When I Work vs ShiftNote

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Our analysts compared When I Work vs ShiftNote 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.

ShiftNote Software Tool

Product Basics

When I Work is a cloud-based platform that helps design, communicate and track work schedules for hourly workers. It replaces the hassle of spreadsheets and paper schedules with a user-friendly interface for creating and publishing schedules in minutes. You get features like drag-and-drop tools, schedule and timesheet templates, customizable automation, and reporting.

It offers built-in time tracking, communication tools and payroll integrations. Employees can clock in and out directly through the native app. They can also swap shifts and submit time-off requests from their profiles. It lets you access timesheets, identify labor cost trends and control overtime expenses.

Team messaging helps you coordinate staff members and avoid over or understaffing during peak seasons. While pricing varies based on company size and required features, the platform offers a free trial and multiple subscription tiers. This allows you to choose a plan that fits your budget and specific needs.

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ShiftNote is a cloud-hosted solution that offers a manager’s logbook to create shift notes electronically while accessing them from anywhere. The intuitive logbook simplifies communication between employees and managers.

Businesses can design and edit shifts online, create and assign tasks, send messages and share documents across locations. It significantly reduces the time spent in creating weekly or monthly schedules. An internal email structure helps delegate shifts and roles. Businesses can access accurate forecasts to prepare for possible customer influx.
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$2.50/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$34.95 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

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Product Insights

  • Top-Ranked Scheduling Solution: When I Work stands out as a leader in employee scheduling, with an analyst rating of 85 in our research. This puts it alongside industry heavyweights like Deputy (87) and 7Shifts (86). It offers a comprehensive set of features, including scheduling, time tracking and team communications, all of which are ready to use immediately, reducing setup time.
  • Effortless Shift Management: Our research shows that When I Work offers 96% of tools for creating and managing employee shifts out-of-the-box. These include everything from creating recurring shift templates and customizing layouts to features like open shift bidding and automatic vacant shift assignment. You can also add feedback, task notes, swap shifts and receive automated reminders.
  • Powerful Mobile App: The mobile app keeps everything you need for streamlined scheduling at your fingertips. It offers mobile scheduling, time tracking, geofencing, customizable push notifications and built-in chat for easy team communication.
  • Seamless Integrations: When I Work scored 92 for integrations in our analysis, effortlessly connecting with a wide range of business tools. These include accounting solutions like QuickBooks Online, Google and Apple Calendars, HR and payroll software like Rippling and Gusto, Square POS systems, and integration platforms as a service (iPaaS) such as Zapier and Tray.io.
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  • Fast Scheduling: Use a duplication tool to repeat set shifts while expediting the scheduling process. Create new schedules using customizable templates while speeding up schedule-building processes. 
  • Streamline Communications: Use an internal email function to send prompt shift updates while establishing accountability. Inform teams about shift modifications using an internal messaging capability. 
  • Manage Multiple Locations: Scale it to manage multiple locations. Step in to resolve scheduling and other issues at any branch. 
  • Manage Leaves and Shift Swaps: Manage shift swaps and leaves while approving or rejecting the requests. Communicate decisions through appropriate channels. 
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  • Employee Scheduling: Create work schedules in one click based on employee availability and eligibility. View team availability, manage time off and track shift trades from one place. Allow employees to pick up and trade shifts while boosting workplace efficiency and productivity. Schedule multiple teams across job sites while preventing unnecessary overtime.
  • Time and Attendance: Track attendance, time off and breaks while turning any internet-connected device into an online time clock. Integrate schedules to control costs while applying pay rules. Implement an online time clock with a GPS facility for uniform clock-ins and outs across devices. Let remote employees log in and out using any device while receiving attendance data in real time.
  • Timesheets: Record weekly attendance changes into timesheets while setting differential pay rates for multiple positions. Monitor labor costs while auditing time records with labor distribution reports. Audit and approve timesheets from mobile or desktop while preventing overtime before it happens. Configure paid and unpaid breaks on schedule and time clock.
  • Shift Planning: Plan, swap and approve shifts using a mobile or desktop while empowering teams to collaborate on schedules. Ensure cost-effective shift coverage while creating schedules that work for the entire team.
  • Scalability: Start with a single team or location and scale to multiple teams across geographical locations as per business growth. Schedule multiple teams across various job sites.
  • Push Notifications: Send important messages to the entire staff in one go. Employees get email and text alerts for missed logins or outs. Notify all employees when you update or create new schedules.
  • Geo Check-In: Use GPS tracking and live map views to ensure that employees log in from their designated job sites. Monitor field staff’s real-time location, eliminating the need for employees to update their locations constantly in the office.
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  • Shift Scheduling: Plan employee schedules while making shift changes as per staff availability and requests. Maintain schedules for multiple departments while modifying them according to needs. 
  • Task Management: Share and manage annual task calendars using an advanced task management module. Schedule tasks while monitoring workflow processes. 
  • Performance Management: Monitor employee performance using the stat tracking and key performance indicator function. Maintain staff schedules and digital logbook entries while arranging meetings for multiple branches. 
  • Sales Forecasting: Forecast sales using historical data to set weekly labor and operational budgets. Generate MIS reports to get detailed business insights. 
  • Event Calendar: Use the calendar view to get information on upcoming events while broadcasting company-specific events. Mark dates, leave comments and share with teams to keep everyone on the same page. 
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Product Ranking

