Keep what is working
A spreadsheet may be sufficient when the process is simple, staff know which copy is current, and responsibility for updates is clear. It can also be useful for calculations, planning, and reviewing exported data.
Some spreadsheet platforms support shared editing, permissions, and version history. Check the tools you already have instead of assuming those capabilities require a new product.
For aggregate counts, the free nightly census spreadsheet gives you a daily log, monthly summary, and worked example. It can help test whether a clearer worksheet solves your immediate reporting task.
Look for repeated coordination problems
- Staff check more than one list to determine whether a bed is ready.
- An arrival is recorded but another shift cannot find the placement.
- Nightly counts require repeated reconciliation.
- Open tasks are buried in messages or depend on someone’s memory.
- Maintaining access and copies becomes a recurring administrative chore.
These are prompts for investigation, not proof that you need to buy software. Clarifying ownership or simplifying a worksheet may solve some of them.
Compare the tradeoffs
| Area | Spreadsheet approach | Dedicated shelter workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Daily workflow | You design the sheets, formulas, and update routine. | Evaluate whether the supplied bed, intake, and census workflows match your routine. |
| Shared information | Depends on your platform, permissions, and how copies are managed. | Check how staff see updates and what happens when changes conflict. |
| Setup | Familiar tools can be quick to start but require ongoing ownership. | Allow time to configure the facility and introduce staff to the workflow. |
| Cost | May already be covered by existing licenses; include staff maintenance time. | Check the full subscription price, staff fees, support, and exit options. |
| HMIS | Do not assume a worksheet can replace required entry or reporting. | Confirm actual integration; ShelterCurrent does not automatically sync with HMIS. |
Run a small comparison before committing
Use fictional data to walk through an arrival, a bed becoming unavailable, the nightly count, and a shift handoff. Ask a frontline staff member to try the same scenarios in your current tools and the candidate product.
Write down where they need help, repeat entry, or search for information. Compare the effort over the whole shift, including setup and HMIS work. The software comparison worksheet provides space for evidence and costs; it does not calculate a preferred vendor. Record observed results rather than assumed time savings.
Consider ShelterCurrent when the workflow fits
ShelterCurrent brings beds, intake, census, shift notes, tasks, and operational reports together for one eligible emergency shelter. It costs $79 per facility/month plus applicable taxes, without a per-user charge. Setup is manual, support is by email, and there is no free trial or annual plan.
The public demo requires no account and uses fictional data. Start with the shared bed board to compare how staff find a ready bed, then review pricing and eligibility before starting a subscription.