How can retailers build rosters that match staff numbers to trading patterns across the week?

Retailers can line up staffing with busy and quiet periods by planning shifts against expected sales and wage budgets using the labour budgeting feature .

What is a practical way to schedule staff across tills, fitting rooms and shop floor recovery?

Store managers can create repeatable patterns that assign people to key zones each shift by building reusable line ups with the roster templates feature .

How can retail chains coordinate rosters across multiple store locations from one place?

Area managers can see coverage store by store and move staff between sites when needed using the multi site rostering feature .

How do retailers manage last minute shift changes when staff call in sick before a busy day?

Available shifts can be pushed out to eligible team members so they can pick up extra hours through the open shifts feature .

Can retail rosters be automated around catalogue drops, pay days and seasonal sales?

Yes, store owners can set rules so extra team members are automatically suggested for known peak days using the auto scheduling feature .

What is a simple way for retail staff to clock in when they arrive on shift?

Team members can record their start and finish times on a shared device in the back room or office using the kiosk time clock .

How can retailers stop staff from clocking in before they reach the store?

You can require staff to be physically at the shop before starting a shift by setting a location boundary with the GPS geofencing clock .

How does live attendance help store managers react to sudden spikes in foot traffic?

Managers can check who is currently on site in real time and move staff to tills or the floor as needed using the live attendance dashboard .

How can retailers reduce arguments about who stayed back to finish end of day recovery?

A quick selfie at clock out provides extra clarity on who was still working when the store closed through the photo proof option .

How do retailers track hours for staff who split time between stockroom and sales floor?

All work can be captured accurately as long as team members clock in and out correctly via the kiosk time clock .

How can retailers move timesheets into Xero without retyping hours every pay run?

Once hours are approved, they can be sent directly into payroll by using the Xero payroll integration .

What is the best way for retailers already using MYOB to handle casual and part time pay?

Store teams can have their approved timesheets flow straight into pay cycles through the MYOB payroll integration .

How do retailers make sure General Retail Award penalty rates and loadings are applied correctly?

Automatic award rules can calculate penalties for evenings, weekends and public holidays using the award interpretation engine .

Can connecting rosters to payroll help retailers avoid overpayments and underpayments?

Yes, clean time data and automated rules significantly reduce manual mistakes when processed via the Xero timesheet integration .

Where can small retailers get help understanding complex retail award obligations?

Questions about classifications, penalties and entitlements can be explored inside the system with the AI Fair Work compliance bot .

How can retailers quickly let staff know about last minute promotions or floor changes?

Managers can send real time messages about new displays or markdowns to the whole team using the employee team chat app .

What is an easy way to share weekly retail updates like KPIs and safety reminders?

Storewide announcements such as targets, campaign notes and safety tips can be posted in one feed using the news feed communication feature .

How can communication tools help manage shift swaps without long message chains?

Staff can coordinate cover, confirm who is taking which shift and keep everyone updated inside the team communication hub .

Can multi store retail groups keep messaging consistent using the same system?

Head office can share the same operational and campaign briefings to multiple stores at once via the roster news feed .

Do in app messages help new retail staff learn store procedures more quickly?

New hires can read past updates, ask questions and learn from the team in one place using the in app chat feature .

How can retailers track staff certifications such as first aid or equipment training?

Certificates, training records and expiry dates can all be monitored centrally with the licence and certification management tools .

What is a good way to onboard new retail staff for tasks like cash handling and customer service?

Contracts, store rules and introductory training steps can be bundled into one guided process with the employee onboarding tools .

How can retailers manage leave so stores stay covered during key trading periods?

Leave requests can be weighed against roster coverage and peak dates before approval using the leave management feature .

How do retailers keep policies on refunds, safety and customer conduct up to date for staff?

Store policies can be issued, updated and tracked for acknowledgement through the policy management tools .

Do digital employment contracts make it easier to manage casual and part time retail teams?

Yes, agreements and variations can be issued and stored in one place for all staff using the digital employment contracts feature .

Built for multi‑store retail and omnichannel operations

Retail staff rostering, payroll & HR software

Retailers juggle peak trade windows, sale events, and multi‑site teams while staying compliant and controlling wage spend. RosterElf unites rostering, scheduling, payroll, HR tools, time & attendance, and leave into one platform so managers can align staffing to demand, cut admin, and give staff mobile access for availability, swaps, and notifications.

Start free trial Book a demo

No credit card required

4.8 stars, 157 ratings

Best-rated rostering software on Xero and Google.

