Best Practices for Time Tracking in Timesheet Software

Timesheets, what sentiment does the term evoke if you look from an employee standpoint? Do you wish you could forego the entire process of filling in each detail, each task that you are doing on a daily basis? Do you wish to ditch the entire concept of the clock in and out and mention each tea break? Well, while your sentiments are not totally unjustified, timesheets are there for a reason. For instance, if your boss asks you to present what exactly you have contributed to the organization in the last month, would you be able to pull it off without a proper timesheet? Timesheets are essential for justifying your every hour’s contribution in a more defined, data-driven, and holistic manner that goes a long way in elevating your work status as productive.

Now, let’s think from the employer or organization perspective. Office 365 timesheets offer deep, actionable insights to employers for gauging the efficiency of their employees’ contributions in a controlled environment. By understanding who is doing what and what’s needed to further streamline the operations, optimal allocation and utilization of resources can be ensured by the management. Internal efficiencies aside, organizations can leverage timesheets to raise client invoices, showcasing the billable, and non-billable activities performed for a particular period of time and justifying the projects’ on-track status.

Timesheets are definitely in place for a reason, for employees, and employers alike. However, a conventional, paper-based system of time tracking is not going to benefit either of the parties. And, thanks to technological advancements, breakthrough innovations, and the latest trends, the market is replete with numerous timesheet software. While the basic principle of working remains the same i.e to track employees’ productive hours, each solution has its own set of attributes and pros.

Here, we will be discussing the WHAT and WHY of online timesheet software.

An employee timesheet software or app is an online, tech-enabled solution that was crafted with the ultimate aim to capture the employees’ daily contributions in an automated manner. This data then can be harnessed to derive employee performance-related insights for payroll management, performance appraisal, etc. And, contrary to the popular belief, a timesheet software is much beyond just keeping a log of the employees’ clock-in, clock-out, and daily tasks. These timesheet solutions record the time spent by employees on individual projects, how long they were active/idle, and also pull out daily/weekly/monthly activity reports for the management’s perusal.

An employee timesheet software just not another software in the pool that’s a passing fad. It has been there and will continue its significance in the future too. Well, it’s not like timesheet software is something that employees or employers are unaware of. However, they might need just a bit of encouragement to go and embrace it for good.

Here are a few succinct reasons WHY employee timesheets are the need of the hour.

Time Management – Timesheets have pivotal roles when it comes to employee appraisal, payroll management, and client billing. They have an even higher role to play when it comes to robust project management. The timesheet application keeps a record of each project-related task no matter how minute they are, and which employee is working on what deliverables, whether billable or non-billable. In case, a particular task or an employee is taking longer than expected, employers can revisit the strategy/execution. This helps in ensuring project deliverables are complete within the set timelines.

Accurate Client Billing – The next time you have to raise an invoice for your clients, you won’t have to do a laborious job. Just look at the central repository of employee timesheet logs and project spaces to ascertain accurate deliverables. Accurate client billing can be ensured with an online employee timesheet software.

Compliance – Timesheet application software assists organizations in ensuring compliance both internally and externally. Timesheet applications offer actionable, data-driven insights into employee and project performance for a wide range of prospects.

Like any organizational change, timesheet applications also have faced some resistance from employee communities. And, due to a host of other reasons, organizations have failed to implement them in a full-fledged manner.

Here are some of the best practices for time tracking that organizations must adhere to for making the most of these robust timesheet applications.

• The importance of time tracking must be understood by all the related stakeholders in the organizations
• Time tracking is a vast concept and there are a lot of variables involved. So, organizations must select the variables that are coherent to their nature of operations and project management.
• Make time tracking a part of each employees’ objectives, and KPIs so that they plunge into it from the very beginning
• Organizations must create a standardized project framework, and set up clear SOPs, rules for activities, and categories
• Timesheet applications are here to solve chaos, not to add to it. So, keep the application as simple, and easy to navigate as possible so that those can be easily adopted by all the stakeholders.
• Consider tracking both billable and non-billable activities as both these categories hold significance. Organizations can ensure how many man-hours are spent on non-billable activities and whether it is worth it. If not, they can take corrective actions.
• Leverage the data derived from these timesheet applications, and put it into greater use, success, growth, and expansion opportunities

So far in this article, we have learned about time tracking, why go for an online, automated timesheet software, and what are the best practices to adhere to.

Ignatiuz has been instrumental in offering cutting-edge, tech-enabled products, and solutions for modern businesses, and enterprises to garner a competitive advantage over their counterparts. When it comes to time tracking solutions, Ignatiuz’s Office 365 Timesheet App is here to rule the domain.

Intrigued to learn more? Do connect with the experts at Ignatiuz right away!