How to Keep Track of Hours Worked: Best Tools and Strategies for 2024
Tracking employee hours is crucial for payroll accuracy, productivity optimization, and legal compliance. With the best time tracking software, you can simplify this process significantly. Finding the best way to keep track of employees hours can be overwhelming. We’ll explore proven strategies and effective solutions to streamline the process of recording hours worked. Whether you’re a small business owner, a manager, or an HR professional and you’re asking yourself “how to track my hours at work? or “how to track employee hours?”, mastering the art of tracking employee hours is essential for maintaining efficiency and ensuring fair compensation. Join us as we learn how to track time spent on tasks and work via a time tracker, delve into the intricacies of keeping track of employee hours, and discover the best practices to effectively manage your workforce’s time.
Essential Factors for Choosing Time Tracking Software
Let’s explore key criteria to consider when choosing something you use to keep track of time. We’ll delve into how to find the best way to track employee time and make informed decisions for your workflow.
🚀 Ease of use: Opt for software that is intuitive and user-friendly to ensure easy adoption by employees.
🎯 Accuracy: Look for software that offers precise time-tracking capabilities to minimize errors in recording hours worked.
💪 Flexibility: Choose software that accommodates various work arrangements, such as remote work, flexible schedules, and different types of tasks.
🔁 Integration: Ensure the software integrates seamlessly with your existing systems.
📄 Reporting: Select software that allows you to analyze employee hours, track project progress, generate project and status reports, and monitor productivity effectively.
🔧 Customization: Opt for software that allows customization to meet your specific business needs.
💻 Support and training: Choose a provider that offers reliable customer support and training resources.
💸 Cost: Consider the pricing structure of the software, including any subscription fees, licensing costs, and additional charges for extra features.
11 Best Apps to Keep Track of Hours Worked in 2024
| Tool | Attendance Tracking | Time Keeping | Billable Hours |
| Everhour | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time Doctor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hubstaff | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paymo | No | Yes | Yes |
| Timely | No | Yes | Yes |
| TMetric | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DeskTime | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TimeCamp | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| actiTIME | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HourStack | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MyHours | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How to Keep Track of Hours Worked: 11 Best Apps
Everhour
Everhour stands out as the ultimate solution for businesses seeking comprehensive time tracking software. Boasting a user-friendly interface and a suite of robust features, Everhour simplifies time tracking, project management, and invoicing tasks with unparalleled ease and efficiency. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Everhour provides the perfect solution for how to keep track of employees time effectively.
Key features
- Precise time tracking: Everhour offers accurate time tracking through various methods, ensuring precise recording of hours worked. With lots of extra features such as a timesheet app, work hours tracker, and a time clock app, it enables teams and their members to track every minute.
- Seamless project integration: It seamlessly integrates with popular project management tools, enabling users to link time tracking directly to specific projects and tasks.
- Customizable reporting: Everhour provides robust reporting features, allowing users to generate detailed time and activity reports to gain insights into employee productivity and project progress.
- Task management: Beyond time tracking, Everhour offers robust task management features, allowing users to allocate time to specific tasks within projects for better organization.
- Invoicing: It simplifies the invoicing process by converting tracked time into professional invoices, streamlining billing and client management tasks.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Includes basic time tracking features
- Team Plan: $8.50 per user per month
Why Everhour stands out
Everhour stands out as one of the best time tracking apps due to its intuitive interface, seamless integrations, and powerful feature set. Whether you need to track time for projects, manage tasks, or streamline invoicing, Everhour provides the tools and flexibility to meet your business needs effectively. Discover how to track your time at work effortlessly with Everhour.
Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a powerful time tracking solution designed to accurately monitor employee time and enhance productivity within organizations. It empowers businesses to streamline workflows, optimize project management, and drive overall efficiency.
Key features
- Accurate time tracking: Time Doctor excels in precisely tracking the time spent on tasks and projects, ensuring accurate recording of work hours.
- Productivity monitoring: Comprehensive monitoring features allow users to gain insights into team productivity, analyze work patterns, and identify areas for improvement.
- Project & task management: Beyond time tracking, Time Doctor offers robust project and task management features, allowing users to allocate time to specific tasks within projects and prioritize assignments effectively.
