Free toolsRota template
Free weekly rota template that adds up the hours
Lay out a week for your team, see the hours per person and per day, then download it as a CSV or copy it as text.
Free No signup Works in your browser
Worked examples
Week40 h
Week38 h
Week32 h
Hours planned110h
Busiest daySat · 23 h
People on3
110 h across 3 people, every day covered
How to build a weekly staff rota
People down the side, days across the top, times in the middle. Shown on the café example week: Grace, Tom and Priya.
Put each person on a row and the days across the top.
3 people × 7 days
Give every shift a start and a finish; leave a day blank for a day off.
Grace, Mon 08:00–16:00
A shift that finishes after midnight counts on into the next day.
22:00–02:00 = 4 h
The template adds up the hours for each person and each day.
Grace 40 h · Tom 38 h · Priya 32 h
Check every day has the cover you need before you share it.
110 h planned
Download it as a CSV or copy it as text.
CSV or text
When the week keeps changing, make the rota live.
Paste your template into Weekola as a draft week and publish it once. Everyone sees their own shifts on their phone, and when a shift moves, it moves for everyone.
14-day trial No payment details required
- Paste a spreadsheet in as a draft week
- Publish once; staff see their shifts on their phone
- Swaps and time off arrive as requests, not messages
Or just ask Weekola Brain“Copy last week, but leave Sarah off.”
Questions, answered.
Making a weekly rota, totalling hours, and when a template stops being enough.
- Free toolsAll free toolsHours, holiday, cost, rota and timesheet helpers.
- SolutionRota softwarePublish the rota, share it with staff, and change it without resending a file.
- SolutionShift swap appLet staff request swaps and cover with manager approval, off the group chat.
- SolutionEmployee attendance trackingSee who actually turned up against the rota you planned.
- Use caseReplace Excel rota templatesWhen the spreadsheet template stops keeping up with real changes.
How do I make a weekly staff rota?
List your staff down one side and the days of the week across the top, then set a start and finish time for each shift. Total the hours per person and check your cover for each day. This free generator does the grid and the hours totals for you.
Is this rota template really free?
Yes. You can build a full week, total the hours and download it as a CSV or copy it as text without signing up or entering an email.
Can I download the rota?
Yes. Use CSV to download a spreadsheet-ready file, or Copy as text to paste the rota into a message, document or email.
Does it work out total hours?
Yes. Enter a start and finish time for each shift and the template totals hours per person and per day automatically. Overnight shifts that finish after midnight are handled correctly.
What's the difference between a template and rota software?
A template helps you plan one week. Rota software publishes the rota to staff, keeps one shared version, and handles changes, shift swaps and time off — so you're not resending a file every time something moves.
Can staff see the rota I make here?
Not from the template alone — it produces a file you share manually. With Weekola, staff see their shifts on their phone, get updates automatically, and can request swaps and leave.
How is this better than a spreadsheet?
The hours total automatically and there are no formulas to break. When you outgrow planning a single week — and need sharing, swaps and change tracking — Weekola picks up where the template stops.
Can I use it for any business?
Yes. It suits cafés, restaurants, bars, shops, salons and any small shift-based team. Add as many staff as you need and set whatever hours you work.