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ESO Scheduling vs Branch

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Our analysts compared ESO Scheduling vs Branch based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Employee Scheduling Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Overview Pricing Benefits & Features User Ratings Analyst Summary Screenshots
ESO Scheduling Software Tool
SelectHub Award Winner
Branch Software Tool
SelectHub Award Winner
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Product Basics

ESO Scheduling is a robust software solution designed to streamline employee scheduling, particularly for emergency medical services, fire departments, and hospitals. It offers features like automated shift assignments, time-off management, and real-time schedule updates, making it ideal for organizations that require precise and flexible scheduling to ensure optimal staffing levels. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and the ability to integrate with other systems, enhancing overall operational efficiency. The software stands out for its ability to handle complex scheduling needs, such as accommodating varying shift patterns and managing certifications and training requirements. This ensures that only qualified personnel are scheduled for specific tasks, reducing the risk of errors. Pricing typically varies based on the size of the organization and the specific features required, with options for monthly or annual payments. Compared to similar products, ESO Scheduling is praised for its reliability and comprehensive support, making it a preferred choice for critical service providers.
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The Branch app is a mobile-first solution that connects employees working on an hourly basis with enterprises. Employees can pick up available shifts within minutes rather than wasting valuable time in search of available shifts. Employees can earn more by working available shifts, collect advance paychecks and plan their finances.

It offers modules that bridge the communication gap between hourly workers and companies. Employees can find convenient shifts and can swap shifts in case of an emergency. Its seamless interface reduces absenteeism, saves time and cuts costs.
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$795 Annually
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$5 Monthly, Freemium
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Chromebook
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Mobile
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On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
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Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Improved Efficiency: Automate scheduling tasks to reduce manual errors and save time, allowing managers to focus on strategic activities.
  • Enhanced Employee Satisfaction: Provide employees with more predictable schedules and the ability to request time off or swap shifts easily, leading to higher job satisfaction.
  • Cost Savings: Optimize labor costs by ensuring the right number of staff are scheduled based on demand forecasts, reducing overtime and understaffing issues.
  • Compliance Management: Ensure adherence to labor laws and company policies by automatically tracking hours worked, breaks, and overtime.
  • Real-Time Updates: Instantly communicate schedule changes to employees via mobile notifications, reducing miscommunication and no-shows.
  • Data-Driven Decisions: Utilize analytics and reporting tools to gain insights into workforce trends, helping to make informed staffing decisions.
  • Scalability: Easily adjust to the needs of growing businesses by managing schedules for a small team or a large workforce with equal efficiency.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with payroll, HR, and other enterprise systems to streamline operations and ensure data consistency.
  • Employee Empowerment: Allow employees to view their schedules, request changes, and communicate availability through a user-friendly interface, fostering a sense of control and responsibility.
  • Reduced Administrative Burden: Minimize the time spent on scheduling-related administrative tasks, freeing up resources for other critical business functions.
  • Enhanced Communication: Facilitate better communication between managers and employees through built-in messaging and notification features.
  • Flexibility: Adapt to various scheduling needs, whether for part-time, full-time, or shift-based employees, ensuring all staffing requirements are met.
  • Improved Accountability: Track attendance and punctuality, helping to identify and address issues promptly, thereby improving overall workforce reliability.
  • Customizable Templates: Use pre-built or custom templates to quickly create schedules that meet specific business needs, reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.
  • Conflict Resolution: Automatically detect and resolve scheduling conflicts, ensuring smooth operations and reducing the likelihood of staffing issues.
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  • Automatic Notifications: Sends notifications automatically to employees about new messages, upcoming shifts, shift approvals or rejections. Its chat feature facilitates messaging between employees without having to share personal information. 
  • Improves Workers’ Finances: Provides various budgeting tools that help employees enhance their financial health. Employees can instantly access earned wages to pay their bills, unexpected expenses or emergencies ahead of the payroll period of two weeks. 
  • Boosts Earnings: Helps employees enhance their shift coverage and boost their earnings by picking up more shifts. 
  • Reduces Absenteeism Up to 43%: Offers a flexible platform for hourly employees to swap their shifts when their availability changes. This feature simplifies the scheduling process for shift managers and reduces employee absenteeism by as much as 43%. 
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  • Drag-and-Drop Interface: Easily create and adjust schedules by dragging and dropping shifts into place.
  • Real-Time Updates: Instant notifications for schedule changes, ensuring all team members are always informed.
  • Shift Swapping: Employees can request and approve shift swaps directly within the platform, streamlining the process.
  • Automated Scheduling: Generate schedules based on predefined rules and employee availability, reducing manual effort.
  • Mobile Access: Access and manage schedules from any device, providing flexibility for both managers and employees.
  • Compliance Tracking: Ensure schedules adhere to labor laws and company policies, minimizing legal risks.
  • Time-Off Management: Track and approve time-off requests, integrating them seamlessly into the scheduling process.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate detailed reports on scheduling metrics, helping to identify trends and optimize workforce management.
  • Integration with Payroll Systems: Sync scheduling data with payroll software to streamline payroll processing and reduce errors.
  • Employee Self-Service Portal: Allow employees to view their schedules, request changes, and communicate with managers directly through the platform.
  • Customizable Templates: Create and save schedule templates for recurring shifts, saving time on future scheduling tasks.
  • Overtime Management: Monitor and control overtime hours to manage labor costs effectively.
  • Shift Reminders: Automated reminders sent to employees before their shifts, reducing no-shows and tardiness.
  • Role-Based Permissions: Assign different access levels to users based on their roles, ensuring data security and appropriate access.
  • Historical Data Access: Access past schedules and employee attendance records for reference and compliance purposes.
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  • Self-Service Design: Offers a self-service platform to employees so that they can swap shifts as per their availability. This functionality eliminates administrative hassles and drastically reduces the time spent on scheduling. 
  • AI Chatbots: Designed with artificial intelligence chatbots to facilitate the onboarding of the staff, training, engagement and learning. 
  • Mobile Application: A native mobile application helps employees manage their shift coverage, earnings, leaves, overtime and attendance. 
  • Communication Tools: Offers numerous features that strengthen communications within businesses and boosts coordination. Shift managers can broadcast important updates and announcements to ensure everyone is informed, and important tasks are finished within deadlines. 
  • Reporting and Dashboards: Offers automated reporting tools and dashboards to report survey results in real time. Businesses can generate various customizable reports that can aid their improvement and help with employee performance reviews. 
  • Performance Benchmarking: Compare survey results with industry benchmarks and discover the areas that need improvement. It can be used to improve the performance of an employee or shake up things high up the ladder. 
  • Integrations: Seamlessly integrate with various third-party applications like Zapier, Box, Salesforce and SAP. Connect with the company’s external systems to complete team workflows. 
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Product Ranking

