Sling
Restaurant and retail scheduling software with integrated time clock and team communication tools. Designed to simplify shift scheduling, time tracking, and labor cost management for businesses with hourly employees, particularly in food service and retail industries.
Last updated: 2026-03-20 12:37
Overview
Sling is an all-in-one workforce management platform built specifically for restaurants, retail stores, and businesses with hourly shift workers. It combines scheduling, time tracking, team communication, and task management in a single intuitive application designed to save managers time while improving team coordination.
Features
Smart Scheduling
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: Create schedules quickly with visual builder
- Availability Tracking: Employees set when they can and cannot work
- Conflict Alerts: Automatic warnings for double-bookings and availability conflicts
- Schedule Templates: Save and reuse common schedule patterns
- Shift Copy: Duplicate previous week's schedules with one click
- Color Coding: Visual organization by role, shift type, or location
- Schedule Publishing: Send schedules to entire team with notifications
- Multi-Location: Manage multiple store or restaurant locations
Time Clock
- Mobile Clock-In: Employees punch in/out from their smartphones
- Kiosk Mode: Use tablet as shared time clock for team
- GPS Geofencing: Ensure employees are on-site when clocking in
- Facial Recognition: Prevent buddy punching with photo verification
- Break Tracking: Automatic meal and rest break recording
- Time-Off Requests: Employees request time off through the app
- Timesheet Editing: Managers can adjust entries with audit trail
- Overtime Tracking: Monitor hours and receive overtime warnings
Labor Cost Management
- Real-Time Labor Costs: See current labor spending as schedules are built
- Budget Targets: Set daily, weekly, or monthly labor budgets
- Forecasting: Predict labor needs based on historical data and sales
- Cost Alerts: Notifications when approaching budget limits
- Labor Reports: Detailed analysis of labor costs by department, location, or time period
- Sales Integration: Connect with POS systems for labor-to-sales ratio tracking
Team Communication
- Group Messaging: Chat with entire team or specific groups
- Announcements: Broadcast important updates with read receipts
- Direct Messages: One-on-one communication between team members
- Shift Notes: Attach information to specific shifts
- File Sharing: Distribute menus, procedures, and training materials
- Message Scheduling: Schedule announcements for future delivery
Shift Management
- Shift Trading: Employees can offer shifts to coworkers
- Manager Approval: Control which trades happen automatically
- Open Shifts: Post available shifts for employees to claim
- Shift Reminders: Automated notifications before shifts begin
- Late Clock-In Alerts: Notify managers of tardiness
- Callout Management: Track no-shows and late arrivals
Task Management
- Task Lists: Create daily to-do lists for shifts and employees
- Recurring Tasks: Set up regular duties that repeat daily, weekly, or monthly
- Task Assignment: Assign specific tasks to roles or individuals
- Completion Tracking: Employees check off completed tasks
- Photo Verification: Employees can attach photos to completed tasks
- Shift Notes: Add context and instructions to tasks
Industry-Specific Features
For Restaurants
- Position-Based Scheduling: Schedule by role (servers, cooks, hosts)
- Shift Meal Tracking: Track employee meals for inventory and accounting
- Section Assignment: Assign servers to specific sections
- Kitchen vs Front of House: Separate scheduling views by area
- POS Integration: Connect with Toast, Square, Clover, and other restaurant POS systems
For Retail
- Peak Hour Scheduling: Ensure adequate coverage during busy times
- Sales-Based Forecasting: Schedule based on predicted foot traffic
- Multi-Department: Manage schedules across different store departments
- Seasonal Staffing: Handle fluctuating staffing needs
Mobile Apps
- iOS and Android: Native apps for employees and managers
- Manager View: Full scheduling and management capabilities on mobile
- Employee View: Simplified interface for viewing schedules and clocking in
- Offline Access: View schedules without internet connection
- Push Notifications: Instant alerts for schedule changes and messages
Integration Options
- Payroll: QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP, Paychex, Square Payroll
- POS Systems: Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, Revel
- Accounting: QuickBooks, Xero
- HR Systems: BambooHR, Namely
Benefits
- Save Scheduling Time: Build schedules in minutes, not hours
- Reduce Labor Costs: Real-time visibility prevents overstaffing
- Improve Communication: Keep team connected and informed
- Prevent Time Theft: GPS and facial recognition ensure accurate time tracking
- Increase Accountability: Task lists ensure critical duties are completed
- Simplify Compliance: Automatic break and overtime tracking
- Reduce No-Shows: Shift reminders decrease missed shifts
Pricing
Sling offers several pricing tiers:
Free Plan:
- Employee scheduling
- Shift trading
- Time-off requests
- Team messaging
- Up to 100 employees
Premium ($2/user/month):
- Time clock functionality
- GPS geofencing
- Task management
- Labor cost tracking
- Advanced reporting
Business ($4/user/month):
- All Premium features
- Facial recognition
- Payroll integrations
- POS integrations
- Priority support
- Multiple locations
All paid plans include a 14-day free trial. Annual billing offers discounts.
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