From marathon lunch breaks to spur-of-the-moment quests for lacking components, protecting tabs in your development staff’s timesheets may be extra difficult than placing up a skyscraper. However as any tradesperson is aware of, having the proper instruments can flip a tricky activity right into a breeze. And on the subject of coping with time-tracking complications (like buddy punching), time clocks are the software of selection. 

However with geographically dispersed groups engaged on completely different tasks, you want a extra specialised software than most. We did slightly digging to search out the very best contractor time clocks for development companies. Let’s get to it!

What’s a time clock?

From punch clocks to digital apps, time clocks are important for managing hourly groups. They observe work hours (together with breaks) and provide insights to make sure correct compensation and enhance mission timeline predictions.

What’s a time clock app?

A time clock app lets your crew effortlessly clock in from their units. With superior options like GPS monitoring and extra time alerts, it’s not nearly easy time monitoring—it’s your all-in-one software for seamlessly managing prices and payroll.

Why does a development enterprise want a time clock app? 

Balancing a number of tasks, job websites, and staff members is a hefty activity, particularly when you possibly can’t be on-site to supervise all the things. Time clocks act as your assistant supervisor, holding your distant groups accountable and protecting tasks on observe. Simply make certain they’ve the next {qualifications}.

• GPS monitoring for on-site accountability: Simply because somebody clocks in for his or her shift, doesn’t all the time imply they’re on-site and able to go. With geofencing and GPS monitoring, you possibly can create a geofence round your job web site(s) and forestall your staff from clocking in whereas they wait for his or her Dunkin’ Donuts order. 
• Cellular communication: Built-in messaging options preserve the traces of communication open, no matter your staff’s location. Whether or not you want an replace on mission timelines or your staff wants your tackle an surprising complication, you are able to do all of it proper within the app. 
• Labor prices and compliance: Conserving tabs on labor prices and staying compliant with labor rules generally is a problem if you’re not on-site. Time clocks with built-in labor price controls warn you when a staff member’s hours are approaching the extra time threshold, so you retain labor prices underneath management.
• Shift scheduling: When tasks throw surprising curveballs, scheduling can turn out to be a headache. Time clock apps with built-in scheduling options help you view your staff’s availability, rework the schedule, and notify your staff of any modifications.

With the proper options, time clocks can fully rework the way in which you observe and handle your distant groups—saving you time, cash, and limitless complications.

The 5 greatest contractor time clock apps

Sorting by way of time clock options can eat up weeks of your time, and we’re going to imagine that’s not your concept of an excellent time. So, we’ve created a menu of types, with the very best contractor time clock apps for development companies—all you must do is resolve which one works greatest for you.

Finest all-in-one resolution: Homebase

Homebase is an all-in-one platform for time monitoring, staff scheduling, communication, automated payroll, and labor price administration and compliance. With options particularly designed for geographically dispersed, hourly-based groups, Homebase takes the chaos out of managing development groups.

Prime options

• Cellular time monitoring with built-in GPS (and geofencing capabilities) restricts your staff from clocking in earlier than they’re onsite, eliminating buddy punching and time theft.
• The user-friendly scheduling characteristic simplifies complicated scheduling (of geographically dispersed groups) by auto-populating timetables.
• Constructed-in staff messaging makes it straightforward to share mission or scheduling updates along with your staff, no matter their location.
• The automated payroll characteristic mechanically converts timesheets into wages, precisely calculating hours, breaks, and extra time for seamless payroll.
• HR and compliance instruments enable you to keep on prime of extra time, minimal wage, and different rules.

Execs

• All-in-one monitoring, scheduling, payroll, and HR resolution. 
• Person-friendly cell app.
• GPS monitoring and geofencing get rid of time theft.
• Immediately talk instantly within the app.
• Responsive customer support.

Cons

• Restricted mission administration instruments in comparison with different choices.

Worth level

• The free plan supplies fundamental options like scheduling, time monitoring, and worker administration for small companies with as much as 20 workers.
• Paid plans vary from $24.95-$80 monthly for limitless workers. 

