01
Copy it from the sheet.
Select the rota in Excel or Google Sheets, copy it, and paste it in, or upload it as a CSV. A header row of dates and a name on each row is all it needs.
Use casesExcel rota template alternative
Your rota template, but live.
The Excel rota template alternative for small teams: keep the grid you know, and gain one live rota with leave, cover and hours attached. Paste your spreadsheet in and it becomes a draft week.
14-day trial No payment details required
The same grid you built, with the week kept live.
Where the spreadsheet stops keeping up.
A template is a fine way to plan a week. The trouble starts when it has to be the live rota too.
Three copies of next week
Someone saves a copy, someone edits the shared one, and staff still have last week’s screenshot. Nobody is sure which is current.
Staff work from a picture of it
Every late change means another image in the group chat, and another round of “is this the latest one?”.
Leave lives on another tab
Holidays sit in a separate sheet or a message, out of sight while you fill in the week, so clashes turn up after it’s sent.
Hours are retyped for payroll
The sheet only knows what was planned, so worked hours get rebuilt from cells, notes and memory at the end of the month.
Bring your spreadsheet in. It opens as a draft week.
No retyping the rota you already made. Paste it from Excel or Google Sheets and Weekola sets it out as next week.
02
See what Weekola found.
Names are matched to your team and codes to your shift templates. HOL, SICK and REST are noted and never become shifts. Anything it can’t match is listed for you to fix before anything is created.
03
It opens as a draft week.
Confirm, and the week opens as a draft in the grid you’re used to. Adjust it, check the rules, and publish when it’s right. Nobody sees it before then.
Spreadsheet vs Weekola. Side by side.
A spreadsheet is a flexible planning document. Weekola is built for the live week that starts once the first draft is written.
WorkflowExcel or Google SheetsWeekola
The rota
SpreadsheetEasy to copy, easy to lose track of.
WeekolaOne published rota, always the current one.
Staff access
SpreadsheetShared as a file, a link or a screenshot.
WeekolaEveryone sees their own shifts on their phone.
Swaps and cover
SpreadsheetAgreed in messages, then retyped into cells.
WeekolaRequested in Weekola, approved by you, updated everywhere.
Leave
SpreadsheetOn another tab, or in someone’s head.
WeekolaApproved time off shows on the week you’re building.
Attendance
SpreadsheetChecked from memory, if at all.
WeekolaClock-ins sit beside the shifts they belong to.
Payroll hours
SpreadsheetRebuilt by hand, then checked again.
WeekolaPrepared from approved attendance records.
Best fit
SpreadsheetA tiny team with few changes.
WeekolaSmall shift teams outgrowing the sheet.
Weekola Brain
Next week, in one sentence.
Duplicating the tab was the fastest part of the old week. Now it’s one sentence: Weekola Brain copies the week, checks who is off, and leaves the gaps where you can see them. Nothing changes until you confirm.
- “Copy this week into next week. Grace is on holiday Friday.”
- “Draft next week and fill the gaps.”
- “Is next week ready to publish? Publish it.”
Nothing changes until you confirm.
Week 39 drafted. Grace’s Friday is open to fill.
Questions about leaving the spreadsheet.
Short answers for managers moving the rota out of a spreadsheet.
What is the best Excel rota template alternative for a small team?
The best alternative is usually not a large HR suite. For a small shift-based team, a simple online rota with leave visibility, manager-approved swaps, attendance records and timesheet preparation gives more control without adding unnecessary complexity.
Can I import my Excel or Google Sheets rota?
Yes. Copy the rota from Excel or Google Sheets and paste it in, or upload it as a CSV. Weekola matches names to your team and shift codes to your shift templates, shows you a preview with anything it could not match, and creates a draft week. HOL, SICK and REST are recognised and never become shifts.
When should I replace an Excel staff rota?
Replace an Excel staff rota when staff keep asking for the latest version, changes happen after publishing, leave sits in another place, or payroll hours need to be rebuilt from screenshots and notes.
Is Weekola a Google Sheets rota alternative?
Yes. Weekola is a Google Sheets rota alternative for small businesses that need one live rota, staff mobile access, approved changes, attendance tracking, timesheets and leave workflows.
Can I start with rota only?
Yes. Weekola is modular, so you can start with rota software and add attendance, shift swaps, timesheets or leave when the team is ready.
Do staff need to install an app?
No. Staff can use Weekola from a mobile browser to view shifts, clock in, request swaps and manage leave, which keeps setup low-friction for small teams.
Does Weekola process payroll?
Weekola is not a full statutory payroll engine. It helps managers prepare cleaner timesheet and worked-hour records before payroll, reducing manual spreadsheet checking.
Is Excel still fine for very small teams?
Yes. Excel or Google Sheets can be fine at the very start. The problem begins when the rota becomes a live operational workflow with swaps, leave, attendance and payroll prep attached.
Is Weekola affordable rota software?
Yes. Weekola is designed as affordable rota software for small teams, with modular workflows so businesses can start simply instead of buying a bloated HR suite.
Bring the template. Leave the tabs behind.
Rota is £11/month for your whole team, with Leave and Weekola Brain included. Add Attendance with Timesheets for £16/month and payroll hours come from real clock-ins, not a SUM.
14-day trial No payment details required