How do I create a shift schedule?

First, determine the staffing requirements per shift and location, record availabilities and absences, and assign employees while taking rest periods into account. With digital shift planning, you can then publish the schedule with a single click, so that the team can see it immediately in the app.

Do I need to record working hours even with a shift schedule?

Yes. A planned shift schedule does not replace the statutory recording obligation. The start, end and duration of daily working hours must be actually documented. This is easiest when shift planning and time tracking are combined in one system.

Which software is suitable for shift planning?

Suitable tools are those that make rosters available on mobile devices, communicate changes automatically and can be connected to time tracking. Also look out for shift swaps with approval, multilingual support and GDPR-compliant storage on servers in the EU or Austria.

How do employees communicate their availability?

In a digital shift planning system, employees enter their availability and preferences directly in the app. Approved holidays and absences are automatically incorporated into the planning, so that gaps and double bookings become visible at an early stage.

Can employees swap shifts?

Yes. Employees can request shifts or swap them with one another. Management approves the swap with a single click and retains full control.

Creating Shift Schedules: Digital Rosters

A well-made roster determines whether a business runs smoothly or sinks into constant chaos. Anyone still cobbling shifts together in Excel or sending them via WhatsApp knows the problem: outdated versions, last-minute cancellations and employees who never know for certain when they are scheduled. In this article we show you how to create a shift schedule that truly works – step by step, legally compliant and without mountains of paperwork.

Why good shift planning decides between success and chaos

In industries with changing deployments – cleaning, security, care, hospitality or construction – organisation stands or falls with the roster. If it is unclear or out of date, unstaffed shifts, double bookings and frustrated employees are the result. A well-thought-out shift schedule ensures that the right people are in the right place at the right time – and that your team always has the plan to hand.

The most common problems with shift scheduling

Before we get to the solution, it is worth taking an honest look at the typical stumbling blocks:

❌ Outdated Excel spreadsheets: Nobody knows which version is currently valid.
❌ Changes via chat: Last-minute adjustments disappear in WhatsApp groups.
❌ Double bookings & gaps: Errors only come to light when it is too late.
❌ Constant queries: Employees call in because they do not know their schedule.
❌ No overview: Who is available, who is sick, who is on holiday?
❌ No comparison with reality: The planned shift and the hours actually worked do not match up.

Paper, Excel or digital shift scheduling? The comparison

Criterion	Paper / WhatsApp	Excel	Digital shift scheduling
Always up to date	❌ No	❌ Version chaos	✅ Yes, in real time
Visible to the team	Only those in the chat	Only at the PC	✅ Any time in the app
Communicating changes	Manual	Manual	✅ Automatic notification
Detecting gaps & double bookings	❌ Difficult	Partially	✅ Immediately visible
Comparison with working hours	❌ No	❌ Manual	✅ Target/actual automatic
Effort per week	High	Medium	✅ Low

Creating a shift schedule: step by step

Here is how to proceed when you want to create a shift schedule properly:

Determine requirements: How many employees do you need per shift, location and day? Take peak times and seasonal fluctuations into account.
Record availabilities: Who is available when? Holidays, sick leave and preferences all feed into this.
Consider qualifications: Some shifts require specific authorisations or experience.
Assign shifts: Schedule employees – ideally in a way that ensures rest periods and maximum working hours are observed.
Publish the schedule: The team receives the roster immediately and transparently.
Record working hours: Compare the planned shift with the hours actually worked using time tracking.

Shift scheduling and the recording obligation: what the law requires

A roster alone is not sufficient from a legal standpoint. The Austrian Working Time Act (AZG) obliges employers to document the start, end and duration of each employee's daily working hours without exception – regardless of the place of deployment. The planned shift schedule therefore does not replace actual time tracking.

Important: If a business cannot produce proper records during an inspection by the authorities, administrative fines of up to €2,180 per employee may be imposed. For working hours exceeding six hours, a break of at least 30 minutes is also required – this too should be taken into account in your planning.

The decisive advantage: shift scheduling and time tracking in one system

Pure roster tools only plan. Shift scheduling only delivers its true added value when it is connected to time tracking. With Jobilino, your employees record their working hours via app, NFC or terminal – and you can see at a glance whether the planned shift matches the hours actually worked.

This target/actual comparison saves you the tedious task of gathering data from multiple sources, creates a clean basis for payroll and makes discrepancies immediately visible. Our shift scheduling page shows you exactly how this works in detail.

What to look for in shift scheduling software

✅ Mobile app: Employees see their shifts directly on their smartphone.
✅ Automatic notifications: Changes reach the team instantly.
✅ Connection to time tracking: Target and actual hours in one system.
✅ Shift swaps with approval: Flexible, but under management control.
✅ Multilingual support: Important for internationally composed teams.
✅ GDPR compliance: Data encrypted and stored on servers in the EU or Austria.
✅ Quick setup: Ready to go in under 30 minutes, with no complicated configuration.

Conclusion: shift scheduling does not have to be stressful

Anyone who continues to manage shifts in Excel and WhatsApp is wasting time and risking gaps in the schedule. Digital shift scheduling ensures clear communication, fewer queries and a clean basis for payroll – especially when it is directly linked to time tracking. That way you not only plan, but also know exactly at the end who actually worked when.

Creating shift schedules: How to plan rosters digitally and in compliance with the law