Finest for time monitoring: Buddy Punch

Our best choice for time monitoring, Buddy Punch makes it straightforward to trace and handle your staff’s hours, no matter their location. 

Prime options

• Punch limiting restricts when your staff can punch in at numerous places, guaranteeing nobody clocks in early with out your approval. 
• Geofencing and GPS monitoring capabilities help you arrange job web site coordinates and prohibit your staff from punching in earlier than they’re on web site.
• Job costing logs project-specific time to observe labor prices effectively throughout tasks.

Execs

• Correct time monitoring and PTO administration.
• Responsive buyer assist.
• Payroll integrations with QuickBooks, Paychex, and ADP.

Cons

• Customers can’t edit or delete punch-ins and punch-outs, so if somebody forgets to clock in or out for his or her shift, it may be a fairly large deal.
• No staff messaging characteristic.
• Lacks an offline mode.
• Problem modifying a number of schedules.

Worth level

Buddy Punch presents a free 14-day trial for brand new clients. All of their paid plans have a base charge of $19 monthly plus extra charges starting from $3.99-$6.99 for every person (billed month-to-month). 

Finest for payroll integration: QuickBooks Time

QuickBooks Time is our best choice for development companies that need to make payroll as painless as potential, due to its seamless integration with QuickBooks.

Prime options

• Time Kiosk precisely and securely tracks your staff’s hours.
• Group scheduling.
• Exact GPS monitoring for distant or field-based groups.  
• Built-in mission tracker to handle hours and prices.
• PTO monitoring and payroll integration with QuickBooks.

Execs

• Correct time monitoring, payroll calculations, and PTO administration. 
• Exact location-based time monitoring with geofencing.
• Customizable mission and time monitoring administration.

Cons

• Dearer than different choices, particularly for big groups.

Worth level

QuickBooks Time presents a free 30-day trial for brand new clients. Paid plans begin at $30 monthly, plus an extra $10 per person (monthly). 

Finest for mission administration: Workyard

Uninterested in juggling all of the shifting components that include mission administration? Workyard can lighten the load with superior options like:

Prime options

• Exercise monitoring dashboard with real-time visibility into mission progress and staff actions.
• GPS time clock ensures correct time monitoring for field-based groups.
• Scheduling and activity administration make it straightforward to assign and observe duties.
• Accounting integration simplifies payroll and mission invoicing.

Execs

• Tailored for distant or field-based groups.
• Venture time monitoring capabilities.
• Streamlines the payroll course of.

Cons

• Troublesome to right time entries with out voiding others.
• Some customers had issues including their Workyard schedule to calendars like Google Calendar. 
• GPS shouldn’t be all the time dependable.

Worth level

Workyard presents new clients a free 14-day trial. Paid plans begin at $50 monthly (plus an extra $6-$13 per person, monthly, relying on the plan. 

Finest for distant groups: ExakTime

Really feel such as you’re consistently struggling to maintain tabs in your distant groups? ExakTime was made for that, with options like:

Prime options

• Geofencing and GPS time monitoring exactly document worker places throughout clock-in or clock-out.
• ExakTime additionally supplies rugged time clocks designed to resist harsh environments to make sure dependable time monitoring no matter work circumstances. 
• Exercise and value code monitoring supplies beneficial insights into worker effectivity, mission hours, and labor prices.

Execs

• Strong time monitoring capabilities.
• Complete reporting supplies beneficial mission and crew administration insights.
• Actual-time oversight of distant groups.

Cons

• Technical glitches can produce duplicate time entries which can be tough to take away.
• Some customers have had points with buyer assist.
• Dearer than different choices.

Worth level

ExakTime’s entry-level plan begins at $50/month, plus an extra $9 monthly per person. For Premium and Elite pricing, you’ll have to speak to their gross sales staff (sorry, not sorry).

Deciding which era clock app fits your development enterprise is a private selection, but when your hope is to develop your online business (and who’s isn’t?), you’ll want a scalable resolution that may enable you to get there. 

Homebase is the all-in-one time clock app constructed for contractors and development crews. Strive it without spending a dime.