Start with expected trade before shifts are placed.
Free hospitality planning tool
Pub rota template
Use this forecast-led pub rota template to plan sales, wage percentage, cover and events before placing staff.
ForecastPlan labourCheck wage %Review before publish
Web preview: use this before publishing
Edit the preview in the browser if useful, then print or export CSV. The public page does not store entered data server-side.
Weekly planning header
Illustrative numbers only. Replace them with your own forecast before using the template.
| Field | Example value | Operator note |
|---|---|---|
| Week commencing | 2026-06-22 | Set the week before copying any shifts. |
| Forecast sales | £18,500 | Use expected trade, not just last week's sales. |
| Wet sales | £11,000 | Separate wet demand where it changes bar cover. |
| Food sales | £7,500 | Separate food demand where it changes kitchen and FOH cover. |
| Target wage % | 28% | Use your own target as a planning assumption. |
| Labour budget | £5,180 | Forecast sales multiplied by target wage percentage. |
| Planned labour cost | £5,050 | Update as shifts are added. |
| Wage percentage | 27.3% | Planned labour cost divided by forecast sales. |
Example pub week
Edit the cells in the web preview, then print or export CSV if useful.
| Day | Opening hours | Event/weather context | Bar cover | Floor/FOH cover | Kitchen cover | Manager cover | Prep | Close-down | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | 12:00-23:00 | Quiz night | 2 early / 3 peak | 1 peak | 1 prep / 2 service | Manager close | Food prep before quiz | 2 close-down | Illustrative only |
| Friday | 12:00-00:30 | Peak service | 2 early / 4 peak | 2 peak | 2 service | Manager late | Prep before 17:00 | 3 close-down | Protect busiest window |
| Saturday | 11:00-01:00 | Late close | 3 afternoon / 5 peak | 2 peak | 2 service | Manager late | Extra glassware prep | 3 close-down | Review repeated closes |
| Sunday | 12:00-22:30 | Food-led service | 2 steady | 2 lunch peak | 2 prep / 2 lunch | Manager day | Roast prep | 2 close-down | Check BOH/FOH balance |
Use this before publishing
- 1Set week commencing, forecast sales, wet sales, food sales and the target wage percentage.
- 2Use the labour budget before placing staff so cost is visible early.
- 3Add trading context for quiz nights, peak service, late closes, sport, garden trade and food-led service.
- 4Place bar, FOH, kitchen and manager cover around the busiest windows first.
- 5Print or export CSV for manual review, then check wage percentage again before publishing.
What to check
Check wet sales, food sales, bar cover, floor cover, kitchen prep, manager cover, events and close-down before publishing.
What to check
- Use this as a planning guide if you still work in spreadsheets.
- The example rows are illustrative only and should be replaced with your own pub week.
- The template does not replace payroll, HR or legal advice.
What RotaSmart replaces
See labour cost while the rota can still change.
Spot risk before the week goes live.
RotaSmart connects forecast sales, wage percentage, events, open shifts, availability and staff changes in the live rota builder. Managers can keep wage percentage visible before publishing instead of maintaining a separate spreadsheet.
Explore hospitality rota software or see labour cost control.
Planning note
Use this as a planning guide and check it against your own venue. This template does not replace payroll, HR or legal advice.
Review this result against a real rota week
Use the result as a prompt, then compare it with the forecast, rota draft, open shifts and venue context.
Related resources
Keep the same planning context connected across product pages, guides and tools.
Questions operators ask
Short answers for using the tool without treating the result as a fixed operational rule.
Is this a blank rota grid?
No. It starts with forecast sales, wage percentage, labour budget and trading context before staff are placed.
Can I download this as a spreadsheet?
This page provides a web preview, browser print and CSV export. It does not promise XLSX or PDF downloads.
Should I copy the example week?
No. The rows are illustrative only. Check them against your own pub, events and staffing model.
Bring this week to a RotaSmart walkthrough
Use the public result as a starting point, then review forecast sales, planned labour, wage percentage, open shifts and rota risk with real context.