Effective scheduling can make or break your security guard company. Use one of our top 9 security guard scheduling apps and take your business to the next level.
Having trouble juggling multiple sites, shifts, rotations and people?
is a minefield, and that’s before we get to the personnel themselves: making sure you schedule the more experienced security guards with less experienced staff, or allowing time for training.
And, if you’re still using pen and paper to record your schedules and shifts, then things will get out of hand, quicker than you can imagine.
You’re in the right place if scheduling has you pulling your hair out: we’ve rounded up the best security guard scheduling software on the market, including free plans, free trials and more…so you can get back to doing what matters most, and let the admin become someone else’s headache!
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one security guard scheduling software automated to organize shifts.
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Drag & drop or copy and edit scheduling from any previous week.
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Provides shift details alongside each shift assignment, to keep everyone informed.
What to Look For in a Security Guard Scheduling Software Solution
Whether you’re just starting your own security guard business or you’ve been in business for decades, the benefits of security guard scheduling software is timeless. That is of course, if you’re choosing one that can scale as your company grows, and is performing the most important services that make a security scheduling software, worth while:
- GPS location tracking: Have peace of mind that your staff are where they should be.
- Geofencing: Ensure staff is clocking in from the specific location they should be at and not a minute earlier.
- In-app chat: For communication when things don’t go according to plan.
- Checklists and forms: For compliance and in case incidents need to be reported.
The 8 Best Security Guard Scheduling Software Solutions of 2022
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Connecteam is the best security guard scheduling software on the market today. That’s because it provides you with one, central place to manage all shifts, schedules and sites, all at the click of a button. It requires zero training to deploy, and even eliminates the need for extra communication, thanks to its chat feature. You’ll save time thanks to its intuitive job and shift scheduler, and can even duplicate shifts in just a couple of clicks. Even better, all your employees have direct and instant access to their schedule via their smartphone in real-time!
You get to effortlessly plan ahead (even if the plan changes at the last minute and you need to deploy your contingency plan) and at the same time, get a real-time overview of where projects stand by knowing where your employees are and how efficiently they are working. Having a better idea of employee activity, will keep everything clear and transparent on timesheets. When you have timesheets you can trust, payroll becomes equally trustworthy, and with Connecteam’s integration with Quickbooks Online and Gusto payroll everything is made simple.
For Whom?
Connecteam is the solution for managers working with employee scheduling at all levels, whether they be business owners, operations managers, dispatchers, administration, mid-level managers, team leaders or otherwise. It’s an ideal solution for security companies of all sizes, including those with a deskless workforce, lone workers, remote or frontline employees.
Find out how one security guard company completely changed the way they work with Connecteam.
Key Features
- Schedule guards across different sites
- Scheduling conflict alerts
- Shift attachments with notes, images, videos, GIFS, and more
- Communicate quickly over the app
- Get digital incident reports and summaries
- Onboard and train guards remotely
Pros
- Incredibly affordable
- Can be deployed in under 2 minutes
- Super easy and intuitive to use
- Great and highly responsive customer service
Cons
- Free plan available for up to 10 users only
Pricing
Starts at just $29/month for up to 30 users
Free 14-day trial
Free plan available -
QuickBooks Time is a super efficient security guard scheduling software with one huge catch: the price. While it will save you hours when you need to create a working and efficient schedule, it does so at a pretty high cost. You can create or modify the perfect work schedule with drag & drop, add, edit or delete schedules from your phone, send schedule changes to your employee’s mobile phone, copy last week’s schedule, schedule by the job instead of shift if relevant.
Now, QuickBooks Time isn’t the easiest software to use so they help you set your account up and train your employees on how to use it best. A big selling point is that QuickBooks Time can integrate with many solutions like QuickBooks, Xero, Gusto, Wagepoint, Salesforce, and more.
But…there’s no free plan, although there is a 30-day free trial. As far as security rostering software goes, we think it could do more for your money.
For Whom?
For teams looking to get a hold of their scheduling across sites, jobs and more.
Key Features
- Mobile app available
- Desktop version available
- Wide-range of integrations
Pros
- Mobile-friendly app
- Easy payroll integration
- Overtime monitoring
Pricing
Starting from $4.80/user/month +$20 base fee/month
Free Trial: Yes, for 30 days
Free-Forever Plan: No -
One of our favorite security guard scheduling apps, built just for that purpose, TrackTik has mobile and cloud-based software, suiting every type of security guard and their preferences.
We really liked the Guarding Suite, which allows you to manage your operations digitally, as well as the Mobile+ Suite, which is a great way to assign, track and dispatch whoever needs to be where, giving them most of the details they need to know (and it’s great for timekeeping too!). There’s not a lot you need to operate it, other than a device, and it’s available as an Android and iOS app.
But – and it’s a big ‘but’ – you need a license to use the app, and only one guard can log in to the device in use at any one time, so although it’s a purpose-built platform, it might not be the most suitable or best security guard scheduling app for you if you have more than one guard on patrol at once.
For Whom?
For smaller or newly-started security companies, looking for an app built just for them.
