You are searching for software to make scheduling for your public safety agency easier. Scheduling is a vital function of your organization, and it’s so important that it is completed accurately without taking up countless administrative hours. The right scheduling software will be easy to use and will handle any of your organization’s complex requirements and rules.
This four-part mini-series will take you through the main categories of scheduling software: usability, organizational rules, oversight and reporting, and integrations. We will help you understand what your scheduling software should do for you, so you can feel comfortable choosing the right software tool for your agency.
This is Part Three of the series. If you have not checked out Part One on Usability or Part Two on Organizational Rules, make sure to read that first.
Oversight & Reporting
Your scheduling solution should provide you with the reporting and tools that help you measure the impact of your scheduling decisions.
History Tracking
It’s important to have a record of all changes made to the schedule. This keeps your schedulers accountable for their actions.
Overtime Reports
You need to have reporting that allows you to know how much you are spending on overtime, what specific activities are contributing to the most overtime, and who is approving overtime. This gives you the ability to take action and reduce unnecessary overtime.
Budget Reporting
See where money is being spent. For security companies, you can run margin reports that show which contracts are most profitable. Public safety agencies can also margin reports to track the number of overtime occurred in a period, the reasons the overtime is occurring, and which units have the highest rates of overtime.
Employee Behavior
Run reports on employee behavior to see trends. For example, you can see who is abusing sick leave, who is constantly leaving early on Fridays, or who frequently turns their three-days off into four days off by calling in sick.
There are several scheduling software systems out there that you can choose and the most important thing you can do is do your due diligence with research. This is part three of the mini-series so make sure to check out the other four parts (organizational rules, oversight and reporting, and modules and integrations) to know what to look for.
Lastly, there are two basic features that all scheduling software systems should offer you. The first is a free trial. If the company is confident in their product, they should allow you to test out the system before purchasing it. Ideally, a trial should include some of your data and employee details. And, make sure you are choosing a system with dedicated hands-on support and a 24/7 critical support line.