- Screencasts & screenshots: Time Doctor provides visual representations of work activities through screenshots and screencasts, enhancing transparency and accountability.
- Website and app usage tracking: Time Doctor monitors websites and applications used during work hours, offering insights into employee productivity and helping to deter time-wasting activities.
Pricing
- Basic Plan: Starts at $7 per user per month
- Standard Plan: Starts at $10 per user per month
- Premium Plan: Starts at $20 per user per month
Hubstaff
Whether your team works remotely or in-house, Hubstaff provides the tools needed to ensure accurate time tracking and seamless project management. From precise time tracking methods to insightful reporting capabilities, Hubstaff empowers businesses to make informed decisions and drive productivity to new heights.
Key features
- Precise time tracking: Hubstaff ensures accurate time tracking through various methods like manual entry, GPS tracking, and desktop screenshots.
- Seamless integration: Integrate Hubstaff effortlessly with popular project management tools for streamlined workflows.
- Advanced reporting: Gain valuable insights into productivity and project progress with robust reporting features.
- Location services: Monitor employee movements with GPS location tracking and geofencing features.
- Productivity monitoring: Keep track of employee productivity and work patterns through activity tracking functionalities.
- Alerts and reminders: Configure alerts to prevent overtime and encourage timely breaks for enhanced well-being.
Pricing
- Starter: $4.99 per user per month
- Grow: $7.50 per user per month
- Team: $10 per user per month
- Enterprise: $25 per user per month
Paymo
Embrace efficiency and productivity with Paymo, a comprehensive project management solution designed to streamline your workflow and maximize productivity. From time tracking to task and project management, Paymo offers a suite of robust features tailored to meet the diverse needs of modern businesses.
Key features
- Task and project management: Plan, collaborate, and execute your work efficiently with Paymo’s robust task and project management features.
- Detailed reporting: Gain valuable insights into your time allocation and productivity with customizable reports tailored to your specific needs.
- Client portals: Impress your clients by providing them access to their own portals where they can track project progress, view invoices, and access project-related communication.
- Expense tracking: Keep track of project-related expenses alongside your tracked time to ensure you stay within budget.
- Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrate Paymo with popular tools like Slack, Google Workspace, and more to create a cohesive workflow.
Pricing
- Free Plan
- Starter Plan: $4.95/user/month
- Small Office Plan: $9.95/user/month
- Business Plan: $20.49/user/month
Timely
Timely redefines time tracking with its innovative approach, offering a seamless and intuitive platform for businesses to monitor and manage their time effectively. From automated time tracking to insightful reporting, Timely empowers teams to focus on what matters most – driving productivity and achieving goals.
Key features
- Automated time tracking: Say goodbye to manual time tracking with Timely’s automated system, ensuring accurate capture of work hours without any hassle.
- Project-centric organization: Gain a detailed and project-focused view of time allocation, enabling precise tracking and resource management.
- Real-time collaboration: Foster dynamic collaboration and stay aligned with project progress through Timely’s real-time collaboration features.
- User interface: Experience the simplicity and elegance of Timely’s user-friendly interface, designed to make time tracking a breeze.
Pricing
- Starter Plan: $9/user/month
- Premium Plan: $16/user/month
- Unlimited Plan: $22/user/month
TMetric
TMetric stands at the forefront of time management solutions, offering a dynamic platform to elevate your productivity endeavors. Its sleek interface and comprehensive features redefine how you track and manage time for tasks and projects.
Key features
- Start/stop timer: Initiate and halt the timer with a single click, ensuring accurate tracking of work hours.
- Intuitive interface: TMetric boasts a clear and concise interface that displays time spent on tasks, providing users with quick insights into their productivity.
- Project and team management: Effortlessly create projects, set rates, and monitor budgets, while also keeping track of your team’s progress.
- Reports: Generate detailed reports showcasing time spent on each task, facilitating analysis and informed decision-making.
- Multi-device support: Access TMetric across multiple devices, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and various browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, and Safari.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Basic features including time tracking, integrations, and reporting features with unlimited projects
- Professional Plan: $5/month
- Business Plan: $7/month
DeskTime
DeskTime redefines time tracking with its feature-rich platform tailored to boost productivity and refine time management skills. Through a myriad of tools and seamless integrations, DeskTime provides profound insights into work habits, empowering users to make informed, data-driven decisions.
