What is Roster management?

Roster management involves creating shifts and assigning them to available and qualified employees. It also includes managing employee leave applications, availability, time, and attendance.

What is an employee roster?

An Employee Roster is a schedule that outlines employees' shifts and work hours. It is crucial for managing staff availability, ensuring optimal staffing levels, and coordinating the work schedule in various industries.

How far in advance should employees receive their rosters?

Employees should receive their rosters at least two weeks in advance. This allows for sufficient planning and adjustments, ensuring a balanced and efficient work schedule for employers and employees.

Can I create rosters on my smartphone?

Yes, our software enables managers to create and update rosters from a PC and using our iOS or Android smartphone apps. Manage rosters on the go from anywhere using mobile devices.

How do I create a roster on my iPhone?

Download our iOS app and create or edit employee schedules on the go. Go to the roster tab, add a shift, select position, set start and finish times, and publish.

How are Rosters communicated to employees?

Once a roster is built and reviewed in RosterElf, managers can notify employees using email, SMS, or push notifications. Staff can log in to their smartphone app to view upcoming shifts, enhancing team communication.

Will I be notified during rostering if employees are unavailable to work?

If employees are unavailable during a proposed shift, our rostering system automatically warns shift managers and suggests alternatives.

Will I be notified during rostering if employees are on leave?

Employees on leave will be highlighted during the roster process. Our system will automatically suggest alternative employees who are available and qualified to work.

Do my staff see the whole roster?

You can customise your RosterElf account to allow staff to see the full roster or just their shifts.

How does leave management software help employees?

Leave management software benefits both employees and managers. Employees can easily submit time-off requests and update their availability from their smartphones. This digital ease makes managing time-off requests simple and convenient.

Can I use Roster Templates?

RosterElf has a simple roster template system. You can save any past roster as a template and reuse it in the future. You can save as many templates as you want.

Can roster days be copied when building a roster?

Our easy drag-and-drop system allows managers to copy shifts from one day to another, make adjustments, and publish, saving time.

Can I copy previous rosters?

Copy any previous roster with a click of a button. Select the previous roster week to copy, make changes, and publish.

Can I save my roster as a draft?

Yes, you can save the employee schedule as a draft if you are not ready to publish. Review and publish later.

Can I update a roster that has already been published?

RosterElf allows managers to edit and republish rosters as many times as needed. Only employees with new or updated shifts will be notified once re-published to avoid confusion.

Does RosterElf integrate with Xero?

Yes, RosterElf integrates deeply with Xero to sync employees, pay items, and leave balances. It also sends approved timesheets directly from RosterElf to your Xero account.

How does RosterElf improve compliance with legal and regulatory requirements?

RosterElf ensures compliance by automating the collection and storage of legal forms and certifications. The platform verifies that all necessary information is completed, helping businesses stay compliant with regulations.

Does the software have a roster budgeting tool?

Our rostering software includes a powerful budgeting tool to help managers track weekly labour costs. As rosters are created, they display estimated costs, labour percentages, average pay rates, and total hours for each shift, day, and week.

How does the roster budgeting tool work?

The rostering labour budgeting tool shows hours, labour cost, and average pay rate by shift, day, and week. Add sales targets and view live labour percentage data.

Can I set unpaid breaks in the roster?

Set unpaid breaks as business rules on your account. Once a shift meets the minimum length requirement (e.g. 5 hours), an unpaid break is automatically applied.

Can I colour-code my roster?

Our rostering platform allows you to custom colour code rosters. Each position or role in the business can have a unique colour for easy visual tracking and review.

AI Fair Work Compliance Bot

Instant Answers to Fair Work Questions

Fair Work compliance Ai tool

Instant Answers to Fair Work Questions

Compliance support when you need it most

RosterElf’s Fair Work Bot helps you cut through the complexity of workplace law.

From pay rates and overtime to leave entitlements and termination rules, staff and managers can get instant, reliable answers based on Fair Work standards.

