Mobile Time Clock: The What and Why of Mobile Time Tracking

For many people, the workplace is more than one physical location. Your organization might have employees who work from home or handle their tasks from multiple locations while on the go. Old-school tracking methods are making way more effective mobile time tracking apps.

Mobile time tracking is essential when your workforce isn’t working from a single place.

Competitive pressure and compliance regulations favor companies who pay attention to employee time and attendance. Mobile time tracking apps provide unprecedented oversight and allow you to refine efficiencies.

What is Mobile Time Tracking?

Mobile time tracking allows workers to manage their working hours with their mobile devices. Specialized apps include functionality for clocking in and out, along with data management to create timecards. When teams aren’t physically located in the same place, a mobile app makes it easier to track time worked.

What is a Mobile Time Clock and How Does It Work?

A mobile time clock is built into an app that’s accessible via a mobile device. It works by tracking punches made by employees, subcontractors, gig workers, and others performing services for an organization. The data syncs with the company’s application to provide manager access to timesheets and create reports for payroll processing.

When someone starts their shift or begins work, they can use the app to record the time. This punch is added to a timesheet, which will track the hours worked for payroll processing, benefits eligibility, and other purposes.

Some mobile time clock solutions include GPS tracking and geofencing tools, which allow supervisors to view the physical locations of individuals when creating punches. Geofencing allows a manager to create a virtual fence, only permitting users to clock in and out when located within the boundary. GPS tracking shows the location of the device when the punch was created.

Who Benefits from Using Mobile Time Clocks?

Businesses across many industries can benefit from utilizing mobile time clocks. Construction is a big one, as workers often travel to different job sites and charge their hours to various projects. Companies in the hospitality and food service industries may also utilize mobile tracking, as employees may work at several locations or travel as part of their duties. If you run a food truck, it’s worth considering a mobile app to track hours worked. Your workers can clock in as soon as they start their shifts, regardless of where the truck may be parked that day.

8 Benefits of Mobile Time Tracking

Check out these eight benefits that come with tracking employee hours with a mobile app.

Payroll Accuracy Reduces Costly Errors

Mobile time tracking provides a high degree of payroll accuracy. You cannot achieve this level of accuracy with paper-based time tracking. Mobile time tracking apps are more accurate and allow for direct data import for payroll. The number of potential problems you can avoid in payroll processing is astounding. Mobile time tracking apps solve a lot of problems for less cost. It’s a no-brainer, but let’s dig a little deeper.

Traditional paper timecards are the fostering ground of payroll errors. From unreadable handwriting to addition mistakes, timecards nurture errors from the start. Paper timecards can also go missing or get damaged, making it even harder to track time accurately.

Finally, beware the inevitable transcription error. Manual data transfer causes consistent payroll errors, marking the most significant area of concern in payroll processing from paper timecards. A single error can cost your business a lot in accidental overpayment. It can also create a paperwork mystery that takes hours to solve. Employees get upset and agencies get involved; it can be a real mess. This reason alone is enough to convince a company with subcontractors to upgrade.

Reliability Improves Trust and Company Security

Reliability is high on our list of reasons to use a mobile time tracking app for subcontractors. Much like accuracy, reliability has to do with the trust you can place in your records.

Subcontractors, gig workers, and employees may work in different job roles through the day. These individuals need to keep accurate records for job costing and wage scale changes. You may also need to incorporate journaling for compliance with OSHA. The reliability of these records can be critical to your business.

In the event of an audit or dispute, reliable records are key to avoiding penalties and fines. Mobile time tracking provides on-site convenience and cloud-based reliability.

Employees who use paper timecards often work from memory at the end of the day or even later in the week. Completing timecards after the fact introduces errors and guesswork. Cloud-based time tracking apps provide convenient, easy recordkeeping. Employees record job role changes at the tap of the screen. Time tracking apps produce reliable real-time records that establish reliability and trust.

WorkforceHub is a trusted time-tracking tool that’s ideal for any company. It’s packed with features and is accessible via a mobile app for simplified tracking while on the go.

Mobile Access Makes Real-Time Recording More Convenient

Speaking of convenience, mobile time tracking is the ultimate in convenience for employees. Mobile time tracking apps are also a real time-saver for managers. Mobile access makes this double-feature benefit possible. On-site employees can use their own personal smartphone device for time tracking. When this is not the most convenient, on-site time tracking is possible with a remote punch clock device. For example, our Touch clock is a verification clock designed for rugged work environments.

Mobile access to time tracking allows employees the convenience to keep records current. With instant access, employees can log breaks and meal times from their location. Mobile time tracking apps help generate reliable data that you can trust. They also help reduce records disputes and payroll errors.

