Your Guide to Construction Time Card Apps

Looking for a better way to manage your employee time cards? This article covers how timecard apps work for construction and templates you can use to get started.

How do I track my construction worker’s time?

There are many ways you could potentially track work performed on a construction site. Here are some of the most common:

#1. Punch cards

Punch cards are used by physical time card machines that employees can punch in and punch out when they go on and off the clock. This method of time tracking has been used for decades and relies on analog methods for collecting time card information.

Drawbacks of punch cards: While punch cards are easy enough to use, they can create additional work if the information needs to be copied manually into an accounting or payroll system later on. With most companies relying on digital technology to power their operations, punch cards are not the fastest way to get time card data into the computer. 

Another drawback can be buddy punching, which is one form of time fraud where employees punch in for someone else when they are running late or need to clock out early. This may not seem like a huge issue, but it can add up over time if hours are misrepresented.

#2. Excel Spreadsheets or Google Sheets

Another simple way to track workers time is through the use of spreadsheets. This method of time tracking allows employees to input their time into a shared spreadsheet or personal spreadsheet that gets emailed to their manager.

Drawbacks of spreadsheets: While spreadsheets are fast and free to use for most businesses, they can become error prone and lead to additional manual tasks. If a spreadsheet is lost or overwritten by accident, it can be hard to recover information that has been lost. This method can also create manual work if you also need to compile multiple spreadsheets into one document and then transfer that data into an accounting system.

#3. Apps and Software for Time Tracking

Another way to manage time cards is through the use of time tracking apps and software. This method of time tracking was designed to alleviate the pain points mentioned with using paper forms or spreadsheets. 

Software solutions and apps provide a digital interface for employees to enter their time using a computer, mobile phone, or tablet device. Many of these time tracking apps are simple, easy-to-use, and affordable for most companies’ budgets. 

By digitizing the information, data can sync automatically to payroll and accounting systems to pay employees on time and ensure digital records are stored securely in a centralized cloud-based system. Continue reading for more information on construction timecard software.

Is there an app for time cards?

There are many time card apps available to construction companies and contractors. With a construction project management app that supports time cards, you can save time, ensure accurate data is collected from the field, and minimize time card buddy punching.

Here are some of the core features that you can expect to find in a time card app:

Mobile forms

This feature allows you to create form fields that you need employees to fill out with their time cards. You can customize the form fields based on the type of work, employee category, over time status, and much more. Mobile forms allow you to require fields, helping to ensure that nothing is missing and you don’t have to track down the information again. Data can often times be captured offline and then synced to the cloud once an internet connection becomes available.

Notifications and alerts

For time card apps for construction, another useful feature is the notification and alert that gets sent out for the daily or weekly timesheet that is due. This makes it easy for employees to remember and an alert is sent out to their mobile device letting them know of the upcoming task and overdue tasks.

GPS Tracking 

Another helpful feature for time card apps is the ability to track a location using GPS on the mobile phone. With the app downloaded on employees mobile devices, you can require that they clock in and clock out once they have reached the exact job site. This can minimize buddy punching, increase accountability for data accuracy, and ensure that work was performed at the correct location for the client.

Reporting and Analytics

One other feature that is common with time tracking is the ability to report on data from the field. This can be useful in construction projects to give a real-time view of hours worked. Many time card apps can also work in conjunction with daily reports, so that all of this information is rolled up in a timely manner and becomes more visible to stakeholders. Analytics reports can be run to spot potential delays, allowing information collected from the field to be used in dashboards and analytics reports.

You can find the GoCanvas time card app for the construction industry by following the link below. Contact our team any time to learn more about time card apps for construction and how they work together with our full suite of apps for the construction industry and contractors.

What is the best app for timesheets?

There are many great apps available to manage construction timesheets. The best app for your business is going to depend entirely on what business problems you need to solve. Here are two questions to ask:

How does the timesheet app work with my existing business process?

You may want to consider if you need timecard apps in addition to other apps for construction. In that case, you can eliminate time card solutions that are stand alone and only do basic time tracking.

In this scenario, solutions like GoCanvas would allow you to manage multiple types of apps like work orders, inspections, safety apps, and more — all from a single platform for mobile forms and apps. 

How does the timesheet app connect to my existing data ecosystem?

Another consideration is to determine if you want your timecard app to integrate directly with your accounting system or existing tools. For example, GoCanvas offers an integration to tools like QuickBooks or Sage, so you can collect data from the field and sync in real-time to the other cloud-based tools you already use today.

Understanding how you want to use time card information for your business can help you decide on which time card app makes the most sense. With many features and functionality to consider, it’s best to map out your business challenges and evaluate all of your options. 

For more information on GoCanvas, contact our team here and we can answer any questions you may have about time cards and mobile apps.