What is a Good Time Tracking App for a Small Business?
Published: 16/10/2022
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If you’re a project manager or a small business owner considering a time tracking app, this article is for you. We will guide you in making an informed decision by outlining the key features to look for and what to consider before signing a contract.
First of all - congratulations! Your discovery of this article means you have recognised the need for a solution to record time. Undoubtedly, there are plenty of reasons why you reached this conclusion, but we are here to assure you it is the right one. The simple truth is that having visibility of where your time is spent benefits everyone, with no exception, at both personal and business levels. When done correctly, it will reveal a bigger picture of where your strengths and weaknesses lie, allowing you to take the next steps from a more strategic standpoint. In terms of business, this might be exactly what’s been holding you back from scaling.
However, we recognise that the first steps are always the hardest, especially in a vast market like the one for time tracking solutions. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by different vendors competing for your business with extensive feature packages. In fact, they may sometimes be so comprehensive that you start to wonder if a business of your size even needs one. Let us begin by addressing this very doubt.
Having worked with several startups and small businesses that struggle to grow, we’ve identified a common trait: they often believe they don’t need to track time. Their reasoning typically involves thinking they don’t have enough clients, that they are small, close-knit teams, and that they don’t want to micromanage staff. This mindset is exactly what stops them from expanding. Regardless of how many clients you have, you still need to bill them for your time and deliverables; failing to do so accurately can cost you, sometimes even resulting in the loss of a client.
Even the closest teams can’t maintain 100% visibility of each other’s progress at all times. Providing transparency through a time-tracking solution isn’t micro-management but rather a way to align the team and create smoother workflows. Additionally, it will give you plenty of data to analyse, helping you improve your processes going forward. The earlier you start tracking time, the better positioned you’ll be in the long run. If anything, startups and small businesses should make it a priority to implement a good time-tracking solution.
Once you begin your search, you will come across many providers offering you generously spacious service packages. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and choose a time tracking app with the broadest range of features for the lowest price. However, it is unlikely to be the solution you truly need. So, to avoid being overwhelmed, let’s identify the core features you require.
There’s no point in opting for a feature-rich tool that fails in its main function: time tracking. Simply put, all the extra features are added to enhance the accuracy of time recording, with timesheets remaining central to this process. If timesheets are rigid and lack flexibility, other features like invoicing and reporting will also suffer. Moreover, if you use different billing rates, a solution that doesn't allow you to customise your timesheets will only be suitable for certain projects rather than all your business activities. This simply isn't good value for money.
While it’s standard to be offered a couple of pre-built timesheet templates and some customisation options (e.g., choosing work days), this alone is not sufficient. You should invest in a tool that you can rely on long term and that can scale with your needs. This means prioritising software that doesn’t limit you to its default settings but instead enables you to build your own process. The built-in templates are usually meant to start tracking time; additional customisation or the ability to create your own templates should help you grow.
While timesheets are intended to speed up payroll processes, the statistics show that, in reality, 80% of the reviewer’s time is wasted correcting timesheets afterwards. This bottleneck can be solved by using a timesheet solution that helps create an approval process. In case of rejection, you will no longer need to do all the footwork. Instead, the system will notify the worker with an incorrect time record that their timesheet was not approved, prompting them to correct the errors and resubmit it. Some solutions also allow you to add a note explaining the reasoning behind your decision.
At Timesheet Portal, we go the extra mile. The approvers you set will receive an automatic notification once the timesheets are submitted. Instead of logging into the platform, we enable our users to review submissions directly in their inboxes. They can also approve or reject them right there, without disrupting their ongoing workflows.
Having discussed the essentials, let’s examine key features you should expect in a good time tracking app. Unlike the ones previously mentioned, these are not absolutely crucial but still fall into the must-have category as they enhance the efficiency and performance of the tool. It’s important to remember that it’s not only the project manager who will be using the software but also the executive, financial, and HR teams.
Since your time tracking solution will be used by people across different departments, it’s important to ensure they all have easy access to it. We recommend choosing cloud solutions because, unlike traditional software, they are not tied to specific devices. Instead, anyone can access the platform from anywhere in the world, as long as they have an internet connection, since these solutions are web-based. Given that we live in the era of smartphones and 5G, most people are online even when on the go. This makes cloud solutions ideal if your staff operate across different locations and are not tied to computers (e.g., construction industry).
However, despite easy access for everyone, it’s also important to remember that not everyone is tech-savvy. Some professions naturally attract older people who are less familiar with new technology. At Timesheet Portal, we have addressed this issue by adding a mobile app for both Android and Apple devices to our software. It’s designed to be very simple and straightforward, making it comfortable to use for people of any age and technological skill level. Why not give it a try?
Now here comes the fun part - other features beyond basic worker time recording. Different vendors will naturally offer varying functionality and quantities; this does not make them better or worse than others. Depending on your business's specific needs, scale, and budget, a more compact solution may be more suitable than one packed with a wide range of features.
We, however, recommend that you focus more on features that improve your current processes rather than those that require creating new operations. For instance, if you currently invoice your clients manually, you should prioritise a time-tracking app that offers automatic invoice generation and delivery. And if you’re not using self-billing yet but think it might interest you in the future, this feature should be seen as a nice-to-have rather than an immediate necessity. Remember, good software will meet you where you are now and help you develop from there.
Now to the most important question - what is the expected price? Most small businesses have limited budgets and therefore don’t have the luxury of splurging on enterprise-level time-tracking solutions. The good news is that, first of all, you don’t need one. Secondly, the era of SaaS (software-as-a-service) being sold only as expensive service packages is ending. Today, more solutions offer a more budget-friendly alternative.
While many companies still deliberately hide their prices and encourage you to contact them to determine your genuine interest, this practice is gradually declining. In fact, the traditional model of offering pre-packaged software deals is falling out of favour. As the competition among time-tracking app providers intensifies, they are increasingly focusing on delivering a more seamless buyer experience to close deals more swiftly. Some, like Timesheet Portal, are genuinely committed to helping their clients succeed. This is why most customer-oriented timesheet software vendors only charge for the features you actually use.
Since our platform doesn’t differentiate between global organisations and small businesses, we believe this approach will make Timesheet Portal useful for everyone. It won’t hinder larger clients, but it will also remain accessible for those with smaller budgets. If anything, we think we provide support and easy scaling options for those just beginning their journey into the competitive arena; with this model, we can grow alongside them.
Many believe that small businesses don’t need time-tracking software because their processes are shorter and they handle less data. However, this very belief often stops them from scaling up. Another issue is that the market for timesheet solutions is large and growing, which makes it hard to choose the right one. To avoid poor decisions, it’s best to focus on the core features: timesheet customisation and how well it fits into the approval process.
It is also important to remember that the solution should serve different people across your team, from executives to the back office, and you should therefore ensure it is easily accessible to all of them. When considering additional features, opt for those that can improve your existing processes rather than just those you are contemplating. Additionally, to save money and allow for scalable growth, choose vendors that charge based on the features you use rather than a bundled functionality package. If you follow these tips, you’ll acquire a solution that helps you grow and grows with you.
Need more tips? Let us know.