OpenSimSim is a free employee scheduling solution for managers and employees within the restaurant, hospitality and retail industries. The platform was designed for businesses that have hourly workers with scheduling/rostering needs, and helps promote open and timely communication between workers and managers.
OpenSimSim enables users to create a weekly schedule in minutes using schedule templates. Staff availability and hours worked are displayed in one place, helping managers to avoid scheduling conflicts, or accidental overtime. The budget view allows users to keep labour costs in line with the organization's budget. Employees receive published schedules directly to their mobile devices in real time.
Users can manage schedules while on the go using the native OpenSimSim mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. Managers can effectively communicate with staff in real time through the message board and chat functionality. They may also delegate schedule maintenance to staff by enabling shift giveaways and swaps through the platform. Notifications inform users of when an action should be taken or a schedule needs to be modified by exception.
Employees are able to see which co-workers are scheduled to work, as well as use the message board and chat feature to communicate with each other. Staff is able to send shift swap invitations, update their own availability, and submit time-off requests to managers. The opportunities feature enables users to pick up extra shifts by applying for available openings. OpenSimSim also comes with with advanced features for managing multi-location businesses and franchises.
Avantages
It's free! We had been using only paper scheduling, and had a lot of no-shows, especially when a TA was supposed to sub for someone else. TAs are now more in control (and aware of) the process of finding a sub.
Inconvénients
Printing the schedules doesn't work for us. When we print our paper schedule, we have the days of the week across the top, and the time of day down the side, and then the name of the person in each room on the chart. This is the only way our director can read it, and OpenSimSim isn't able to sort the information in this way. So we still make a paper schedule in Excell and print that, and then enter all the info in the app.
Also, it would be excellent if people could enter their availability with a start date and end date. We only hire college students, and their schedules change each semester. It is really hard to enter the new semester's schedule, because they have to leave the old semester's availability in for subbing.
The only other complaint has more to do with college kids than the program itself. A lot of our TAs think that they can drop a shift and then ignore it. Then when no one shows up, they're surprised that we're upset. So it still takes a certain amount of checking up on them on my part.
The managers enjoy using it and wouldn't go back to how we where doing it.
The team have shown an increase in picking up extra shifts and sticking to what agreed changes they had arranged with managers.
Our roster is now more steady and hours worked more accurate to our ideal workflow.
Avantages
Its simple and easy to use. It gives you all the information that is required to make informed decisions when planning your teams hours, it gives clarity and removes confusions when dealing with shift swaps and holidays, Both employer and employee are on the same page via a cloud format that automatically updates every one when changes are made. Can roster multiple departments so when in a big retail business you can plan for team members to be working in a different department too. The messaging function is the easiest way to connect with 100+ people in just a few clicks, this helps drive engagement through communication.
Inconvénients
A few upgrades that would improve this further is:
A function to save and print time off requests and approvals so that we could go paperless and keep complient with the IRD -this would also give option for the employee to complete a virtual signature on screen
Also editing a master roster would be great - currently not an option to edit a roster without having it uploaded into an actual week - master rosters are forever changing so would be great to keep these updated simply as things change.
I always found the name OPENSIMSIM "out there" and odd however UBER would have also sounded strange until it was a house hold name, SIMSIM could be as big soon enough!!
Avantages
UI is easy to understand and accessibility on both mobile and desktop is really nice. I'm constantly referencing my phone to check when other employees are going to be working so I know how to balance the workload and who to send tickets to. I work in I.T., so knowing who is working when is really important for handling clients requests quickly. OSS is easy to navigate.
Inconvénients
There are several discontinuities in the functionality. I can view other workers schedules on desktop, but ONLY on days when I'm working. But on my phone, I can view other workers schedules throughout the whole week by turning my phone on its side. It really doesn't look great to have my phone out while at work, so this is frustrating.
