How L’Americano Espresso Bar Streamlined Rostering and Payroll

“The app has been really helpful for team communication. We can keep everything work-related in one place instead of relying on Facebook Messenger.”

Raphael Clementino, Store Manager

Key Results

• Rostering off spreadsheets. Shifts are now built, published, and tracked digitally, with rostering templates cutting repeat setup work each week.
• Payroll without the manual export loop. Time data flows directly to Xero, replacing a multi-step process that required manual spreadsheet fixes every pay cycle.
• One app, zero Facebook Messenger. Team communication moved off group chats and into a platform the whole team now carries on their phones.

The Challenge: Running a New Cafe on Spreadsheets and Group Chats

Opening a cafe from scratch is hard enough. Doing it while managing rosters on spreadsheets and communicating via Facebook Messenger meant that critical information got buried, availability requests went missing, and payroll required manual correction every fortnight.

1. Rosters were built in spreadsheets and communicated through Facebook Messenger, making it easy to lose availability messages between shifts.
2. A previous rostering and time-tracking setup failed because it could not handle variable pay rates for weekends and late nights, pushing all payroll data back into a spreadsheet before it could reach Xero.
3. There was no centralised system. Updates about new menus, policy changes, and roster changes were scattered across texts and group chats with no audit trail.

“I had to get all the information from Square, put it in a spreadsheet, and the spreadsheet goes to the accountant to put through Xero. That was just a lot of work. Didn’t make any sense.”

Raphael Clementino, Store Manager

How L’Americano Espresso Bar Uses Connecteam to Run a Tighter Operation

The team adopted Connecteam three weeks after opening, prioritising rostering and time tracking first, then expanding from there. The goal was direct: stop managing operations across three platforms and give the team one place to show up.

1. Connecteam’s rostering tool replaced the spreadsheet, with templates making it faster to build recurring shifts for kitchen, front-of-house, and evening function staff.
2. The Xero integration replaced the manual export process, with time data flowing directly to the accountant without requiring a corrected spreadsheet as an intermediary.
3. The in-app group chat replaced Facebook Messenger as the primary channel for team updates, shift announcements, and day-to-day communication.

“That saves us a lot of time, especially with the timesheets that I don’t have to export, fix, and import to Xero.”

Raphael Clementino, Store Manager

Results That Affect L’Americano’s Bottom Line

Payroll Processing With Less Manual Work

• Time data syncs from Connecteam to Xero each pay period, removing the step where the manager had to build and correct a spreadsheet before sending it to the accountant.
• The accountant receives structured time data directly, reducing the time spent correcting and reconciling hours manually.
• Pay rate accuracy across weekday, weekend, and late-night shifts is tracked within the platform rather than managed through a separate document.

Communication and Visibility in One Place

• Team updates, menu launches, and roster changes that previously went through Facebook Messenger now run through the Connecteam app.
• The manager can check who is rostered and who has clocked in at any point during the day from a single screen.
• Staff availability requests and time-off messages are captured in the platform, reducing the risk of missed messages during busy service periods.

“It’s definitely saved me time, and our accountant’s happy too. Fixing payroll issues in Connecteam was much easier than manually entering hours from spreadsheets every two weeks.”

Raphael Clementino, Store Manager

Before vs. After Connecteam

Why Connecteam Was the Right Move

L’Americano needed a platform that could handle hospitality-specific pay rates, connect cleanly with Xero, and replace the mix of spreadsheets and group chats that were slowing down every pay cycle. Previous rostering and time-tracking setup could not support variable weekend rates. Facebook Messenger left availability messages buried and forgotten. Connecteam covered both gaps, and the rostering templates, in-app communication, and direct Xero integration made it the clearest option available for a small, fast-moving hospitality team.