Looking for a good, reusable staff rota schedule template? Use this 8 hour shift schedule template Excel spreadsheet to build a solid work schedule.
For example, it’ll help you create a schedule of 8-hour shifts with 24/7 coverage for 3 teams and is ideal for businesses that rely on shift work.
To help you get started, we include step-by-step instructions directly in the template. This schedule template for Excel makes the process faster and easier.
The only thing you need is Microsoft Excel or a similar program, like LibreOffice Calc.
What is the 8 hour shift schedule template Excel spreadsheet?
The 8 hour shift schedule template is an employee scheduling template designed for standard 8-hour shifts. It’s created and edited using Microsoft Excel, a popular spreadsheet program for Windows.
If you’re more comfortable with Google Sheets, you may prefer our Google Sheets employee schedule template. We provide both completely free to visitors.
The template can be used for other shift durations, such as 10 hour shifts and 12 hours shifts, too.
Why schedule 8 hour shifts using Excel?
Excel-based 8-hour shift schedule templates are much faster and more organized than trying to build a schedule by hand.
That’s why managers have relied on these schedule templates for decades. Most of these shift schedule templates are built in Microsoft Excel or compatible spreadsheet programs.
In general, a spreadsheet-based work schedule requires you to manually create a schedule, input the data, and assign shifts. Then, when you’re done, you can print or post the schedule at your workplace.
You can also share the file online or via email so your employees always know when they work.
This is why managers have used Excel templates for decades. Many schedule templates, like this one, run in Microsoft Excel or a similar spreadsheet program.
In general, an Excel-based schedule requires you to input the data and schedule the time yourself. Then, when you’re done, you print and/or post the finished schedule at your workplace.
You can also email it or post it online in a place only your employees can access (like a company intranet).
What’s included in the template:
- Fill-in-the-blank shift schedule worksheet
- Built-in automatic calculator feature to track time
- Clear instructions inside the spreadsheet
- Support for varying shift lengths
Who should use the template?
This employee schedule template is ideal for businesses that use 8-hour shifts and want to simplify their scheduling process.
It can be used:
- As a CNA schedule template
- To schedule restaurant staff or retail employees
- For other hospitality and health businesses
- To schedule municipal or frontline workers
- For teams that need to track time and ensure fair shift distribution
How to use the 8 hour shift schedule template for Excel
We made it easier for you by providing a monthly fixed-shift structure with 8 hour shifts inside the spreadsheet.
All you need to do is:
- update the names of your staff, and
- define their work shifts.
To make a rotating shift schedule, simply adjust the times.
At the bottom of the spreadsheet, the schedule template will automatically track hours for you.
TIP: If you work in restaurants or food service, check out our guide to using restaurant schedule templates.
Limitations of Excel shift schedule templates
While they have worked for managers in the past, spreadsheet templates take time to set up, use, and reuse – even ones created using Excel.
We did most of the up-front work for you, but if you need to update your shift schedule, you must go back into the Excel program to reformat and change your rows and columns. This is just part and parcel of using spreadsheets to track time.
The template can’t make the changes or assign shifts for you.
What this means is that you’ll probably still be spending hours each week building schedules, though probably not as much as if you wrote them down by hand.
Other shift schedule template options
When you’re ready to level up your scheduling process and stop spending so much time making schedules, try TimeForge.
Our AutoScheduler and RoboSchedules tools can automatically create or suggest shift schedules for you in seconds.
Because they’re online, TimeForge schedules can be accessed from anywhere using a mobile phone or one of our free labor management mobile apps.
And unlike Excel-based templates, our scheduling software will notify employees when a new schedule is posted. This means your team will always know exactly when they work.
Intrigued? We invite you to learn more about TimeForge employee scheduling.
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our free 8 hour shift schedule template for Excel!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the 8-hour shift schedule template to schedule remote workers?
Yes, the 8-hour shift schedule template can be used to schedule remote workers. The template doesn’t differentiate between onsite and remote work, so you can use it to plan shifts for all types of workers.
However, it doesn’t have built-in features for tracking remote work, so you might need to note which shifts are remote manually.
Is there a way to factor in overtime hours using the 8-hour shift schedule template?
While the 8-hour shift schedule template automatically tracks total hours worked, it doesn’t automatically calculate overtime.
If you need to track overtime hours, you’ll need to do this manually on the spreadsheet or consider using a more advanced solution like TimeForge’s labor management system, which can automatically calculate overtime based on your company’s policies.
Can the 8-hour shift schedule template accommodate varying shift lengths within the same week?
Yes, the 8-hour shift schedule template is flexible and can accommodate varying shift lengths. You can adjust the shift lengths as needed to reflect the actual hours that each employee is scheduled to work.
However, keep in mind that making these adjustments manually can be time-consuming, especially for larger teams. For more advanced scheduling needs, consider using TimeForge’s labor management system.
Can I use this template to schedule restaurant staff or retail employees?
Yes. The template is ideal for businesses like restaurants, retail stores, hospitality, healthcare, and municipal services that rely on 8-hour shifts.
Does the 8 hour shift schedule template include an automatic calculator feature?
Yes. The spreadsheet automatically tracks the number of hours worked per employee based on the shifts you input.
Can the template be used in LibreOffice Calc or Google Sheets?
Yes. While designed for Excel, it also works in LibreOffice Calc. If you prefer, a similar Google Sheets version is available as well.
