The roster is finished. Then a client moves the start time, a vehicle becomes unavailable and someone needs a replacement crew member. Changing a cell takes seconds. Making sure everyone has the right information can take much longer.
For traffic control and construction teams comparing spreadsheets vs crew scheduling software, that work around the roster deserves a closer look. Count the calls, repeated updates and records you chase before deciding what your current system really costs.
When a spreadsheet still earns its place
A familiar spreadsheet can suit a small, stable roster with clear ownership. It is flexible, and your team may already know how to use it. Modern spreadsheets can also support shared editing: Microsoft documents Excel co-authoring for supported versions and cloud storage.
The useful question is what happens after an allocation changes. How does the crew receive it? Who confirms the replacement? Where do worked hours come back? If your current process handles those steps reliably with little effort, record that as part of the comparison.
Look beyond the time spent building the roster
Track a representative week, including a busy day or late change. Record time by task so you can see where the work goes:
- Building and changing crew, vehicle and equipment allocations.
- Sending shift details and following up on responses.
- Checking availability, required tickets and job documents.
- Collecting worked hours, resolving missing details and preparing records for review.
Ask both the office and field team. Ten minutes saved by a scheduler means less if it creates another ten minutes of work for a supervisor. Record errors and rework too, but do not count the same time twice.
Put a value on the work you measure
For a simple comparison, multiply the hours spent on each task by the hourly employment cost of the person doing it. Use the same period and currency for both options, and add the software and service costs that apply.
Illustrative example, not a Trafftrak customer result: six hours of roster administration each week at an assumed AUD $45 per hour represents AUD $1,080 over four weeks: 6 × 4 × $45. That is the value of the time recorded, not a promise that software will remove it.
If your own trial showed that one hour per week could be recovered, the same assumptions would value that time at AUD $180 over four weeks. Compare that with any extra subscription, messaging or integration costs. Include setup, training and data preparation when assessing the initial change.
Recovered time may give your team room to handle more work; it does not automatically reduce wages or produce a cash saving. Keep that distinction clear when deciding whether the change is worthwhile.
What changes with Trafftrak?
Trafftrak connects crew, vehicle and equipment allocation with the field team’s mobile workflow. Staff can receive shift notifications, confirm or decline assignments and access details and documents for confirmed work. Team leaders can submit digital dockets recording worked hours for supervisor review, supporting payroll and invoicing preparation. Explore the Trafftrak field app.
These are useful steps to test against your current spreadsheet, phone and paperwork process. In a demonstration, change an assignment, check what the crew receives and follow the worked-hour information back to the office.
Keep scheduler review in the process. Trafftrak’s availability filters and job-ticket checks assist allocation, but overrides are possible. Software should not be treated as a guarantee that every assignment meets your requirements.
Compare the whole cost before switching
Trafftrak plans include unlimited user accounts and month-to-month terms. Monthly capacity allowances still apply; the employee allowance counts scheduled employees, not every account you create. Check current pricing and capacity limits, along with any third-party, integration or SMS costs relevant to your operation.
Agree what data needs to move, who will check it and how your team will learn the workflow. Then judge the software on a typical working day: the time it takes, the clarity of the handover and the records ready for review.
Bring your roster. Test the difference.
Show us a typical job and the changes your team handles. We can walk through how Trafftrak supports that work and discuss a plan that fits your scheduling volume.
Sources
- Microsoft: Excel co-authoring — shared editing requirements and capabilities.
- Trafftrak: Traffic Control App — field workflows and digital dockets.
- Trafftrak: Pricing — plans, capacity and service costs.
Product information reviewed 15 September 2026. The cost example uses hypothetical inputs; replace them with your own figures.