What is a shift schedule template?

A shift schedule template is a pre-formatted spreadsheet or document that helps managers organize employee work shifts. It typically includes columns for employee names, days of the week, shift times, and calculations for total hours worked. Templates save time by providing a ready-made structure that can be customized for your business needs.

How do I create a weekly shift schedule in Excel?

To create a weekly shift schedule in Excel: 1) Set up columns for each day of the week, 2) Add rows for each employee, 3) Create a header row with shift times, 4) Use data validation for consistent shift codes, 5) Add formulas to calculate total hours, 6) Apply conditional formatting to highlight conflicts. Or download our free template with all this built in.

Is Google Sheets good for employee scheduling?

Yes, Google Sheets is excellent for basic employee scheduling. Benefits include: free to use, real-time collaboration, accessible from any device, automatic saving, and easy sharing via links. However, for growing teams, dedicated scheduling software like NextShifts offers features like shift swapping, availability tracking, and mobile notifications that spreadsheets can't provide.

What should a shift schedule include?

An effective shift schedule should include: employee names, dates and days of the week, shift start and end times, break periods, total scheduled hours per employee, daily coverage totals, notes section for special instructions, and contact information for shift coverage. Advanced schedules also track labor costs, overtime, and skill requirements.

How far in advance should I make a work schedule?

Best practice is to publish work schedules at least 2 weeks in advance. This gives employees time to plan their lives and request changes if needed. Some states have predictive scheduling laws requiring 7-14 days advance notice. For industries with stable demand (offices, clinics), monthly schedules work well. For variable demand (restaurants, retail), weekly schedules with 2-week advance posting is common.

Free Shift Schedule Template

Download our free employee shift scheduling template for Excel and Google Sheets. Start organizing your team's schedule in minutes.

Download for Excel Open in Google Sheets

No signup required • 100% free • Includes auto-calculating formulas

Template Preview

See what's included in our shift schedule template

Weekly Shift Schedule — Week of Jan 6, 2025

Preview Mode

Employee	Rate	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Hours	Cost
Sarah Johnson	$18/hr	9-5	9-5	OFF	9-5	9-5	OFF	OFF	32	$576
Mike Chen	$16/hr	OFF	2-10	2-10	2-10	OFF	2-10	2-10	40	$640
Emma Wilson	$17/hr	9-5	OFF	9-5	OFF	9-5	9-5	OFF	32	$544
James Brown	$15/hr	2-10	2-10	OFF	OFF	2-10	OFF	2-10	32	$480
Weekly Total									136	$2,240

Shift codes: Use consistent codes like "9-5" for morning, "2-10" for afternoon, "OFF" for days off. The template auto-calculates totals.

What's Included in the Template

Everything you need to schedule your team effectively

Weekly View

7-day schedule layout with clear day columns

Auto-Calculations

Hours worked and labor costs calculate automatically

Up to 20 Employees

Room for your whole team with expandable rows

Print-Ready

Formatted for clean printing and posting

Easy Sharing

Share via email or Google Sheets link

Color Coded

Visual shift types for quick scanning

How to Use the Shift Schedule Template

Follow these simple steps to create your first schedule

Download the template

Click the download button above to get the Excel file, or open directly in Google Sheets. The template includes pre-built formulas and formatting.

Add your employees

Enter employee names in the first column. Add their hourly rates if you want to track labor costs. The template supports up to 20 employees.

Define your shifts

Customize the shift codes in the legend (e.g., "M" for morning 9-5, "A" for afternoon 2-10, "N" for night 10-6). Use consistent codes throughout.

Assign shifts

Fill in each cell with the shift code for that employee on that day. The template will auto-calculate hours and labor costs as you go.

Review and share

Check the auto-calculated totals for coverage. Export as PDF to print, or share the Google Sheets link with your team so everyone knows their schedule.

Spreadsheet vs. Scheduling Software

Templates work great for getting started. Here's when to level up.

Feature	Excel/Sheets Template	NextShifts
Basic scheduling
Mobile access for employees
Shift swap requests
Automatic gap detection
Time-off tracking	Manual
Schedule notifications
Cost	Free	Free to start

Start with the template. Upgrade when you're ready.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about shift schedule templates

Industry-Specific Scheduling

Looking for scheduling tailored to your industry?

Restaurant Scheduling

FOH, BOH, tips & more

Healthcare Scheduling

24/7 coverage & compliance

Retail Scheduling

Peak hours & seasonal

Construction Scheduling

Crew & project-based

Call Center Scheduling

Queue & skill-based

12-Hour Shift Patterns

Pitman, DuPont & more

Ready to outgrow spreadsheets?

NextShifts gives you everything the template offers, plus mobile access, automatic notifications, shift swapping, and gap detection. Free to start.

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