No more hours spent digging through awards or guessing compliance requirements.

Workwise Ai - Your HR Expert

Administrative compliance shouldn’t be a chore — and with Workwise AI inside RosterElf’s HR Hub, it isn’t. Designed for speed and clarity, Workwise AI delivers accurate, plain‑English answers to everyday workplace questions — all backed by Australian law.

Smart, Accessible Guidance

Embedded in your HR Hub dashboard, Workwise AI is easy to access via a simple menu click, whether you’re using a desktop or mobile browser. A few seconds after launching, it’s ready to assist with questions like:

“What’s my employee’s annual leave balance?”
“What is the current minimum award wage?”
“Which records must an employer keep under Fair Work?”

This tool tackles real-world HR queries with the precision you need and the efficiency you’ll appreciate.

Instant Insights, Trusted Sources

Workwise AI doesn’t just give generic answers — it provides linking paths to authoritative information from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Act, so you can verify guidance the moment you receive it. It’s like having a legal reference librarian in your pocket.

Effortless Help, No Training Needed

The interface is chat-based and intuitive — type your question as a full sentence, relevant keyword, or short phrase, and Workwise AI responds swiftly. Want more detail? You can easily ask follow‑ups and get additional context or deeper links.

Why Admins Love It

For HR managers — managing small teams or national workforces — Workwise AI speeds up compliance decision‑making. No more bouncing between award documents or government websites. The tool brings reliable answers to your screen so you can:

Confirm award and leave entitlements instantly
Choose the right rates with confidence
Maintain accurate record‑keeping based on regulations

All in minutes, not hours.

Know the Limits — When to Consult a Human

While Workwise AI is smart, it’s not a replacement for professional legal advice. It’s best used for everyday HR queries and general guidelines. For complex or unique situations — like legal disputes, sensitive HR cases, or enterprise‑risk decisions — reach out to your legal or HR specialist. Workwise AI gives you the fast answers when you’re navigating routine matters; for anything beyond that, it helps you know when to escalate.

How to Get Started

Open HR Hub in the top menu of your RosterElf account.
Select Workwise AI from the dropdown.
Type your question in the chat bar.
Read — and if needed, refine — the AI’s answer, with embedded links to official sources for added clarity.

In Summary

Workwise AI puts accurate, law-aligned HR answers at your fingertips, cutting through complexity with speed, clarity, and confidence. It’s the smart assistant every HR team needs — for everyday compliance questions, instant reference, and peace of mind.

Ready to make compliance simpler? Explore Workwise AI inside your RosterElf HR Hub today.

AI Award Interpretation Tool

Know the right rate, every time

Awards are complicated, but your team shouldn’t have to be experts to stay compliant.

Workwise AI explains penalty rates, overtime rules, minimum shift lengths, and allowances in plain English, giving managers and employees quick, reliable answers. No more digging through award documents — just clear guidance when you need it most.

With instant support, you’ll avoid underpayments, payroll errors, and costly compliance risks. Plus, when you need deeper detail, Workwise AI links you directly to the relevant Fair Work Ombudsman pages and other trusted government resources — so you’re always confident the information is up-to-date.

AI Award Interpretation Tool: Know the Right Rate, Every Time

Running a business in Australia means navigating a workplace system built on awards, pay rules, and compliance obligations. For many managers, this can feel like a full-time job in itself. Awards are dense documents filled with legal language, penalty rates, overtime rules, and complex entitlements that change depending on the role, the hours worked, and even the day of the week.

The reality is, most small to medium businesses don’t have a dedicated HR or legal department on hand to answer every compliance question. Instead, owners and managers are left trying to interpret awards themselves, often under time pressure and without complete confidence. That’s where Workwise AI changes the game.

Simplifying Award Complexity

The AI Award Interpretation Tool, built into RosterElf’s Workwise AI, is designed to take the confusion out of compliance. Instead of spending hours flipping through long award documents, managers can ask plain-language questions and get instant, easy-to-understand answers.

