Overview
Fourth is a workforce management and inventory software platform for hospitality and restaurant industries. The platform combines scheduling, time and attendance, payroll, and inventory management with built-in labor compliance tools. Fourth includes HotSchedules, the restaurant industry's leading workforce management software.
Time & Attendance Features
- Multi-Platform Time Clocks: Web, mobile, tablet, and biometric options
- Mobile Punch: Employees clock in/out from smartphones
- Geofencing: Location-based clock-in restrictions
- Shift Verification: Compare scheduled vs actual hours
- Tip Tracking: Capture and allocate tips by shift
- Break Compliance: Meal and rest break enforcement
- Overtime Alerts: Real-time notifications when approaching OT
- Time-Off Management: Request and approve PTO through mobile app
- Attestation: Manager approval of time entries
Scheduling Features (HotSchedules)
- Demand-Based Scheduling: Create schedules based on sales forecasts
- Auto-Scheduling: AI-generated optimal schedules
- Labor Cost Controls: Schedule within budget constraints
- Shift Management: Build, publish, and modify schedules
- Schedule Templates: Reusable scheduling patterns
- Shift Marketplace: Employees pick up and swap shifts
- Availability Management: Collect and honor employee availability
- Mobile Schedules: Staff access schedules from phones
- Schedule Notifications: Automatic alerts for schedule changes
Labor Forecasting
- Sales-Based Forecasting: Predict labor needs from sales data
- Historical Analysis: Use past patterns for future planning
- Event Integration: Adjust forecasts for special events
- Multi-Unit Forecasting: Forecast across restaurant groups
- Budget Alignment: Forecast within labor budget parameters
Compliance Management
- Labor Law Compliance: Automatic adherence to federal, state, local laws
- Predictive Scheduling: Meet fair workweek requirements
- Break Rules: Enforce mandatory meal and rest breaks
- Overtime Regulations: Configurable OT rules by jurisdiction
- Minor Labor Laws: Special protections for underage workers
- Audit-Ready Records: Complete compliance documentation
Payroll Integration
- Seamless Payroll Export: Send time data to payroll providers
- Tip Reporting: Track and report tip income
- Multi-Location Payroll: Support for restaurant groups
- PTO Accruals: Automatic vacation and sick time calculations
- Wage & Hour Compliance: Ensure proper compensation
Inventory Management
- Recipe Costing: Calculate food and beverage costs
- Purchase Orders: Vendor ordering and receiving
- Inventory Counts: Track stock levels and usage
- Waste Tracking: Monitor and reduce waste
- Theoretical vs Actual: Compare expected vs actual usage
- Menu Engineering: Analyze profitability by menu item
Restaurant-Specific Features
- FOH/BOH Scheduling: Separate front and back of house management
- Station Assignments: Assign servers to sections
- Sales Integration: Connect with POS systems for sales data
- Labor Cost %: Track labor as percentage of sales
- Multi-Concept Support: Manage different restaurant brands
Mobile Capabilities
- Full-featured mobile app for managers and staff
- View schedules and request time off
- Clock in/out from mobile devices
- Shift trading and pickup
- Manager approvals on-the-go
- Real-time labor cost visibility
Reporting & Analytics
- Labor Cost Reports: Real-time and historical labor analysis
- Sales vs Labor: Compare labor costs to revenue
- Productivity Metrics: Covers per labor hour, tables per server
- Schedule Compliance: Scheduled vs actual hours variance
- Overtime Reports: Track and control overtime costs
- Custom Dashboards: Executive KPI visibility
Benefits
- Reduces labor costs by 2-5% through optimized scheduling
- Improves schedule accuracy and reduces conflicts
- Ensures compliance with complex restaurant labor laws
- Increases employee engagement with mobile access
- Provides real-time visibility into labor costs and sales
- Streamlines communication between managers and staff
- Reduces food costs through better inventory management
Integrations
- Major POS systems (Toast, Square, Clover, NCR, Oracle, etc.)
- Payroll providers (ADP, Paychex, Ceridian, etc.)
- HRIS systems
- Accounting software
- Online ordering platforms
Pricing
Fourth offers customized pricing based on number of locations, employees, and features. Pricing typically includes setup, training, and ongoing support. Contact for detailed quote.
