Bush Kids childcare group cut payroll from days to hours with RosterElf’s Xero-connected timesheets, eliminating double entry and last-minute fixes
Super fast payroll
No double entry
No payroll errors
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Bush Kids is a fast-growing childcare group (six centres, with a seventh on the way). Below are full quotes from CEO Oliver Wood on their RosterElf experience—covering the fears that come with scaling rosters across multiple sites, making sure staff are paid correctly, and why responsive local support matters.
If you haven't already you can watch the full interview here 👉 Bushkids Childcare Customer Success Interview | RosterElf
The Challenge
“The biggest fear for me was: are the rosters being done properly? Are we paying people the right amounts? We’re probably open to a little bit of fraud. That was my fear. But I always had aspirations to scale to multiple centres—we’re now at three and about to do number four—and of course the problem just gets bigger and bigger.”
Why We Looked Beyond the Centre System
“The centre management system we use does have a very rudimentary rostering system built into it, but it is just that—rudimentary—and it didn’t integrate into Xero or anything like that to produce pays. Hence we started looking out into the market. RosterElf quickly became top of the pack.”
Ease of Use for Non-Technical Teams
“A lot of the childcare staff we work with aren’t the most computer-literate people. The way you can probably judge how easy it is to use is how much support I’ve been asked for. When we’ve onboarded new centres and new centre directors, we haven’t had a huge amount of training or help that they’ve needed. We’ve given them a bit of a demo. If they’ve needed it, they’ve contacted RosterElf support and they’ve jumped on and given them a bit of a whizz-bang run-through—and that’s been incredible.”
Support That “Gets You”
“The support we’ve had from RosterElf is that they’re incredibly willing and patient. As a company that provides support myself, having local support—a local telephone number—is important for my clients. I feel some bigger tech companies have probably gone too far with offshoring to the Philippines and India. I get that organisations might want that because it’s cheaper per hour, but it can be incredibly frustrating as a customer. You just want somebody that gets you, understands you, and is going to help you work through the problem and get it solved. Every time we’ve leaned on your support, it’s been dealt with quickly.”
UX That Makes Sense
“The key thing I look at is the user interface and the user experience—and are things in a logical manner. I think that’s been very well thought-out, and there’s obviously been user testing or user feedback that’s gone into that user design, because it is very intuitive.”
Xero Integration & Pay Runs
“The integration with Xero—actually doing the fundamental connection—took a matter of minutes. Processing pays and then having them ready to be approved in payroll (we do those on a fortnightly basis) also seems to be pretty bang-on and quick.”
Handling Exceptions & Accuracy
“The only time it falls outside of that is where there are anomalies, and that’s usually down to human error—where they haven’t put in, you know, there’s half an hour that hasn’t been accounted for. But that’s user error or the centre manager’s error. The software itself often is more accurate than perhaps my staff have been.”
Time Saved & Discipline
“Payroll used to be a bit of a nightmare, to be honest, and something that nobody looked forward to. It used to be a two–three day ordeal—pretty much a day per centre. Now that the system is embedded and in process—and staff know that if their timesheets aren’t in RosterElf and they haven’t done it properly, that’s that—we’ve stopped people trying to circumvent the system (which we had a bit at the start; something to look out for). It’s cut that processing time down by 90–95%. What was three days—six to seven hours a day for my CFO to work out, and she’s on about $100 an hour—you can kind of do the math there.”
Do Your Due Diligence (and Why AU-Fit Matters)
“Do your own due diligence. There are platforms out there that I’m sure RosterElf competes with, but you’ve really got to weigh up local support; how fast it’s moving; how tailored it is to the Australian market. Being an Australian product, it seems a lot more tailored to Australian businesses for sure.”
Commitment & Recommendation
“More recently, we’ve become a lot more committed. We’ve said yes—we’re going to stick with RosterElf for the next 36 months, so we agreed to go on a plan as such. I’d be the first person to say it’s been a great product, great experience; certainly one that we’re very pleased we made. There’s other software we’ve regretted purchasing and wanted to put in the bin afterwards. If you’re considering it, certainly put it at the top of your list.”
“This app has completely transformed the way I manage my business. Sean’s guidance in tailoring it to my needs was exceptional - his knowledge, calmness and support made all the difference. If you’re struggling with rostering or scheduling, I can’t recommend Roster Elf highly enough. I went from almost closing my doors to feeling inspired about growth and expansion. Deeply grateful.”
“I had a great experience using this software for about 2 years, it really revolutionized our business and eliminated a lot of unnecessary work! The most impressive thing about Rosterelf was how quickly the team made improvements to their software”
“Features are excellent, useful and make things easier!”
