Deputy Scheduling: Reviewing Your All-in-One Workforce Solution

When managing employee schedules, businesses need adaptable tools to meet changing needs. The Deputy scheduling solution simplifies workforce management with automated scheduling and time tracking. Deputy software covers dynamic staffing needs, like in retail, healthcare, and hospitality industries. Its customizable options, mobile access, and integrations make it perfect. We review the Deputy’s features, usability, and pricing. This will help you decide if it can improve your team’s scheduling and operations.

Overview of Deputy

Deputy is a cloud-based platform for workforce management. It streamlines shift scheduling, time tracking, task management, and team communication.

The Deputy app’s scheduling tools are intuitive and customizable. Managers can create shifts using employee availability, demand forecasts, and labor cost controls. The platform simplifies scheduling with drag-and-drop tools and quick access to shift overviews. Forecasting and budgeting tools let managers project labor needs. They can then optimize schedules to stay within budget. This is crucial for businesses with variable staffing needs.

Deputy has options for time tracking. These include: facial recognition clock-ins, GPS tracking, and geofencing. They ensure accurate attendance and compliance with labor laws. Real-time timesheet management and automatic wage calculations boost payroll accuracy. Seamless integration with third-party payroll providers simplifies the entire Deputy payroll process.

It also promotes team communication and collaboration via a newsfeed. It lets managers post updates, shift changes, and announcements. This communication hub helps keep all team members informed and engaged. The self-service feature lets employees access their schedules, request time off, and swap shifts via the Deputy app or web portal.

Overall, people regard Deputy highly. It is easy to set up, has high user satisfaction, and provides practical solutions for businesses aiming to boost efficiency. Check out our full review to see if Deputy has what you need to run a smoother, more efficient operation!

Deputy Key Features

Time tracking and time clock

Deputy offers a simple time tracking and clock system. It streamlines employee attendance management. With Deputy, you can also maintain accurate timesheets, thus improving payroll accuracy. On top of that, ensure compliance with labor laws—all through a user-friendly app.

Employees can easily clock in and out using their mobile devices or on-site tablets with Deputy’s time tracking feature. It generates accurate digital timesheets for businesses to track hours worked. To ensure accuracy, Deputy provides options for verification. These include GPS location stamps and facial recognition. They help maintain accountability within teams.

Managers can approve timesheets individually or in bulk. This makes it easier to manage them and cuts admin work. Once approved, export these timesheets to payroll software. This allows for efficient payroll processing.

The real-time attendance feature keeps managers informed about who is on shift, who is running late, and who is on break. It helps them manage staffing. Also, the Deputy’s timesheet software automates wage calculations. It uses local labor laws and employment contracts. It accommodates different pay rates for various roles.

To enhance employee well-being, Deputy lets businesses schedule and monitor breaks. It automatically flags any missed breaks for proactive management. Also, the Deputy time clock app has wellness checks. They ensure employee health and safety before shifts. If an employee shows symptoms of illness, they cannot clock in. This protects the workplace from potential health risks.

Scheduling

Deputy’s scheduling tools simplify the complex task of managing staff across various roles and locations. The intuitive interface lets managers quickly create schedules. It fills shifts based on employee availability, skills, and costs. Instantly sharing schedules via desktop or mobile keeps teams informed of their shifts and any changes. Should an employee call out sick, Deputy makes it easy to find qualified replacements without making phone calls or sending texts. Also, employees can swap shifts with eligible team members. This boosts flexibility and reduces the chances of being short-staffed.

One of Deputy’s standout features is its AI-powered auto-scheduling tool. This feature lets managers create optimized schedules with one click. It considers labor demand forecasts. Auto-scheduling helps businesses work more efficiently. It cuts wage costs and ensures the right staff are scheduled at the right times. This maximizes productivity.

Labor demand forecasting

Deputy’s tools for forecasting labor demand help businesses. They create optimal schedules that adapt to changing workforce needs and cut labor costs. Using advanced analytics and data insights, organizations can improve scheduling and efficiency.

• Reduce labor costs: Deputy’s smart scheduling finds ways to cut costs while ensuring optimal staff coverage. This feature helps control labor costs. It helps businesses stay within budget.

• Schedule coverage optimization: Deputy’s platform shows real-time data. It lets managers compare forecasted demand with actual performance metrics. It ensures that the right employees are scheduled at the right times. This boosts productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Identifying key trends: The software reveals insights into labor and demand trends. Managers can view business performance daily or over specified periods. This enables informed decisions that align staffing with business needs.
• Centralized business insights: Deputy’s Business Insights Dashboard gathers all data in one place. It shows key trends and performance metrics. This centralized approach empowers managers to make data-driven improvements to their scheduling practices.

