6 Different Methods for Time Tracking
In an earlier blog, we took a closer look at time tracking in Excel. However, there are many different ways to track your time. In this blog, we review the various options.
1. Time Tracking on Paper
The most old-school way of time tracking is with pen and paper. Drawing a table by hand and filling in your hours used to be the go-to method for companies and freelancers. You don’t need computer knowledge, and you always have the form on hand, even if you're not behind a computer. But what happens if you lose your sheet of paper? There’s no backup, and your hours are gone. Plus, your accountant has to manually enter these hours, creating double work.
2. Tracking Hours in Your Calendar
Another option is to track your hours in a calendar. A calendar is less likely to get lost than a paper time sheet. However, this also involves entering your hours twice. Of course, you could also use the calendar app on your phone. The advantage here is that your time tracking is always in your pocket and backed up via the cloud. Unfortunately, exporting your time entries to another platform is often difficult or even impossible.
Did you know that with Keeping, you can view your time entries in your digital calendar?
3. Time Tracking in Microsoft Excel
A slightly more modern version of manual time tracking is using Excel to record hours worked. With a wide variety of templates available online, it’s easy to keep track of your hours in Excel. Most people have a Microsoft Office package on their computers and are familiar with Excel. However, Excel can be quite confusing. Plus, formulas in an Excel file can be sensitive to errors. One wrong code or click, and your entire time tracking sheet could be messed up. This can be a big risk, especially if you’re not making (online) backups.
Did you know that with Keeping, you can always open your time entries in Excel? This allows you to quickly do calculations, add up hours, or create a customized overview.
4. Use a Mobile App for Time Tracking
An app on your mobile phone is another option. There are various time tracking apps available. While there’s nothing wrong with a free app, some may lack essential features, so it’s good to evaluate carefully. For instance, some apps only store data on your phone, so if it breaks, you lose everything. Also, many apps aren’t ideal for tracking time as a team or over the long term.
Keeping also has a time tracking app for Android and iOS. With it, you’ll always have your time tracking at your fingertips. The app syncs your hours across all devices and stores them securely in the cloud. Our Keeping app is free for freelancers, so if you’re self-employed, there’s no reason not to choose Keeping.
5. Track Hours in the Browser
Do you work a lot on a computer at the office? Then time tracking in the browser might be handy, always within reach. Want to quickly switch to a different project? Just click a button in your browser window or go to the tab for your time tracking software.
Organisation and time are central in Keeping’s web application, which integrates seamlessly with browsers through our add-ons for Firefox and Chrome. The secure environment allows you to track time in multiple ways. Keeping’s reports make it easy to export detailed reports to PDF, Excel, and CSV formats. These reports can be saved in your records or used for analysis. This brings together the best of both worlds.
6. Time Tracking Software for Your Entire Team
Are you a business owner? Then you’re probably looking for a complete solution. You need software that allows everyone to collaborate and makes time entry flexible and simple so that no hour is lost.
Keeping scales from a freelancer to a large company and is the comprehensive solution you’re looking for. You can start by testing our platform for free. Keeping not only tracks your hours but also provides insights into your team’s time allocation. With smart reports, you’ll find valuable insights into bottlenecks so that you can organize your business even more efficiently in the future.
Keeping supports integrations with various administrative software. Sending invoices becomes even easier, while you continue to use your favorite programs. It’s also useful for payroll processing. All tracked hours are sorted per team member for payment, making Keeping ideal for time management in larger organisations.
Are you convinced of Keeping’s versatility? Start now and try Keeping with no obligation.