Want to know the minimum shift length for a casual hospitality worker? Need clarity on penalty rates for Sundays or overtime after 38 hours? Workwise AI gives you the answer in seconds, explained clearly so you can make confident decisions on the spot.

This means no more guesswork, no more double-handling payroll, and no more worrying that a small error might snowball into a costly compliance issue.

Quick, Reliable Answers for Managers and Staff

Workwise AI isn’t just for managers — employees also benefit from transparent guidance on their rights and entitlements. With award rules broken down into plain English, staff can better understand how their pay is calculated, when they’re entitled to overtime, and what breaks they should receive.

This transparency builds trust, reduces workplace disputes, and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Protecting Your Business from Risk

Underpayment cases make headlines regularly, and the Fair Work Ombudsman has made clear that “I didn’t understand the award” is not a defence. For businesses, the risks include heavy fines, reputational damage, and disputes that can drain time and money.

By providing instant guidance, the AI Award Interpretation Tool reduces the risk of payroll errors, underpayments, and non-compliance. Every answer is backed by trusted resources, helping you stay on the right side of Fair Work requirements.

Linked to Official Resources

While Workwise AI gives you quick answers, sometimes you need to go deeper. That’s why every response can link you directly to the Fair Work Ombudsman or other official government resources. This means you’re not just getting AI-powered insights — you’re getting access to the exact regulations and standards that underpin them.

It’s the perfect blend of speed, convenience, and authority.

Confidence in Every Decision

Compliance doesn’t need to be complicated. With Workwise AI’s Award Interpretation Tool, you’ll always know the right rate, the right rule, and the right way forward. It’s fast, accurate, and built to give businesses peace of mind while saving valuable time.

No more guesswork. No more stress. Just compliance made simple.

AI Leave and Entitlements Tool

Leave and entitlements explained

Leave and Leave rules differ for full-time, part-time, and casual staff, and mistakes can be expensive. Workwise AI breaks down annual leave, sick leave, public holidays, and compassionate leave into simple, practical guidance.

Employees get quick answers about what they’re entitled to, while managers know exactly how to apply leave rules when processing payroll or building rosters. This transparency helps prevent disputes and builds trust across the workplace.

For added confidence, Workwise AI connects you to official leave entitlement resources on the Fair Work site, so your policies are always in line with legislation

AI Leave and Entitlements Tool: Leave Rules Made Simple

Leave is one of the most important entitlements in the workplace. It protects employees’ wellbeing, ensures work-life balance, and keeps teams operating fairly. But if you’re a manager or business owner in Australia, you’ll know how complicated leave rules can be.

Between full-time, part-time, and casual staff, the entitlements for annual leave, sick leave, public holidays, and other categories often differ. Add in leave loading, accrual rules, and the need to process leave correctly in payroll, and it’s easy to see why mistakes are common. Unfortunately, those mistakes can be expensive — not just in dollars, but in trust, morale, and compliance risks.

That’s why RosterElf created the Workwise AI Leave and Entitlements Tool.

Clear Guidance, Every Time

Instead of guessing or digging through Fair Work documents, managers and staff can now get quick, accurate answers in plain English. Simply ask Workwise AI a question like:

“How much annual leave does a part-time employee get?”
“Is compassionate leave paid or unpaid?”
“Do casuals receive public holiday entitlements?”

Within seconds, you’ll receive a clear, practical explanation you can act on straight away.

For Employees: Transparency Builds Trust

Workwise AI isn’t just for managers — employees can also use it to understand their own entitlements. This transparency removes confusion about what they’re owed and why. Staff no longer need to rely on word-of-mouth or make assumptions about leave.

When people can see exactly how their leave is calculated, it builds trust in payroll processes and reduces the risk of disputes. Instead of questioning entitlements, staff gain confidence that the business is applying Fair Work rules consistently.

