Employee scheduling software plays a crucial role in helping businesses control labor costs, manage staff availability, and boost workforce efficiency. Among the top solutions, Deputy and When I Work are two leading software offering powerful tools for streamlining schedules, tracking attendance, and improving team communication.
Deputy shines with its focus on automation, compliance, and data-driven insights, while When I Work prioritizes real-time communication, ensuring seamless team collaboration.
This Deputy vs When I Work comparison highlights their key differences to help you determine which platform best meets your business needs.
Deputy Vs When I Work – At A Glance
Feature
Deputy
When I Work
Employee Scheduling
AI-powered Auto-scheduling and shift swapping
Auto scheduling based on availability, reusable templates, and self-scheduling
GPS-enabled clock-in/out, geofencing, pay rules, and alerts
Team Communication
News feed, messaging with CC options
WorkChat supports individual/group messaging
Integration
Extensive integrations with ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Square, BambooHR, and more
Integrates with ADP RUN, Gusto, Paychex, and Zapier
Pricing
Starts at $4.50/user/month
Starts at $2.50/user/month
What Is Deputy?
Deputy software is a comprehensive workforce management and employee scheduling software designed to assist businesses in streamlining their daily operations. It allows organizations to efficiently create schedules and manage employees’ working hours while ensuring compliance with labor laws.
Trusted by more than 380,000+ businesses, it serves as a versatile solution for businesses aiming to streamline workforce management, enhance operational efficiency, and maintain compliance. The software caters to diverse industries and sectors, including healthcare, retail, hospitality, and hotels, enabling them to ensure workforce efficiency.
Standout Features
Document Management: All employee documents are centralized for easy access and reduced admin work. Managers can track signed contracts and certifications and receive automated reminders for expiring documents
Team Engagement: Deputy boosts team morale with Shift Pulse, a quick feedback tool using emoji ratings. Its mobile app supports seamless communication, shift swaps, time-off requests, and schedule checks
Labor Law Compliance: Helps businesses stay compliant with labor laws using built-in pay rules and real-time alerts for overtime, enabling smarter scheduling and reducing penalty risks
Leave Management: Manage all types of employees' leave from a single dashboard. Employees can request time off through the app, and managers can approve or decline requests anytime, keeping schedules on track
Pros And Cons
Pros
Provides real-time scheduling and crew communication tools
Customizable timecard attestations for multi-state compliance
When I Work is a workforce management software that simplifies employee scheduling and time tracking. It allows businesses to build schedules, monitor work hours, and enhance team communication through an easy-to-use platform.
Various industries and sectors such as retail, education, healthcare, hospitality, and volunteer can benefit from this software, streamlining their scheduling and shift management. Trusted by more than 150,000 workplaces, When I Work is a preferred solution for businesses aiming to cut down on administrative tasks, reduce labor expenses, and boost employee accountability.
Standout Features
Auto-Assign For OpenShifts: Unpublished OpenShifts are automatically assigned based on employee availability and qualifications, simplifying scheduling and ensuring coverage
GPS-Enabled Time Clock: Employees can clock in/out only within designated locations using GPS, ensuring accurate attendance and reducing time theft
Text Messaging Option: Managers can send group or individual text messages to employees via the TeamTxt service, even if recipients aren't using the app
Labor Forecasting: Enables businesses to optimize staffing by aligning workforce levels with anticipated demand, thereby controlling labor costs and enhancing operational efficiency
Easy-to-use system for both managers and employees
Cons
Frequent schedule mix-ups and login issues
Initial employee data entry can be time-consuming
Deputy Vs When I Work: Key Features Comparison
1. Employee Scheduling
Deputy delivers a powerful employee scheduling solution that simplifies workforce management through automations. Its AI-driven ‘Auto-Scheduling’ feature enables managers to generate optimized schedules with a single click. Additional features include shift swapping—where employees can trade shifts and full mobile access, so both managers and staff can handle scheduling, time-off requests, and communication from any device.
A user appreciates the software for its ability to organize company schedules efficiently. They value how Deputy creates optimized work schedules quickly, considering essential aspects like employee skills, costs, and location.
