HotSchedules vs EPRO Scheduler

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Our analysts compared HotSchedules vs EPRO Scheduler based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Employee Scheduling Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

HotSchedules Software Tool
EPRO Scheduler Software Tool

Product Basics

HotSchedules is a cloud-based shift scheduling tool within the Fourth HR ecosystem. It assists with a variety of core employee scheduling tasks, including assigning shifts, tracking time and managing labor.

It helps optimize time and labor costs by analyzing sales patterns, forecasting demand and optimizing workforce allocation through seasons. The built-in messaging portal improves communication and keeps the team on the same page.

Businesses can create custom dashboards to track business-specific KPIs, employee performances and attendance. Employees get unique portals to view assigned tasks, swap shifts and communicate with team members.

A built-in wage and labor compliance module helps maintain compliance with state and federal labor laws. The mobile app provides push notifications for scheduling conflicts and compliance issues to stay agile and compliant from anywhere.

Pros
  • Convenience and accessibility
  • Scheduling functionality
  • Efficient automation
  • Diverse integrations
Cons
  • Learning curve
  • Inconsistent support services
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EPRO Scheduler is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline employee scheduling, timekeeping, and workforce management. It excels in automating complex scheduling tasks, making it particularly well-suited for industries with dynamic staffing needs such as healthcare, emergency services, and public safety. The software's robust features include real-time schedule updates, shift swapping, and automated notifications, which enhance operational efficiency and reduce administrative burdens. Users appreciate the intuitive interface and the ability to access schedules from any device, ensuring seamless communication and coordination. EPRO Scheduler also integrates with payroll systems, simplifying the payroll process and minimizing errors. Pricing typically varies based on the number of users and specific features required, with options for monthly or annual subscriptions, making it adaptable to different organizational budgets. Compared to similar products, EPRO Scheduler is often praised for its reliability, user-friendly design, and comprehensive support, making it a valuable tool for effective workforce management.
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$40/Location, Monthly
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$795 Annually, Quote-Based
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Mobile
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Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
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Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Save Time: Build schedules and assign shifts more effectively and save time spent on these activities.
  • Improve Communication: Communicate with team members, update schedule changes, swap shifts and more directly through the platform to keep up with all critical and urgent scheduling revisions.
  • Reduce Labor Costs: Generate store reports on labor costs and sales and assess overall labor practices to help inform future budgets.
  • Encourage Employee Engagement: Managers can provide employees direct access to the schedule through the mobile app, allowing them to access and request changes to the schedule, which boosts engagement.
  • Ensure Compliance: Configure labor rules to document shift transactions, control labor costs, and comply with industry, state and federal legislation.
  • Accurate Forecasting: Ensure accurate forecasts using tools that help cut operational costs, boost revenue from sales and increase customer satisfaction and experiences.
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  • Automate Scheduling: Modify, track and manage schedules on-the-go. Simplify shift preparation and work schedules while tackling day-to-day roster issues. Track and record employee hours and handle time-off requests. 
  • Manage Certifications: Verify and manage employee training and certifications. Use timelines to increase profits through better scheduling. Reject staff with incomplete or pending certifications to perform critical jobs. 
  • Consolidate Data: Consolidate all fragmented information in one place. Get centralized access to employee schedules, roster changes, shift modifications and field staff data. Efficiently handle reassignments and absenteeism. 
  • Track Time: Verify employee clock ins and outs as per schedules. Review employee punches and timesheet reports while computing payroll accurately. 
  • Improve Team Communication: Enhance communication using a message center. Send messages while triggering acknowledgements upon login. Employees can attach and share important documents. 
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  • Scheduling: Build schedules with customizable templates and intuitive drag-and-drop tools. Approve or deny shift change requests, define rules to limit overtime and manage employee availability from a dashboard.
  • Time and Attendance: Track clock-in and clock-out times, collect information on tip and break entries, and allow employees to access their timecards and payroll histories. Managers can set up alerts to notify employees when they miss a time punch. Set geo-fencing rules using the mobile WebClock to track employee locations.
  • Labor Forecasting: Access the following forecasting features:
    • Schedule Optimization: Standardize scheduling rules and automate recurring tasks using predictive scheduling across multiple branches and locations.
    • Scheduling Visibility: Manage labor analytics to measure critical KPIs like overall performance, cost per labor, sales patterns and labor cost to keep restaurants competitive.
    • Store-Level Forecasting: Analyze historical data to identify weekly sales patterns and help managers allocate workforces efficiently. Send alerts for overtime and other potential compliance issues.
  • Labor Management: Calculate minimum staffing requirements, plan shift breaks, and generate suggested headcounts to ensure that any given shift always has the proper number of staff members.
  • Scheduling and Wage Compliance: Adhere to local and federal regulations with:
    • Predictive Scheduling: Stay up to date with local laws and evolve as regulations shift. Prepare and adapt to compliance changes before they go into effect.
    • Break and Meal Management: Set up rules to automatically schedule meal and break times for staff members. Receive notifications of missed break times and automatically calculate break pay impacts.
    • Overtime Management: Track employees going into overtime and allow managers to swap overworked staff with other employees.
    • Certifications: Receive certificate expiry alerts and define automation to request updated documents from employees, managers and other team members.
  • POS Integration: Employees can track time and clock in and out of work from a POS system. Pull sales and operational data from POS to forecast weekly and seasonal sales patterns and workforce requirements.
  • Health Surveys: Generate digital health surveys to gain extra visibility into the business. Use CDC-tailored surveys and health screening tools to ensure employees are safe to come to work.
  • Manager Logbook: Manage physical and digital logbooks that help track tasks, maintenance objectives and food safety information, such as temperature.
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  • Employee Scheduling: Populate and generate schedules automatically. Manage time offs, sick calls, shift swaps and bids while filling open shifts. Avoid scheduling errors and unnecessary overtime hours while improving efficiency and saving time and money. 
  • Leave Management: Set up leave banks for vacation, PTO, sick and complimentary leaves based on service years. Automate holiday pay generation and payroll policies. 
  • Reporting and Dashboards: Generate easy-to-read payroll, scheduling, timekeeping and employee data reports. Manage payroll accuracy and overtime trends while tracking overall progress. 
  • Timeclock: Validate employee check ins and outs via fingerprint scans while tracking early or late reportees. Set up online clock ins on designated devices for attendance accuracy. 
  • Mobile App: Get a snapshot of daily schedules using any device on-the-fly. Make assignments, fill shifts and schedule employees anytime, anywhere. 
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Product Ranking