• Cost control through budgeting: Deputy helps manage budgets. It lets users set hour and wage targets for scheduling. The platform tracks variances in real-time. This helps meet financial goals and encourages timely schedule changes.
• Custom labor models: Take the guesswork out of scheduling with Deputy’s custom demand-based rules. This feature lets businesses create custom schedules. They must meet specific needs and ensure minimum coverage.

Labor law compliance

As your business grows, managing compliance with wage and hour laws becomes crucial. Deputy for employees simplifies this process. It lets you streamline compliance and focus on your core operations.

• Meal and rest breaks: Many states have strict regulations for meal and rest breaks. Deputy schedules breaks correctly, flags missed breaks and records any agreements from employees regarding waived breaks. This ensures compliance and minimizes the risk of penalties.
• Fair workweek: With new laws in cities like Los Angeles (more on California labor laws here), Deputy helps manage that. It gives advance schedule notices. It also tracks any needed premium pay for late changes. This fosters fair and equitable scheduling for your team.

• FLSA compliance: Deputy ensures compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by flagging overtime hours. They help identify staff to cover shifts without incurring overtime pay. It also helps follow child labor laws by limiting schedules for employees under 18.
• Premium pay tracking: The software’s pay rule library flags hours that qualify for premium pay. This simplifies compliance with state-specific regulations, such as California’s split shift premiums.
• Leave law compliance: Deputy has a leave engine. It lets businesses set up leave rules easily. This ensures that employees receive their entitled leave without confusion.
• Workplace safety: To meet OSHA standards, Deputy helps employers publish safety alerts. It also confirms staff review of safety policies. This creates a safer work environment.
• Pay rate management: The Pay Rate Builder tool automates allowances and adjusts pay rates to comply with labor laws. Customizable options ensure compliance tailored to unique business needs.

PTO management

Managing paid time off (PTO) and employee leave is streamlined with Deputy, making it easier for both managers and staff.

• Set up PTO entitlements: Create customized leave types, balances, and accrual rates with just a few clicks. Automate calculations to minimize administrative work.
• Request on the go: Employees can track their leave and request time off through the app. This simplifies the process and cuts out unnecessary back-and-forth.
• Track and approve: Stay informed about leave balances and requests through alerts for low balances. View booked time off to avoid scheduling conflicts and approve requests seamlessly from any device.

• Central dashboard: Manage all leave from a single dashboard. It shows a clear overview of different leave types, remaining balances, requests, and booked time off. Deputy flags low balances to prevent surprises.
• Employee availability: Prevent scheduling errors by viewing staff availability. Automatically block time off requests for key dates to ensure sufficient coverage.
• Find replacements easily: If an employee is absent, find replacements with one tap. Deputy provides real-time attendance tracking, making it easy to cover shifts without the hassle of phone calls or texts.

Integrations

All in all, Deputy works with many payroll, POS, and HR systems. It streamlines your operations and saves time. Connect your systems with Deputy. You can then access insights and manage your workforce from one platform.

Key integration categories

• Payroll: Connect with providers like ADP, Gusto, Paychex, and QuickBooks to automate payroll.
• Point of Sale: Integrate with your POS systems to sync sales data. This will improve scheduling by using real-time demand.
• Human Resources: Use integrations with HR platforms like HiBob and Rippling. They sync employee data and streamline onboarding.
• Others: Deputy supports various tools. For example, Wagepoint for payroll and Wagestream for financial health.

Notable integrations

• ADP: Leading provider of payroll solutions.
• Gusto: Modern payroll service that simplifies tax filings.
• QuickBooks: Major accounting software to manage finances efficiently.
• Xero: Easy-to-use accounting and payroll software for timesheet management.

Deputy Pricing

Deputy offers flexible pricing plans to suit various business needs. Here are the current options available:

Pros and Cons of Deputy

✅ Pros

• 🌟 User-friendly interface: Deputy’s intuitive design makes it easy to navigate, reducing the learning curve.
• 📱 Mobile accessibility: The mobile app allows employees to manage schedules, request time off, and clock in/out from anywhere.
• ⏱️ Comprehensive time tracking: The platform provides precise timesheets, thus improving payroll accuracy.
• 🔗 Integration capabilities: Deputy connects with various payroll and HR systems. This streamlines admin tasks and reduces errors.
• ⚡ Real-time updates: Managers can track attendance and find replacements. This ensures optimal staffing and minimal disruptions.

