Workslayr offers flexible time tracking mechanisms to suit various operational needs within your service-based business. Understanding the distinction between Clock-In and Task Timers is crucial for accurate employee time logging and project management. This guide clarifies how each system functions and when to use them for optimal efficiency.
Understanding Clock-In vs. Task Timers #
The primary difference lies in their purpose and how they relate to an employee’s workday. A Clock-In marks the start and end of an employee’s official work shift, tracking their overall presence. Task Timers, on the other hand, are used to log specific time allocations to individual projects or tasks throughout that shift. This dual approach provides both high-level attendance data and granular detail for project costing and billing.
Clock-In Functionality #
Every employee, including administrators, has access to their ‘My Dashboard’, where the ‘Clock In’ button is prominently displayed. When an employee clocks in, they select their company location and working environment. For some employees, Workslayr can be configured to allow direct task timer usage without needing to officially clock in first. This setting, “Start timer without clock in,” is adjustable during an employee’s profile creation or editing, making it ideal for contractual work or freelancers who may not have fixed daily shifts but still need to track time against specific deliverables.
Task Timer Functionality #
Task timers allow your team to precisely record the time spent on various activities. This is particularly valuable for projects, enabling you to track progress against budgets and accurately bill clients. While not explicitly detailed in the provided knowledge, task timers are typically initiated directly from a task or project view, allowing employees to start and stop tracking their work on specific items. The granular data provided by task timers is essential for detailed project reporting and can influence the generation of invoices.
Choosing the Right Method #
The decision to use strict clock-in requirements or allow direct task timer usage depends on your business model:
- If your business operates with traditional fixed work hours and requires tracking daily attendance, implementing mandatory Clock-In is recommended. This provides clear attendance records, visible on the ‘Admin Dashboard’ under the HR tab.
- For businesses that employ freelancers, contractors, or have roles with flexible schedules focused solely on deliverables, enabling the “Start timer without clock in” option can streamline the process. This focuses directly on billable or project-related hours without the overhead of daily clock-in/out procedures.
Both methods contribute to comprehensive time log reports, allowing administrators to monitor employee activity and project progress effectively. The flexibility built into Workslayr ensures that you can tailor time tracking rules to best fit your operational requirements and workforce structure.
Workslayr offers robust options for tracking time, including the flexibility to add manual time logs in addition to the standard clock-in/out process. This feature is particularly useful for circumstances where real-time tracking isn’t feasible or for making post-hoc adjustments to ensure accurate records for billing and project management.
Adding Manual Time Logs #
There are scenarios where logging time manually becomes essential for maintaining precise records within Workslayr. Perhaps an employee forgot to clock in, or they completed work off-site without immediate access to the system. Manual time logs allow you to capture this work accurately.
To add a manual time entry, navigate to the specific project or task where the time needs to be logged. You will find an option to add time, where you can specify the start and end times, the date, and any relevant notes describing the work performed. This ensures that all hours worked are accounted for, whether they were recorded in real-time or added later.
When entering manual time logs, it is important to provide sufficient detail in the notes section. This not only helps in clarifying what work was completed during that time but also aids in generating comprehensive time log reports for clients or internal review. Proper documentation supports accurate invoicing and improves overall project reporting.
Use Cases for Manual Time Logging #
While Workslayr’s real-time clock-in and out process is ideal for most daily operations, manual time logs provide critical flexibility for various business needs, particularly for service-based companies.
- Off-site Work or Travel Time: For employees working remotely without consistent internet access or logging travel time as part of a service delivery.
- Correcting Errors: If an employee forgets to clock in/out, or makes a mistake in their time entry, an administrator can manually adjust the time log to reflect the actual hours worked.
- Contractual Work: Some contracts might stipulate specific billing requirements that benefit from detailed manual entries, especially for fixed-price projects where hours still need to be internally tracked against budget.
- After-Hours or Emergency Tasks: When tasks are completed outside of regular working hours and immediate clocking in isn’t practical.
