Construction time tracking app: the mobile clocking system

How can you efficiently track the hours worked by your site-based employees? Time tracking in the construction industry is a critical step for the success of your projects.

The main applications of time tracking:

• Payroll management: processing of salaries
• Human resources: monitoring absences, performance, etc.
• Management control: monitoring of hours budgets
• Pricing: responses to calls for tender, drawing up estimates, etc.

But how do you record hours easily and efficiently? Paper timesheets and Excel spreadsheets are gradually giving way to software and mobile applications.

Find out more about the advantages of a time tracking app designed specifically for the construction sector and optimized for mobile workers.

What is a construction time tracking app?

A site time tracking app is a Workforce Management tool enabling construction workers to submit the hours worked directly from the field and with all the necessary details.

The time tracking app is replacing the use of paper timesheets or Excel spreadsheets, enabling a fast and extremely detailed time recording.

The details needed in tracking workers’ time in the construction industry:

• Overtime, night work, weekend work, etc.
• Work time per task, per site, etc.
• Authorised leave, unplanned absence, etc.
• Journeys made and the distance travelled.

Why choose a construction time tracking app?

The mobile application is one of the time tracking methods, or clocking system, used in the construction sector.

The main clocking systems used for time tracking in the construction industry:

• Paper timesheets and Excel files, often used together
• Time clocks/baggers:
  • Fixed time clocks, with badge or dedicated card
  • Mechanical time clocks, time stamps, etc.
• Connection to a web system or portal
• Mobile time tracking application
• Biometric solutions (fingerprint, retinal scan, etc.)

Unlike other methods, a time tracking application is adapted to the complexity of the construction industry. It also allows the dematerialization of the clocking-in process and the automation of many other processes.

A time tracking application allows you to :

• Manage own staff, temporary workers, subcontractors, etc. at the same time
• Allocate clocked-in hours to a specific site code and/or task (laying foundations on the ground floor, carrying out ceiling work on the second floor, etc.)
• Establish an alert system for any anomaly relating to the company’s management rules (maximum hours per day, limited overtime, etc.)

Time tracking is fast and regulated.

How to use a construction time tracking app

A time and attendance application for the construction industry must be both :

• Easy to use: on site, workers must be able to enter hours easily and quickly
• Highly configurable: It should allow detailed and complete timekeeping with just a few clicks.

In this section, find out how to clock in and out with Digital Timesheets™, a time and attendance application developed by Traxxeo, a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution provider.

Hours are recorded in a pre-established framework

With a mobile application, the worker or team leader enters the hours worked in a pre-established framework.

The information is selected from predefined lists (site code, time code, number of hours worked or arrival and departure times, etc.), depending on the predefined settings. The kilometers travelled and an additional comment (authorized absence, agreement for overtime, etc.) can be specified.

In the event of an anomaly (e.g. maximum hours exceeded), an alert message is automatically generated.

An app that is fast and easy to use, on smartphone or tablet

The Digital Timesheets™ worksite timekeeping app is designed to make time entry easy. The mobile app is available on smartphone and tablet to suit all uses.

An easy-to-use timekeeping app offers:

• Different views depending on the need: by person, by job site, by week, etc.
• Input aids:
  • Copy and paste information from one person to another
  • Copy and paste information from one week to another
  • A drop-down list of time codes
  • A drop-down list of work site codes
  • And so on.
• An ergonomic interface, easy to use, both from a smartphone or a tablet

Who benefits from using the time tracking app?

Implementing a construction time tracking app doesn’t only benefit site workers.

The fact that the time tracking app can communicate or integrate with other software also generates significant benefits for the human resources and finance departments.

What are the main advantages of a construction time tracking app?

Simplified timekeeping for workers on the job site

With a time and attendance application, workers on the job site can easily and quickly enter the hours they work.

