How to set up volunteer rota

[Roger Pollard]

I do the rotas/schedule for volunteers at my church. Is it possible for excel to allocate volunteers to a rota whilst taking into account the days they are not available? Each rota has a list of names of volunteers prepared to be on the rota. Before the rota is completed we ask them to tell us the dates they can not help; then the names are allocated to the rota as fairly as possible making sure they are not rostered on a day they are unavailable. Then the rota is published paper format. I made, what i thought would be a helpful, start to a spreadsheet but can not find a way to easily take into account the days people are not available. Help with amending the sheet very welcome alternatively examples of how others have achieved similar.

[#2]

@Roger Pollard 

Hi Roger,

I hope you managed to solve your problem.

However, several churches and charities use our web-based application RotaCentral, which handles volunteers being able to set up their unavailabilities and works around them when allocating.  Optionally, it also does a host of other things such as ensuring that allocations are shared fairly, sending reminders by email or SMS text message, allowing volunteers to choose their own shifts and letting them swap with each other.

It's a great way to maximise the convenience for your volunteers while saving you admin time.

You can find us here: https://www.rotacentral.com and we do online on-to-one demos to explain everything and get you started.

I do recommend that you take a look.

I hope this helps.

Adam