Additionally, requesting time off and changing individual availability (not just regular weekly availability) is a pain and can't be done through both mobile and desktop app. There are many things I can do ONLY on mobile or ONLY on desktop, but not both.
Sometimes when changing my daily availability on desktop, the visual block may look like it's between two different times, but the actual time it states is several hours later.
There are many similar bugs and discontinuities between the mobile and desktop apps.
It’s ok. It works, and it’s what my organization is using.
Avantages
The design is easy and simple to see. Updates are made real time and notifications are sent.
Inconvénients
There are functionality limited to mobile, and this is extremely unhelpful when I’m working at a customer service position where I’m not supposed to look at my phone.
Cons on the computer:
-I cannot see who else is working when I’m not working that day.
-I cannot see a list of people and their shifts the way I can view it on mobile.
-When I make the window size smaller (when I have to sometimes for my work), the application won’t let me view anything.
Overall cons:
-Setting availability/unavailability is a nightmare. It just takes so much time, especially when my hours are variable. There must be a better way to design this.
Also, this function is limited to the web app — why design the software where the functionality is half and half between different platforms?
-is there a way to change the view setting to “Month”? That will make the schedule easier to see.
-The notifications are exsessive — I get one when my schedule is changed, then published. For one change, I get four notifications (2 app, 2 emails).
The experience has been great. The customer service is fantastic! We are a non-profit with very little money so having a free option that is this in depth is wonderful.
Communication has improved immensely as we can all send out messages.
Avantages
Ease of Use. It has a lot of great features, entering as many job positions as you want, accounting for lunches, different print views etc. We use the messaging system a lot too. I have gotten really good feedback from my staff. This is a place where we can send messages and everyone gets them.
Inconvénients
It is extremely slow. That could be just our internet, but it takes me a long time to do the schedule just from sitting and waiting. When I need to edit the time frame, I click, and sit and wait and wait. Eventually the options come up to Assign, Manage, or Delete. The weird thing though is the actual edit comes up immediately. Have the time, I am clicking just trying to get the hover part to come up and the shift edit comes up.
I would like more color options.
The publishing options for the Job Opportunities is time consuming. I would like if I could publish all instead of one at a time.
Employee Scheduling & Team Messaging: Free
Premium - Time Clock & Attendance Reporting: $2USD per month, per user.
Voici quelques-unes des questions fréquentes sur OpenSimSim.
Types de licences disponibles pour OpenSimSim :
À partir de: 2,00 $US/mois
Type de licence: Gratuit, Abonnement
version d'essai gratuite: Disponible
Employee Scheduling & Team Messaging: Free
Premium - Time Clock & Attendance Reporting: $2USD per month, per user.
Fonctionnalités du logiciel OpenSimSim :
Utilisateurs habituels du logiciel OpenSimSim :
Entreprises de taille moyenne, PME
Langues dans lesquelles OpenSimSim est disponible :
anglais
Types de licences disponibles pour OpenSimSim:
Gratuit, Abonnement
Appareils pris en charge par OpenSimSim :
Android, iPhone, iPad
Nous n'avons pas d'informations sur les intégrations offertes par OpenSimSim.
Ressources d'aide disponibles pour OpenSimSim :
FAQ, Forum, Base de connaissances, Support en ligne, Tutoriels vidéo
The TAs love it, because it's all on their phone, and they don't have to keep track of a paper schedule. The only problem is if someone drops a shift at the last minute (due to illness or whatever), and I don't get a chance to approve the person accepting the shift. We haven't chosen automatic approval, because we want to maintain control of who is working in which classroom.
We also haven't been able to automate the process as much as I would like because we want the schedule to be as consistent as possible for the children in our care. We have to list the shifts as one hour each because of the TAs' crazy class schedules, but we want TAs to work the most hours in one block that they can so that the children don't have all new teachers every hour.
Overall, we have been very happy. The customer service is amazing. Any time I have had to contact them with a question or a suggestion, I get an almost immediate response.