MySainsburys Kronos: Your Complete Guide to Scheduling and Rota Access

Welcome. MySainsburys Kronos is the workforce management system Sainsbury’s uses to handle your shifts, rota, working hours, time-off requests, and attendance records. If you have ever asked where to find your schedule, how to request holiday, or why your hours look wrong, Kronos is the system at the centre of those answers.

Does Sainsbury’s Still Use Kronos?

Yes. but the name has changed. Kronos was acquired by Ultimate Software and rebranded as UKG, which stands for Ultimate Kronos Group. The underlying scheduling and time-management system Sainsbury’s uses is now officially called UKG Workforce Central. Most colleagues, managers, and even internal resources still refer to it as Kronos, and that is completely fine. You will see both names used interchangeably across the OurSainsburys portal, internal guides, and in-store conversations.

So if someone tells you to access Kronos, they mean the same system. And if you see UKG mentioned in the app store or on a login screen, that is also Kronos. Same tool. New name.

What Is MySainsburys Kronos Used For?

Kronos is your rota and time system. It handles the following for all retail, convenience, logistics, and online fulfilment colleagues:

• Viewing your weekly rota and upcoming shifts — this is the most common reason colleagues access the system
• Checking your timecard — your recorded clock-in and clock-out times, total hours worked, and any exceptions or corrections
• Requesting holiday and time off — submit leave requests directly through the system, where your manager will approve or decline
• Shift swaps — some stores allow colleagues to request shift exchanges through the system, subject to manager approval
• Checking your holiday balance — view remaining leave entitlement for the current holiday year
• Reviewing attendance records — see your logged attendance, absences, and any flagged exceptions
• Viewing pending requests — check the status of holiday or shift-swap requests you have already submitted

Getting comfortable with Kronos matters. Errors in your timecard directly affect your pay. Checking your rota in the system rather than relying on a verbal update or a photo of a printed schedule means you always have the most current and accurate version.

How to Access MySainsburys Kronos on Desktop

You do not need a separate Kronos login. You access it using the same email address and password you use for the rest of the OurSainsburys portal.

Step one: Go to https://jsainsbury.sharepoint.com/sites/OurSainsburys and sign in with your Sainsbury’s work email and password. Complete the Microsoft verification step if prompted. For a Step By Step guide, go to Mysainsburys.

Step two: Once you are on the OurSainsburys dashboard, look for the Quick Access section. This is where Kronos is listed. Click on Kronos Desktop.

Step three: Kronos will open in a new tab. You may be asked to sign in again using the same Sainsbury’s credentials. This is normal and just a second authentication step for the workforce system.

Step four: You are in. Navigate to your rota, timecard, requests, or any other section you need.

If you do not see Kronos Desktop in Quick Access, try searching for it using the search bar on the OurSainsburys dashboard. You can also search for Kronos or schedule, and the portal will return the relevant links. Some stores and departments use a slightly different label, so look for anything labelled Kronos, UKG, My Schedule, Time and Attendance, or Workforce Management.

There is also a direct Kronos desktop web address:
https://sainsburys.kronos.net

This will redirect through Microsoft authentication. Sign in with your normal Sainsbury’s credentials and it will take you directly into the Kronos workspace without going through the OurSainsburys homepage first. Some colleagues find this faster, particularly if they are accessing Kronos regularly.

How to Set Up MySainsburys Kronos on Your Phone

You can access Kronos on a mobile device. There are two ways to do it.

Option 1: Browser on Mobile

Open your phone’s browser, go to OurSainsburys, sign in, and navigate to Kronos Desktop from Quick Access exactly as you would on a computer. The mobile browser version works. Some colleagues find it slightly cramped on a small screen, but all core functions are accessible. For help, visit Mysainsburys Login.

Option 2: The UKG Workforce App

For a better mobile experience, download the dedicated app. Here is exactly how to set it up:

1. Open the Google Play Store (Android) or the Apple App Store (iPhone) and search for UKG Workforce. Download and install the official app.
2. Open the app. It will ask for a server address.
3. Enter the following server name: sainsburys.kronos.net or https://sainsburys.kronos.net/wfc
4. Alternatively, copy and paste the full Kronos Desktop link from your desktop browser into the server search box on the app. Tap Search or Connect.
5. The app will load the Sainsbury’s login screen. Sign in with your Sainsbury’s work email and password — the same credentials you use for everything else.
6. If prompted to select a company, choose Sainsbury’s from the list.
7. On your first login, the app may ask you to set up a security question. Pick something you will genuinely remember.
8. Once signed in, your rota, timecard, and requests will be accessible from the app menu.

