions—typically offer scalable solutions. However, a buyer who is purchasing a solution for local deployment will need to assess the suitability of that solution for the business. For example, will it be possible to scale up the scheduling solution in step with the expected growth of the organisation?
  • Does the software integrate with other solutions used by the business? Interconnected systems are becoming a cornerstone of modern business. The ability of various systems to integrate is a big factor in reducing the time tasks take and the cost of completing them. If a buyer is already working with software solutions, it is worth finding a scheduling solution that will integrate with them if one is available. In the case of scheduling software, the most obvious examples would be the calendar applications used by employees, and things like inventory management.
  • How does the solution handle data? Data storage is an increasingly hot button topic in today’s world. Buyers will need to ensure their data is securely stored and all practices are up to the relevant regulations. This is generally not a problem for SaaS as the data storage will be taken care of in the cloud environment. For locally deployed solutions, care will have to be taken to make sure all data is secure, especially when the system includes customer information.
  • Does the vendor provide technical support? Anytime an organisation adopts a new system, there will be a training period. In many cases, that training may be limited to a relatively small selection of employees who will be using the system. In the case of scheduling, a large portion of the organisation will be using the system. Choosing a solution with good technical support can save significantly on costs, both in not having to provide the support itself but also in reducing time lost to employees struggling with the system.

The most relevant scheduling software trends centre around remote use of the software solutions employed. With remote work becoming increasingly common and cloud-native software becoming the solution of choice, business software solutions are moving towards more accessibility, with the range of options when it comes to supported devices growing. The most relevant trends around scheduling software include:

  • Mobile optimisation: Mobile phones have become an integral part of everyday life for business and personal reasons. Smartphones make up almost half of all online traffic, so it makes sense that vendors would put effort into making their software solutions work well on this platform. This optimisation is increasingly coming as part of a combination of native applications and mobile-friendly web interfaces.
  • Cloud-based management systems: The move to cloud-native software solutions has been underway for many years. As the coverage of internet access and the reliability of those connections improves, it is becoming more and more practical to run cloud-native software solutions. This trend is likely to continue, with more emphasis placed on SaaS solutions, pushing local deployment out towards the fringes of scheduling solutions.
  • Wider integrations: APIs are more popular than ever, and vendors are constantly looking to leverage the convenience and potential they offer. Integrations with other related applications are one of the main ways this leverage manifests. From integrating with calendar applications to inventory management systems, buyers should expect to see more emphasis put on how well a vendor’s scheduling solution works with other systems, including third-party solutions.
  • More intelligent automation: The more that can be reliably automated by a software solution, the more that software will make things easier on an organisation. Reliability is the key, however. If someone needs to constantly check an automated task to ensure it has worked correctly, there is no advantage to automating that task. Buyers should expect to vendors come up with more options for automation in the coming years.