SmartRoster

Smart Roster is a scheduler program best suited for churches, non-profit, commercial organizations. One just needs to set the events and roles, add participants, specify their roles.

Pros: This is a scheduler application which effective enables effectively manage schedule events by Churches, non-profit organization etc. One just needs to define the roles and events and set the periods, then just click the AutoFill button SmartRoster will automatically create the schedule and SmartRoster will select the best possible schedule. One can create the schedule using the drag and drop feature or manual feature. This application ensures that all the members of the schedule get the information through direct email, automated email reminders etc. Reminders and schedules can be set through groups or through roles.

This application keeps total information about the people, their skills, absences, work constraints etc and can create schedule likewise. Keep together preference can be set to place with one with other or not to place one with another. Group can be prepared with people with same type of features thus enhancing the group functionality.

Schedule can be done for day to years without any limitations. Import feature enables user to import contact details of the peoples.

There are enumerable types of reports that can be generated. Export report to tab delimited txt file, .pdf, or MS Word or export in HTML to publish in the web.

Cons: The interface is slightly complicated and the learning curve is correspondingly so. The wizard is based on help file not a proper menu based wizard. For such an application menu based wizard would be really helpful.

Overall: This application is really helpful, has lots of smart ability if used well. It has lots of features which are useful. A fit candidate for a 4 star rating.

Smartroster is the best new way to create personnel schedules for churches, non-profit and commercial organisations. First define your events and roles, add your people and specify when and how they wish to participate by nominating their events, roles, availability/absences, and work association preferences. Then set the period you wish to schedule and hit the AutoFill button to create the schedule. SmartRoster will cycle through many different schedules and automatically choose the best one, balancing the workload as evenly and fairly as possible, while respecting work association preferences. You can schedule completely manually, using the drag-and-drop interface, completely automatically, or any combination in between. SmartRoster offers a number of features to make sure people get their schedule, and remember when they are on duty, such as individualised reports, direct email to your volunteers, and automated email reminders. SmartRoster eliminates clashes and mistakes. It maintains a knowledge-base about your people, their skills, absences and work constraints, as well as your organisations requirements.
Features include:
- Powerful groups feature allows you group people with common properties, and schedule people based on group membership
- Keep-together and keep-apart preferences for who to place with whom
- Powerful import feature for importing personnel details
- Schedule from days to years - there's no limit!
- Schedule unlimited events and roles
- Powerful, simple reporting with over a dozen different report types
- Creates personalised schedules with the persons name pre-highlighted
- No other software needed for reports or emailing, and NO ANNUAL FEES!
- Export any report in comma-delimited, pdf format, or MS Word
- Export master schedule as an HTML table for publishing to the Web
- Not denomination specific