Any small business owner or retail manager will no doubt tell you that one of the most annoying and difficult tasks they face each week are planning their employee schedule. There are a variety of things that need to be considered when putting together a weekly schedule, such as the needs of the business and the availability of the employee. On top of that, there are concerns such as the professional appearance and readability of the schedule. For these reasons and more many individuals choose to purchase one of a variety of scheduling software programs available to help them conquer this difficult task.

There are many things to take into consideration before deciding upon one of the myriad of scheduling software programs available for sale. The following are some of the most important things to keep in mind when picking a scheduling software program:

• Web-based or locally based software?
• What all needs to be tracked?
• How is the schedule presented?
• Simple and easy, yet able to handle heavy workloads?
• Is it easy to control access?

Among the scheduling software programs available for purchase are those which are traditional software which can be purchased and installed directly on a computer; while other programs are web-based and can be accessed from anywhere as long as an internet connection is present. Web-based scheduling software often has the advantage of being easier to use, cheaper to purchase, and is updated more often. These programs also provide flexibility in that they can be accessed from anywhere.

Some companies, mainly retail locations, need a scheduling software program that is simply capable of scheduling employees and tracking hours for payroll purposes. Other small businesses on the other hand may need to track an individual employee’s hours spent working for one particular client in order to accurately report hours worked. Assessing these needs before deciding upon a scheduling software program is crucial.

The manner in which the schedule is laid out by the scheduling software is also very important, both for the employee and the boss. A software that easily identifies holes in the schedule makes it easier for managers to avoid last minute issues with shifts and ensure that business locations are always properly staffed. For employees, a clear and easy to read schedule means that there is less chance they will become confused and not show up for a scheduled shift.

It may seem odd, but a scheduling software program needs to be both simple and easy to use, while also being deep enough to handle a heavy workload. Retail managers in particular often have schedules that rotate greatly, or quite the opposite are very similar from week to week. A program that offers tools for schedulers that allow them to copy and paste the schedule of those who work a similar shift every week can save valuable time.

One of the most important things to consider with a scheduling software program is the ability to control access to the program. The ability to restrict access via security settings to just a few people in the office is critical. Managers can’t always be around, meaning others should be able to access the program in their absence and create and adjust the schedule as needed. However, allowing every employee to have access can result in confusion and gaps in the schedule of employees are allowed to alter the schedule without a manager’s approval. Some software does allow access to all employees, but the majority of employees are only allowed to make notes and requests which result in alerts for the schedule maker. They can then log in and view these notes and make the necessary adjustments.

As we approach 2011, the following scheduling software programs have been rated in the Top 10 for their ability to provide everything discussed above, and much more to managers and small business owners. These programs include:

1. WhenToWork
2. Time Tracker
3. Schedule It
4. TimeCurve Scheduler
5. ClockIt
6. Schedule 24
7. Employee Scheduling Partner
8. ResSched

These programs range in price from $15/month for WhenToWork (a web-based program) to $495 for Time Tracker and TimeCurve Scheduler. For help in finding the scheduling software program that will work best for your business and to comparison shop different software; simply click over to Jswsoft.com to find all the best scheduling software programs available!