For Managers: Accurate Payroll and Rostering

Getting leave wrong doesn’t just affect staff — it impacts payroll accuracy and workforce planning. A manager who misapplies leave loading or miscalculates public holiday entitlements could cause both financial errors and staffing headaches.

With the AI Leave and Entitlements Tool, managers know exactly how to apply rules when approving leave, running payroll, or building rosters. That means more accurate pay runs, fewer disputes, and rosters that reflect actual availability.

Connected to Official Resources

Sometimes, managers need more than a quick explanation — they need to dive into the regulations themselves. That’s why Workwise AI connects directly to the official Fair Work leave entitlement resources.

This ensures your policies are aligned with the law, not just approximations. Whether you’re clarifying sick leave, annual leave accrual, or compassionate leave, you’ll always have access to the most up-to-date government guidance.

Reduce Risk, Increase Confidence

Compliance around leave isn’t optional — it’s a requirement under Fair Work. With Workwise AI, you’ll reduce the risk of costly mistakes, protect your business from disputes, and give your team confidence in the fairness of your workplace.

Leave shouldn’t be confusing. With Workwise AI, it’s explained, simplified, and compliant.

Rostering and Working Hours AI Tool

Stay within Fair Work limits

Shift lengths, minimum breaks, and maximum weekly hours can be easy to overlook when filling rosters — but breaches often result in penalties. Workwise AI gives managers quick reminders of what’s allowed under each award, helping you publish rosters that are both efficient and compliant.

Staff also benefit by knowing their rights around breaks and overtime, improving transparency and reducing conflict.

When needed, Workwise AI directs you to the National Employment Standards so you can double-check the latest rules.

AI Rostering and Working Hours Tool: Stay Within Fair Work Limits

Rostering is one of the most important tasks in any business — but it’s also one of the trickiest when it comes to compliance. Under the Fair Work Act and the National Employment Standards (NES), rules exist around maximum hours, shift lengths, and required breaks. These rules are designed to protect staff, but for managers, keeping track of them can be complex.

It’s easy to overlook details when you’re under pressure to fill rosters. But a simple mistake — like rostering a staff member for too many consecutive hours, forgetting minimum break requirements, or exceeding weekly limits — can quickly turn into a compliance breach. That means penalties, disputes, or even Fair Work investigations.

This is exactly why RosterElf developed the Workwise AI Rostering and Working Hours Tool.

Compliance Built Into Your Roster

Workwise AI acts like a compliance assistant built directly into your rostering process. Instead of manually checking awards or worrying about limits, managers can get quick, AI-powered reminders about what’s allowed under each award.

Need to confirm the maximum shift length for a part-time employee? Wondering how many hours a casual can work before overtime applies? Workwise AI gives you instant, plain-English answers so you can make rostering decisions confidently and compliantly.

Protecting Staff and Reducing Conflict

It’s not just managers who benefit from Workwise AI. Staff also gain transparency around their working hours. By having access to the same rules — like required meal breaks, overtime triggers, and maximum weekly hours — employees know their rights are being respected.

This transparency reduces conflict, builds trust, and ensures staff feel valued. When employees see that rosters align with Fair Work standards, disputes are less likely, morale improves, and staff retention gets a boost.

Efficient and Fair Rostering

Balancing efficiency with fairness has always been a challenge for managers. On one hand, businesses need to maximise productivity and control labour costs. On the other, employees deserve rosters that comply with their entitlements.

The Rostering and Working Hours Tool helps strike that balance. By giving you quick compliance reminders, it ensures you don’t compromise efficiency for the sake of compliance — or vice versa. You’ll publish rosters that are not only cost-effective but also fully compliant with Fair Work standards.

Linked to the National Employment Standards

Sometimes, you may want to go deeper than a quick answer. That’s why Workwise AI includes direct links to the National Employment Standards. Whether you need confirmation of the maximum weekly hours for full-time staff or the break requirements for a long shift, you’ll have direct access to the most up-to-date rules.