Mobile access also allows employees to access their own records. With employee self-service, employees can do more than clock in. mobile subcontractors can use mobile time tracking to access their personal records, too.

Employee self-service gives employees the opportunity to track their own time and attendance. They can also check and respond to schedules and overtime alerts.

Mobile options like these reduce the impact on managers and help save time. Mobile time tracking apps are better than paper time cards in many ways. Employees find them more convenient and easy to use. Managers enjoy accurate time and attendance records without the time-wasting hassles.

Real-Time Data Tracking Provides Instant Alerts

Mobile time tracking apps record data to the cloud. This means that managers have access to real-time records from anywhere. Managers can track overtime hours and job costing in real-time as the workday progresses.

This isn’t always necessary, but there are some good reasons to use this important feature. One important reason to watch real-time data is to avoid unplanned overtime. Overtime alerts can help you avoid costly time overruns.

Real-time tracking of time and attendance can help you maintain budgets and avoid disputes. It also helps you avoid unplanned overtime or contract breaches. Job codes and project codes can help you parse data and see an accurate picture of costs. Spotting problems before they arise gives management time to respond to avoid problems. Mobile time tracking apps are the new crystal ball for your business.

Increased Profitability with Better Monitoring

When individuals use mobile time tracking, managers can keep a close eye on expenses. Time and attendance is a major expense for most projects. Tracking these costs is critical to maintaining control of expenses.

When you install mobile time tracking for subcontractors, you gain a remarkable ability to track time and attendance. Since this is a significant expense, you now have your finger on the pulse of profitability. Overtime alerts, real-time tracking, and tools for analysis give your managers unprecedented oversight. The old adage that you have to measure something to improve it is front and center.

Mobile time tracking puts you in the driver’s seat. You have the ability to measure performance on a day-to-day basis and to make corrections when you need to. Mobile time tracking for subcontractors makes this possible. You’ll appreciate the increased manageability and renewed focus on cost savings.

Project Costing with Accurate Recordkeeping

Mobile time tracking makes it possible to generate future-looking reports. These can be a big help in predicting expenses or bidding new work. It is possible to create reports from paper time cards. The problem is that it takes a lot of extra time. Extra time means it doesn’t get done, and opportunities are missed.

Tracking time also allows companies to compile data with ease. Managers can generate reports with the click of a button. Built-in time codes can help you look at the data in meaningful ways. Some of those ways can include looking at routine tasks and measuring the time it takes to complete them. This data can be used to refine estimates and perfect the estimating process. The result is better, more accurate data that helps you establish the true costs of a project. This data can be used to accurately predict costs and improve bids.

Record of Work for Compliance and Legal Security

Mobile timekeeping apps generate an accurate record of work. Accurate and reliable records are important in the event of an audit. They can also be critical in a subcontractor dispute about payroll accuracy. With mobile time tracking, employees are prompted to record breaks and mealtimes. This helps generate a reliable history of work time to the minute.

Error tracking and intelligent clocking help avoid mistakes or missed punches. With complete, accurate and reliable records, employee disputes are minimized. Audit-ready records mean you are prepared for any scrutiny, and in most cases are protected from accusations.

Employee self-service provides access to historical time and attendance. Employees can track their own time and are able to raise issues before they become a problem. A reliable, accurate record of work helps both subcontractor employees and managers. With centralized data, both sides can see the same records which eliminate the need for correlation. An accurate and reliable history will help your company avoid compliance and legal troubles in the future.

Accountability For Employees, Gig Workers, and Subcontractors

Mobile time tracking reinforces accountability. Team members are able to punch in and punch out from any location. This means there are no more excuses for missing time cards or missed punches. Your people are empowered to track their own time. They share responsibility for generating accurate and reliable data. This helps generate accountability for time and attendance tracking.

When employees feel empowered to manage their own time, they internalize the importance of keeping accurate records. Mobile time tracking becomes a convenient standard that employees will embrace. Your payroll and recordkeeping efforts will improve and your business will enjoy savings in time and error avoidance. Everybody wins.

Mobile Time Tracking Is a Win-Win

Your business will benefit by adding mobile time tracking to your toolbelt. Mobile time tracking apps such as WorkforceHub offer a world of convenience and accuracy. Your business can be more profitable and your time and data records more accurate.

Improving accuracy, reducing error, and improving time efficiency go a long way toward boosting your bottom line. Mobile time tracking holds a promise of increased efficiency and a stronger foundation of data on which to plan and grow.