#3

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

#41

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1454 reviews
Great User Sentiment 8 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

When I Work has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 1454 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

86%
of users recommend this product

ShiftNote has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 8 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (11)
3.75 (1)
4.4 (286)
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4.5 (1093)
4.4 (7)
4.4 (64)
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Awards

When I Work stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Intuitive and Efficient: Users appreciate the user-friendly interface and comprehensive features that centralize managing all scheduling needs from a single app.
Prompt Customer Support: Users report getting timely and helpful assistance from the vendor’s support team through live chat and email.
Enhanced Employee Experience: The app boosts staff productivity by offering them flexible tools to control their work schedules.
Improved Integration and Accessibility: Most users have had a positive experience connecting the platform with other necessary third-party tools.
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Easy to Use: Users have praised ShiftNote's user-friendly interface, finding it easy to navigate and utilize for scheduling and communication purposes.
Improved Communication: The platform facilitates better communication among team members, allowing for seamless shift changes and updates.
Performance Tracking: ShiftNote enables managers to monitor employee performance, providing insights into attendance, punctuality, and overall efficiency.
Shift Swaps: Employees can easily request and manage shift swaps through the platform, streamlining the process and reducing scheduling conflicts.
Reporting Features: ShiftNote offers reporting functionalities, allowing managers to generate reports on various metrics such as labor costs, attendance, and scheduling efficiency.
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Pricing and Transparency Issues: Users have complained about the vendor’s pricing practices, which include hidden costs and a lack of clear information before signing up.
App Glitches: Users reported issues with iPhone and Android apps, particularly with tasks like staff punch-ins and location tracking using the phone’s GPS.
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Limited Mobile App: The mobile app needs improvement, users say it could be more reliable and have more features.
Customization is Lacking: Users want more flexibility to customize reports and notifications to fit their specific needs.
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According to the reviews, users praise When I Work’s user-friendly design and all-in-one features for scheduling and time tracking. The customer support team is another win — responsive and helpful via chat and email. However, the pricing structure is a point of contention for some users, with complaints about hidden fees and a lack of transparency before signing up.What truly set it apart was its affordability for small and medium businesses. The starter plan, costing just $1.50 per location per month, offers unlimited employee scheduling and auto-scheduling — features usually reserved for top-tier plans in competitors like 7Shift and Homebase.However, communication features are restricted. During testing, I could send individual and group messages, but there's no bulletin board or newsfeed functionality, and message read receipts are absent.Security is another concern. The platform lacks biometric clock-in options, opening the door to potential time theft through buddy punching. Additionally, it doesn’t support geofencing or GPS tracking. I couldn’t remotely track staff shifts to ensure they were following established procedures.Overall, When I Work offers a compelling solution for small and medium businesses with a user-friendly interface, robust features and a budget-friendly starter plan. However, be mindful of the pricing concerns and other limitations, which can be a problem for growing teams and businesses.

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Want to make a "shift" in how you manage employee scheduling? ShiftNote is generally well-received by users for its user-friendly design, effective communication features, and ability to simplify shift scheduling and management. Users praise its intuitive interface, which is accessible across multiple devices, making it a breeze to use on the go. However, some users have reported occasional technical glitches and expressed a desire for more advanced features and integrations. Despite these minor drawbacks, ShiftNote is lauded for its ability to enhance team coordination and operational efficiency across various sectors, particularly in the hospitality and retail industries. Its strength lies in its simplicity and ease of use, making it a great option for businesses looking to streamline their scheduling processes without a steep learning curve. While it may lack some advanced features found in other scheduling software like When I Work or Homebase, its intuitive design and focus on core scheduling functionalities make it a suitable choice for small to medium-sized businesses in fast-paced industries where efficient scheduling is paramount.

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Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Employee Scheduling Software


7shifts

Deputy

Findmyshift

Homebase

Humanity

OpenSimSim

Planday

Quinyx

ScheduleFlex

Shiftbase

Shiftboard

Sling

TimeForge

WhenToWork

ZoomShift

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