Free security guard schedule template (weekly rota)
A printable weekly rota for security companies: every site and post down the side, the days across the top, and space for shift times and officers. Print it, or save it as a PDF.
What should a security guard schedule include?
A security guard schedule should show every site and post, the shift times for each day of the week, the officer assigned to each shift and any shifts still uncovered. Add each officer's phone number and weekly hours, who to call about changes, and the date it was issued, and record every change after it is published.
Section by section
Week and issuer
The week the rota covers, who prepared it, when it was issued and who to call about changes.
Sites and posts
One row per site, post and shift, so a post that runs days and nights has a row for each shift.
Shift times
Start and end times in the 24-hour clock, including shifts that finish after midnight.
Officers
Who works each shift, with phone numbers and licence numbers in one list.
Hours
Each officer's total hours for the week, so you can spot overtime and rest problems before they happen.
Gaps and changes
Uncovered shifts and every change after publishing, with who arranged the cover.
Security schedule template
Use your browser's print dialog to print it or save it as a PDF; only the template is printed.
Rota details
Weekly rota (officer name in each box)
| Site / post | Shift times | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Officers this week
| Officer | Phone | Licence no. | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
Uncovered shifts and changes
| Date | Site / post | Shift | Change or cover arranged | By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Approval
Free template from ForceVera · forcevera.com/templates
Building a rota that holds up
- Publish the rota before the week starts and give every officer the same version.
- Give night shifts that cross midnight one row, with the start and end time, so no one counts them twice.
- Check each officer's total hours and rest between shifts against the law and your contracts before publishing.
- Keep a short list of relief officers and their phone numbers on the rota.
- Write every change on the rota as it happens, so the record shows who actually covered each shift.
Schedule the week in one grid
In ForceVera, you plan the week by site and guard, publish shifts to the guard app with reminders, see rejections and leave in one place, and export the schedule to PDF or Excel. See guard scheduling in ForceVera.
Questions, answered
How do you make a security guard schedule?
List each site, post and shift down the side and the days across the top, fill in an officer for each shift, check hours and rest, then publish it to the team and record changes as they happen.
What shift patterns do security companies use?
Common patterns are 8-hour shifts (three per day) and 12-hour shifts (days and nights), often on a rotating pattern such as 4 on, 4 off. The right pattern depends on the site's hours, the contract and working time rules.
How far ahead should a guard rota be published?
As early as you can, and before the week starts. Many companies publish one to two weeks ahead so officers can plan and gaps show up early.
Can the schedule be on guards' phones?
Yes. In ForceVera you build the week in a grid by site and guard, publish it to the guard app with reminders before each shift, and export it to PDF or Excel.
Your next shift could be verified.
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