This combination of instant answers and official resources means you’ll always have both speed and authority on your side.

Peace of Mind for Managers

With the AI Rostering and Working Hours Tool, managers can rest easy knowing every roster is compliant, every employee is treated fairly, and every decision is backed by trusted standards.

No more guesswork. No more penalties. Just compliant rosters that work for both your business and your team.

Termination and Redundancy Guidance

Navigate sensitive processes with confidence

Ending employment is never easy, and mistakes can lead to unfair dismissal claims or large payouts.

Workwise AI helps you manage these situations by explaining notice periods, redundancy pay, and probationary entitlements in clear, actionable terms.

Managers get quick answers to ensure the process is handled fairly, while employees know their rights are respected. By combining instant guidance with direct links to termination and redundancy obligations, Workwise AI reduces risk for your business while maintaining compliance.

Workwise AI: Smarter Support for Redundancy and Dismissal

Ending someone’s employment is one of the hardest responsibilities a manager or business owner will ever face. Whether it’s due to performance, restructuring, or genuine redundancy, these situations are highly sensitive — and fraught with legal obligations under the Fair Work Act.

Unfortunately, mistakes in this area can be costly. Employers who don’t follow the correct processes risk unfair dismissal claims, expensive payouts, reputational damage, and even Fair Work investigations. The challenge lies in balancing compassion with compliance, ensuring the business is protected while employees are treated with fairness and respect.

That’s where Workwise AI Termination and Redundancy Guidance comes in.

Clear, Actionable Guidance for Managers

Workwise AI acts as a compliance co-pilot, giving managers the confidence to handle employment endings properly. Instead of wading through lengthy legislation or trying to interpret complex awards, managers can get instant, plain-English answers to pressing questions such as:

How much notice do I need to give a probationary employee?
What redundancy pay applies to long-serving staff?
What documentation is required when terminating an employee?

By turning legal jargon into clear, actionable steps, Workwise AI helps managers follow the correct process every time.

Reducing Risk, Protecting Your Business

One of the biggest risks in termination and redundancy is getting the details wrong. Overlooking notice periods, underpaying redundancy entitlements, or failing to provide procedural fairness can open the door to legal claims.

Workwise AI significantly reduces this risk. With instant guidance built on Fair Work standards, you can ensure every step is compliant before you act. This doesn’t just protect your business financially — it also protects your reputation as a fair and lawful employer.

Respecting Employee Rights

Employment endings aren’t just about the business — they’re about people. Staff deserve to have their rights upheld during what is often a difficult and emotional time.

Workwise AI ensures employees know they’re being treated fairly. By providing transparency around entitlements like redundancy pay and notice requirements, the tool fosters trust, even in tough circumstances. Employees may not be happy about losing a role, but they will see that the process was handled lawfully and respectfully.

Linked to Official Fair Work Resources

While Workwise AI delivers quick answers, it also provides links to the Fair Work Ombudsman’s termination and redundancy resources. This allows managers to double-check the rules at the source, giving them extra confidence in the accuracy of their decisions.

This combination of instant support and authoritative references makes Workwise AI a practical yet reliable solution for navigating complex HR issues.

Confidence in Sensitive Moments

With the AI Termination and Redundancy Guidance Tool, you’ll never have to second-guess whether you’re doing the right thing. Managers gain clarity, employees gain fairness, and businesses gain protection.

Workwise AI turns one of the most stressful parts of management into a process you can handle with confidence and compliance.

Customer Reviews

What our users are saying

Hear it from the pros

See all reviews

“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.”

The Pavilion at Buller Wines

“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.”

Leanne Shieffelbein

“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.”

Venkatesh Kanchan

“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”

Bill Gordin

“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.”

Louis Evangelista

“Great, Simple and most helpful.”

Andrew Luczynski

“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.”

Admin SWP

“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”

Jennifer Mardini

“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.”

Richard Kiefer

“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”

Jane Parviainen

“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.”

Ian Corney