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Running Guia Software on a Mac

Guia International's programs — Scheduling Employees for Windows, Employee Scheduling Assistant, and Picture Timeclock — are Windows applications. You can run them on an Apple Mac, and this page explains the options. The best choice depends on which type of Mac you have.

First: which Mac do you have?

Click the Apple menu → About This Mac and look at the chip or processor:

  • Apple M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 — this is an Apple silicon Mac (all Macs sold since late 2020). Use the virtual machine option below.
  • Intel — an older Mac. You can use a virtual machine or Boot Camp.

Recommended: run Windows in a virtual machine

A virtual machine (VM) runs Windows in a window alongside macOS. This works on every modern Mac, including Apple silicon, and is the most reliable option today. You install a Windows virtual machine, then install our software inside it exactly as you would on a Windows PC.

Two well-supported choices:

  • Parallels Desktop — the Microsoft-authorized way to run Windows 11 on Apple silicon Macs. Paid, with a free trial.
  • VMware Fusion — also runs Windows 11 on a Mac, and is now free for personal and commercial use.

Steps:

  1. Install Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion.
  2. Use it to install Windows 11 (the app will walk you through it).
  3. Inside Windows, download and install our software from the Trial Versions page just as you would on a PC, and enter your registration code to unlock it.

Try it free first. Both VM programs offer free trials, and so does our software — so you can confirm everything works on your Mac before buying anything.

A note for Apple silicon Macs (M1 and later): Windows 11 in a virtual machine runs standard Windows programs, and we expect Scheduling Employees and Employee Scheduling Assistant to work well this way. We haven't yet completed our own testing on Apple silicon hardware, so we recommend using the free trials — of both the virtual machine software and our applications — to confirm everything runs the way you need before you buy. In particular, Picture Timeclock takes a photo at each punch, and that depends on your Mac's camera being available inside the virtual machine, which can vary from one setup to another. If you plan to run Picture Timeclock on an Apple silicon Mac, please test the free trial or contact our support team first so we can help confirm the camera works in your environment.

Boot Camp (Intel Macs only)

Boot Camp is Apple's built-in tool for installing Windows in a dual-boot setup: you choose macOS or Windows each time you start the Mac, and in Windows you install our software normally.

Important: Boot Camp works only on Intel-based Macs. Macs with Apple silicon (M1 and later) do not support it — use the virtual machine option instead. Apple's Boot Camp is also designed around Windows 10; if you use it, a virtual machine running Windows 11 is the more future-proof choice.

Apple's guide: Boot Camp Assistant User Guide.

CrossOver (advanced — no Windows license needed)

CrossOver from CodeWeavers runs Windows programs on a Mac without a full Windows installation. It avoids the cost of a Windows license, but it is more technical to set up and configure than a virtual machine.

If you'd like to try the CrossOver route, or you used it with an earlier version of Scheduling Employees, please contact our support team and we will help you with the current setup steps for your version.

Need a hand?

Email techsupport@workschedules.com and we'll help you get set up on your Mac. Every purchase includes 60 days of free support.