Time management software allows organisations to track and record time worked by employees.
That information is often used for billing, operational and/or payroll purposes. There are two common ways companies can record time worked: timesheets or clocking in/out.
Modern HR systems like Cezanne HR offer these time recording features as part of their HR software suite. With various employee processes in one place, it makes it much easier to update and manage employee records.
Working with timesheets
1. Easy timesheet creation and setup
Paper timesheets are a thing of the past when it comes to time management. Configurable digital timesheets, like those found in Cezanne HR’s time management software, can be easily set up with specific projects, clients, or activities, so employees can choose the ones relevant to them. This makes for easier and more accurate data entry, and rules can be set for whether overtime or travel counts towards billable time.
You can also format timesheets to fit around how you work, for example , you can set whether employees should put duration (hours) or start/end times for different activities.
2. Secure employee self-service
Employees should be able to complete their timesheets with ease. Having access to timesheets on any device is convenient and makes it less likely they’d be forgotten. This is especially useful when employees are off site or remote working.
Clear layouts and on-screen alerts also decrease the likelihood of inputting the wrong information. And, if someone makes a mistake on their timesheet, configurable security roles allow for authorised changes to be made, so HR and line managers are more likely to have accurate data at their fingertips.
3. Customisable approval workflows
Approving submitted timesheets should be just as easy, too. With good HR systems with time management features, you can set up different approval workflows that suit you and your organisation’s needs; whether that’s a single-step sign-off or multiple authorisations from different managers. Once set up, timesheets should go through your workflows automatically and are sent to the right people at every step.
4. Straightforward reporting
With all your data in one place, HR has complete visibility over time worked, as well as the submission and review process. Automated notifications of overdue or incomplete timesheets allow the opportunity to nudge staff along the approval process when needed. And, simple exporting of reports enables you to drill down into the data to find how time can be spent more efficiently, or see which areas of the business would benefit from more support.
Bonus: Automatic calculations of holiday entitlement
Manually calculating holiday entitlement can be painful especially when your organisation regularly works with casual contract workers. If an HR system offers both absence and time management features, you can use an employee’s timesheet data to automatically calculate their holiday entitlement, which means fewer headaches for HR.
Learn more about Cezanne HR’s Absence module.
Working with clock-in/clock-out
5. Versatile accessibility
For accurate data input and reporting, accessibility is a must for time management. For example, Cezanne HR’s Time module makes it easy for staff to clock in and out from different devices and setups : by mobile phone or tablet app. An on-site tablet app setup is particularly useful when you need to know which of your employees are in your office/workplace building at any given time.
6. Configurable exception rules
When it comes to clocking in or out, a simple but overlooked mistake can cause a big problem down the line, so it’s important these are flagged up early. Configurable exception rules for different time plans mean that the system can automatically notify you when employees have not met the expected working hours, for example, clocking in/out too late or forgetting to do it in the first place. HR and managers can then review these exceptions and decide whether to accept or reject them, ensuring that nothing is missed or ignored.
If you’re interested in how time management software can help your time management, get in touch with us today.
Hannah Mandapat
Marketing Executive
Hannah has over five years of experience in the technology space, having worked in various marketing roles involving copywriting, social media management, and email marketing.