When I Work provides a user-friendly scheduling platform designed to ease shift management. Its Auto Scheduling tool quickly creates schedules by automatically assigning shifts based on availability, skills, and approved time off. Managers can use reusable schedule templates for recurring shifts, saving time.
Users praise the self-scheduling feature, which allows employees to stay in sync through the app. However, they find it challenging to compare scheduled vs worked hours briefly for large groups of employees. They also wish there was an easier way to consolidate both work and personal schedules in one place to spot conflicts.
Winner: Deputy stands out in this section with its advanced AI-powered Auto-Scheduling feature.
2. Time Management
Deputy's ‘Time and Attendance’ module provides an all-in-one solution for tracking employee hours and maintaining compliance with labor laws. It automates wage calculations, including overtime and role-specific pay rates, minimizing manual errors and administrative tasks. Real-time attendance tracking allows managers to monitor who is on shift, late, or on break, enabling quick decision-making.
When I Work’s time clock feature is user-friendly and flexible, allowing employees to clock in and out on any device. The software's GPS tracking and geofencing prevent time theft by ensuring employees are at designated locations when clocking in. Managers can set pay rules and receive alerts for missed check-ins and outs.
Winner: It's a tie since both platforms offer robust time tracking features.
3. Team Communications
Deputy fosters team collaboration with integrated communication tools. The platform’s ‘Newsfeed’ feature allows managers to share updates, documents, and messages with either the entire team or specific groups. Additionally, the software also offers features like shift feedback, enabling employees to share their experiences in real time and offering managers valuable insight into team morale.
When I Work simplifies team communication with its built-in messaging tool, allowing you to send individual messages or create group communications for an entire team or department. Its WorkChat feature facilitates seamless team communication. Employees can send messages individually or in group chats, all without exchanging personal contact information. The platform also includes an easy-to-use alert and notification system that ensures important messages are delivered promptly.
Winner: When I Work excels in this section as its WorkChat feature stands out with its dynamic and customizable messaging experience.
4. Integrations
Deputy offers a wide array of integrations designed to streamline business operations. It connects seamlessly with numerous payroll systems such as ADP, Gusto, and QuickBooks, simplifying payroll processing. In the point of sale (POS) sector, Deputy integrates with systems like Square, Clover, and Vend, allowing sales data to drive staffing decisions. The platform also works well with HR software such as BambooHR and HiBob, ensuring smooth employee data management.
When I Work focuses on key integrations that support its scheduling and time-tracking capabilities. It integrates with payroll providers like Gusto, ADP Workforce Now, and Paychex to simplify the transfer of timesheet data for payroll. Additionally, the platform connects with tools like Zapier for automation across various applications.
Winner: This section ends with a tie since both software offers diverse integration options.
5. Pricing
Deputy provides a transparent pricing structure with various tiers to suit businesses of all sizes. It offers a 31-day free trial, giving users the opportunity to try out the platform. Here’s the breakdown of its pricing plans:
Scheduling: $4.50/user/month
Time & Attendance: $4.50/user/month
Premium: $6/user/month
Enterprise: Custom pricing
However, for add-ons like Deputy HR, an additional cost of $2/user/month will be required.
When I Work offers three paid plans with a 14-day free trial. Here’s the pricing breakdown:
Single Location or Schedule: $2.50/user/month
Multi Locations & Schedule: $4/user/month
Winner: When I Work wins this section due to its budget-friendly pricing plans, making it suitable for small businesses.
Final Verdict — Which Platform Best Matches Your Needs?
In summary, both Deputy and When I Work are strong options in employee scheduling software, each catering to different priorities. Deputy stands out with its robust automation, compliance features, and wide-ranging integrations—making it well-suited for businesses seeking scalable, data-driven solutions.
Conversely, When I Work offers a more user-friendly, communication-centered approach, ideal for smaller teams or organizations that value simplicity and collaboration.
Compare Deputy with other platforms like Planday for a deeper understanding of its capabilities in workforce management.
