Mobile time tracking apps are the ultimate upgrade to paper timesheets. They’re digital (no smudged penmanship), secure and keep accurate time to the minute. Mobile time clock apps are a game-changer when it comes to accurately tracking employee working hours, especially for the construction industry where not every employee can easily keep track of a paper timesheet. But mobile time tracking apps for construction have added benefits as well: they reduce time theft, use GPS to track employees, provide valuable reporting data and integrate with other HR software.
What is a Mobile Time Tracking App?
A mobile time tracking app or time clock app is a digital application used on mobile devices, like iPhone or Android phones, that allows workers to clock in and out. Since these apps travel with your employee, they can clock in and out from multiple job sites at any time. Mobile time tracking is far more accurate than tracking time by hand. An app never fudges numbers or forgets actual clock in and out times.
How Mobile Time Tracking Apps Do More than Replace Timesheets
Remote time tracking comes with more features than simply replacing a paper timesheet. These apps are sophisticated pieces of HR tech that help construction companies become more efficient, productive and compliant.
They Reduce Time Theft
For small businesses, labor costs can be a huge chunk of their gross revenue. That’s why it is so important to control waste. Paper timecards leave you open to time theft from buddy punching and inaccurate time cards. “Buddy Punching” is where an employee has a co-worker clock them in or out when they’re not at work. For example, an employee is running late and calls a co-worker who’s on time to punch them in as well. If you have an employee who has a buddy punch them in 15 minutes early, two to three times a week, that stolen time can quickly add up, bloating your labor costs.
Accurate time tracking from a digital app can result in big savings. Mobile time clock apps never fudge numbers and biometric features, like requiring employees to take a photo when clocking in, prevent buddy punching.
They Make Time Tracking More Efficient
A mobile time clock app can make remote time tracking more efficient. GPS time tracking apps use a mobile phone’s native functionality to track employees. Basic GPS tracking software on time clock apps let employers know the general area employees are in when they clock in or out. The apps can be even more efficient by setting up a geofence. A geofence sets up a virtual barrier that can enforce certain restrictions or create certain opportunities. For example, an employer might want to put a geofence around a worksite so they can track if employees clock in inside the fence, not from their vehicles or a coffee shop across the street. When employees clock in or out, their timestamp will be flagged as either on-site or off-site. GPS location tracking can create ‘bread-crumbs’ that track worker movements throughout their shift. The tracking stops the moment the worker clocks out.
They Provide Reporting Data
Data is for companies looking to improve processes or update business strategies. The data gleaned from mobile time tracking apps can give construction companies valuable insight into labor management. Reporting features of mobile time clock apps allow construction companies to track productivity and payroll. This data is also necessary for compliance. Nearly every US employer with wage workers—and some with non-exempt salaried employees—must comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is the Department of Labor law covering minimum wage, overtime and payroll records. With clear and complete records of time worked, you can ensure that you are complying with FLSA standards—and you have documentation at your fingertips in the case of a government audit.
They Integrate with Payroll Systems but Also Workforce Management
Mobile time tracking apps are an integral part of the payroll process by tracking your employees’ hours. It really becomes effective when it integrates with your payroll process. Having your digital time clock app talk to your accounting and even workforce management software can save tons of time. Information is automatically shared between systems, exporting attendance records in seconds, ensuring paychecks are accurate and on time every week.
ExakTime’s mobile time tracking app provides construction companies with all these solutions and more. It integrates with more than 40 other solutions, including Sage 100 Contractor & Master Builder, Sage Business Vision and more. It also has biometrics, GPS, geofencing and breadcrumbing so you can accurately track your workers and reduce time theft. It also allows administrators to create more than 40 reports which can all be filtered and customized to suit your business needs. Employers can pull reports based on employee, location or overtime. There are even optional features, like scheduling, that can help the app do even more.
