How To Boost Your Productivity By Using Time Management Software

Benefits of time management software

At the workplace, it is important to plan and exercise control on the time you spend on specific activities and work smarter to increase efficiency and achieve a better work-life balance. Time management helps improve employee efficiency and produce better quality work. Time management helps to prioritize all the work tasks and achieve the goals faster.
The best way for optimal time management is to use time management software as it saves a lot of time but also gets more work done in a lesser amount of time. The management software helps employees increase their efficiency and productivity which, in turn, helps the business bring in more profits and make better utilization of resources. A time management software that enables you to manage time by allotting tasks and deadlines and also recording the time spent to complete each task.
Let us now look at how the time management software benefits a business-

1. Keeps track of employee attendance- A business can use the time tracking tool in the management software to keep track of employee attendance. This also ensures that the employees are less likely to skip work as they know their attendance is being tracked. The time tracker also accurately records and shows the number of hours and days worked by each employee.
2. Tasks completed on time- There are peak times in business when employees may have a lot of work and may forget some tasks. Time management software can be used to allot tasks to the employees and then keep track of how much time is spent on a task. The management software also shows which tasks are still left or have an upcoming deadline. Thus, employee time can be allotted for specific tasks which helps employees focus, leading to an increase in productivity.
3. Manage schedules- Time management software lets employees view and manage their schedules and also shows them how much vacation time they have. Thus, employees can align their off days with their schedules and take time off when they have some free time. Employees can also exchange time off or work schedules with colleagues, which is beneficial for the business as there will be fewer chances that the employee's off time will clash with workdays.
4. Prevents fraud- There are times when employees fabricate their attendance hours or get another employee to punch in or out for them. These malpractices can end up causing problems for the business. Time management software prevents fraud as it has the management tools to record time-in and time-out and also track staff work hours in real-time.
5. Real-time analytics- Time management software provides real-time analysis of the attendance, the number of hours they are working, the number of assignments they have completed, and their productivity levels. This data is able to provide an overview of what is happening in the workplace and help you make informed decisions.
6. Boosts productivity- The time tracking tool in the management software monitors the actions of every employee and shows exactly how much work was done by the employees. The tracking app also provides a list of hard-working employees who can be regarded for their good work. This boosts a workplace's productivity and morale.

Key Features of Time Management Software

As discussed, opting for time management software provides many benefits to a business. But before selecting time management software, let us look at a list of features and management tools that management software should include-

1. Time tracking- The most important function of time management software is time tracking. Time tracking tools or time trackers are used to record the employee time spent on a project and how productive an employee is during the workday. The time spent on daily tasks is recorded on a timesheet. The timesheet is used for billing work hours to clients or calculating compensation for payroll. Time tracking is also helpful for visualizing tasks in a timeline.
2. Online timesheets- As discussed, employee time used on daily tasks is recorded on a timesheet, which centralizes all billable hours. The timesheet also acts as an attendance report that is useful for tracking absences, time-off, and holidays.
3. Project management- Most of the time tracking software solutions can be integrated into a project management system, but there are time-tracking apps that have a management tool for project management. The management tool will allow you to perform task management like group tasks, set deadlines for tasks, and set priorities. The management tool also helps set a budget for a project based on the project's progress.
4. Online invoicing- This management tool is a must if your business bills clients by the hour or minutes as it tracks all hours worked with accuracy and automatically generates billing. This time tracking tool can also automate wage calculations which is a time-saver for small businesses.
5. Issuing alerts- A tracking software can also issue alerts to employees when they miss checking in or out. The management software also notifies when the team is falling behind schedule for a project or if there are urgent or pending tasks. The time management notifications are automated and can be sent to different channels.
6. User management- Time management software allows the creation and management of groups for different teams or departments which helps assign tasks or generate reports. The management tool is also useful for delegating tasks.
7. Reporting and analytics- Tracking software can also create reports and summaries to analyze data related to tasks or projects. The management software can also run analytics on a budget or identify areas to cut costs. Reports are presented in charts and graphs which are easy to use and understand.

Opt for time tracking and management software:

• Increases productivity as time tracking helps employees work efficiently
• Improves employee scheduling and it allows employees track their own and colleagues' time management
• Management can track time spent on tasks and performance by employees to reward good performers

Why do Small Businesses Need Time Management Software?

Businesses that adopt Time Management practices are able to consistently deliver their product or service on time and many organizations, especially small businesses, cannot afford to waste time with bad time management and inefficiency.
A business with good time management is also able to solve problems that arise without having a significant impact on the daily workflow, which is a must for businesses that rely on constant output to increase return on investments. It is important for business owners to build a workplace that values time management.

