Time Tracking Methods

Tracking time is by no means a new concept. Archaeologists have found evidence of lunar calendars dating as far back as 6000 BC. In other time tracking methods, Egyptians used a device, much like sundial, to track the passage of the day — all the way back in 1500 BC. In many ways, nothing has changed. Time passes and we measure it to varying ends. But the concept of time — and the granularity with which we measure it — has become very much a science. Modern factories and production are made possible only by an acute understanding of how employee time is managed, tracked, and optimized.

With the advent of the cloud, mass adoption of smartphones, and a new focus on salaried employee performance, timesheets have entered a period rapid evolution. And with it new functionalities that drive better business practices and increased organizational accountability.

Paper

Believe it or not, some businesses still use good old fashioned pen and paper to track employee time. There are almost no benefits to this method, other than an essentially non-existent upfront cost. Paper timesheets lack basic insights, visibility, and security — and can make managing large teams exceptionally difficult.

Excel

Spreadsheets offer significant advantages to paper timesheets. Employee time entries can be saved, and it’s fairly straightforward to run basic calculations and input static billing rates or other costs. But Excel lacks flexibility — and it does not scale. Once 10 or 20 or (hopefully not) 100 people attempt to track their time in Excel, the system breaks down, as version control, approvals, and employee permissions become problematic.

Cloud

The cloud has fundamentally changed how businesses track time. It’s enabled countless timesheet innovations, many of which we take for granted today. Real-time visibility into project and budgets, lightning-fast reporting, and near-infinite data store would be almost impossible without it. The cloud allows thousands of employees to enter time — simultaneously — on the same account, and for that data to be seamlessly recorded, analyzed, and stored securely.

Mobile

It was that long ago when mobile timesheets were considered a novelty. Now, they are more or less a requirement for any organization that records time or bills hourly. Mobile time tracking enables field employees to enter their hours without having to return to the office, and it offers a simple way for the entire team to track time, no matter where they are.

Google Chrome

Sometimes it’s easier to track time and not have to sign in to an application. With timesheets for Google Chrome (or other web browsers), employees can track time quickly, and in some cases, automatically record the time that is spent on particular activities or websites.

Biometric

Retina scanning, handprint, and subcutaneous tracking devices may sound like something from the future, but they are in fact very much a reality. Biometric time tracking does remove the need for employees to physically enter time. However, the technology often comes with significant financial costs and, of course, privacy concerns.