Google Sheets vs Scheduling Software: Which Saves More Time?

I love Excel. I love Google Sheets. They are amazing tools.

But using a spreadsheet to collect availability is a special kind of torture.

The Spreadsheet Workflow

1. You create a sheet with dates.
2. You email the link to everyone.
3. Problem 1: Someone accidentally deletes someone else's row.
4. Problem 2: Someone overwrites a formula.
5. Problem 3: You have to check the "Version History" to see who messed it up.
6. Problem 4: On mobile, editing a Google Sheet is a nightmare. Your staff hates it.

## The Software Workflow (ShiftReply)

1. ShiftReply automatically emails everyone on Monday morning.
2. Staff tap their availability on their phone (easy UI).
3. ShiftReply compiles it all into a... wait for it... nice, clean list for you.

## The Time Calculation

* Managing the Sheet: ~2 hours/week (chasing people, fixing errors, formatting).
* Managing ShiftReply: ~5 minutes/week (logging in to see the results).

Is your time worth more than $2.50 a week? (That's what ShiftReply costs: $10/month).

If you value your sanity, ditch the spreadsheet for availability. You can still use it to build the final schedule, but let software handle the collection part.