“Having used Roster Elf and a competitor, Roster Elf has been a huge partnership for the business. Sean and the team are absolute weapons. They have reduced our admin costs and streamlined multiple elements of our business reducing the workload of my business partner and i, meaning we are free to scale the business and do the things we are passionate about. I would not consider using any other platform. Highly recommend as the mobile app is also super easy to use for all staff types, as you don't need to be tech-savvy to be able to use this platform.”
“Thanks Jaydon for patiently guiding us through RosterElf. Very pleased with the platform and brilliant support. Many thanks”
“Roster Elf was a critical tool for us to manage the team. We have very complex scheduling, payroll and position responsibilities, and using this between management and team was a god send. They are always introducing new functionality, open to feedback and very responsive to help requests. Recommend highly.”
“New to the program, have found the set up and communication, customer service to be amazing!”
“We’ve had a great experience using RosterElf—the platform is intuitive, reliable, and makes managing our rostering so much easier across the team. A huge shoutout to Sean, who went above and beyond to support us with a specific request around filtering staff shift notes. We had a tight deadline and the team jumped on it straight away to help us out—super responsive and solution-focused. Thanks again to Sean and the entire RosterElf team. Highly recommend the platform and the service behind it!”
“I absolutely love using RosterElf – it's incredibly user-friendly and efficient. The platform makes rostering staff a breeze, and the direct notifications ensure everyone stays informed. The time clock feature is a game-changer when it comes to payroll, simplifying the process and saving so much time. Additionally, the ability for staff to request leave directly through the system streamlines scheduling, making it even easier to manage shifts. Overall, RosterElf has been an invaluable tool for our team at Barista!”
“I have had Rosterelf for sometime. The best ,user friendly system I have used. Fostering ,reports and ease of use and a major time saving system. The support from Rosterelf is second to none. I have had so much assistance from Sean in particular who goes above and beyond. I am a very happy customer.”
“Integrates well with Xero. Exactly what we needed.”
“I was not keen on using this software as my way worked brilliantly for me, however my mind changed very quickly. saves me several hours a week. gives me piece of mind that casual staff know their shift times as I update at the end of everyday, for the next days shift. gives me piece of mind that the hours claimed are indeed the hours worked.”
“Very helpful with any questions and/or problems. Sean was very patient and returned calls quickly. Its made rostering a lot easier.”
“RosterElf has been incredibly supportive in helping us set up the software and tailoring it to our specific needs in manufacturing. Their customer service team went above and beyond to ensure everything worked seamlessly for our business. Highly recommend!”
“Roster Elf has been great for our business, streamlining the rostering process. It is easy to use, both the dashboard and app versions and I would recommend it to anyone still battling spreadsheets to try and manage their rosters.”
“I'm a bookkeeper and some of my clients use RosterElf to integrate with Xero and the reports are amazing for what a bookkeeper needs. Would recommend to anyone who asks.”
“Great local Aussie product for managing rosters, timesheets and automating payroll with fantastic support. They're also releasing new features and updates all the time which is refreshing to see in the SaaS space.”
“RosterElf is a great product and they provide excellent support with any queries we have had over the last 4 years. I recommend them to any business looking to improve their employee scheduling and payroll systems”
“RosterElf has been a great addition to our childcare centre. It has made rostering and leave so much easier. Payroll has been improved immensely and mistakes have been minimised which has been fantastic. More importantly, the focus on service and regular updates is great for us. We have found engaging a local company so beneficial and we like to support Australian based businesses where we can. I would happily recommend RosterElf to any childcare centre looking for a Rostering and Payroll System.”
“Great local Aussie product for managing rosters, timesheets and automating payroll with fantastic support. They're also releasing new features and updates all the time which is refreshing to see in the SaaS space.”
“Great, Simple and most helpful.”
“Roster Elf has offered impeccable support right from the start. It is user-friendly and straightforward. I appreciate the thorough answers provided to all my questions and prompt assistance. I highly recommend Roster Elf especially for its seamless integration with Xero, great value. Many thanks to Jaydon.”
“Supportive & Easy to use - Roster Elf offers exceptional value, is incredibly user-friendly, and seamlessly integrates with Xero. The personal support and sessions provided truly enhance the experience. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an efficient and effective rostering solution”
“AMAZING APP, AND SUPPORT TEAM IS GREAT.”
“Supportive and on the Mark - RosterElf has everything a business needs to get started and maintain their payroll. Their staff are supportive and able to guide you into the right direction. So nice to see a friendly team that cares.”