Key features
- URL tracking: Utilize advanced URL tracking tools in the desktop version to monitor app and website usage meticulously, ensuring productive work habits.
- Productivity reports: Gain access to comprehensive productivity reports that provide valuable insights into your work patterns, distinguishing billable time from non-billable activities for enhanced efficiency.
- Project management integration: Seamlessly integrate DeskTime with project management functionalities, allowing you to link tracked time to specific tasks and clients with ease.
Pricing
- Pro Plan: €6 per user/month
- Premium Plan: €9 per user/month
- Enterprise Plan: €18 per user/month
Timecamp
Timecamp revolutionizes time tracking with its comprehensive solution crafted to simplify the monitoring of work hours. Featuring an intuitive interface and powerful features, Timecamp provides an effective method to track and oversee time across diverse projects and tasks.
Key features
- Accurate time tracking: Timecamp ensures accurate tracking of hours worked, whether it’s for individual tasks or entire projects. Its precise time tracking capabilities provide detailed insights into how time is allocated and utilized.
- Project-centric approach: With its project-centric approach, Timecamp allows users to organize and prioritize tasks within different projects. This enables teams to allocate time efficiently and ensures that projects stay on schedule.
- Customizable reporting: Timecamp offers customizable reporting features that provide a comprehensive view of time spent on different activities. Users can generate detailed reports to analyze productivity trends, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions.
- Integration capabilities: Timecamp seamlessly integrates with various project management tools, calendar applications, and productivity software. This integration allows for smooth data synchronization and enhances workflow efficiency.
Pricing
- Free: $0
- Basic: $6.99/user/month
- Pro: $9.99/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom
actiTIME
actiTIME presents a dynamic solution for businesses seeking efficient time tracking capabilities. This robust platform empowers teams to streamline their workflows and monitor work hours effectively. With actiTIME, businesses can enhance productivity, meet project deadlines, and optimize their overall performance.
Key features
- Time tracking: actiTIME provides a centralized platform for employees to log their work hours, ensuring accurate tracking of billable time. Whether it’s daily, weekly, or custom time entry, actiTIME offers flexibility to suit organizational preferences and workflows.
- Task and workflow management: Users can organize tasks, set deadlines, and create workflows to streamline project execution. This feature ensures that teams stay on track, meet deadlines, and align tasks with project objectives for maximum efficiency.
Pricing
- Free: Includes basic features for small teams
- Paid plans: $6/user per month
HourStack
HourStack emerges as a multifaceted ally in time management, catering to both individual users and teams alike. Through its innovative features, HourStack revolutionizes task management, time tracking, and reporting, offering a seamless experience for optimizing productivity and workflow efficiency.
Key features
- Integrations: Seamlessly integrate HourStack with popular applications like Todoist, Asana, and Google Calendar, allowing for smooth task and event synchronization across platforms.
- Visual time blocking: Stand out with HourStack’s visual time blocking feature, enabling users to allocate time to tasks through an intuitive interface. This visual representation enhances schedule clarity and facilitates efficient time management.
- Drag-and-drop functionality: Experience flexibility and ease of use with HourStack’s drag-and-drop functionality, enabling users to adapt their schedules on the fly with minimal effort.
- Time tracking and reporting: Utilize HourStack’s robust time tracking and reporting features to monitor task durations and assess productivity levels with insightful analytics.
Pricing
- Personal Plan: $12 per month
- Team Plan: $15 per member per month
My Hours
My Hours stands out as a dynamic time management solution tailored to empower individuals and businesses in maximizing their productivity. Boasting an extensive array of features and an intuitive interface, it facilitates effortless time tracking, powerful reporting, and efficient client management, elevating workflow management to new heights of efficiency and effectiveness.
Key features
- Comprehensive reporting: Gain valuable insights into your time allocation and productivity with My Hours’ detailed reporting capabilities. Customize reports to fit your specific needs and make data-driven decisions to enhance efficiency.
- Invoicing: Simplify the invoicing process by converting your tracked time into professional invoices effortlessly. My Hours streamlines billing procedures, ensuring prompt payments and efficient client management.
