How to create a roster in 2026
A complete guide to building staff rosters — whether you're using Excel, Google Sheets, or rostering software. Learn the steps, avoid common mistakes, and save hours every week.
Written by
Georgia Morgan
General information only – not legal advice
This guide provides general information about creating staff rosters for Australian businesses. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
What is a roster?
A roster (also called a schedule or rota) is a document that shows which employees are working, when they're working, and what role they're performing. Good rosters balance business needs with employee availability while staying within budget and complying with workplace laws.
Creating rosters can be done manually using spreadsheet templates, or automatically using dedicated rostering software. The right method depends on your team size, complexity, and budget.
Sample roster spreadsheet
Here's what a typical Excel roster looks like, complete with formulas for automatic calculations.
Essential formulas
Calculate hours worked
=(C3-B3)*24 Subtracts start from end time, multiplies by 24 for hours
Calculate shift cost
=D3*E3 Hours × hourly rate = total cost
Sum total hours
=SUM(D3:D5) Adds up all hours in the column
Advanced formulas
Lookup hourly rate by role
=VLOOKUP(F3,Rates!A:B,2,FALSE) Finds pay rate from a separate rates table
Count staff per day
=COUNTIF(A:A,"<>")-1 Counts non-empty cells in employee column
Weekend penalty rate (1.5x)
=IF(WEEKDAY(A2)>5,E3*1.5,E3) Applies 50% loading for Sat/Sun
Spreadsheet limitations
While formulas can automate calculations, spreadsheets can't send notifications to staff, track real-time availability, or automatically apply complex award rates with penalties and loadings. For teams over 5 people, dedicated rostering software typically saves more time than it costs.
Three ways to create rosters
Each method has trade-offs. Here's how they compare.
The traditional choice. Full control but requires manual work and formula knowledge. Download our free Excel templates to get started.
Best for: Very small teams (1-5 staff)
Cloud-based spreadsheet. Easy sharing but still manual and lacks automation. Try our Google Sheets templates for easy collaboration.
Best for: Small teams with simple schedules
Purpose-built tools that automate scheduling, notifications, and compliance.
Best for: Teams of 5+ with shift-based work
Downloadable roster templates
Save hours with our free, ready-to-use roster templates. No email required.
12+ free roster templates
Excel, Google Sheets, Word, and PDF formats available
How to create a roster: 10 essential steps
Follow this complete process from choosing your method to supporting compliance. Start to finish guide for Australian businesses.
Choose your rostering method
Decide between Excel, Google Sheets, or rostering software based on your team size, complexity, and budget.
Tips:
- Excel/Sheets work well for 1-5 staff
- Rostering software recommended for 5+ employees
- Consider time savings vs cost when choosing
Gather employee information
Collect availability, contact details, skills, and employment type for each team member. Use digital HR records to centralise employee information.
Tips:
- Create a master list with names, roles, and hourly rates
- Note any restrictions (visa limits, maximum hours)
- Record qualifications and certifications
Determine staffing requirements
Analyse your business needs to work out how many staff you need for each shift. Use rostering analytics to identify patterns and optimise coverage.
Tips:
- Review historical sales/foot traffic data
- Account for peak periods and quiet times
- Consider minimum coverage requirements
Create your roster template
Set up a spreadsheet with days across the top and time slots down the side. Download our free roster templates with pre-built formulas to save time.
Tips:
- Use a consistent format (e.g., Mon-Sun columns)
- Include start time, end time, and break columns
- Add a totals row for hours per person
Assign shifts to employees
Match available staff to shifts based on skills, availability, and fairness. Consider using AI-powered auto-scheduling to optimise shift assignments automatically.
Tips:
- Check availability before assigning
- Distribute weekend/evening shifts fairly
- Ensure qualified staff for specialised roles
Calculate costs and hours
Add up total hours and estimated wages to ensure you stay within budget. Track labour costs with real-time labour budgeting to avoid budget blowouts.
Tips:
- Include penalty rates for weekends/evenings
- Check against labour budget targets
- Verify no one exceeds contracted hours
Review and publish
Double-check for errors, then distribute the roster to your team. Use a mobile rostering app to instantly notify staff when rosters are published.