“Gio, the person who helped me in customer service was amazing. RosterElf as it is, is an amazing product too. -Sienna.”
“This is the very best rostering software that I have used. It is so simple to learn. Super easy for staff to use and most importantly the support is sensational. There is loads of online training, but the email support is first class - often responding within minutes, which is critical when you get a glitch mid - pay processing. I highly recommend. Jane”
“Extremely happy with the service received from Sean and the team at Roster Elf. Anyone looking to make the transition to an app based roster system, get in touch with Roster Elf! Definitely 5 stars from me”
“This is the very best rostering software that I have used. It is so simple to learn. Super easy for staff to use and most importantly the support is sensational. There is loads of online training, but the email support is first class - often responding within minutes, which is critical when you get a glitch mid - pay processing. I highly recommend. Jane”
“Jaydon was super helpful and explained all of RosterElf's new features in a way that was easy to understand and will really help our business!”
“Great to work with, efficient, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Rostering and payroll is so much easier now with Xero accounting integration. Highly recommended +++AAA+++”
“An excellent Rostering system - We switched to RosterElf and are so pleased we did. Their integration with Xero is faultless. Rostering and payroll consistently runs smoothly now.”
“Demo account explained extremely well and understood the operations virtually straight away.”
“Great support team. Stacy and Jaydon are really helpful 👍🏻”
“We are a Disability Support Company and one of the main reasons for changing our rostering system was service and support when we needed it. From the first phone call RosterElf staff has been excellent in communicating, support and service. Especially Stacy, she went over and above to solve our problem, answer all our questions and help us set up our Pay Templates under our SCHADS Award. What a relief to know help is really a phone call away and that you won't be put through to a foreign country where the support team are unable to help you solve the problem. RosterElf is also compatable to Xero which makes timesheets and payroll so much easier. We are very happy that we made the switch to RosterElf.”
“Was having lots of issues with Deputy and their lack of support. Decided to go with RosterElf. Great support service from Leon. The best thing about RosterElf is that if we have any issues i know we can call them to discuss. Goodbye Deputy.”
“Great presentation form Jaydon. All of my questions were answered. I think this application will be a great fit into our business. Simple and easy to use!”
“Excellent support services. That is what you need when something goes wrong.”
“Support staff Jaydon Braun was excellent in helping us understand our rosters in Roster Elf. He has a positive attitude and its very refreshing to get good quality support unlike most software providers. Thanks Jaydon!”
“Jaydon did a great 15 minute workshop showing how easy it is to integrate RosterElf with Xero. It really is a great program and so eay to use!”
“Great user friendly Rota system. Makes keeping track of employee hours very simple. The team provide great support when it's needed.”
“Jayden was very helpful and the information he provided was it very useful for our set up with Roster Elf. Thank you Jayden!”
“Very easy to use, great customer service and absolutely lovely staff!”
“Great program, easy to use, with excellent customer service.”
“Jaydon was very professional and informative during our Demo zoom meeting. All questions raised answered to my satisfaction.”
“Great rostering software. Easy to use. Great customer service - phone call away if you have problems, and they call and email to see how you are going with it. Really happy with it”
“Fantastic UX & UI. The amount of support from actual people I've experienced whilst using RosterElf is above and beyond anything I have previously experienced. For quick set-up and troubleshooting/FAQs their archive of support documents is great and live chat is quick to respond. For more detailed processes or in-depth training, phone calls and zoom meetings have been arranged quickly and smoothly. Give them a go.”
“Awesome App, helps amazingly with rostering and staff costings. Constantly getting improved, and the customer service is top notch. Proud to be supporting an Aussie Company”
“RosterElf reduced our workload RosterElf was so easy to implement and reduced payroll paper work for us. Highly recommended for a paperless tracking and processing of payroll.”
“Very helpful and appeared to know the product well”
“This is an easy to use, user friendlyand saves my many hours of bookwork. The back up support is is always available. Great team great product.”
“We have been using RosterElf for several years now. Over that time they have continued to add new features and improve the ones that already exist. The feedback from our staff who are managed through RosterElf is that it makes the process of managing their availability and shifts very straight forward and easy. On the rare occasions we've ever had any issues their team has been super responsive and helpful. Can't recommend them more highly. Keep up the great work team.”
“Carlos has been amazing fantastic service .. really appreciate the help setting up an understanding how we input the award for our business”
“Carlo went above and beyond to help me with my issues using roster elf , seriously this guy is amazing and thank you again for going above and beyond for me and resolving the issues I was experiencing, you saved me form switching to another roster app!”
