How to create a schedule for employees in 5 steps
- Pick a template (restaurant, retail, healthcare, or 24/7 with 8-hour shifts) or edit the shifts to match your hours. Set an unpaid break for each shift so hours are exact.
- Add your employees with their role and, if you like, their hourly rate to see labor cost.
- Tap a shift, then tap the days each person works. Tap again to clear. Use the eraser for days off.
- Check the totals. Hours turn red with ⚠ when someone goes over 40 in a week. The coverage row shows how many people are on each shift every day.
- Share it: download a PDF to print or post, export to Excel, or copy a share link.
A free online schedule generator and shift planner
Most free schedule generators stop at a blank grid. This one works as a full shift planner: it knows your shift lengths and breaks, totals hours as you go, warns about overtime, counts coverage for every day and can generate a whole rotation for your team in one step with "Fill from rotation". There is no account and no limit on staff, so it works for a five-person café or a 40-person plant.
What this schedule maker does
| Weekly, 2-week or 4-week schedules | Copy week 1 to every week in one tap |
|---|---|
| Custom shifts | Any start and end time, overnight shifts, unpaid breaks, your colors |
| Hours and overtime | Paid hours per person per week, with a warning over 40 |
| Labor cost | Add hourly rates to see cost per person, per day and in total (overtime at 1.5×) |
| Coverage | People on each shift for every day of the schedule |
| Rotations | Fill 2-2-3, Pitman, DuPont and 4 on 4 off rotations automatically |
| Export | PDF (print-ready), Excel .xlsx, CSV, print, share link |
| Privacy | No account; saved in your browser only |
Tips for scheduling employees
- Start with coverage, then fill names. Decide how many people each shift needs on each day before assigning anyone.
- Rotate the unpopular shifts. Share weekends, closes and nights fairly, or use a rotation so everyone knows the pattern.
- Watch overtime early. It is cheaper to move a shift than to pay time and a half — check the ⚠ flags before you publish.
- Leave rest between shifts. Avoid a close followed by an open ("clopening"); some fair workweek laws require at least 10–11 hours between shifts.
- Post it early and in one place. A printed PDF in the break room and a link in your team chat cut down on missed shifts.
Scheduling 24/7 operations
For round-the-clock coverage with 12-hour shifts, four people (or four teams) can cover one day and one night shift every day. Use "Fill from rotation" with the Pitman (fixed days and nights), 2-2-3 (rotating days and nights), DuPont or 4 on 4 off. For 8-hour shifts, start from the 24/7 template with day, swing and graveyard shifts. Each employee can also put their own rotation on their phone with the shift rotation calendar.
Need a time clock or shift swaps?
This schedule maker is for building and sharing the schedule. If your team also needs a phone app with shift swaps, a time clock or payroll, several apps have free plans — see our comparison of the best free employee scheduling apps.
Prefer a template?
Download a free weekly employee schedule template, monthly schedule template, 12-hour shift template or restaurant schedule template in Excel, Word or PDF.
After the schedule: hours and pay
When the week is done, use the time card calculator to total actual hours and overtime for everyone, and the overtime calculator for state rules such as California daily overtime.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a work schedule for employees?
Set up your shifts (name, start and end time, unpaid break), add your employees, then tap a shift and tap the days each person works. The schedule maker totals hours per person, flags anyone over 40 hours and shows coverage for every day. Download it as a PDF or Excel file, print it, or share a link.
Is this schedule maker really free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no trial and no limit on employees or schedules. Your schedule is saved in your own browser and is never uploaded.
Can I make a rotating schedule?
Yes. Use "Fill from rotation" to apply a 12-hour rotation such as the 2-2-3, Pitman, DuPont or 4 on 4 off to your staff. Each person becomes a team, and four people give you one day and one night shift every day.
Can I export the schedule to Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. Download a real .xlsx file with colored shifts and hour totals. To use Google Sheets, upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive and open it with Sheets.
How do I share the schedule with my team?
Download the PDF and post it or send it in your group chat, or use "Copy share link" — anyone with the link sees the same schedule in their browser.
How far in advance should I post the schedule?
Many businesses post schedules one to two weeks ahead. Oregon and several cities — including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles and Philadelphia — have fair workweek laws that require some employers (often retail, food service or hospitality) to post schedules about 14 days in advance.
Can it generate a schedule automatically?
Yes, for rotations. "Fill from rotation" generates a complete 12-hour rotation (2-2-3, Pitman, DuPont or 4 on 4 off) for the people you select, with one day and one night shift covered every day. For irregular schedules, tap shifts on by hand — copying a day or a week takes a few taps.
When should I switch to scheduling software?
If you need shift swaps, a time clock, availability requests or payroll, a scheduling app will save time. Many have free plans for small teams. Until then, a clear printed or shared schedule works well.