When I Work

wheniwork.com
HR & Payroll
Weekend Project

Smarter Employee Scheduling Software

How to Replace When I Work

Overview

When I Work is an all-in-one workforce management platform designed for hourly and shift-based workers. It combines employee scheduling, time tracking, and team messaging into a single mobile-first app that helps managers and employees stay aligned and reduce operational chaos.

Features

35 features across 8 categories

Administration(2)

Permission Management

Customize permissions and workflows across multiple sites to maintain standards as you scale

Role PermissionsPremium

Assign custom role-based permissions to control what different managers and employees can access

Also in: Notion, Airtable, Smartsheet

Analytics(6)

Coverage Forecasting

Calculate staff coverage based on sales and labor budget to prevent overstaffing

Custom ReportingPremium

Generate custom reports for scheduling, attendance, and labor analytics

Custom Unit ForecastingAIPremium

Forecast labor needs based on custom units specific to your business (e.g., covers, transactions, units produced)

Labor Cost Visibility

Get real-time visibility into labor costs to ensure cost-effective shift coverage

Labor ForecastingAI

Real-time labor forecasting tool that compares scheduled hours against future demand to optimize staffing and protect profit margins

Overtime Alerts

Receive alerts while building schedules and during the week if employees are approaching overtime limits

Also in: Hugging Face, Notion, Smartsheet

Communication(2)

In-App Notifications

Send shift reminders, schedule updates, and announcements directly within the app

Team Messaging

Built-in messaging app for shift reminders, announcements, and direct messages without relying on text chains

Also in: Jobber, Jira, Insightly

Integration(4)

API AccessPremium

API key access for custom integrations and system extensions

Payroll Integration

Sync attendance and labor data with payroll systems to automate payroll processing

SAML/SSOPremium

Single Sign-On (SSO) support for enterprise authentication and security

WebhooksPremium

Webhook support for triggering external actions based on When I Work events

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Mobile(1)

Mobile App

Full-featured mobile-first app for managers and employees to access schedules, clock in, and communicate on the go

Also in: monday.com, Smartsheet, Calendly

Scheduling(15)

Advanced Scheduling RulesPremium

Set advanced scheduling rules to automate shift assignment based on complex business logic

Auto SchedulingAI

One-click shift assignment that automatically matches shifts with employees based on eligibility, availability, and preferences

Callout ReportingPremium

Allow staff to report call-outs within 24 hours for better coverage planning

Color-Coded Positions

Color code positions and shifts for easy visual identification and organization

Employee Scheduling

Build schedules in minutes with drag-and-drop interface, schedule templates, and multi-week scheduling capabilities

Labor SharingPremium

Share labor and resources across multiple locations or departments in real-time

Multi-Location Scheduling

Manage multiple stores, departments, or job sites from a single dashboard with consistent scheduling and labor sharing

Multi-Week Scheduling

Schedule shifts multiple weeks out to provide better visibility and planning

OpenShifts

Post open shifts for employees to pick up, filling gaps without manager intervention

Overlapping OpenShiftsPremium

Allow multiple overlapping OpenShifts to be posted simultaneously for flexible coverage

Schedule Templates

Save and reuse custom templates for weekday staffing, weekend rushes, holiday coverage, and other recurring patterns

Shift Swaps

Allow employees to swap or trade shifts with manager approval through the app

Shift-Specific Task Lists

Attach daily checklists or shift-specific tasks so everyone knows what needs to get done and can check off completion

Time Zone Toggle

Switch between different time zones with one toggle for distributed teams

Time-Off Requests

Employees submit time-off requests that managers can approve or decline instantly from anywhere

Also in: Acuity Scheduling, Calendly, Chili Piper

Support(2)

Help Center

Comprehensive help center with articles and documentation

Live Chat Support

Live chat support for immediate assistance

Also in: Obsidian, 1Password, Bitwarden

Time Tracking(3)

Geofencing

Use geofencing technology to prevent early arrivals and verify staff are in the correct location

GPS Clock-Ins

Employees clock in using GPS to verify their location and attendance

Time Tracking

Built-in time clock with GPS clock-ins and geofencing to track employee attendance and work hours

Pricing

Essentials

$2.50/user/month
  • Unlimited users
  • Auto Scheduling
  • Multi-week scheduling
  • Multi-location scheduling
  • Schedule templates
  • Forecast tools
  • In-app team messaging
  • OpenShifts and shift swapping
  • Help Center and live chat
  • Payroll and POS integrations
  • Time Tracking & Attendance (optional add-on)

Pro

$5/user/month
  • Everything in Essentials
  • Advanced scheduling
  • Scheduling rules
  • Role permissions
  • Labor sharing
  • Custom Unit Forecasting
  • Allow staff to report callouts within 24 hours
  • Custom reporting
  • Allow overlapping OpenShifts
  • Toggle between time zones
  • Time Tracking & Attendance (optional add-on)

Premium

$8/user/month
  • Everything in Pro
  • API key access
  • Webhooks
  • SAML/SSO
  • Time Tracking & Attendance (optional add-on)

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying When I Work

Monthly$2.5/mo
Yearly$30/yr
5-Year Total$150

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~3 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyVery Easy

Total Cost Comparison

1 Year
SaaS
$30
DIY
$240
3 Years
SaaS
$90
DIY
$720
5 Years
SaaS
$150
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 35 features at very easy complexity.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a When I Work alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 35 features.

Buy When I Work

Better Value
Monthly cost$25/mo
3-year total$900
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$24,000
Maintenance$360/mo
3-year total$36,960
Dev time~2 months

Buying When I Work saves ~$36,060 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 35 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

4 known integrations