- Client access: Impress your clients by providing them with access to dedicated portals where they can monitor project progress, review invoices, and access communications related to their projects. This transparency fosters trust and strengthens client relationships.
- Expense tracking: Stay informed about project-related expenses alongside your tracked time with My Hours’ expense tracking feature. Effectively manage costs and maintain project budgets for improved financial management.
Pricing
- Free Plan
- Paid Plan: $8 per user per month
How to Keep Track of Employees’ Hours Differently
When it comes to learning how to log hours, there are various innovative methods beyond traditional time clocks and manual entry. Consider these alternative approaches:
1. Biometric time clocks: Utilize biometric technology such as fingerprint or facial recognition to accurately record employees’ clock-in and clock-out times. This eliminates the need for manual time entry and reduces the risk of buddy punching or time theft.
2. GPS-based time tracking: Implement GPS tracking systems to monitor employees’ locations and activities while on the job. This is particularly useful for remote or field workers, allowing managers to verify attendance and track billable hours based on geographical data.
3. Mobile time tracking apps: Equip employees with mobile apps that enable them to log their work hours and activities directly from their smartphones or tablets. These apps often come with features like geofencing, task tracking, and real-time reporting, enhancing flexibility and convenience for both employees and managers.
4. Self-reporting systems: Empower employees to take responsibility for their time tracking through self-reporting systems. Provide them with tools and templates to log their hours, tasks, and accomplishments, fostering accountability and transparency in time management.
5. Automated activity monitoring: Implement software solutions that automatically track employees’ computer or device usage and categorize their activities. This provides detailed insights into how to keep track of hours worked, allowing for more accurate time tracking and productivity analysis.
Best Tips for Recording Hours Worked
Accurate time tracking is essential for effective payroll management and project costing. Here are some top tips for how to keep track of hours worked:
1️⃣ Establish clear time tracking policies: Set clear guidelines and expectations for time tracking, including when and how employees should record their hours. Provide training and resources to ensure everyone understands the process.
2️⃣ Use technology wisely: Leverage time tracking software and apps to streamline the recording process. Choose tools with features like automated timers, project-based tracking, and mobile accessibility for enhanced accuracy and convenience.
3️⃣ Encourage regular time entries: Encourage employees to log their hours regularly throughout the day rather than waiting until the end of the week. This reduces the risk of forgetting tasks and ensures more accurate time records.
4️⃣ Implement accountability measures: Hold employees accountable for accurate time tracking by reviewing and verifying their entries regularly. Provide feedback and address any discrepancies promptly to maintain integrity in the time recording system.
5️⃣ Monitor break times: Remind employees to record their break times accurately, including meal breaks and rest periods. Encourage them to pause the timer or log breaks separately to ensure accurate reporting of working hours.
6️⃣ Review and analyze time data: Regularly review time data to identify trends, spot inconsistencies, and assess overall productivity. Use this information to optimize workflows, allocate resources efficiently, and identify areas for improvement.
7️⃣ Communicate transparently: Foster open communication about time tracking policies and procedures. Address any concerns or questions employees may have and ensure they feel comfortable asking for assistance when needed.
8️⃣ Regularly update time tracking processes: Periodically review and update your time tracking processes to reflect changes in business operations, technology, or regulations. Stay informed about industry best practices and incorporate relevant updates as needed.
How to Keep Track of Hours Worked: Conclusion
Among the various time tracking solutions available, Everhour stands out as the best choice for businesses seeking comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and seamless integration capabilities. With Everhour, businesses can effectively track time, manage projects, and optimize workflows for enhanced efficiency and success.
As you can see, answering the question “how to keep track of hours worked” and mastering the art of time tracking is essential for achieving your business goals and maintaining a competitive edge in today’s dynamic market landscape. By adopting the best practices and leveraging the right tools, businesses can keep track of time effectively and drive growth and success in the long run.
If you are managing a team of 5 or more and looking to boost efficiency, Everhour is the best time tracking and billing software to keep your team on track. With seamless time tracking, you can easily estimate task durations, set clear budgets, and generate detailed reports inside Asana, Trello, Jira, or any other pm tool. You can read more about Everhour in our series of articles comparing it with other time tracking tools, for example, in our article on Timeneye vs Everhour.
