How to manage multiple store locations
Manage multiple store locations by running every store on the same weekly calendar, the same opening and closing standard, and the same one-page numbers sheet that each store manager fills in by a fixed day. When every store reports the same eight figures in the same format, the owner compares stores in minutes instead of visiting each one to find out what happened.
The weekly operating calendar
Copy this calendar and assign every row to a named person at each store. The days are a starting point; change them to fit your trading week, but keep them identical across stores.
| Day | Task | Who | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Fill in last week's numbers sheet | Store manager | One row per store in a shared sheet |
| Tuesday | Owner review call, 20 minutes, all managers | Owner | Max. 3 action items per store |
| Wednesday | Collect staff availability and time-off requests for the week after next | Store manager | Availability list |
| Thursday | Build next week's schedule, check staff shared between stores | Store manager, owner checks overlaps | Draft schedule |
| Friday | Publish next week's schedule | Store manager | Schedule sent to team |
| Daily | Opening and closing checklist, cash drawer count | Shift lead | Signed checklist, count sheet |
| Weekly (fixed day) | Stock count of the top 20 items | Shift lead | Count vs. system |
For the daily routines, use the store opening checklist and the store closing checklist at every store, unchanged.
The one-page numbers sheet
Each store fills in the same eight columns. Anything a store cannot fill in is written as "not counted", never left blank or entered as zero.
| Column | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Net sales | POS end-of-week report |
| Hours scheduled | Published schedule |
| Hours worked | Timesheets |
| Labor cost ($) | Hours worked × pay rates, including overtime |
| Labor % | Labor cost ÷ net sales × 100 |
| Cash over/short (week total) | Daily drawer count sheets |
| Stock count variance (units) | Weekly count vs. system |
| Open issues | Free text, max. 3 lines |
Example: Store A sold $18,400 and spent $3,312 on labor: 3,312 ÷ 18,400 = 18.0%. Store B sold $12,100 and spent $2,783: 2,783 ÷ 12,100 = 23.0%. The 5-point gap is the first question on Tuesday's call. The method is explained in labor cost percentage: how to calculate it.
What to standardize, and how to check it
| Area | Standard | How the owner checks it |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule | Published by the same weekday, same template | Publish date visible to the owner |
| Cash | Same starting float, counted at every close | Weekly over/short column per store |
| Stock | Same top-20 list, same count day | Variance column per store |
| Time records | Every shift clocked, breaks recorded | Hours worked vs. hours scheduled |
| Handover | Written note at every shift change | Spot-read 3 notes per store per week |
The cash routine and the reasons drawers come up over or short are covered in tracking cash variance across multiple stores.
Records that must be kept the same way at every store
Under the FLSA, each employer must keep payroll records for at least 3 years, and records on which wage computations are based, such as time cards and work schedules, for 2 years (US DOL Fact Sheet #21). The fact sheet lists the items to record per employee, including hours worked each day and each workweek.
Staff who work at more than one store
FLSA overtime is owed for hours over 40 in a workweek, and averaging hours over two or more weeks is not permitted (US DOL Fact Sheet #23). Fact Sheet #23 does not split the 40 hours by store, so check each shared employee's total across every store before you publish. Example: 24 hours at Store A plus 20 hours at Store B is 44 hours, which is 4 overtime hours in that workweek.
A schedule view that lists every store side by side makes this check visible. In Assistlify, staff can be assigned to one or more locations and the weekly schedule is built and published to the team; see scheduling for multiple locations.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Questions
How do you manage multiple store locations without being at each one?
Give each store manager the same weekly calendar and the same numbers sheet due on a fixed day, then run one 20-minute call to compare stores. The sheet replaces store visits as the way you find problems.
What numbers should a multi-store owner review every week?
Net sales, hours scheduled, hours worked, labor cost, labor %, cash over/short, stock count variance and open issues, one row per store. Labor % is labor cost divided by net sales, e.g. $3,312 ÷ $18,400 = 18.0%.
How long do I need to keep employee time records?
The US DOL says payroll records must be kept at least 3 years and time cards and work schedules for 2 years under the FLSA (Fact Sheet #21).
Does overtime count across two of my stores?
FLSA overtime applies to hours over 40 in a workweek (Fact Sheet #23), and the fact sheet does not split hours by store, so total each shared employee's hours across all stores before publishing.
Sources
- US DOL Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the FLSA (revised July 2008) (checked 2026-11-12)
- US DOL Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA (revised October 2019) (checked 2026-11-12)