Online Scheduling software

Updated: August 01, 2023

Online scheduling software is a digital solution that automates and streamlines the process of booking appointments, meetings, and events over the internet. These platforms offer a user-friendly interface where businesses and individuals can set their availability, allowing clients, customers, or colleagues to view open time slots and schedule appointments at their convenience. Online scheduling software eliminates the need for back-and-forth email exchanges or phone calls, reducing scheduling conflicts and no-shows. With features like automated reminders, calendar integration, and time zone adjustments, these platforms ensure efficient and seamless appointment management. Online scheduling software benefits various industries, including healthcare, professional services, education, and hospitality, optimizing time management and enhancing customer satisfaction by simplifying the booking process and providing a reliable and user-friendly way to schedule and manage appointments online.

See also: Top 10 Productivity software

2021. Skello raises $47.3 million for its employee scheduling tool



French startup Skello has secured a funding round of $47.3 million (€40 million) to further develop its software-as-a-service tool for efficient company work schedule management. Skello stands out by automatically considering local labor laws and collective agreements, making it a unique solution. The platform caters to a wide range of industries including retail, hospitality, pharmacies, bakeries, gyms, and escape games. Many businesses in these sectors were previously reliant on Microsoft Excel for scheduling purposes. With Skello, both managers and employees benefit from an online service that provides a comprehensive overview of staff schedules, allows managers to fill gaps by assigning employees, and offers various functionalities to streamline the scheduling process.


2020. Undock raises $1.6M to make group meeting scheduling easier



In the past decade, numerous startups have endeavored to revolutionize the way we schedule our meetings and calls, albeit with mixed success. However, there appears to be a resurgence in calendar innovation, with established players like Google and Outlook continuously improving their offerings, and emerging platforms like Calendly experiencing substantial growth. Joining this competitive landscape, Undock, a startup aiming to make its mark in this domain, has recently concluded a successful seed round, securing $1.6 million in funding. Undock introduces a Chrome extension that seamlessly enables users to view mutual availability within a group, regardless of whether all members possess Undock, directly from their email interface.


2019. Workforce management solution Quinyx raises $25M



Quinyx, a cloud-based workforce management solution, has successfully secured an additional $25 million in funding. The company's software facilitates effective employee scheduling, communication, task management, and seamless integration with payroll systems, catering to businesses of all sizes. Quinyx primarily focuses on managing shift-based or flexible workers, encompassing industries such as fast food. Notable clients of Quinyx include McDonald's, London City Airport, Burger King, Rituals, Swarovski, IHG, and Boots, with recent additions like Daniel Wellington and Odeon Cinemas Group. The software offers a comprehensive range of features, including scheduling, shift planning, shift swapping, timesheet functionality enabled through worker check-ins using Quinyx's mobile apps, and budget forecasting capabilities.


2018. Zoho People 4.0 adds employee services portal



Zoho has introduced the latest version of its online HR management system, Zoho People 4.0, which boasts a refreshed interface and numerous enhancements. Zoho People 4.0 introduces a new feature called Services, offering employees and HR professionals a streamlined way to handle important actions. With Services, administrators can take control of various components, such as creating forms, implementing workflows, and automating processes with specific permissions and approval criteria. Additionally, admins can include FAQs and other company documents to provide essential information about these Services. The new Cases section in Zoho People allows employees to directly ask questions and receive answers, eliminating the need for back-and-forth emails or reliance on multiple communication channels. This query-management tool not only empowers employees but also simplifies the process for HR to manage and categorize queries effectively. Furthermore, Zoho People 4.0 offers enhanced customization options for leave policies, advanced analytics capabilities, a redesigned Self-service section, and improved job scheduling features. These updates provide users with a deeper level of personalization and better overall user experience.


2018. Basecamp adds recurring events and image galleries



Project management service Basecamp has introduced several exciting new features. The first addition is Recurring events, allowing users to schedule daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly repeating events within Basecamp 3. Users can choose to set the recurrence until a specific date or continue indefinitely. The second feature is Image galleries, which enables users to showcase their work or share photos in visually appealing side-by-side or three-in-a-row layouts. This enhancement makes it easier than ever to present visual content. Lastly, Basecamp introduces Automatic Check-ins, a simple and informal tool extensively utilized for team communication. The entire company can engage in queries such as sharing weekend activities and work updates, while smaller teams like Support can address specific questions related to common issues encountered during the week. These new features enrich the Basecamp experience, enhancing collaboration and streamlining communication within teams.


2018. G Suite apps and Google Calendar are getting Gmail’s side panels



The new Gmail boasts a notable feature: a convenient quick-access side panel that provides easy navigation to Google Calendar, Tasks, Keep, and Gmail extensions. Now, Google is extending this functionality to other applications within the G Suite, including Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings. In Google Calendar, users will have swift access to Keep and Tasks, while in the remaining G Suite apps, they will enjoy easy access to Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. G Suite subscribers on the rapid release schedule can already access this feature, while those on the slower release schedule can expect access within two weeks.


2017. Microsoft launched StaffHub - a new Office 365 app aimed at shift workers


Microsoft has introduced a new application called StaffHub as part of its Office 365 suite. Designed specifically for shift workers and management, StaffHub caters to individuals in various industries such as retail, hospitality, and restaurants, who have flexible schedules that vary from week to week. While managers can utilize the web version of StaffHub on desktop or laptop computers to create staff schedules, employees primarily interact with StaffHub through their mobile phones. With StaffHub, employees can conveniently swap shifts with their colleagues using the mobile app, as well as request time off, which then goes through a manager's approval process. Push notifications keep users informed about these requests, approvals, and other updates, including private notes, chats, and more. Additionally, StaffHub facilitates the sharing of notifications and internal resources among team members. Office 365 commercial plan users can access StaffHub for free, making it an accessible and valuable addition to Microsoft's suite of productivity tools.


2016. Mobile Outlook gets built-in meeting scheduler



Mobile Outlook has introduced a new scheduling assistant feature designed to facilitate finding a suitable time for everyone involved. This feature, now available in the iOS version of Outlook's mobile app, displays the availability of your coworkers, enabling you to effortlessly select a date and time that accommodates everyone's schedules. To utilize the scheduling assistant, you simply create an event using the app's built-in calendar and add your coworkers to the People field. When selecting the date, the app will automatically present color-coded suggestions, indicating the most optimal times for the meeting based on availability.


2015. Microsoft's mobile calendar Sunrise makes scheduling meetings easier


Mobile calendar app Sunrise, which was recently acquired by Microsoft, has introduced a new functionality named Meet. This feature serves as a third-party keyboard available for both Android and iOS, enabling users to select specific time slots and share them with others without having to exit the current application. Here's a breakdown of how it operates: Suppose you are reading an email and someone requests a meeting. After composing your response, you switch to the Sunrise keyboard. Within the keyboard interface, you choose suitable time slots from your calendar and finalize your selection. Subsequently, Sunrise generates a link that is seamlessly integrated into your email. This same process functions identically within your preferred messaging app or any other application you're using. When the recipient taps on the provided link, two different scenarios may arise. If the recipient also utilizes Sunrise, the link will launch the app, displaying meeting suggestions within their calendar. They can then either confirm the proposed time or propose an alternative.