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Staff scheduling made easy with Doodle
No spreadsheets. No chaos. Just fast, fair scheduling that works for everyone.
It can be difficult to create a weekly schedule for your employees – but thankfully, you’ve stumbled upon the right place. Doodle is up there with the best employee scheduling software available, allowing you to make a poll quick and easy. You can also see which dates conflict with your schedule by syncing your digital calendars with Doodle.
With Doodle Professional, you can add great advanced features to help you schedule your staff shifts.
Why scheduling staff is a pain
Managing staff shifts means:
Endless emails or message back-and-forth
Double-bookings that cause confusion
Last-minute shift swaps and changes
One outdated spreadsheet no one keeps updated
Doodle solves these problems by letting you build a schedule in just a few clicks. Create shift plans that work for everyone — and actually stick.
Two easy ways to schedule your team
Not every team schedules the same way. That’s why Doodle offers two tools — pick the one that fits your needs.
Feature | Group Poll | Sign-up Sheet |
What it does | Team picks times that work for them | Team signs up for specific shifts |
Best for | Weekly/monthly availability planning | Events, shift sign-ups, holiday cover |
Sharing | Copy and share link anywhere | Copy and share link anywhere |
Limit spots per time | 🔒 Pro only | ✅ Free |
Limit sessions per person | 🔒 Pro only | ✅ Free |
Calendar sync | ✅ Free | ✅ Free |
Hide participant names | 🔒 Pro only | ✅ Free |
Ask custom questions | 🔒 Pro only | ✅ Free |
Direct invites | 🔒 Pro only | Not applicable |
Sessions allowed | 20 slot limit (Free), unlimited (Pro) | 20 per sheet (Free), unlimited (Pro) |
How to create a Group Poll
Use this to offer multiple shift options and let your team vote on what works best.
Go to doodle.com and sign in or register
Click “Create a Doodle”
Add a title and location (remote or in-person)
Pick the days and times
Adjust lengths by dragging time slots
Click Next
Copy the link and share via email, WhatsApp, Slack, or your team’s platform
Pro tip: Use the month view to plan ahead. Add reminders or deadlines with Doodle Pro.
How to use a Sign-up Sheet
Ideal when you have limited spots to fill, like weekend shifts or training sessions.
Go to doodle.com and sign in or register
Choose “Sign-up Sheet”
Add sessions with titles, dates, times, and seat limits
Optionally connect your calendar or add custom questions
Copy and share the link
Your team signs up — first come, first served
Real teams using Doodle
☕ Cafés letting baristas pick weekend shifts 🏥 Hospitals assigning night coverage fairly 🛍️ Retail stores handling seasonal staffing 🎓 Schools organizing volunteers and sign-ups 🎤 Event teams planning coverage for live events
Why choose Doodle for staff scheduling?
Save time: Create shift plans in minutes, no chasing replies
Avoid double-bookings: Calendar sync shows conflicts instantly
Improve fairness: Let staff choose shifts transparently
Boost visibility: Everyone sees what’s scheduled and when
Customize with Pro: Add limits, reminders, branding, and calendar controls
Secure and reliable: Industry-grade security and 99.9% uptime
Tips for smooth scheduling
Set a deadline for shift selection
Encourage your team to keep calendars updated
Use calendar sync to spot conflicts fast
Communicate clearly around shift changes
Duplicate polls monthly for recurring schedules
Frequently asked questions
Can I schedule recurring shifts? Right now, you can create a new poll or duplicate a past one for repeated schedules.
Can I restrict shift spots? Yes — Sign-up Sheets include seat limits in the free plan. For Group Polls, this requires Doodle Pro.
Is Doodle secure? Yes. Doodle uses encrypted cloud infrastructure and complies with leading security standards.
Focus on work, not chasing people
Doodle helps your team schedule shifts quickly and fairly — so you spend less time planning and more time doing.