- Importing Legacy Data: When onboarding new employees or clients, you might need to import historical time data into Workslayr for continuity.
By leveraging manual time logs, your team can ensure that all valuable working hours are accounted for, contributing to accurate payroll, precise project costing, and transparent client invoicing. This functionality supports the complete operational workflow of service businesses, enabling you to manage your resources effectively.
Workslayr distinguishes between unbilled and billable time entries to support accurate invoicing and project profitability tracking. This classification is assigned to time logs as they are recorded or approved.
Billable time refers to hours worked on activities that can be charged to a client. This time is typically associated with specific Projects or tasks linked to a client. When recording time, users mark entries as billable if the work performed contributes directly to a client deliverable or service specified in a contract. Billable hours become part of the amount invoiced to the client.
Unbilled time refers to hours worked on activities that are not charged to a client. Examples include administrative tasks, internal meetings, training, or non-project-related work. This time is still tracked for internal reporting and employee productivity analysis, but it does not appear on client invoices. Both types of time contribute to an employee’s total logged hours.
The determination of whether time is billable or unbilled is made during time entry or approval. This classification impacts various system functions:
- Time logs marked as billable are eligible for inclusion in client invoices.
- Unbilled time logs are excluded from client invoices but remain visible in internal time log reports.
- This distinction helps in calculating project costs and assessing overall project profitability.
- Administrators or project managers can review and adjust the billable status of time entries as needed.
Proper categorization ensures that clients are charged correctly for services rendered and that internal time is accounted for.
Time Approval Rules in Workslayr define how recorded time entries are approved before they are finalized. This ensures that only verified hours are used for invoicing and reporting purposes.
Workslayr offers configurable approval processes. These rules can be set on a per-project basis or globally for all time entries.
When time approval rules are active, time entries submitted by employees enter an approval queue. Designated approvers then review, approve, or reject these entries.
Configuring Time Approval Rules #
Time approval rules are configured in the system settings. These settings determine which time entries require approval and who is responsible for approval.
- Projects requiring approval: Individual Projects can be marked to require time approval. All time logged against these projects will enter the approval flow.
- Approver Assignment: Approvers can be assigned based on specific criteria, such as project managers or team leads. This ensures relevant personnel review time entries for their respective employees or projects.
- Notification System: Workslayr sends notifications to both employees when their time entries change status, and to approvers when new entries await review.
Approval Process #
Once an employee submits a time entry, it becomes subject to the defined approval rules.
- Submission: An employee logs time against a project or task. If approval rules apply, the entry’s status becomes “Pending Approval.”
- Review: The assigned approver receives a notification. They can view the pending time entries, including details like hours logged, associated tasks, and project context.
- Action: The approver can choose to “Approve” or “Reject” the time entry. A rejection typically requires a reason to be provided to the employee.
- Finalization: Approved time entries are finalized and can be included in invoices or reports. Rejected entries are returned to the employee for adjustment and resubmission.
This process enhances accuracy and accountability for logged time. It helps ensure that billable hours align with contracts and client expectations regarding contract statuses.
Workslayr offers configurable reminders for time tracking. These settings help ensure employees log their work hours accurately and consistently.
Reminders can be set up to notify employees about missing clock-ins, clock-outs, or unsubmitted time log reports.
Configuring Time Tracking Reminders #
Administrators can access time tracking reminder settings in the system. These settings determine the conditions and frequency of reminders.
To configure reminders, navigate to the relevant section in App Settings.
- Clock In Reminder: This reminder prompts employees to clock in if they have not done so by a specified time.
- Clock Out Reminder: This reminder alerts employees to clock out at the end of their shift.
- Unsubmitted Time Log Reminder: Notifies employees about pending time logs that require submission for approval.
Reminder Frequency and Channels #
The system allows for various reminder frequencies (e.g., daily, weekly) and notification channels. Reminders are typically sent via in-app notifications or email, depending on user preferences and system settings.
Effective use of these reminders supports compliance with company project tracking requirements and facilitates accurate payroll processing.
