When I Work

What When I Work does

When I Work is a Minneapolis-based SaaS company founded in 2012 that provides employee scheduling, time tracking, and team messaging software for shift-based and hourly workforces. The platform serves more than 200,000 workplaces, predominantly small and mid-sized businesses across verticals including restaurants, retail, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, call centers, and franchise operations, with select enterprise references such as Dunkin', Ben & Jerry's, and 1-800-GOT-JUNK!. The product is positioned for the "deskless worker" — hourly employees and frontline managers who historically coordinate shifts via spreadsheets, group texts, and bulletin boards.

The platform is built as a mobile-first, cloud-based workforce management suite that consolidates three core products — employee scheduling, time clock/attendance, and team messaging (WorkChat) — into a single application. Notable technical capabilities include GPS-enabled clock-ins with geofencing for attendance verification, a smart auto-scheduler that matches shifts based on eligibility, availability, and preferences, and a labor forecasting module that compares scheduled hours against demand to prevent overstaffing. Add-on modules include multi-location management, overtime tracking, timesheet processing, and employee engagement tools, with an open API and native integrations to major payroll providers (ADP, Rippling, QuickBooks, Gusto). On-demand pay is offered through a third-party partnership with Clair following the 2023 acquisition of Lean Financial.

When I Work operates a hybrid go-to-market combining product-led growth with an enterprise field-sales motion. Customers can self-serve through a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, with plans starting at $2.50 per user per month and scaling in user tiers of five; larger organizations are supported via a "Schedule Demo" sales motion. Revenue is generated through per-user SaaS subscriptions with no long-term contracts and seasonal hibernation options for variable workforces. The company has raised approximately $224 million in total funding, including a $200 million growth round led by Bain Capital Tech Opportunities in November 2021 at an estimated $400 million post-money valuation, and employs 101–250 people operating primarily in the United States.

Name

When I Work

Legal name

When I Work, Inc.

Website

https://wheniwork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

When I Work is a Minneapolis-based SaaS platform providing employee scheduling, time tracking, and team messaging for over 200,000 shift-based workplaces across restaurants, retail, healthcare, hospitality, and other hourly verticals in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Management Software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Management & Scheduling (BPACAPAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Time, Attendance & Scheduling Administration (BPACAIAE)

Keywords

• Employee scheduling software
• Time and attendance
• Shift management platform
• Workforce management SaaS
• Team messaging tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription (Per User): Subscription-based SaaS model billed per user per month. Plans scale with team size using user tiers of five. No long-term contracts required. Includes scheduling, time tracking, team messaging, and integrations. 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

When I Work is a cloud-based, mobile-first SaaS workforce management platform built exclusively for hourly and shift-based workers. The platform combines employee scheduling, time and attendance with GPS-verified clock-ins and geofencing, and built-in team messaging into a single subscription product. It serves over 200,000 workplaces across restaurants, retail, healthcare, franchises, hospitality, manufacturing, and similar shift-based verticals, with pricing starting at $2.50 per user per month.

Product overview

When I Work is an all-in-one workforce management SaaS platform designed exclusively for hourly and shift-based workers. The platform combines three core products—Employee Scheduling, Time Clock/Time and Attendance, and Team Messaging—into a single mobile-first platform. Additional add-on modules include Automated Scheduling (smart auto-scheduler), Labor Forecasting, Multi-Location Scheduling, Overtime Tracking, Timesheet Software, Employee Retention, Employee Engagement, and Time Management tools. The platform also integrates with payroll providers (ADP, QuickBooks, Gusto, Rippling) and offers On-Demand Pay via a third-party partnership with Clair. Pricing starts at $2.50 per user per month with plans scaling based on team size in user tiers of five.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employee Scheduling Software Cloud-based scheduling application that lets managers build work schedules in minutes, publish OpenShifts to fill coverage gaps, and notify team members instantly via push. Designed for shift-based businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, healthcare facilities, franchises, and hospitality operations.
• Time Clock / Time and Attendance Mobile and kiosk time-tracking application that turns any device into a time clock, tracking attendance, breaks, and time off. Uses GPS clock-ins and geofencing to verify staff locations, prevent buddy punching, and feed accurate hours into payroll integrations.
• Team Messaging (WorkChat / TeamTxt) In-app team communication tool for shift reminders, announcements, and direct messages, allowing managers and hourly staff to coordinate without sharing personal phone numbers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save 14 hours per week on scheduling (YSU Mathematics Assistance Center)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered acquisition and core.

• Lean FinancialacquisitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2023Acquired fintech startup providing financial products including on-demand pay for the flex workforce. Lean Financial's offerings include rapid pay solutions and cash advances with a pipeline of hundreds of thousands of workers. The acquisition aims to help small business owners improve employee retention.
• ClaircoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party On-Demand Pay service provider integrated into When I Work. Allows eligible US-based users access to earned wages ahead of payday at no cost to workplaces with Time & Attendance enabled. Requires data sharing for hours worked, hourly rate, and break information.
• RipplingcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll integration partner. When I Work syncs attendance and labor data with Rippling to ensure consistency and eliminate manual data entry between systems.
• ADPcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll integration partner. Automatic sync of attendance and labor data from When I Work to ADP payroll platform.
• QuickBookscoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll and accounting integration partner. Syncs When I Work attendance and labor data with QuickBooks for payroll processing.
• GustocoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll integration partner. Automatic sync of When I Work time tracking data with Gusto payroll service.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sling: Sling is a shift scheduling and workforce communication tool built for restaurants, hotels, and retail SMBs. It overlaps with When I Work on shift planning, time tracking, and team messaging with similar pricing tiers.
• Deputy: Deputy is a cloud-based employee scheduling and workforce management platform for shift-based teams across hospitality, healthcare, and retail. It competes head-to-head with When I Work on SMB and mid-market scheduling, time tracking, and mobile-first shift management.
• Homebase: Homebase provides scheduling, time tracking, team communication, and hiring tools for hourly small businesses, especially restaurants and retail. It directly overlaps with When I Work's core PLG motion, free-tier model, and target verticals.
• 7shifts: 7shifts is an employee scheduling and team management app focused on the restaurant industry, offering shift planning, tip management, and labor compliance. It directly competes with When I Work for restaurant customers seeking mobile-first scheduling.
• Connecteam: Connecteam is an all-in-one employee management app covering scheduling, time tracking, communication, and checklists for deskless workers. It is a direct competitor to When I Work in mobile-first SMB workforce management.
• WorkJam: WorkJam provides digital workforce management including scheduling, task management, and employee engagement for shift-based and frontline workforces. It directly competes with When I Work's mobile-first scheduling and team messaging.
• Humanity (by Beeline): Humanity is a cloud-based employee scheduling and workforce management platform serving hospitality, healthcare, and retail. It competes with When I Work on shift planning, time and attendance, and compliance features.
• Shiftboard: Shiftboard offers shift scheduling, workforce management, and credential tracking for shift-based and on-demand workforces across healthcare, manufacturing, and public safety. It overlaps with When I Work on scheduling, time tracking, and credential/compliance.

Broad incumbents

• UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group): UKG (formed from Kronos and Ultimate Software) is a broad workforce management and HCM incumbent serving enterprise and mid-market. Its scheduling and time & attendance suites overlap with When I Work but are part of a much larger full-stack HCM portfolio.
• Rippling: Rippling is a unified workforce management, payroll, HR, and IT platform that bundles scheduling-adjacent capabilities into a broader employee system record. It is a key integration partner of When I Work but also an indirect competitor as it expands scheduling features.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wheniwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/wheniwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wheniwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/wheniwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about When I Work