“With fifteen (15) sites and a need to efficiently find an available staff member with the right qualifications to fill each shift – we needed a single solution. Rostering in RosterElf moved us quickly from our paper-based system to a fully online solution, streamlining our processes, creating real-time rosters and the ability to be nimble when we needed to make changes as soon as the need arose. We are now focussed on replacing our manual timesheets with the RosterElf timesheet (clock in and clock out) solution. The support from RosterElf staff has been unquestionable and is another reason we recommend it.”
“I found RosterElf when they started up and so glad I did. The dashboard and app are so easy to use. Additionally, the support team is great and the program now integrates with our accounting system. This program does everything I need it to do and has more features on the way. Its a great program.”
“I intend to use this App for our HomeCare company to simplify rostering, timesheets and integration with Xero. We like the app so far: fully functional, yet simple and elegant to use. UI is stylish, contemporary and easy to learn. The product is local and the company support (specifically Carlo) is nothing short of amazing. Rare thing these days. We are taking the product for a test drive with the full crew in the next few weeks. I’ll provide another feedback on completion of the trial. So far looks great.”
“Excellent service, I wish I had been onto this sooner! Makes rostering and payroll so simple”
“Fantastic service especially from Carlo on the chat. This guy is a legend!”
“Software is easy to use. Great Customer Service. Prompt and extremely quick to action any enquiry a customer has. Happy to use this company to manage clocking and payroll for my business.”
“I have been using RosterElf to run our home care internal staffing and love it. Very easy to use and intuitive. I highly recommend this rostering system. Niels Dempster, Head of Care, Weejah Pty Ltd.”
“Rosterelf is a game changer. Really easy straight forward software that helps with rostering and managing staff, they also amazing with customer service and giving a helping hand all the time.”
“Great software and would definitely recommend from the service alone - very helpful and easy to access.”
“Lucas from Roster Elf went above and beyond in helping me get started with Roster Elf. The app is amazing and integrates easily with Xero. Now that I am set up, rostering is a breeze and no longer a headache. Thanks for your patience through the start up phase of my new practice.”
“Customer service is excellent. Streamlined our rostering and payroll, saving a huge amount of time. I highly reccommend Rosterelf.”
“RosterElf’s scheduling software has made it a breeze to manage a large group of workers. With people starting and finishing in different locations and staff with different payrates and allowances, moving to electronic rostering has been a game changer.”
“RosterElf is great.... simple, logical and intuitive. No complicated settings just easy setup, now rostering each week is a 2-3 minute task and weekly payroll is done in max 5 mins.”
“Great support team and easy to use intuitive product. Saves me hours each week with payroll.”
“Excellent customer service and support - they know their stuff! Easy and streamline app for rostering and payroll integration. Very reasonably priced.”
“We switched to RosterElf from a different system earlier this year and I was concerned about the transition process and getting used to a new system. Lukas and the team have been fantastic and are there every step of the way to answer even the most silly little questions. The system is cost effective and very user friendly. Highly recommend.”
“I manage an accommodation property and Roster Elf has been a huge game changer for me. I can roster all my employees across multiple departments so easily & efficiently. I can make changes that are instantly communicated to the team via the app & manage their availability. It really has had a positive impact on my business & staff. Highly recommended.”
“Very nice software and excellent service from staff from online support.”
“Easy to use and view. A few limitations in the back end to which we have given feedback on. As a user to check shifts, roster etc very easy to follow.”
“RosterElf's customer service is outstanding. As a new business owner it's hard to know where to start when it comes to rostering software but their support agent's have helped me every step of the way in setting it up. Their free trial gives you enough time to get the hang of things and their integration with Xero makes pay run easier too.”
“RosterElf is an excellect rostering software with many useful features to ease the job of team management. The capablity for team access via the RosterElf app to view rosters, update availbility, request shift swaps and apply for leave is a valuable tool and ensures rostering to be done seamlessly. Intergrations of clockcards with our accounting program has reduced our payroll time and potenial errors. Lukas, Aaron and the team at RosterElf are beyond helpful. Any issues and questions that have arised have been meet openly and resolved in a timely matter. Highly recommend RosterElf for not only the functionality but also the affordable cost, charging only for the team that is rostered for that perticular week at a very low rate! Excellent for small bussiness.”
“Roster elf has been such a life saver. Saving so much time as a business owner is what we need the most. Set roster, send to xero and pay run. All at a click. No more manual time sheets. Clock in and clock out at work. Staff love it!”
“Love this software! The system is super simple to setup and payroll integration with xero is awesome. Even the customer support to help me setup my account was excellent. 5 stars, highly recommend.”
