What's New in Rotahr: Reports, a Manager Log Book, and Smarter CRM Emails

Recent updates include a new Reports & Insights page that tracks labor cost versus revenue over 8, 12, or 26 weeks, allowing for trend spotting before issues arise. A Manager Log Book has been introduced, enabling staff to log issues directly and keep everyone updated in real-time. Additionally, CRM emails can now be sent from your own Gmail, featuring scannable promo offers with QR codes for easy redemption, enhancing customer engagement and operational efficiency.

Running a restaurant, bar, or hotel means juggling a dozen small fires at once — a fridge that needs fixing, a labour cost that crept up without anyone noticing, a regular customer you keep meaning to thank. We've shipped a batch of updates aimed squarely at those everyday moments, not just the big headline features.

Here's what's new.

See labour cost vs revenue over time, not just this week

Most scheduling tools show you a single week's numbers and leave it at that. Rotahr's new Reports & Insights page tracks labour cost against revenue over 8, 12, or 26 weeks, so you can actually spot a trend before it becomes a problem — a slow creep in overtime, a labour percentage drifting past your target, a bad week that turns out to be part of a bad month.

For example, let’s say you run a restaurant in Ireland with 20 staff members. Over the past 12 weeks, you notice that your labour cost has gradually increased from 25% of revenue to 30%. With this insight, you can take immediate action to adjust your scheduling before the issue worsens. If you have multiple venues, you’ll also see a per-venue breakdown of labour cost and hours, so you know exactly which location needs attention instead of guessing from a blended average.

A manager log book that staff can actually use

We added a proper Manager Log Book — a shared place for shift notes, "86'd" items that are out of stock, and repair or maintenance issues. The difference from a HACCP checklist or a WhatsApp group: any staff member can log an issue themselves, and managers get notified immediately, not whenever someone happens to check a group chat.

For instance, if a staff member notices a malfunctioning fridge, they can log it in the Manager Log Book, and the manager will receive a notification right away. Managers can also post running updates directly on an issue — "Called the repair company, they're out Tuesday at 2pm" — so the whole team can see where things stand without having to ask around.

Send CRM emails from your own inbox — with a scannable offer built in

If you've been using Rotahr's CRM to keep track of regulars, you can now connect your own Gmail so those emails go out from your real address instead of a generic no-reply one. Replies land in your actual inbox, and every email automatically includes your business name and contact details — no manual setup required.

We also added a Promo Offers tool that generates ready-made codes for the moments that matter most: a birthday drink, a "we miss you" offer for a customer who hasn't been back in a while, a thank-you for your regulars, or a welcome offer for a first-time visitor. Generate one, and it drops straight into a drafted email — QR code included, so staff can scan it at the till and confirm the redemption on the spot, no manual code-typing required. Offers can have an expiry date too, so a birthday offer doesn't get redeemed six months later.

Copyable Checklist for Using Rotahr’s New Features

1. Access Reports & Insights: Log in to your Rotahr account and navigate to the Reports & Insights page to review labour costs and revenue over the selected weeks.
2. Utilize the Manager Log Book: Encourage your staff to log issues in the Manager Log Book as they arise, ensuring everyone stays informed.
3. Connect Gmail for CRM Emails: Go to Settings in your Rotahr account and connect your Gmail to start sending personalized emails.
4. Create Promo Offers: Use the Promo Offers tool to generate codes for customer engagement, and draft emails with QR codes for easy redemption.
5. Review Compliance Warnings: Regularly check the compliance warnings tailored for your region to ensure adherence to local labour laws.

Compliance warnings that actually match where you operate

Labour law isn't the same everywhere, so we made the rota's overtime warning region-aware. A business running in euros sees the EU Working Time Directive threshold; a UK business sees the UK Working Time Regulations; a US business sees the FLSA's 40-hour overtime threshold instead of a European rule that was never going to apply to them; Canadian and Australian businesses get their own defaults too. It's a small thing, but it matters if you're actually trying to stay compliant rather than just seeing a generic red flag.

Common Mistakes and Their Consequences

1. Ignoring Labour Cost Trends: Failing to regularly check the Reports & Insights page can lead to a significant increase in labour costs without timely intervention, harming your profit margins.
2. Not Using the Manager Log Book: If staff do not log issues, problems may go unresolved, leading to operational inefficiencies and potential customer dissatisfaction.
3. Neglecting CRM Email Connections: Not connecting your Gmail can result in missed opportunities for customer engagement and communication, as emails will come from a generic address.
4. Overlooking Compliance Alerts: Ignoring region-specific compliance warnings can lead to legal issues and potential fines, jeopardizing business operations.

Why this batch, specifically

None of these are flashy on their own. But together they're about the same thing: giving operators visibility and control over the stuff that quietly costs money or goodwill if it slips — labour creep, a fridge nobody called about, a regular customer who never hears from you, a compliance rule that doesn't even apply to your country. That's the job Rotahr is trying to do well.

If you're already a customer, all of this is live now — nothing to install, nothing to configure beyond the optional Gmail connection in Settings. If you're not yet, see a demo and take a look around.

Related: Rotahr Pricing, Rotahr Features, Rotahr Blog