One thing to be aware of: the UKG Workforce app will ask you to log in again each time you close it and reopen it. This is a known behaviour and not a fault on your device. It is a security feature of the mobile authentication. Set up your credentials to auto-fill if your phone supports it, or use a password manager to save the login time.

Can You Use the Colleague Hub App to See Your Rota?

This is one of the most common points of confusion for new starters. The short answer is no — not reliably, and not in the way most people expect.

The Sainsbury’s Colleague Hub app is designed for answering customer queries in-store and receiving company news, policy updates, and internal announcements. It is published by Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd and available on both Android and iOS. You log in with your Sainsbury’s Digital ID, the same credentials used everywhere else.

However, the Colleague Hub app is not built for rota management. It does not give you full access to Kronos, your timecard, holiday requests, or shift-swap tools. Some versions may show limited schedule information, but for anything important — checking your shifts before the week starts, requesting holiday, verifying your hours before payday — you need to use either the OurSainsburys web portal or the UKG Workforce app directly.

Think of it this way. The Colleague Hub app keeps you informed. Kronos keeps you organised and paid correctly. Use both, but know which one to go to for which purpose.

Common Kronos Problems and How to Fix Them

I Cannot Find Kronos on OurSainsburys

Check the Quick Access section of the OurSainsburys dashboard. It should appear there as Kronos Desktop. If it is not visible, use the search bar and type Kronos. If it still does not appear, your account permissions may not yet include Kronos access. Ask your line manager to confirm whether your Kronos profile has been activated. New starters sometimes have a short delay between their general OurSainsburys access being set up and Kronos being linked to their account.

My Rota Is Blank

A blank rota almost always means the schedule for that period has not been published yet. Rotas are typically released a set number of days in advance, and the timeline varies by department and store. If your rota is blank for a week that is starting soon, ask your manager directly whether the schedule has been uploaded. Do not assume you have no shifts. Check again the following day before raising it formally.

My Timecard Shows the Wrong Hours

If your recorded hours do not match what you actually worked, flag it to your manager straight away. Do not wait until after payday, as payroll corrections are processed within pay periods and a late report may not be reflected until the following month. Take a screenshot of the timecard showing the discrepancy and note the dates and shifts affected when you raise it.

I Cannot Log In to the UKG Workforce App

Work through these steps in order. First, confirm you are using the correct server address: sainsburys.kronos.net. Second, check that your Sainsbury’s email and password are current — if you recently changed your OurSainsburys password, you will need to use the updated one here too. Third, check your internet connection. Fourth, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Fifth, try accessing Kronos through the mobile browser instead to confirm whether the problem is account-related or app-specific. If the browser version works but the app does not, the app may need updating or there may be a cache issue. Delete and reinstall.

The App Keeps Logging Me Out

This is expected behaviour, not a bug. The UKG Workforce app requires you to sign in each time you fully close and reopen it. This is a security requirement for the mobile authentication layer. It will not save your session across app closures. Use a trusted password manager or your phone’s biometric autofill to make this faster.

My Holiday Request Is Not Moving

Once you submit a holiday request in Kronos, it goes to your manager for approval. The system does not automatically approve requests, and managers are responsible for reviewing them within a reasonable timeframe. If your request has been pending for several days without a response, follow up with your manager directly. Check whether the dates you requested fall within a busy trading period or a blackout window, which may affect whether approval is possible.

I Cannot See Shift-Swap Options

Not all stores or departments have shift-swap functionality enabled in Kronos. Whether the feature is available depends on how your location uses the system. If you cannot find shift-swap options in your Kronos workspace, ask your manager whether it is enabled for your team. Many swap arrangements are still handled informally through manager approval even where the digital tool is available, so confirming in the system is always a good idea regardless of how the swap was agreed.

Kronos Shows a Different Schedule Than What My Manager Told Me

Always treat the digital Kronos rota as the official record. Verbal shift information can be misremembered or change without a follow-up message. If there is a genuine discrepancy between what your manager told you and what Kronos shows, raise it with them directly and ask for the system to be updated. Working from the wrong schedule can lead to attendance issues and pay errors that take time to resolve.

Getting Help With Kronos

If you have tried the steps above and are still stuck, here is who to contact:

• Sainsbury’s Tech Service Desk: 0345 603 2638 — for login problems, app issues, and technical access faults. Have your clock number and store number ready when you call.
• Your line manager: for rota queries, unpublished schedules, timecard corrections, and holiday approval delays — your manager is usually the quickest route to a resolution.
• HR helpline: 0800 015 3030 or 0800 707 6242 — for anything relating to your employment record, leave entitlement, or HR-related scheduling queries.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes and is designed to help Sainsbury’s colleagues navigate the Kronos and UKG systems more confidently. For official policy, account access, and HR matters, always refer to internal Sainsbury’s resources and speak with your manager or HR contact.