
Wix
Synchroteam is a cloud-based field service management and scheduling solution that caters to businesses of all sizes in field service industry that includes cleaning services, construction, electrical and HVAC. Synchroteam fe...Read more
SimplyBook.me is a cloud-based scheduling solution designed for service businesses in multiple industries. It provides a booking site so that users can accept online bookings, collect client feedback to optimize revenue and servic...Read more
Visual Planning is a hybrid resource management and scheduling platform that helps businesses to manage their assets and day-to-day operations. The solution can be deployed on-premise or hosted in the cloud. Visual Planning o...Read more
Zoho Workerly is an employee scheduling solution that helps staffing agencies filter and assign jobs to temporary employees based on client requirements, skill sets and professional experience. It enables administrators to create,...Read more
Acuity Scheduling is a cloud-based appointment scheduling software solution that enables business owners to manage their appointments online. The product caters to the needs of small and midsize businesses as well as individual pr...Read more
FieldAware is a field management solution developed to manage every facet of the service delivery process. It allows users to manage service requests, scheduling, dispatching, customer relationships, invoicing and reporting, strea...Read more
Henry Kissinger once famously remarked, “There cannot be a crisis today, my schedule is already full.” Things might have been different, however, if he'd had access to scheduling software.
Organizations have traditionally used paper or spreadsheets to manage their schedules. But as companies grow, it becomes essential for them to use more effective means to manage and utilize time and resources.
That’s where a scheduling tool can help: Scheduling tools enable business owners to automate the scheduling process in compliance with the company’s rules and standards.
This guide can help potential buyers find the best solution for their needs.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
What Is Scheduling Software?
Common features of scheduling software
What Type of Buyer Are You?
Benefits of Scheduling Software
Market Trends to Understand
Scheduling software helps individuals and businesses across all industries operate more efficiently by enabling them to manage and track their own and employees' time, create and maintain employee schedules, assign workers to shifts or jobs and track everything in real-time.
These applications also help with:
Managing members in Robin Powered Software (Source)
Most scheduling software solutions come with some or all of the following capabilities or applications:
Workforce/shift scheduling | Allows business owners to manage employee schedules and time by tracking their calendars in real-time. It allows managers to perform skills-based job scheduling for employees across multiple locations and enables employees to volunteer for open shifts or swap their shifts with coworkers. |
Real-time automated scheduling | The software can instantly confirm or deny an allocation when a new booking request is made, based on availability. It can also manage a waiting list of allocations that can be substituted if an existing booking is canceled or rescheduled. |
Calendar management | The tool can be used for meeting and appointment scheduling and sharing them with participants at multiple locations. This feature may also include synchronization with third-party calendar management applications used by the participants (e.g., iCal or Google Calendar). |
Automatic appointment reminders | Allows users to send reminders to employees or customers about an upcoming appointment via email notifications or SMS text messaging. |
Resource scheduling | Apart from scheduling the right person for the right job, the software enables customers to schedule meeting rooms. It also enables equipment scheduling. |
Time-clock management | Allows business owners to effectively manage employee work hours by tracking their check-ins or check-outs. The software helps to manage employee attendance and keep track of their paid time off (PTO) days. Some solutions also allow integration with third-party payroll processing or HR software. |
Field service management | Enables managers to track and manage the activities of their field service employees and resources, such as managing dispatch schedules, optimizing vehicle routes, initiating service orders, and mapping service orders to the nearest available worker. |
Choosing the right scheduling software depends on the size of the business. Consider the following buyer types:
Small and midsize businesses. These businesses typically operate as establishments with up to 70-80 employees and focus on specific operational areas. Such companies might consider a "best-of-breed" system that specializes in the particular area of their business need.
For example, a salon or a dental clinic that relies on appointment booking for footfall should look for appointment scheduling software or online booking software that supports online appointment scheduling and recurring appointments. Similarly, a midsize manufacturing organization should buy a solution that offers shift management, resource scheduling, and time-clock management.
Large enterprises. Big companies typically operate in multiple operational areas with employees based at different locations. For such businesses, work schedule automation is key. These businesses may want to consider a solution that is a modular suite, allowing them to pick and choose modules according to business requirements.
For example, a cash management firm would require fleet management or field service management to track and optimize vehicle routing. They would also require a shift management module to automate the process of assigning the right person to the right service schedule, a time-clock module to track staff attendance or location, and automated reminders so employees don’t miss their shifts.
Businesses can realize multiple benefits as a result of adopting a scheduling solution, including:
Here are some scheduling software market trends that will help you learn more about the evolution of this tool.
Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.