Key Features
- Real-time report creation
- Automated scheduling
- Invoicing integration
Pros
- Built by and for security guards
- Constantly updated
Pricing
Pricing available on request
Free Trial: Yes, 30-days
Free-Forever Plan: No -
Although Hubstaff isn’t strictly a security scheduling software, it can be adapted to become one.
For one thing, it has a nice set of apps for desktop, web and mobile, as well as some cool functions for online timesheets, time tracking and reporting.
Yet, if you’re looking for the flexibility of reporting and automation, then Hubstaff might not be the best security guard scheduling app for you, as it’s more geared towards productivity than actual deskless workers. That and, it’s a rather pricey alternative to the rest of the apps on our list that do much more for your security scheduling software, for a lower monthly price tag.
For Whom?
Desk-based team managers looking to ensure all team members are on track, via app and URL-tracking, but also want some side integrations and capabilities (such as time tracking) for delegation and administrative purposes.
Key Features
- Online timesheets
- Employee monitoring
- Online time tracking
- GPS tracking
- Online invoicing
Pros
- Lots of useful features available
- Some limited scheduling capabilities
- Free plan available for 1 user
Cons
- Geared towards productivity
Pricing
From $7 per user/month
Free Trial: Yes, 14-days
Free-Forever Plan: Yes, for one user only -
Humanity is a security rostering software solution, for one thing, and one thing only: shift scheduling. It’s pretty dynamic, including the ability to let your employees clock in from a certain geofenced-location, as well as allowing employees to shift swap if necessary.
Although it’s got everything you need for basic shift scheduling and deployment, it doesn’t do much more than that: there are no extra abilities (such as the ability to add shift notes, or attach documents, set checklists and forms etc), nor does it allow for other capabilities (such as having a document library – for incident report forms, for example – or onboarding), Still, it looks good and is pretty intuitive, so it makes our list of the best security guard scheduling apps, but in practice, it might be a little more tricky to use should something go sideways in the field.
For Whom?
For managers looking for a very basic scheduling solution, for teams that don’t plan on encountering crises during their shifts.
Key Features
- Employee scheduling
- Employee timesheets
Pros
- Desktop and mobile app
- Mobile staff and shift scheduling
Cons
- No other features to help scale your business
Pricing
No other features to help scale your business
Free Trial: yes, 30-days
Free-Forever Plan: No -
Homebase’s security scheduling software features include drag & drop team scheduling, schedule from anywhere and from any device, copy over last week’s shift schedule or use automatic scheduling, shift trades, send schedules to an employee’s phone, track time off and availability, forecast labor costs, and so much more.
Homebase can integrate with any solutions such as Clover, Square, Toast, Upserve, and more.
Price:
Pricing starts at $19.95/month/per location for unlimited employees. A single location for unlimited employees is free to use.
- Free trial: Technically, yes. You can get a free All-Access Pass to their Plus plan (the top plan) for 14 days.
- Free-forever plan: yes, for 1 location.
For Whom?
Managers looking to track deskless employees across locations, communicate with them and (at the highest level plans) provide them with documentation.
Key Features
- Scheduling
- Time clock
- Hiring and onboarding
Pros
- Clean interface
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
Cons
- No customs settings or time conflicts
- No geofencing for clock in
Pricing
From $14 per month per location
Free trial: yes, 14 days.
Free plan? Yes, for one location. -
With Deputy’s security guard scheduling software, you can quickly schedule security staff, gain accurate timesheets and find last-minute replacements at the tap of a button. To get the most out of your team, you can schedule your employees to match the budget and team availability, send work details to their mobile phones and quickly find qualified staff when needed.
Create new shifts instantly, drag & drop existing schedules, build a custom schedule template or auto-scheduling, schedule meal and rest breaks, allow for shift swaps, and more. Now, the other thing to know about Deputy is that it isn’t the easiest software to use. The Deputy team will ask for your pen and paper timesheets and scheduling ahead of time so they can customize the software for you and you can start to onboard your team.
For Whom?
For managers of teams who have been using pen and paper, but who have the luxury of time to help the Deputy team in crossing over to the digital world of scheduling.
Key Features
- Scheduling
- Time tracking
- Time clock
Pros
- Unlimited shifts p/month
- Auto-scheduling
Cons
- No mobile clock-in with geofencing
- No free plan
Pricing
Starts at $2.50/user/month.
Free Trial: Yes, there is a free 31-day trial.
Free-Forever Plan: No -
Snap Schedule is a security guard scheduling software that allows you to schedule from anywhere, easily locate employees, keep track of your team’s qualifications, reports for accurate payroll and contract invoicing, and more.
It’s scheduling features include drag-and-drop or auto-generate shift schedules, tasks and breaks scheduled in, time clock and attendance, time off requests, automated shift callouts, labor cost control, schedule by skills/positions, and more.
For Whom?
For teams who have been using manual scheduling so far, and who have the time and money to invest in a software solution for just scheduling.
