5 Ways Scheduling Software Improves on Spreadsheet Scheduling

The recent past is filled with spreadsheet error horror stories. A writer for Forbes said it might be the most dangerous software on the planet. When it comes to scheduling, a shift may go uncovered if a formula gets overwritten or a job may get double-booked if a data row is hidden away. The capacity for human error is high, while the controls for catching errors are few.

Scheduling software greatly reduces human error risk. Drag-and-drop functionality replaces complex formulas. Automated conflict resolution notifies managers and employees if double-bookings exist. And all notifications are emailed to stakeholders as well as updated in their preferred calendars.

An Excel spreadsheet represents a 'top-down' scheduling approach. A manager issues the spreadsheet to all the stakeholders. A requested change by an employee needs to filter back to the decision maker, who then alters the schedule and re-distributes the sheet.

Scheduling software gives employees more scheduling involvement. Change alerts display on smartphones. Days off are scheduled with a few clicks. Shifts are switched in real-time to show effects on future weeks. It adds up to more employee involvement, which has been shown to bolster job satisfaction.

At its core, a spreadsheet is designed to tabulate numeric data. Today's business scheduling, however, includes many other elements, such as:

Skill requirements for jobs

Equipment maintenance notes

Linked documentation

Full history and audit trails

These important factors are much easier to manage with scheduling software. Databases can be integrated, providing information to decision makers about employee skills, equipment status, and customer needs. And activities can be linked to appropriate documentation for real-time viewing.

In a spreadsheet system, one person spends valuable hours assimilating, processing, and posting schedules.

Software solves this problem through a user access control system. Managers and employees can input their own data from a multitude of devices: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, all at the same time. The disruptive and inefficient updating bottleneck is replaced by a system where the people who do the work record important business events as they occur.

Designing spreadsheets to show future resource availability takes an added layer of data entry and management.

The reporting power of scheduling software enables non-Excel savants to manage weeks and months ahead. This includes plans for multiple job sites and events. It also posts these dates on employee calendars whether it's Outlook, Google Calendar, or iCal so they will also know their advanced schedules.