Looking for a tool to track how time is being spent? Nowadays, there are many different time-tracking software such as Controlio out there, each of which has its own set of features. Some of these features are unique or highly specialized, while others are more general and cater to a wider range of use cases. To find out what the most useful types of features are in time-tracking or employee monitoring software – just keep reading.
1. Automated Time Tracking
Per its name, automated time-tracking does not require any manual input and will passively track work hours in the background. Because it is automated, it minimizes the typical errors caused by manual tracking such as inaccurate reporting, forgotten clock-ins, or ‘rounding up’.
2. Manual Time Entry
While automation is valuable, the option for manual time entry is useful due to its flexibility. It can be used to log hours for offline work, meetings, or any tasks performed away from the computer – all of which would not typically be captured by automated time tracking. Having the option to add manual time entries won’t hurt, and the additional flexibility will help avoid various issues.
3. Activity Monitoring
Many time-tracking software can monitor how time is spent across different apps, websites, or sometimes even tasks. In doing so, it provides data insights into workflow patterns that can be used to identify inefficiencies, workflow bottlenecks, or skill gaps.
4. Reporting and Analytics
Reporting and analytics features take the raw data that time-tracking tools gather, and turn them into readable insights. The depth of these analytics varies, and some offer basic and simple charts or graphs, while others may calculate detailed productivity analytics and conduct predictive analysis.
5. Project Management
An increasing number of time-tracking tools include project management features of some kind. Mostly they are used to categorize time entries based on projects, tasks, or clients – but in some cases more advanced features to assign tasks and manage projects may be present too.
6. Attendance and Scheduling
Attendance features typically track start times, end times, breaks, and absences. Some may take it a step further and track overtime too. Not only are these features useful to manage employees and comply with labor regulations, but they also fit well with scheduling features that align planned shifts with work requirements.
7. Integrations
Integrations can significantly expand the capabilities of time-tracking software by allowing it to connect to payroll, project management, invoicing, or HR systems. Synchronizing the data across platforms can increase accuracy, avoid duplicate data entries, and ensure workflows are smoother.
Conclusion
All the features listed above are very useful and most organizations can take advantage of them. Of course, time-tracking software such as Controlio have lots of features on top of that – which is why organizations need to check them out and decide what features are required for their specific needs. To put it simply, time-tracking is about more than just simple time logs and by leveraging its features organizations can turn it into an important resource to improve productivity and enable better decision-making.