What should a staff rota show?
It should show each worker, their role, shift date, start and finish times, plus any essential notes.
Staff rota template for shift planning
Free staff rota template for care homes, cleaning teams and shift work. Plan roles, dates, start and finish times, then print or download Excel and Word.
Every tool is free to use on screen, and a free account saves your records. Downloads are one free file a month across all toolkits, then £1.49 for a single extra download or £4.99 a month for unlimited downloads. Cancel anytime.
2 entries
Plan staff and shifts across the week, then print or save a clean rota.
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This tool is free to use with no account. The rows below are examples so you can see the layout, edit or delete them and add your own. Nothing you type here is stored on our servers, so it will be gone if you close the page. Create a free account to keep it, and to get your free monthly Excel or Word download.
Staff Shift Rota Builder
| Staff member | Role | Shift date | Start time | End time | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example staff member 1 | Carer | 19 Oct 2026 | 08:00 | 16:00 | Example entry, replace this with your own details. | |
| Example staff member 2 | Senior | 18 Nov 2026 | 14:00 | 22:00 | Example entry, replace this with your own details. |
These tools are provided for general business administration, organisation and record-keeping purposes. They do not constitute legal, medical, clinical, safeguarding, health and safety or regulatory advice and do not guarantee compliance with any applicable requirement. Businesses remain responsible for ensuring their own policies, procedures and records are appropriate for their circumstances.
Using this template
A staff rota sets out who is expected to work, when they start and finish, and the role or duty they will cover. It is used by care services, shops, hospitality teams, cleaning firms and other employers whose working pattern changes through the week. A clear rota helps managers spot uncovered periods before they become a problem and gives staff one consistent schedule to check. Each row should identify the person, role, shift date, start time, end time and any short note about the assignment.
Build the rota from the work that needs covering, then check availability, approved leave and the skills required on each shift. Avoid relying on colour alone because printed copies and accessibility settings may remove that distinction. Common errors include overlapping shifts, missing handover time, unclear overnight dates and changing a published rota without telling the people affected. Keep a dated copy of the version issued to staff. This template gives you a straightforward planner that can be edited on the page and downloaded, but responsibility for staffing levels, working hours and employment rules stays with the employer.
Questions about this template
How far ahead should a rota be prepared?
That depends on the workplace, but publishing it early enough for staff to plan and raise conflicts is good practice.
Can staff edit the rota themselves?
This template does not set permissions. Agree who can make changes and how revised shifts will be communicated.