Switching employee scheduling software: a checklist
Switching employee scheduling software safely means exporting your old records before you cancel, running the old and new systems side by side for at least one full pay period, and cancelling only after payroll from the new system checks out. Federal rules require payroll records to be kept 3 years and time cards and schedules 2 years (US DOL), so the export is not optional.
The checklist, by week
| When | Step | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Week −4 | Read the old vendor's cancellation terms: notice period, renewal date, annual vs. monthly billing | Cancel-by date written down |
| Week −4 | List what the new tool must do on day 1 (schedule, time clock, time off, locations) | Must-have list of max. 10 items |
| Week −3 | Export everything listed in the export table below | Files saved in 2 places |
| Week −3 | Set up locations, roles and pay rates in the new tool | Matches the old tool's lists |
| Week −2 | Load staff and the next 2 weeks' schedules | Head count matches payroll |
| Week −2 | Invite staff; track who has joined | 100% joined, or a named list of who has not |
| Week −1 to +1 | Parallel run: publish in both, clock in both | One full pay period |
| Week +1 | Compare hours from both systems per employee | Differences explained |
| Week +2 | Run payroll from the new system's export | Payroll matches |
| Before cancel-by date | Final export from the old tool, then cancel in writing | Cancellation confirmation saved |
What to export before you cancel
| Data | Why | Keep for |
|---|---|---|
| Timesheets / time cards (all staff, all locations) | Basis of wage computations | 2 years (US DOL Fact Sheet #21) |
| Published schedules | Fact Sheet #21 names work schedules among the records to keep | 2 years |
| Payroll reports, if the tool produced them | Payroll records | 3 years (Fact Sheet #21) |
| Staff list with contact details, roles, pay rates | Needed to set up the new tool | 3 years (Fact Sheet #21, payroll records) |
| Time-off requests and decisions | Shows what was approved and when | 2 years with the schedules |
| Availability | Saves re-collecting it from every employee | Until re-entered |
Ask the old vendor in writing which of these can be exported, in which format (CSV, PDF), and whether access continues after cancellation. If an item cannot be exported, save PDF prints of it before the account closes.
The parallel-run comparison
Example: for one pay period, Employee A shows 38.50 hours in the old system and 38.25 in the new one. The 0.25-hour gap is one 15-minute break recorded in one system and not the other. Resolve each gap of 0.25 hours or more before you run payroll from the new system. For rounding differences, see time clock rounding rules.
Fact Sheet #21 says the record must show hours worked each day and total hours each workweek, so compare day by day, not only the pay-period total. Copy this table, one row per gap:
| Employee | Store | Date | Old system hours | New system hours | Difference | Cause | Corrected in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee A | Store 1 | Tue | 7.75 | 7.50 | 0.25 | 15-minute break recorded only in the old system | New system |
Staff rollout
- Send the invite with the date the old app stops being used.
- Show the new clock-in at each location's pre-shift huddle, once per shift.
- Keep a named list of staff who have not joined; the store manager follows up each one before the parallel run ends.
- Keep one channel for questions during the switch, and say which one.
Cost check before you switch
Price per user, per location and flat per business give different totals at the same size; the arithmetic is in per-user vs per-location vs flat pricing. If you are leaving Homebase specifically, see Homebase alternatives.
Assistlify offers to set up the switch for you: we load your current schedule and staff, and staff join by invite link or QR code from a phone browser.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Questions
What should I export before cancelling scheduling software?
Timesheets, published schedules, payroll reports, the staff list with pay rates, time-off decisions and availability; the US DOL requires time cards and schedules to be kept 2 years and payroll records 3 years.
How long should I run two scheduling systems at once?
At least one full pay period, so you can compare each employee's hours in both systems before running payroll from the new one.
When should I cancel my old scheduling software?
After payroll from the new system matches and after a final export, but before the old contract's cancel-by or renewal date.
Do I lose my data when I cancel?
Ask the vendor in writing; if access ends on cancellation, export to CSV or save PDFs first, because FLSA records must be kept for 2 to 3 years.
Sources
- US DOL Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the FLSA (revised July 2008) (checked 2026-11-12)