Tips:
- Look for gaps or double-bookings
- Send at least 7 days in advance
- Use email, print, or shared drive
Download a roster template
Save time by using a pre-built roster template for Excel, Google Sheets, or Word with formulas included.
Tips:
- Choose weekly or monthly template based on your needs
- Customise columns to match your business
- Save as a master copy for reuse
Set up availability tracking
Create a system for collecting and managing employee availability to avoid scheduling conflicts. Implement staff availability management to let employees update their availability in real-time.
Tips:
- Use online forms or availability management software
- Set deadlines for availability submissions
- Keep historical availability records
Apply Australian compliance rules
Ensure your roster complies with Fair Work regulations including notice periods, breaks, and penalty rates. Check award rates and rules for your specific Modern Award requirements.
Tips:
- Publish rosters at least 7 days in advance
- Include 10-12 hour breaks between shifts
- Apply correct penalty rates for weekends/public holidays
Create a roster with RosterElf
The same roster that takes 2 hours manually can be done in 15 minutes with the right software.
Add your team
Import employees or add them manually. Set roles, pay rates, and availability in their employee profiles.
Create shifts
Drag and drop to create shifts, or use roster templates from previous weeks. Set required skills and roles.
Let AI suggest staff
Perfect Match™ AI suggests the best available staff based on skills, availability, and fairness.
Publish instantly
One click publishes the roster and notifies all staff via the mobile app. Done.
No credit card required
Feature comparison
See exactly how each method stacks up across key features.
Setup time
Weekly roster time
Automatic conflict detection
Staff notifications
Availability management
Employee records
Award interpretation
Cost tracking
Mobile access
| Feature | Excel | Google Sheets | Rostering software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 2-4 hours | 2-4 hours | 30 minutes |
| Weekly roster time | 1-3 hours | 1-3 hours | 15-30 minutes |
| Automatic conflict detection | Manual check | Manual check | Automatic |
| Staff notifications | Manual (email/print) | Manual (share link) | Instant push notifications |
| Availability management | Separate tracking | Separate tracking | Built-in |
| Employee records | Separate files | Separate files | Integrated HR records |
| Award interpretation | Manual calculation | Manual calculation | Automatic |
| Cost tracking | Formula setup required | Formula setup required | Real-time |
| Mobile access | Limited | View only | Full app |
Common rostering mistakes
Learn from others' errors. These mistakes cost businesses time, money, and staff goodwill.
Not checking availability first
Consequence: Staff can't work assigned shifts, causing last-minute scrambles
Solution: Always verify availability before publishing
Forgetting penalty rates
Consequence: Budget blowouts and potential underpayment issues
Solution: Calculate true costs including weekends, evenings, and public holidays penalty rates
Publishing too late
Consequence: Staff can't plan their lives, leading to no-shows and frustration
Solution: Publish rosters at least 7 days in advance ( required by some awards )
No backup plan
Consequence: One sick call ruins the whole shift
Solution: Identify backup staff who can cover at short notice using your employee records
Ignoring fatigue rules
Consequence: Safety risks and award breaches
Solution: Ensure adequate breaks between shifts (usually 10-12 hours minimum) fatigue rules
Rostering tips from the pros
Apply these principles to create better rosters, regardless of which tool you use.
Use templates
Save your best rosters as templates to reuse each week
Consider skills
Match staff qualifications to shift requirements
Balance fairness
Distribute desirable and undesirable shifts evenly
Build in flexibility
Leave some shifts open for last-minute changes
Track patterns
Review what works and adjust over time
Communicate early
Give staff maximum notice for planning
Common roster types in Australia
Different industries use different rostering patterns. Choose the right type for your business needs.
Fixed roster
Employees work the same shifts each week with a predictable, consistent schedule.
Example: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm every week
Best for: Office environments, retail with consistent trading hours, administration
Rotating roster
Shifts rotate between day, evening, and night shifts, or different day patterns across weeks.
