Start with expected trade before shifts are placed.
Free hospitality planning tool
Staff availability form template
Stop building rotas from WhatsApp messages. Use this form template to collect staff availability before the rota is built.
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.
Staff availability form preview
Editable preview only. The public page does not store staff data server-side.
| Field | Example or blank value | Manager note |
|---|---|---|
| Staff name | Complete before printing or exporting. | |
| Role | Bar / kitchen / FOH | Use the role used in the rota. |
| Preferred weekly hours | 20 | Planning request, not a guarantee. |
| Maximum weekly hours | 30 | Check against contract and manager judgement. |
| Unavailable days | Tuesday evening | Recurring or one-off unavailable times. |
| Preferred days | Friday, Saturday | Preference, not a guarantee. |
| Preferred shifts | Day shifts | Preference, not a guarantee. |
| College/childcare/transport constraints | Capture constraints early. | |
| Recurring commitments | Sports, caring, study or regular commitments. | |
| Holiday dates | Use the formal time-off process where required. | |
| Notes | Any context the manager should review. | |
| Staff signature/date if printable | For a paper copy only. |
Use this before publishing
- 1Ask staff to complete availability before the rota is built.
- 2Capture preferred hours, maximum hours, unavailable days and preferred shifts.
- 3Add constraints, recurring commitments, holiday dates and notes.
- 4Review the forms before planning Friday, Saturday and peak cover.
- 5Print or export CSV for manual review; do not use the public page as a staff record system.
What to check
Check availability, time off, preferred hours and recurring constraints before building Friday, Saturday and peak cover.
What to check
- Use this as a planning guide if availability is currently spread across messages or verbal requests.
- Preferred hours and shifts are requests, not guaranteed allocations.
- This 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 Team gives staff a controlled route for availability and time off. Managers see availability before building the rota, which reduces message chasing and makes gaps visible before Friday or Saturday.
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.
Does this form store staff data?
No. The public page is a preview with print and CSV export only. It does not store entered staff data server-side.
Do preferred shifts have to be honoured?
No. Treat them as planning requests and check them against venue needs, contracts and manager judgement.
How does RotaSmart improve this process?
RotaSmart Team keeps availability and time off connected to the rota instead of leaving requests in message threads.
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.