#58

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

#85

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 31 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 1616 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

ESO Scheduling has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 31 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

91%
of users recommend this product

Branch has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 1616 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

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4.5 (14)
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4.4 (219)
4.48 (31)
4.58 (679)
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4.6 (675)
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3.9 (29)

Awards

ESO Scheduling stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Branch stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy to Use: Users find the interface intuitive and easy to navigate, making it simple to create and manage schedules.
Flexible Scheduling: The system allows for various scheduling options, including shift swaps, time-off requests, and different shift types, accommodating diverse employee needs.
Mobile Access: Employees can access and manage their schedules from their mobile devices, enhancing flexibility and communication.
Real-Time Updates: The system provides real-time updates on schedule changes, ensuring everyone is informed and on the same page.
Automated Reminders: The system sends automated reminders for shift changes, time-off requests, and other important events, reducing the risk of missed shifts.
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Ease of Use: All users who referred to ease of use said that the system is straightforward, making it easy to learn, use and navigate.
Communication: Provides an easy way to communicate with teams and includes supervision for more efficient workflows, as noted by all reviewers who referred to communication.
Management: All users who specified management said it streamlines managing and tracking of schedules, shifts, finances and more.
Advance Paycheck: All users who mentioned advance paychecks liked the ability to take paycheck advances or loans when needed.
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Limited Customization: Some users find the scheduling options too rigid, making it difficult to accommodate unique employee needs or business requirements. For example, they may not be able to easily adjust shift lengths or create specific break schedules.
Complex Interface: The interface can be overwhelming for new users, with a steep learning curve and a lack of intuitive navigation. This can lead to frustration and wasted time trying to understand the system.
Poor Mobile Experience: The mobile app is often reported as clunky and difficult to use, making it challenging for employees to manage their schedules on the go. This can be a major inconvenience for employees who rely on their phones for scheduling information.
Lack of Integration: ESO Scheduling may not integrate well with other business systems, such as payroll or time tracking software. This can lead to data duplication and manual workarounds, increasing the risk of errors and inefficiencies.
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Performance: All users who referred to performance said that the system can be slow, glitchy and also crash at times.
Integration: It doesn’t link with all banks or applications, as observed by 86% of users who mentioned linking.
Customer Support: All users who talked about customer support wished that support would be available online via 24/7 chat and phone.
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User reviews from the past year on ESO Scheduling are largely positive, highlighting its suitability for EMS and fire departments. Users particularly appreciate its comprehensive suite of features, including employee scheduling, time and attendance tracking, payroll management, and certification tracking, all within a single platform. This integration simplifies administrative tasks and reduces the need for multiple software solutions, saving time and money. Users rave about the significant reduction in payroll processing time, citing a decrease from an entire workday to under 30 minutes. The ability for employees to access schedules and submit requests from anywhere is also frequently commended. However, some users find the software's navigation to be convoluted due to its extensive menu options, making it challenging to locate specific functions quickly. While acknowledging this drawback, ESO Solutions states that their development team is actively working on simplifying the user interface for improved ease of use. Overall, ESO Scheduling is best suited for EMS and fire departments seeking an all-in-one solution to streamline operations and reduce administrative burden, particularly those prioritizing efficient payroll processing and flexible employee access.

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Branch is a cloud-based solution for time and productivity tracking for companies managing multiple shifts. It provides the capability to monitor work hours, view schedules, assign tasks, plan shifts and communicate with employees. Provides visibility on employee availability both in real time and in the future to help managers plan resources and workflows. A self-service mobile app enables employees to track everyday schedules and budgets, message colleagues, take advance paychecks and earn more money by taking shifts that are available. Some reviewers mentioned that it doesn’t link with all the banks and applications, preventing them from using the cash advance feature. The system can be glitchy, slow and crash at times. Users wished that customer support would be made available online via 24/7 options, which would be more pragmatic and reliable.

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Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Employee Scheduling Software

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