The short answer
Stay on a spreadsheet if all of these are true: you have a small team, the roster rarely changes once it's posted, you're at one location, and you're happy to work out hours from memory or paper sign-in sheets. Switch to rostering software once any of them stops being true.
Side by side
| Spreadsheet | Rostering software | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free if you already have Excel or Google Sheets | Usually per staff member per month; many have a free tier for small teams |
| Setup | Minutes, if you start from a template | A day or two to load staff, locations and rates |
| Staff see the roster | When you send the file, or a photo in the group chat | On their phone, always the latest version |
| Changes and swaps | Edit and resend; old copies stay in circulation | Change once; staff see it straight away |
| Who can't work | Messages you have to remember | Staff record it; you see it while you roster |
| Actual hours worked | Paper sign-in sheets or memory | Clock-ins on a phone, matched to the shift |
| Timesheets | Typed up at the end of the pay period | Built from the clock-ins |
| Wage cost | Possible with formulas, for the plan only | Shown as you roster, and compared with actual hours |
| Who changed what | Hard to tell | Usually a change log |
| More than one location | A sheet per venue, and staff who work both get missed | One roster across venues, with costs for each |
Signs you've outgrown the spreadsheet
- You send the roster more than once a week because it changed.
- Staff turn up for an old version of the roster.
- You find out someone can't work after you've rostered them.
- Doing the pay means piecing hours together from a sign-in sheet, texts and memory.
- You can't easily answer "what did wages cost last week compared with the roster?"
- You've opened a second location, or have staff who work at two.
What rostering software costs in Australia
Most rostering and time-clock apps charge per staff member per month, and plans differ in what's included: some cover only rostering, others add time and attendance, payroll, or HR. When you compare prices, check:
- Whether owners and managers count as paid users.
- Whether the time clock and timesheets are included or cost extra.
- Whether there's a setup fee or a lock-in contract.
- Whether prices include GST.
- What happens when you grow past a free plan's limit.
For example, CrewConnect's Starter plan is free for up to 5 staff, including owners and managers, with rostering, the time clock and timesheets. Pro is A$5 per user per month plus GST for any team size, and setup is free. See how CrewConnect compares with Deputy, Tanda and RosterElf.
How to switch without disruption
- Pick a quiet week to start, not the week before Christmas.
- Load your staff, locations and hourly rates from your current spreadsheet.
- Rebuild one week's roster in the new app and check it against the spreadsheet.
- Tell staff how to get to it on their phone and that the app is now the roster.
- Run both for one pay period and compare the hours before you stop using the spreadsheet.
With CrewConnect, we do the setup for you on every plan: send us your spreadsheet and we'll load your staff, locations and settings.
The limits of rostering software
Rostering software doesn't replace your payroll system unless the plan includes payroll. CrewConnect, for example, calculates hours and pay from each person's hourly rate and gives you a pay summary, but it doesn't pay staff or apply award penalty rates yet. Check what each product covers before you switch.
Not ready to switch? Start with our free café roster template.
Questions
Is a spreadsheet roster good enough for a small café?
Often, yes. If you have a few staff, a steady week and you do the pay yourself, a spreadsheet works. Use our free café roster template to get started.
How much does rostering software cost in Australia?
Most rostering apps charge per staff member per month, and many have a free tier for small teams. CrewConnect is free for up to 5 staff, and Pro is A$5 per user per month plus GST. Compare what each plan includes, not just the price.
How long does it take to switch from a spreadsheet?
For a single café, usually a day or two. With CrewConnect we load your staff, locations and pay rates for you from your current spreadsheet, and you run both side by side for a week.
Try it free — we'll set it up for you.
Starter is free for up to 5 staff. Pro adds checklists, stock and purchase orders, 50% off for your first 3 months. Free setup on every plan, with support from Australia.