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Honest Comparison

Excel Rota Templates vs.
Scheduling Software

Which is right for your dental practice? We break down cost, time savings, and features so you can make the best choice.

Get Free Excel TemplateTry Rota Software Free

TL;DR - The Quick Answer

Use Excel If...

  • You have <5 staff members
  • Schedules rarely change
  • Budget is very tight
  • You don't need payroll integration

Use Software If...

  • You have 5+ staff members
  • Schedules change frequently
  • Staff need mobile access
  • You want payroll automation

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

See exactly what you get with each option

Capability
Excel Template
Free
Rota Software
£91/month
Core Scheduling
Create weekly schedules
Create monthly schedules
Drag-and-drop interface
Recurring shift patterns
Set once, repeats automatically
Template shifts to copy
Manual
Team Communication
Auto-notify staff of new schedules
Auto-notify of changes
Staff mobile access
Full app access
Via email
In-app messaging
Time-Off Management
Track holidays/PTO
Separate sheet
Staff request time-off
Email/WhatsApp
In-app
Approve/reject in one click
Auto-block scheduled shifts
Holiday allowance tracking
Manual
Attendance Tracking
Track clock-in/out
GPS geofencing check-in
QR code check-in
Tablet kiosk mode
Late/absent alerts
Payroll & Reporting
Auto-calculate total hours
Formula setup
Overtime calculation
Manual
Export to Sage/Xero/QuickBooks
Export to CSV
Cost per shift reports
Manual
Multi-Location
Manage multiple locations
One dashboard
Separate files
Staff working across sites
Complex
Location-based reporting
Cost & Time
Monthly cost
Free
£91/month
Setup time
2-4 hours
30 minutes
Weekly time to manage
2-3 hours
15-30 mins
Time saved per month
-
8+ hours
Time Savings

How Much Time Will You Save?

Using Excel

  • Creating weekly rota45 mins
  • Sending to staff (email/WhatsApp)15 mins
  • Managing change requests30 mins
  • Calculating payroll hours45 mins
  • Total per week~2.5 hours

Using Software

  • Creating weekly rota10 mins
  • Notifying staffAuto ✓
  • Managing change requests5 mins
  • Calculating payrollAuto ✓
  • Total per week~15 mins

Save 8+ hours per month

That's a full working day back, every single month.

Common Problems

The Hidden Costs of Excel Rotas

Free doesn't mean no cost. These problems add up over time.

Version Confusion

Multiple copies floating around. Which is the latest? Sarah's looking at last week's version.

→ Staff show up for wrong shifts, or don't show up at all.

No Notifications

Changed the rota? Now you have to email, text, or WhatsApp everyone manually.

→ Changes get missed. Staff blame the system.

Conflict Blindness

Accidentally scheduled the same person twice? Excel won't tell you.

→ Double-bookings and coverage gaps.

Payroll Pain

Manually counting hours, overtime, and leave at month-end.

→ Errors in pay = unhappy staff and compliance risk.

No Mobile Access

Staff can't check their schedule on their phone easily.

→ Constant "When am I working?" messages.

Holiday Tracking Chaos

Separate spreadsheet for leave? Or notes in a calendar?

→ Double-booked holidays and surprised managers.

Signs You've Outgrown Excel

If any of these sound familiar, it might be time to upgrade.

You spend more than 1 hour/week managing the rota
Staff constantly ask "When am I working?"
You've had scheduling conflicts in the past month
Calculating payroll takes more than 30 minutes
You manage more than one location
Staff request time-off via WhatsApp/email
You've sent the wrong version of the rota before
You need to track who actually showed up (attendance)

If you checked 3+ of these, you'll benefit from scheduling software.

Ready to Make the Switch?

Try our rota software free for 25 days. No credit card required. Cancel anytime.

Try Rota Software FreeOr Get Free Template

Both options work. Software just saves you 8+ hours/month.