“Lukas Nicholson has been amazing to deal with in the process of converting our current rostering system to Roster Elf. Most rostering software providers are unable to provide the level of support required to make the transition smooth and less stressful. With Lukas as our support contact, the trial period has been effortless. I love the fact that Lukas is simply a call or email away and he is certainly quick to reply with the answer or will find out what we need. 10/10 to Lukas for his help and support.”
“Been with Roster Elf for a few years now. Don’t know what we would do without it. Highly recommend”
“Incredibly easy software to use and the staff love it as well. Links with Xero seamlessly and makes pays and rostering a breeze. Highly recommend for any small to medium business looking for an effective rostering software solution.”
“Really simple to use and instant access, the online support when required has been really great aswell thank guys. Great Product”
“RosterElf works great for what we need it to, although we do not use it to it's full potenial. The service from the staff is great, at the start they called twice to check all was working well, and after a few months again to ask for any feedback and assistance they could give. I would give 5 stars but there is a couple of developments in the pipeline and when that happens it will be a extra star!”
“We have used this for our business for over a year now and are extremely happy with it and would recommend this roster app.”
“Fast response time and very helpful!”
“Good app and easy to contact with!!”
“RosterElf is a crucial part of our business that works very well. Support is excellent”
“Definitely recommend it. It is such a good tool, better price and excellent customer support. Super simple and easy to use, pretty straight forward. I had Lukas as my "contact person" and he has had all the patience with me and always been really helpful. Try it out, won't regret it!”
“Great communication 10/10 roster service.”
“RosterElf's customer service is the best I've received in a long time - especially for a software company. A big thank you to Lukas and Aaron for all your support and help in making this software so fun and easy to use! 10/10”
“The team were very helpful with the setup and implementation for our business, thank you.”
“1. How would you rate the software on a scale of 1-10 2. How would you rate Lukas on a scale of 1-10 3. Is there anything Lukas could have done better to assist you 4. Please feel free to leave any additional comments: I love this little rating system!!!!! Answers; 1. 9 2. 11/10 3. No, Lukas is amazing. He could come and work in my office and that would help me 😉 4. Lukas is fantastic at his job. When I have a question or email, he answers it and is so I understanding even though I know some of my question must make him want to laugh. He is professional and extremely helpful!!! He deserves a pay rise 😊 Lukas anytime you move to wollongong, come see me for a job! Regards Zaneta Malafu”
“Great product, easy to use. I was set up in minutes. Any questions I had were dealt with quickly and customer service is excellent. Thanks to this company, it has saved me heaps of time.”
“Fantastically easy to learn and use - simple login for staff - integrates seamlessly with Xero. Perfect rostering and payroll. A++”
“Lukas called to discuss the rosterelf program but I was busy. Asked him to call back and he did at the agreed time. In the time between I had the oppurtunity to have a play with the program. As I stated to Lukas "it's made my life 1000 times easier". Thanks RosterElf, especially Lukas for your program.”
“I have had such an amazing experience working with the Rosterelf team. It’s so rare to find not only to find a team who are easy to work with, but to bounce ideas off and collaborate with! Highly recommend!”
“Absolutely great system! The support staff and techies are wonderful and work really hard to deliver the outcomes you need. Had so much support when first setting up and getting it sorted, unlike any support I've experienced with any other software. Very happy customer and recommend!”
“great app very easy too use and set up . staff love it”
“Awesome experience using Rosterelf, from easy roster set ups, setting budgets, payroll, flexibility for the business and staff with shift swap is fantastic using their awesome App. Rosterelf basically runs the business - set and forget.”
“Great solution,very functional and easy to use.”
“Absolutely love this app. Has a heap of great features and really easy to use. Definitely a good investment for any business looking to automate.”
“We absolutely love working with the RosterElf team. It's rare to find a team doing great things that actually want to work with your business to find custom solutions.”
“User-friendly rostering software and great customer support provided!”
“I have used RosterElf for over a year now in the two restaurants I run. RosterElf has saved me a dramatic amount of time, head space and money. I would highly recommend this system for anyone who is looking for a easier way to roster!”
“Great Experience. Awesome set up for rostering system. Easy to use, can manage all my staff by the click of a button. Would recommend to anyone.”
“Unbelievably easy rostering software. Great customer service. Will recommend you to all my business colleagues.”
“I was amazed by the short amount of time and effort to set up my first roster. The good old fashioned service and support by Rosterelf was incredible! Once we started using the system, we realised just how many useful, extra features are available to run the business. Best of all our staff love it!”