Key Features
- Scheduling across locations
- Best fit employee placement
- Time tracking
Pros
- Very in-depth solution
- A lot of subfeatures for scheduling
Pricing
$450/scheduler/year plus $36/employee/year
Free Trial: Yes, for 30 days
Free-Forever Plan: No
Compare the Best Security Guard Scheduling Software Solutions
What Is Security Guard Scheduling Software?
Also known as a security rostering software, security guard scheduling software is an automated tool that maximizes time and employee availability into an organized schedule. By hourly shifts or any other self specified time frame, you can assign shifts and have employees claim them through the mobile device or over the desktop. It alerts you of overtime or employees that are absent, to solidify a schedule that works for everyone and according to legal guidelines. After all of this management is done, this, in turn, becomes a timesheet you can have as a future reference or even as a template to make similar plans in the future.
How Does Security Guard Scheduling Software Work?
The actual setup of any security rostering software should look alike. It will allow you to personalize the settings as much as the software allows, and then it’s onto the actual scheduling itself.
Before you do anything else, you’ll first set up your schedule template. Depending on the software itself, it will either provide you with a ready-made template, will give you the option to make your own from scratch, or both. Once this is decided, you can choose how you’d like to organize it (i.e., per employee, per location, per event).
This will send employees a notification where they are able to view what the day, week, or even month looks like for them (this is all based on how much in advance you set everything up). As time goes on and things need to be changed or slightly altered, you can see who can be an alternate or what another time slot would work for that specific employee. This is all done seamlessly and with minimal back and forth.
The Benefits Of Using Security Guard Scheduling Software
Many security guard businesses use scheduling software tools as a base for their business growth. That’s because there are so many bonus benefits to using a security scheduling software, beyond the scheduling itself:
24/7 Access
A lot of these security guard scheduling software solutions allow for remote access so your employees have full visibility and access to their job schedule 24-7. Plan ahead with predictive scheduling, so that your team can manage a healthy work-life balance which only leads to happier employees. This is critical if your guards are working a 4/10 schedule or a 9/80 schedule, of anything in-between.
Avoid Overtime
Complying with labor laws is crucial especially as it helps you avoid penalties and lawsuits. Seyforth Shaw, LLP found that workplace action settlements totaled $1.75 billion and the settlement value tripled in 2016 for wage and hour litigation. With security guard scheduling software, you can receive an alert when an employee is close to overtime so that you can take preventative action to avoid this.
Better Communication
Miscommunication, or a serious lack thereof, can cause problems in the workplace, including missing goals, confusion, high turnover, poor customer service, and much more.
Forbes reported that one of the top reasons employees are unhappy at their jobs is directly attested to communication problems. Security guard scheduling software, with built-in chat, improves the level of accessibility managers and employees can have to share company updates, HR announcements, and more. Overcoming communication issues can be as simple as having an easily accessible chat feature at the ready.
More Efficiency
You juggle a dozen tasks and a schedule change, like a no-show or a sudden absence, can completely throw everyone, including you, into chaos. And let’s not forget that this sort of occurrence usually happens when you’re not in the office to take it under control. Security guard scheduling software allows you to schedule and track time while on-the-go so you can easily manage schedules in real-time. On an employee’s side, they can receive schedule updates instantly through their mobile phone so that, they too, are always in the loop – this is far more efficient when you’re in the scrambling mode of finding replacements.
After all, if common employee scheduling issues can be anticipated, they can also be solved in just a few clicks! To save your own valuable time and to ensure your security guard employees and customers are both happy, you need security guard scheduling software.
How Much Does Security Guard Scheduling Software Cost?
Security guard scheduling software is imperative for the legality and the safety of your community. So although you may be willing to pay a lot for it, because at the end of the day, that’s less taxing than all of the mess that can come from not having one, it still doesn’t mean that you need to overpay on something that comes at an affordable price from many others.
Connecteam comes in first, not only for the reason of cost-friendly pricing, but it’s most certainly a contributing factor. This security guard scheduling software has a fixed asking rate of $29 per month for the first 30 users, which is extremely unusual and unlike the competitors who usually bill per seat. When you’re looking to grow, Connecteam is a security rostering software that won’t make you pay the price to do so.
FAQs
Which shift style best suits security guard businesses?
You may be looking for a straight answer, but the truth is that there is no one size fits all when it comes to shift scheduling. Because your industry is in need of services round the clock, you’ll simply need a scheduler that is dynamic enough to serve all possible shift styles. You need to find a software system that doesn’t limit your options but is flexible and customizable (like the first place pick, Connecteam) to meet your demands.
Does Google have a free security guard scheduling software tool?
No. Google has a system called Google Workspace Marketplace, but it doesn’t have anything specific to security guard industries.
The Bottom Line On Security Guard Scheduling Software Solution
Scheduling for security companies can be complicated when there are so many factors to consider, so finding any way to make it simpler and a lot more efficient, should be goal number one.
Connecteam is the best security guard scheduling software with its all-in-one approach to employee management and affordable pricing. The ability to have everything in one place and fully customizable, is what makes Connecteams so applicable to all security guard businesses. Try it out, and you’ll see.
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