Smart workforce management for retail

Why retail teams choose RosterElf

RosterElf helps retailers cover shop floor, warehouse, and delivery with compliant rostering and streamlined payroll. Here’s why managers trust RosterElf:

Keep shop floor, warehouse, and delivery covered

Employee rostering for retail

AI conflict‑free scheduling

Match roles and skills to sales traffic

RosterElf’s rostering software creates conflict‑free schedules that align cashiers, stockers, and pick‑pack‑deliver teams to demand. Drag‑and‑drop tools, live labour budgets, and reusable templates make it easy to plan sales events and peak trade hours. Costed rosters reduce admin, improve compliance, and keep service levels high across departments.

Accurate hours every shift

Time and attendance for retail teams

Mobile and kiosk clock‑ins with GPS/photo

Payroll‑ready timesheets without disputes

Replace paper timesheets with time & attendance. Staff clock in/out via mobile or kiosk with GPS/photo verification, capturing start, finish, and breaks accurately. Approved hours flow into payroll‑ready timesheets, reducing disputes and ensuring award compliance for shop floor, warehouse, and delivery roles.

Award interpretation made simple

Payroll integration for retail

Connect to Xero & MYOB

Fast, accurate pay runs

Approved timesheets sync directly to payroll with penalties, allowances, and overtime applied automatically. Payroll integration ensures staff are paid correctly and on time—eliminating re‑keying and reducing admin—while managers track wage spend against sales targets.

Approvals that sync instantly

Leave management for retail

Keep coverage during absences

Plan around holidays, sale events, and sickness

Staff request leave in the app and managers approve with one tap. Leave management updates rosters automatically so checkout, warehouse, and delivery coverage continues during holidays or last‑minute sickness. Automated updates reduce scramble‑calls and protect customer service during peak trade.

Staff connected on mobile

Mobile apps for retail

Notifications, open shifts, and swaps

Reduce no‑shows and miscommunication

Managers publish roster changes in seconds, and staff receive instant mobile alerts. With mobile rostering, employees confirm availability, accept open shifts, and request swaps. Real‑time communication keeps teams aligned across stores, distribution centres, and delivery runs.

Track training and certifications

HR compliance for retail businesses

Stay audit‑ready

Food safety, equipment, and RSA where required

HR tools store training, equipment qualifications, and (where applicable) RSA with automated expiry reminders. Managers ensure only qualified staff are rostered for restricted roles or equipment, reducing compliance risk and simplifying audits across stores and warehouses.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Retail staff rostering and payroll software questions? We have the answers.

Retailers can line up staffing with busy and quiet periods by planning shifts against expected sales and wage budgets using the labour budgeting feature.
Store managers can create repeatable patterns that assign people to key zones each shift by building reusable line ups with the roster templates feature.
Area managers can see coverage store by store and move staff between sites when needed using the multi site rostering feature.
Available shifts can be pushed out to eligible team members so they can pick up extra hours through the open shifts feature.
Yes, store owners can set rules so extra team members are automatically suggested for known peak days using the auto scheduling feature.

Team members can record their start and finish times on a shared device in the back room or office using the kiosk time clock.
You can require staff to be physically at the shop before starting a shift by setting a location boundary with the GPS geofencing clock.
Managers can check who is currently on site in real time and move staff to tills or the floor as needed using the live attendance dashboard.
A quick selfie at clock out provides extra clarity on who was still working when the store closed through the photo proof option.
All work can be captured accurately as long as team members clock in and out correctly via the kiosk time clock.

Once hours are approved, they can be sent directly into payroll by using the Xero payroll integration.
Store teams can have their approved timesheets flow straight into pay cycles through the MYOB payroll integration.
Automatic award rules can calculate penalties for evenings, weekends and public holidays using the award interpretation engine.
Yes, clean time data and automated rules significantly reduce manual mistakes when processed via the Xero timesheet integration.
Questions about classifications, penalties and entitlements can be explored inside the system with the AI Fair Work compliance bot.

Managers can send real time messages about new displays or markdowns to the whole team using the employee team chat app.
Storewide announcements such as targets, campaign notes and safety tips can be posted in one feed using the news feed communication feature.
Staff can coordinate cover, confirm who is taking which shift and keep everyone updated inside the team communication hub.
Head office can share the same operational and campaign briefings to multiple stores at once via the roster news feed.
New hires can read past updates, ask questions and learn from the team in one place using the in app chat feature.

Certificates, training records and expiry dates can all be monitored centrally with the licence and certification management tools.
Contracts, store rules and introductory training steps can be bundled into one guided process with the employee onboarding tools.
Leave requests can be weighed against roster coverage and peak dates before approval using the leave management feature.
Store policies can be issued, updated and tracked for acknowledgement through the policy management tools.
Yes, agreements and variations can be issued and stored in one place for all staff using the digital employment contracts feature.

Start your free 15 day RosterElf trial today

Start free trial

4.8 stars by 1570 users

100+ countries

30,000+ users