Built for early opens and busy mornings

Café staff rostering & HR software

Mornings hit hard—queues form fast, milk jugs steam nonstop, and dockets stack. RosterElf brings rostering, scheduling, time & attendance, payroll, and HR together so owners run smooth, compliant shifts across baristas, kitchen, and floor. With award interpretation, mobile access, and digital certifications, managers control costs, keep coverage tight, and stay audit‑ready.

Start free trial Book a demo

No credit card required

4.8 stars, 157 ratings

Best-rated rostering software on Xero and Google.

Streamlined staff management for cafés

Why cafés choose RosterElf

RosterElf helps cafés coordinate espresso bar, kitchen, and floor with compliant scheduling and payroll. Three reasons cafés choose RosterElf:

Keep queues moving and costs controlled

Employee rostering for cafés

Build costed rosters in minutes

Balance bar, kitchen, and floor across peaks

Balance espresso bar, kitchen, and floor with precise rostering and flexible scheduling. RosterElf’s rostering tools let managers drag‑and‑drop shifts, apply live labour budgets, and template coverage for openers, school‑run spikes, takeaway windows, and weekend brunch. Build multi‑site rosters fast, tag skills (coffee, register, grill), and keep labour % on target so queues move quickly and service stays consistent.

Accurate hours for early and split shifts

Time and attendance for cafés

Reduce disputes and manual errors

Clock-ins at POS, tablet, or mobile

Replace paper timesheets with reliable clock‑ins at the counter tablet or on mobile. Time & attendance records start, finish, and breaks with photo or GPS verification, handles grace windows, early cuts, and split shifts, and pushes approved timesheets straight to payroll. Perfect for 4 a.m. bakers, openers, and weekend rushes where accuracy really matters.

Award interpretation without the headache

Payroll integration for cafés

Automatic compliance and accuracy

Connect timesheets to Xero or MYOB

Junior rates, higher duties, overtime, allowances, and weekend penalties apply automatically from approved timesheets. Payroll integration syncs to Xero or MYOB so baristas, cooks, and floor staff are paid correctly while managers avoid re‑keying and back‑pay risk. Support multiple roles per employee and export payroll fast—even after last‑minute schedule tweaks.

Protect the morning rush from gaps

Leave management for cafés

Approvals that sync instantly

Keep espresso bar and floor covered

Staff request leave in the app; approvals update rosters instantly so the espresso bar, pass, and floor remain covered. Leave management forecasts time‑off against expected covers and backfills with eligible casuals to avoid scrambles. Keep key roles—head barista, register lead, cook—in place across school‑run and brunch peaks.

Mobile shifts for teams on the move

Mobile apps for café staff

Cut no-shows and confusion

Instant roster updates and offers

Baristas, cooks, and floor staff get live scheduling updates, shift offers, and reminders on mobile. Managers publish changes in seconds and fill gaps fast. See how the mobile‑friendly rostering experience improves punctuality, supports shift swaps, and reduces no‑shows across open, service, and close—without messy group chats.

Download

Shift-linked chat without the noise

Employee chat for cafés

Replace messy group apps

Brief specials, beans, and 86s

Keep messages professional and tied to shifts. Roster‑linked chat lets managers confirm grinder calibration, bean changes, 86’d pastries, allergen alerts, or section updates in real time. Updates sit against the roster so the right people see them before the rush, reducing miscommunication at the pass and counter.

Licences and training always up to date

Certificates and permits for cafés

Always audit ready

Track food safety, allergen, and first-aid

Store Food Safety Supervisor, allergen, first‑aid, and coffee training certificates in one place with automated expiry reminders. Certificates & permits ensure only qualified staff are scheduled for food handling and manager‑on‑duty. For licensed café‑bars, track RSA as well to support compliance and venue safety.

Faster hiring for seasonal peaks

Employee onboarding for cafés

Contracts and policies in one place

Paper-free onboarding for new starters

Digitise contracts, policies, and induction forms so new hires are shift‑ready before their first morning. Employee onboarding collects availability, bank and tax details, and standardises uniform and hygiene policies. Reduce admin and speed up scheduling across school holidays, winter weekends, and summer tourist peaks.

Instant HR clarity for managers

Workwise AI for cafés

Confidence in every decision

Award guidance fast

Awards are nuanced for cafés—junior rates, breaks, weekend penalties, and split shifts. Workwise AI gives quick answers so managers can adjust rostering and scheduling with confidence, set fair shifts for baristas and cooks, and stay audit‑ready without waiting on external advice.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Rostering and Payroll Software Questions? We have the answers.

Yes. Staff request swaps via the app, and managers approve instantly to maintain coverage.
Mobile alerts and real‑time roster updates keep staff informed and reduce missed shifts.