#7

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

#60

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 1149 reviews
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86%
of users recommend this product

HotSchedules has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 1149 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

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4.5 (14)
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4.2 (94)
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4.37 (426)
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4.4 (388)
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4.0 (227)
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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Convenience and Accessibility: Users appreciate the system’s remote accessibility, which saves time and enhances productivity for both employees and managers.
Scheduling Functionality: The platform offers a comprehensive package of scheduling tools, including shift swapping, time off, blackout dates and availability management.
Efficient Automation: Automation such as auto-scheduling, sick pay and holiday calculations simplifies administrative tasks for managers.
Diverse Integrations: Users report that integration with other modules like payroll systems, POS solutions and HR software enhances productivity and workforce management.
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Easy to Use: Users find the interface intuitive and straightforward, making it easy to create and manage schedules. For example, one user mentioned that they were able to set up their first schedule within minutes.
Flexible Scheduling: EPRO Scheduler allows for a variety of scheduling options, including shift swaps, time-off requests, and different shift types. This flexibility helps businesses accommodate employee preferences and needs.
Mobile Access: The mobile app allows employees to view their schedules, request time off, and communicate with managers, even when they're not at their desks.
Time-Saving Features: Features like automated scheduling and shift bidding can save businesses time and effort in managing their workforce.
Improved Communication: EPRO Scheduler facilitates communication between employees and managers, reducing confusion and misunderstandings about schedules.
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Learning curve & complexity: The interface can be challenging for beginners, requiring significant time and effort to learn and navigate effectively.
Inconsistent customer support: Users report long wait times or difficulty resolving complex issues, leading to potential frustration and delays.
Pricing concerns: Additional fees beyond the monthly subscription can add up, making it more expensive than competitors.
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Limited Customization: Some users have reported difficulty in tailoring the system to their specific scheduling needs, such as accommodating unique shift patterns or employee preferences. For example, a user might want to create a shift that starts at 10:30 AM, but the system only allows for shifts starting on the hour.
Lack of Mobile App: The absence of a dedicated mobile app can make it challenging for employees to manage their schedules on the go. This can be particularly problematic for employees who work in industries where they need to be able to access their schedules from their phones, such as healthcare or retail.
Steep Learning Curve: Some users have found the software to be complex and difficult to learn, requiring significant time and effort to master its features. This can be frustrating for users who are already busy with other tasks and may not have the time to dedicate to learning a new system.
Poor Customer Support: Some users have reported experiencing difficulties getting timely and helpful support from EPRO Scheduler's customer service team. This can be a major issue for users who are struggling with the software or have urgent questions.
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Let's dish on the good, the bad, and the ugly of HotSchedules based on what folks have been saying lately. HotSchedules seems to be a bit of a mixed bag. Users dig that it's pretty straightforward to use and can be a real time-saver, especially when it comes to wrangling schedules and keeping everyone in the loop. It's like having a personal assistant who's always on top of things. But, there's a catch – it can be a bit pricey, and some users feel like it's missing some bells and whistles that other scheduling software has. Think of it as a reliable car that gets you from point A to point B, but maybe doesn't have all the fancy features like a sunroof or heated seats. So, who's HotSchedules a good fit for? Well, if you're running a business in the hospitality industry, like a restaurant or hotel, and you need a solid scheduling tool that won't leave you scratching your head, HotSchedules could be your jam. It's especially handy if you've got a bunch of hourly employees and multiple locations to juggle. However, if you're on a tight budget or need a software with all the latest gadgets, you might want to shop around a bit. There are other options out there like Homebase or When I Work that might be more your style.

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Is EPRO Scheduler the real deal or just a scheduling "pro" at making promises it can't keep? User reviews from the past year paint a mixed picture of EPRO Scheduler. While some users praise its ease of use and helpful features, others express frustration with its limitations and lack of responsiveness from customer support. One user, who has been using the software for over two years, appreciates the basic scheduling and employee management features, finding them intuitive and easy to teach new users. They also highlight the chat feature as a valuable tool for communication. However, the same user expresses disappointment with the limited training options, particularly the lack of webinars or pre-recorded materials covering advanced features. They also point out inconsistencies in the system's handling of back-to-back shifts and late punch-ins, as well as issues with certification management. Another user, who has also been using the software for over two years, finds the program adequate for their needs but desires more customizable reports and faster response times from customer support. They do acknowledge that the certification tracking and messaging features are helpful. EPRO Scheduler's strengths lie in its user-friendly interface and basic scheduling capabilities, making it suitable for organizations with straightforward scheduling needs. However, its lack of advanced features, limited training options, and inconsistent performance in certain areas may hinder its effectiveness for organizations with complex scheduling requirements or those seeking a more robust and responsive customer support experience. EPRO Scheduler is best suited for smaller organizations with simple scheduling needs and a willingness to work around its limitations.

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Top Alternatives in Employee Scheduling Software


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Findmyshift

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Quinyx

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Shiftbase

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WhenToWork

ZoomShift

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