Features to Look For in Time and Attendance Tracking Systems

Tracking time and attendance has been in use for a long time, ever since employment became much more formalized. Although time clocks are a much more evolved way to keep track of time and attendance, they are by no means the most efficient. Believe it or not, time clocks first came out over a century ago and while they have improved over the years, they are still subject to errors and dishonesty.

These days, however, time and attendance tracking is gradually moving to computer-run applications. These programs offer a much more efficient and secure way to record and monitor employee performance. To find out which system is best for your company, here are some important features to look for:

Capability to record both billable hours and non-billable hours

Time and attendance tracking systems should be able to track paid and non-paid hours. Although billable hours may seem like the more important component, non-billable hours are actually needed in order to monitor actual time spent on a project or task. This will help determine whether an employee is productive or if the task is cost effective in the long run.

Capability of recording and managing a variety of projects and tasks

An efficient time and attendance tracking system is one that lets you list the necessary projects and tasks required in your business. This allows users to simply select which tasks are relevant to them and then input the time spent performing those tasks.

Capability of being integrated into other systems used by other departments

Time and attendance tracking is usually relegated to Human Resources department. However, it is also a required report for the Accounting department and should be compatible with the system already in place. Your tracking system should also be easy to integrate into your company's billing system and project management applications. That way, invoicing, report generation and project assessment are much more efficient and easier to perform.

Flexibility of application

Look for a time and attendance tracking system that is adaptable to different applications. It should be able to handle different types of paid employees, including salaried employees and managers, flextime employees and telecommuting personnel. It should also be flexible enough to be used by your company's contractors and consultants. If some of your employees work for third parties, for example, you should be able to use your system to bill the correct number of hours your employees have spent on certain tasks.

Capability to produce reports

Ultimately, your goal in using a time and attendance tracking system is not just to produce reports for salary computation but also to view how productive your employees have been. Your system should be able to help you perform specific project management tasks and be able to analyze workflow and productivity using reports generated from the application. Use a system that can generate reports in text, figures and graphs for more flexibility.

Ease of use

The best time and attendance tracking system is one that is easy to install and does not impede immediate application with a steep learning curve. Vendors generally allow you to use a trial version of their system or might even allow you to run a completely functional application free of cost for a limited period so you can test run and see if it's useful to your company.

Look for an application that managers and employees alike can use on their own. This will help allow for a more independent recording of important information, to be monitored and checked only by a Human Resources staff for accuracy.

To determine which time and attendance tracking system is right for you, learn more about the different types of systems available that will fit your company's unique needs.