Example: Week 1: Mon-Fri mornings, Week 2: Mon-Fri afternoons, Week 3: Mon-Fri nights
Best for: 24/7 operations like healthcare, security, manufacturing, emergency services
8-6-7-7 roster pattern
A 28-day cycle: 8 days on, 6 days off, 7 days on, 7 days off. Equals 15 work days per cycle.
Pattern: 8 on / 6 off / 7 on / 7 off (repeating)
Best for: Mining, oil and gas, remote operations, emergency services requiring extended breaks
FIFO rosters
Fly-in-fly-out patterns with various swings like 14-7, 8-6, 21-7, or 2-1.
Example: 14 days on-site, 7 days off (14-7), or 8 days on, 6 days off (8-6)
Best for: Remote mining sites, offshore construction, isolated project locations
Split shift roster
Two separate work periods in one day with an unpaid break of several hours between.
Example: 7am-11am (4 hours), then 5pm-9pm (4 hours), 8 hours total
Best for: Hospitality (breakfast and dinner service), transport, aged care. See how to roster aged care staff with care minute compliance.
Casual on-call roster
Flexible shifts filled as needed based on business demand with minimal guaranteed hours.
Example: Staff notified 1-24 hours in advance for shifts as required
Best for: Hospitality, retail, events, relief staff, seasonal businesses
Need help choosing a roster type?
The right roster depends on your industry, operating hours, and workforce type. Our rostering software supports all pattern types and automatically handles award compliance for each.
Check your industry-specific rostering guide: Hospitality, Retail, Healthcare, Aged Care, or view all industries.
Australian rostering laws & requirements
Ensure your rosters comply with Fair Work regulations and Modern Award requirements to avoid penalties and disputes.
Fair Work requirements
- Notice periods: Most awards require 7 days advance notice for roster publication
- Roster changes: Provide 24-48 hours notice minimum before changing published rosters
- Record keeping: Keep roster records for 7 years using digital HR records (Fair Work requirement)
- Display: Rosters must be accessible to all employees (physical or electronic)
Break & rest rules
- Meal breaks: 30-60 minutes unpaid break for shifts over 5 hours. Use break planning tools to schedule breaks automatically.
- Rest breaks: Minimum 10-12 hours between shifts (fatigue management)
- Rest periods: Some awards require specific rest periods after night shifts
- Break timing: Breaks should be scheduled in the middle of shifts where practical
Award-Specific rules
- Minimum shifts: Most awards require 2-3 hour minimums for part-time/casual
- Split shifts: Some awards prohibit or restrict split shifts (check your award)
- Consecutive days: Awards may limit maximum consecutive working days
- Classification: Ensure staff are rostered to roles matching their employment classification
Penalty rates & pay
- Weekend rates: Saturday and Sunday typically attract 25-100% penalty loadings
- Public holidays: Public holiday rates range from 150-250% depending on award. See our public holiday rostering guide
- Overtime: Hours beyond ordinary hours attract overtime rates (often 150-200%)
- Evening/night: Some awards include evening and night shift loadings
Rostering compliance checklist
Check your specific Award
Rostering requirements vary by Modern Award. Always check your specific award for exact requirements on notice periods, minimum shifts, breaks, and penalty rates.
Frequently asked questions
- The best way to create a roster depends on your team size and complexity. For very small teams (1-5 staff), Excel or Google Sheets work well and cost nothing. You can create a simple template with columns for employee names, shift times, and roles. For teams of 5 or more employees, dedicated rostering software saves significant time—typically 4+ hours per week—and reduces errors through automatic conflict detection, award interpretation, and instant staff notifications via mobile apps. Rostering software also handles availability tracking, shift swaps, and compliance warnings automatically, which manual spreadsheets cannot do. If you are managing shift workers across multiple locations or dealing with complex awards and penalty rates, software becomes essential for accuracy and efficiency.
