Support
FIFO Rostering Software FAQ
Everything you need to know about Data Informatics. How it works, how your crew interacts, and how it fits alongside your current operation.
Getting started
What is Data Informatics and who is it for?+
Data Informatics is a workforce rostering platform purpose-built for FIFO and rotational operations across mining, energy, and remote infrastructure. It is designed for superintendents, roster coordinators, and site operations teams who need reliable crew coverage swing after swing.
How is it different from generic workforce tools?+
Most tools optimise cost, hours, or compliance. Data Informatics is built around crew reliability to keep the same trusted people showing up consistently. Features like standby crew management, backfill automation, and cross-site visibility are native to the platform, not bolted on.
How quickly can we get started?+
You can sign up, create your first roster, and import your crew from a spreadsheet in under ten minutes. There is no implementation project. Start with one crew and scale from there.
Is it a replacement for our existing HR or payroll system?+
No. Data Informatics handles operational rostering and crew confirmation: who is showing up to site. It sits alongside your HR and payroll systems, not instead of them.
Roster and crew management
What does the roster look like?+
The roster is a full spreadsheet-style grid showing every crew member against every day in the quarter. You can assign shift codes, copy-paste cells, and see the entire crew at a glance. It works like Excel but with version control and publishing built in.
Can I import my existing crew list from Excel?+
Yes. Download the import template, fill in your crew details (name, email, mobile, employee code), and upload. The platform validates and imports your team in one step. Mobile numbers are linked automatically for WhatsApp confirmations.
How does attendance confirmation work?+
When a roster is published, each crew member receives a WhatsApp message with their swing dates. They tap Yes or No to confirm. The superintendent sees real-time status on the roster: who has confirmed, who has declined, and who has not responded. No phone calls, no chasing.
How does backfill work when someone drops out?+
The superintendent selects the gap on the roster, chooses the date range and shift code, and the platform finds available crew across the entire tenant. Offers are sent via WhatsApp. The first person to accept is auto-filled into the roster and the superintendent is notified.
What is cross-site crew sharing?+
Contractors and crew members can belong to multiple sites within the platform. When you need to backfill, the eligibility engine looks across all your sites to find who is on R&R, on standby, or partially available, not just the crew on one roster.
Is there an audit trail for roster changes?+
Every roster publish creates an immutable snapshot. You can browse all published versions and see exactly what changed between any two. Built for fatigue management compliance, dispute resolution, and superintendent handovers.
Crew experience
Do crew members need to install an app?+
No. Crew members interact entirely through WhatsApp. They receive messages and tap to respond. There is nothing to install and no login to remember.
What about crew members who are not tech-savvy?+
The WhatsApp flow is designed to be simple. A crew member receives a message with their dates and taps a single reply. If someone does not respond, the superintendent can see that on the roster and follow up directly.
How do users sign in to the platform?+
Magic link email. Enter your email, receive a sign-in link, click it, and you are in. No passwords to manage or forget.
Plans and onboarding
Can I try it before committing?+
Yes. The Starter plan is free with no credit card required. Create your first roster, import your crew, and see how it works with your operation before upgrading.
How are plans structured?+
Plans scale by the number of admin seats, roster members, and active rosters you need. Every plan includes the full feature set: roster spreadsheet, backfill engine, attendance confirmation, publish and version control. Visit the pricing page for details.
Is implementation disruptive?+
Not at all. There is no integration project or IT dependency. Sign up, create a tenant for your site, import your crew, and start rostering. Most teams are operational within a day.
Can we keep our current rostering process alongside it?+
Absolutely. Many teams start by running Data Informatics in parallel with their existing spreadsheet or system, then transition once they see the crew confirmation and backfill automation working.
Security and data
How is our data secured?+
Encryption in transit and at rest, tenant-scoped data isolation, and role-based access control. Each organisation's data is completely separate. The platform runs on AWS infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region.
Can permissions reflect our org structure?+
Yes. Role-based access for owners, admins, superintendents, and crew. Only the right people see the right rosters and crew data.
Who can see and edit rosters?+
Roster access is scoped to the tenant (your site or organisation). Within a tenant, admins and superintendents can create and edit rosters. Crew members only see their own confirmation messages and do not have access to the roster grid.
Onboarding
How do I invite my team?+
From the Team page, add people individually or upload a spreadsheet of names, emails, and mobile numbers. Both admins and crew are added the same way; the role you assign determines what they can do. Admins build and publish rosters from the platform, while crew view their own roster in the platform (mobile app coming) and confirm swings via WhatsApp.
What are the roles and what do they do?+
There are three working roles plus an owner flag. Crew view their own roster and confirm swings via WhatsApp; they do not edit. Superintendents build, edit, and publish rosters, run backfills, and manage team membership. Site Admins do everything a Superintendent does, plus control billing and the plan. The owner is a flag rather than a separate role: the owner is always a Site Admin and is the only person who can transfer the account or promote other Site Admins. Superintendents and Site Admins each consume one admin seat on your plan; crew do not.
Can I assign or hand over roles to someone else?+
Yes. Any Site Admin or Superintendent can promote a crew member to Superintendent from the Team page, subject to the admin seat limit on your plan. Site Admin promotions are owner only. The owner can also transfer the account itself to another Site Admin from the Billing page, at which point that person inherits billing control and the right to mint new Site Admins, while the previous owner keeps their Superintendent role and full roster access.
Still have a question?
We will tailor answers to your sites, rotations, and crew model.