How to create a roster
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 spreadsheets, 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.
Best for: Very small teams (1-5 staff)
Cloud-based spreadsheet. Easy sharing but still manual and lacks automation.
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
Step-by-step: create a roster in excel or google sheets
Follow these steps to build a roster manually. Allow 2-4 hours for your first roster.
Gather employee information
Collect availability, contact details, skills, and employment type for each team member using your HR software or employee records.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tips:
- Look for gaps or double-bookings
- Send at least 7 days in advance
- Use email, print, or shared drive
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 profiles.
Create shifts
Drag and drop to create shifts, or use templates from previous weeks. Set required skills and roles.
Let AI suggest staff
Perfect Match™ 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
Related resources for rostering
Explore our templates and guides to simplify your rostering process.
Frequently asked questions
- A roster (or schedule) is a document that shows which employees are working, when they are working, and what role they are performing. It typically includes start times, end times, breaks, and shift assignments for a specific period (usually a week or month).
- We recommend publishing rosters at least 7 days in advance. Some Modern Awards require specific notice periods — the Hospitality Award, for example, requires rosters to be displayed at least 7 days in advance. Providing more notice helps staff plan their personal commitments and reduces last-minute changes.
- A complete roster should include: employee names, dates and days, shift start and end times, break times, role or position, total hours per employee, and any special notes (like training shifts or leave). You should also track costs to ensure you stay within budget.
- Yes, but there are rules. Under the Fair Work Act and most Modern Awards, you must provide reasonable notice before changing an employee's roster. What counts as 'reasonable' depends on the circumstances, but generally 24-48 hours minimum is expected. Some awards require consultation and agreement from employees.
- Yes. Under Fair Work regulations, employers must keep employee records including rosters for 7 years. These records may be needed for payroll disputes, Fair Work audits, or workers' compensation claims. Digital copies are acceptable as long as they are easily accessible.
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.
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