Benefits of the time tracking application for workers:

• Significant time savings when entering information
• Less administrative burden
• No more work to collect and search for missing information at the end of the week
• An empowerment of the team leaders
• A gain in productivity in the field

A time and attendance application dedicated to the construction industry makes the entry of hours “simpler, clearer, more precise”, says Eric le Naon, Site Manager at Perrard. “This is as much for us, the site managers, to control as for the team leaders, who feel empowered and have totally adopted the new process.

Traceability and reliability of data

The collection of hours as close as possible to the site, the automation of their processing, as well as multiple validation systems ensure the reliability of the data collected. This contributes to optimal Time Management, automated HR processes and more efficient payroll processing.

Error-free payroll, no more delays… discover the impact of digital time management software for your HR team.

More efficient processes for human resources

At the human resources level as well, adopting a time and attendance application for mobile workers brings many benefits in the HR management of mobile workers.

Benefits of the time tracking app for human resources:

• Accurate, up-to-date and detailed information on workers’ worked hours
• Data directly integrated into their HR software (SIRH, payroll system, etc.), according to their own management rules
• Automatic alerts for any anomaly
• A centralized view of all available information
• Less administrative burden

HR managers have a detailed and regular follow-up of everyone’s activities, for a richer human resources management based on recent and accurate information.

They also have more time to focus on the more human and social dimensions of human resources: coaching, career follow-up, training, etc.

Optimal and error-free payroll management

Managing worker payroll can be an extremely tedious process. A time tracking application for the building industry can take a lot of pressure off of payroll managers at the end of the month, while ensuring accurate payroll processing.

Benefits of the time tracking app for payroll managers:

• An accurate and automated collection of variable payroll elements
• An alert system for any anomaly
• Up-to-date, accurate and detailed data
• Data directly integrated into their payroll software
• Less administrative burden

A time and attendance application dedicated to the construction industry allows for optimal time management, for a more efficient payroll process. Payroll managers ensure that everyone is paid an accurate salary on time, avoiding complaints and tensions with staff.

Rich and up-to-date data for financial management

Because of its accuracy, time recording with a time and attendance application generates important benefits for the financial management of the company.

A rigorous management control

The advantages of the time tracking app for management control:

• A real time view of the progress of the hours budgets
• A detailed view of the progress of budgets by site, by task, etc.
• Information directly integrated into their financial management software
• Data directly integrated into their dashboards
• Better reactivity in case of overruns and anomalie

Having detailed and up-to-date information on time budgets allows management controllers to ensure that projects remain under control, for optimal management of activities.

More competitive quotes

The benefits of the scoring application for the quoting department:

• Detailed labor cost data by job
• Up-to-date data that is constantly updated
• Regular and rigorous comparison of projected budgets to actual budgets
• Constant adjustment of new quotes based on this information

Better labor cost estimates allow for more accurate and competitive quotes.

The construction time tracking app, a tool connected to your management software

To get the most out of the benefits discussed, it’s important to look to an integrated jobsite timekeeping application, such as the Digital Timesheets™ solution offered by Traxxeo.

An integrated time tracking system means that it communicates bi-directionally with the existing information system.

From the information system to the application

All the information needed for time and attendance is made available in the application:

• Job codes, task codes, etc.
• The personnel repository, the temporary workers’ repository, etc.
• The company’s management rules (maximum hours per worker profile, maximum overtime, etc.)
• etc.

From the application to the information system

The data entered in the application can be sent in a structured way to the company’s information system:

• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), also called ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
• HRIS, the HR management software
• Payroll software
• Financial monitoring software
• The company’s dashboards
• etc.

The time and attendance application allows you to complete and optimize the use of your ERP and other management software.

How to implement a construction time tracking app

How do you choose the best solution? How do you ensure successful implementation of your time and activity management solution and when can you expect to see a return on your investment?

Our experts will be delighted to discuss this with you. Ask them your questions or request a demonstration of our Digital Timesheets™ app:

Speak to one of our team