- To create a roster in Excel: (1) Open a new workbook and create column headers for Employee, Start Time, End Time, Hours, Rate, Role, and Cost. (2) Add rows for each day of the week, with employees listed under each day. (3) Use the formula
=(C3-B3)*24to calculate hours worked (where C3 is end time and B3 is start time). (4) Multiply hours by hourly rate to get shift cost:=D3*E3. (5) Use SUM formulas to total hours and costs:=SUM(D3:D10). (6) For more advanced rosters, use VLOOKUP to pull pay rates from a separate rates table, and IF functions to apply penalty rates for weekends. Save your completed roster as a template to reuse each week. You can download our free Excel roster template which includes all these formulas pre-built. - To set up a rostering system: (1) Gather essential information—list all employees with their availability, unavailability (leave/days off), skills/qualifications, and employment type (full-time, part-time, casual). (2) Determine your shift requirements by analysing when you need staff based on customer demand, business hours, and required skill levels for each shift. (3) Create a roster template using Excel, Google Sheets, or rostering software with a consistent format showing days across the top and time slots down the side. (4) Assign shifts to employees based on availability, skills, and fairness—rotate undesirable shifts like weekends and evenings evenly across the team. (5) Calculate total hours and estimated wage costs to stay within your labour budget. (6) Review the roster for conflicts, gaps, or award breaches, then publish it at least 7 days in advance (required by many Modern Awards). Set up a clear process for handling shift swaps and last-minute changes.
- An 8-6-7-7 roster is a 28-day rotating shift pattern commonly used in mining, oil and gas, and emergency services. The pattern means: 8 consecutive days of work, followed by 6 days off, then 7 days of work, followed by 7 days off. This equals 15 work days and 13 days off per 28-day cycle. The 8-6-7-7 pattern is popular because it provides a predictable rotation for 24/7 operations while giving workers regular extended breaks. Compared to longer rosters like 14-7 or 21-7, the 8-6-7-7 offers more frequent time off, which can reduce fatigue and improve work-life balance. However, it requires more frequent mobilisations for fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers. This roster type must comply with fatigue management requirements and maximum consecutive shift limits under the relevant Modern Award or enterprise agreement.
- Australian rostering rules are governed by the Fair Work Act 2009, the National Employment Standards (NES), and specific Modern Awards. Key requirements include: (1) Rosters must be displayed in an accessible location or provided electronically to all employees. (2) Employers must provide reasonable notice before changing rosters—most awards require at least 7 days advance notice for roster publication, and 24-48 hours minimum for changes. (3) Rosters must include meal breaks (typically 30-60 minutes for shifts over 5 hours) and ensure adequate rest breaks between shifts (usually 10-12 hours minimum for fatigue management). (4) Minimum shift lengths apply under most awards—commonly 2-3 hours for part-time and casual employees. (5) Employers must keep roster records for 7 years as part of employee record-keeping obligations. (6) Penalty rates must be applied correctly for weekend work, public holidays, evening shifts, and overtime. Specific requirements vary by Modern Award, so check your applicable award on the Fair Work Ombudsman website or use our Award Rates hub.
- An 8-6 FIFO (fly-in-fly-out) roster—8 days on-site followed by 6 days off—has both advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: (1) Shorter swing than traditional 14-7 or 21-7 rosters means more frequent home time, which many workers prefer for maintaining relationships and family commitments. (2) Reduced fatigue risk compared to longer consecutive work periods. (3) Better work-life balance with more regular breaks. (4) Easier to manage personal appointments and commitments. Disadvantages: (1) More frequent travel to and from site, which can be tiring and disruptive. (2) Less consecutive time on-site may affect project continuity and team cohesion. (3) Higher travel costs for employers due to more frequent flights. (4) Takes longer to accumulate rostered days off (RDOs) compared to longer swings. An 8-6 roster is generally considered good for workers who value frequent home time over longer breaks, live closer to site, or have young families. It is less suitable for remote sites requiring long travel times, where a 14-7 or 21-7 roster might be more efficient.
Regulatory sources
This guide is aligned with official Australian workplace regulations on rostering and hours of work.
Related guides
More resources for rostering and scheduling.
Rostering software
Create compliant rosters in minutes with drag-and-drop scheduling.
Learn moreCreate roster templates
Build reusable roster templates to save time on weekly scheduling.
Learn moreRoster public holidays
Navigate public holiday rostering with correct penalty rates and compliance.
Learn moreManage staff availability
Track and manage employee availability for smarter scheduling.
Learn more
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