10 Time Tracking Best Practices
Time tracking software is an investment, so it’s important to use it to its full advantage. Here are ten best practices straight from the experts on how to get the most out of your time tracking software.
Time Tracking Best Practices
- Keep it simple. If time tracking is time-consuming, you’re doing it wrong. Time tracking should be an easy process that provides value to your clients, your company, and your employees. Use an intuitive time tracking software to make the process of logging time quick and easy.
- Make sure it’s accurate. Time tracking software is useless if the numbers aren’t correct. Use time tracking software with a built-in stopwatch to track time spent on individual tasks or projects accurately.
- Stick to one task (or project) at a time. Experts swear by time blocking as a way to maximize productivity. A bonus is that it makes time tracking a whole lot easier! Segment your day into dedicated time for specific tasks or projects, and you’ll never have to guess when you’re filling out your timesheets again.
- Identify the categories you want to track. Tracking project time for billing purposes is a no-brainer. But using time tracking software to record time spent on specific (non-billable) tasks can give valuable insight to companies of any size. If you’re a manager, learn how much time your employees spend responding to customer inquiries or managing email. If you’re a solo shop, track how much time you’re spending on admin to know whether your billing rates are fair – or if you’re short-changing yourself with a low actual hourly rate.
- Record time daily. The longer you wait to record your time, the greater likelihood that it will be inaccurate. Record time at least daily – but if you’re using a simple time tracking software, you can even record it immediately after you complete your daily time spent on a project!
- Set time tracking goals. Use time tracking software as a goal-setting tool! Think beyond the basics of racking up billable hours or assessing productivity. Encourage on-time timesheet submission with company-wide contests (“teams with no late submissions for a month get a coffee bar!”) or make on-time submissions a part of employees’ annual performance reviews.
- Make time tracking consistent across employees. Sure, employees have different jobs but try to keep time tracking consistent across the company. If that’s not possible, at least keep it consistent within specific departments to avoid the appearance that certain employees are being looked at under a closer microscope than others.
- Explain the value of time tracking at the employee level. The more benefits your team sees for themselves, the greater the buy-in on their level.
- Train employees on your time tracking policies. Policies are important – but it’s even more important that your employees follow them. Ensure all new employees receive proper onboarding to your time tracking software and that even your long-term team members get regular refreshers on your company’s time tracking policies.
- Use your data. Time tracking is helpful for billing and payroll, but it also contains a wealth of information about your company! Run reports from your time tracking software to learn more about actual project costs, evaluate staff productivity, and identify inefficiencies. You’re already collecting this data – use it!
Simple Time Tracking Software
MindSalt is the time tracking software that gives you the best of everything with an easy end-user interface for employees, robust reporting features for managers, and seamless integration with popular payroll systems. Best of all, because it’s a web-based system, it’s accessible for even your most remote employees and requires NO installation or configuration. Just create an account and you’re ready to go. Sign up for a free trial today!