❌ Cons

• 💰 Cost: For small businesses, per-user pricing can add up. This is especially true with multiple features being billed separately.
• 📊 Limited reporting features: Apparently, the reporting options are not as robust as those offered by competitors.
• ⚠️ Occasional technical issues: Users faced glitches or slow loading times. This might impact usability during critical operations.
• 📚 Learning curve for advanced features: Basic functions are easy to use. But, some users find that mastering advanced features can take time.

Deputy User Feedback and Ratings

User feedback

• “It’s a really complete solution that handles all the requirements for a business like us. The scheduling is very complete and the control of the employee’s timesheets is awesome.” (Simon G., Data Analyst, GetApp)
• “I enjoy the ease of inputting employees into the system and the ease of placing employees into shifts. It’s quite easy to use and its functionality is great throughout all levels of use.” (Adam G., Founder/President, GetApp)
• “Very useful for small business operations with flexible features and accurate updates. Customizing locations for events could be smoother, but overall, it’s well worth it.” (Vlad Z., Operations Manager, Capterra)
• “Many glitches when it comes to connecting with RUN or scheduling, but the biggest problem is the inefficiency of the sales team.” (Maher M., Owner, GetApp)
• “As a team, we find ourselves frustrated with Deputy on the daily.” (Jessica M., Corporate Office Director, GetApp)
• “Deputy streamlines rostering and payroll tasks with an easy-to-use interface and lots of features. It’s a great option if you can handle the cost, but be aware it might run slower on older devices.” (Howard Q., Operations Manager, Capterra)
• “The product messed up our payroll month after month.” (Dale T., CEO, GetApp)

Ratings

• GetApp: 4.6/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5
• G2: 8.4/10
• TrustRadius: 8.4/10
• Play Store: 4.6/5
• PC Magazine: 4.5/5
• Software Advice: 4.5/5

Conclusion on Deputy

Deputy stands out as a versatile scheduling and workforce management solution. It appeals to various businesses due to its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface. Many users praise its ease of use, particularly in scheduling and time tracking. For example, users appreciate the app’s features. They allow for seamless shift management and real-time updates.

However, feedback highlights some issues. Customer support and bugs can hurt the user experience. Some reviews praise the excellent customer service. Others, though, cite frustrations, especially with communication and support.

Overall, Deputy maintains strong ratings across various platforms, including a 4.6/5 on both GetApp and Capterra. This shows users are generally satisfied. For businesses seeking a scheduling tool, Deputy is a solid option. But, users should weigh the pros and cons based on their needs.

Deputy vs. Shifts by Everhour

Comparing Deputy and Shifts by Everhour

Both tools have strong features for scheduling and tracking time. But, they cater to different needs and preferences.

Key features

• Deputy is known for its scheduling features. They let managers create and adjust schedules easily. It offers time tracking, payroll integration, and reporting features. Users appreciate its mobile app for enhanced accessibility and real-time updates.
• Shifts by Everhour is an all-in-one tool for scheduling, time tracking, and team chat. It emphasizes quick and reliable schedule management, thus allowing users to plan and share work schedules in minutes. The tool also facilitates easy time tracking, management of labor costs, and payroll streamlining. It also simplifies time-off requests and fosters teamwork. Employees can manage their availability and communicate directly through the app.

User experience

• Deputy is praised for its user-friendly interface. Some users, though, report issues with customer support and occasional app glitches. The mobile app functionality also helps users manage shifts and track time on the go.
• Shifts by Everhour is also praised for its ease of use. Its design is intuitive and it integrates well with other project management tools. It may lack the depth of scheduling features in Deputy. But, its strong project tracking makes it better for teams focused on tasks and project budgets.

Pricing

• Deputy pricing starts at $3.50 per user per month, with a premium plan at $4.90 per user per month.
• Shifts by Everhour is free, making it an attractive option for teams on budget.

In summary, Deputy scheduling is ideal for businesses wanting a strong workforce tool. It has great scheduling and time-tracking features. In contrast, Shifts by Everhour excels in task-focused, budget-critical settings. It all depends on the business’s needs.

In case you’re looking for a Deputy scheduling alternative, Shifts by Everhour is the perfect solution. With real-time monitoring and easy scheduling, managing your workforce is easier than ever. You can now access it on mobile.