Here are some reasons why businesses, especially small businesses, need time management software in the workplace-

1. Prioritizing- A business is able to prioritize its overall goals with time management software. The tracking app can help a business rank its tasks and projects by their importance. The management software also helps assign tasks and projects to the best resources. If there is an emergency or unexpected that comes up during the day, as a business owner you can rest easy knowing that the most time-sensitive tasks have been assigned already.
2. Set measurable goals- Setting clear-cut goals helps a business measure the success of its work and track progress towards that goal. Time management helps you be productive and focus on achieving your company's goals.
3. Better decision making- Time management software helps you prioritize your tasks according to importance. A management software makes task management easier and eases the work related stress felt by business owners. A management software also helps business owners focus on important tasks more efficiently. Good time management helps you with free time when you can come up with ideas which can better your business and help you make better choices and decisions.
4. Plan ahead- Planning ahead takes away the stress for the future and after establishing your goals, you can also start working on a feasible timeline to achieve them. An important part of planning is setting realistic expectations of what you can achieve. A time management app gives you an overview of how long a project can take to finish which helps you set realistic deadlines and will also encourage the employees.
5. Delegation- As a business owner, you have to focus on not only day-to-day operations but also the overall big picture. Thus, you need to know when it is appropriate to delegate some tasks to others as per good time management practices. It's also a great opportunity to motivate your employees with increased responsibilities. Time management software helps you identify which tasks you can delegate by tracking the time needed to finish the task and how important it is.

Best Time Management Software

As discussed, using effective Time Management strategies helps you be more productive, less stressed, and find a better work-life balance. Finding good time management software will help you accomplish your tasks for the day by working smarter and getting a work-life balance.

• A time management software be able to prove the business with best time planning and practices and help you track time used by employees on tasks and projects. A good time tracking and management software should have the following attributes-
• Simple and intuitive interface
• Free tier for web, desktop, and mobile time tracking apps which can support unlimited users and projects
• Built-in invoicing tools
• Easy to use expense and time tracking and management tools
• Timesheets for billing
• Advanced reporting management tools
• Tools for tracking time and employee productivity and profitability
• Should work on iOS Android and Windows platforms

Many time-tracking and management software come with free and paid options. The best time tracking solution for your business should be with an affordable per month, per-user cost.
Zipschedules is easy-to-use scheduling software that also has management tools for time tracking and time management like time clocks which allows a business to see the employee time schedule. It also has management tools to calculate employee productivity and issue alerts about labor laws compliance. The app can also be integrated with Zip Clock which allows for employees to record their time and see how much time they spend on performing certain tasks. The time management features and tiered payment features make Zipschedules ideal for small and medium business owners.
Let us now look at some other time tracking and management software which can help a business improve its daily operations.

Features of Time tracking and management software: Key features to keep in mind when opting for a time tracking software suited for you-

• Hourly time tracking
• Management tools for compliance with law
• Review and approval for time entries
• Reports and analytics

1. Jira Time Management Software

Jira time management tool is a part of Jira Software which is a collection of work management tools. The time tracking tool in Jira helps a business-

• Provide records of the time spent on every task and project
• Create invoices and timesheets and also integrate with payment processes
• Enable work to be allocated based on real time analytics
• Create visualizations of time spent across projects
• Integrate with third party tools to assist planning and time tracking

The time tracker in Jira time management software are flexible and can be customized. The user interface is intuitive which helps jump-start your time tracking and working time management. The time tracker gives accurate computations which helps boost productivity.

2. Hubstaff

Hubstaff is a workforce management software that has management tool for which offer proof of work, time tracking, payroll management and project management. The time tracking and management software works on iOS Android or use the Google Chrome extension.

• The time tracking software helps employees with tracking time, choosing specific tasks, or work orders.
• Managers can use the time management software to create time reports that allows them to learn more about how employee time is spent to streamline your workflow and get projects done on time.
• You can track time spent on tasks and learn how long it takes to complete projects.
• The time tracking software can generate timesheets automatically based on time entries.
• The management software can also create and manage employee shift schedules and get alerts when employees arrive late, leave early, or miss their shift.

3. Teramind Time Tracking

Teramind is a leading provider of employee monitoring and user behavior analytics software solutions. Teramind time tracking software can keep track of all user activity across web, mobile apps emails and on-screen content.

• The time management software provides in-depth reports on how employees time is spent and discourages unproductive activity and too much free time with automated alerts.
• The management software also provides real time feedback on employee behavior.
• The time management software can also schedule employees shifts or workload and inform all employees about work hours and breaks.
• The tracking software also removes the need for manual invoicing.
• The management software allows workers to manage their own tasks and track time as they switch between different tasks.
• The management software also provides interactive training sessions and monitor and provide feedback to ensure your employees are and delivering quality work.

4. Clockly

The time tracking software helps track time, monitor employees, manage payroll and gain insights into task progress with activity screenshots, mouse and keystroke tracking, and more.

• The time tracking and management software also provides accurate employee timesheets with automated tracking and also creates schedules and manages payroll. The time tracker can also control team members with remote monitoring.
• The time tracking app allow for manual time punch that wasn't recorded by the software.
• The management software can also be used to pay your employees with just a few clicks.
• The app also provides management tools for a project that allow setting budgets and hourly rates, task management and viewing weekly resource stats.

5. Apploye

The time tracking and management software can be used for time tracking, employee monitoring, and productivity measurement. Apploye time tracker tool provides accurate hour tracking and an evidence trail as it tracks activity based on user interaction with keyboard & mouse.

• The time tracking app lets you track employee time at a glance in timesheet views.
• The time tracker lets you track time on individual projects and tasks and also take decisions about including projects in calculating the amount to be billed when you invoice your clients and look at your schedules, shifts, and tasks.
• The management software also provides a business with an overall view of productivity along with every employee's work. This allows a business to reward top-ranked members based on activity and time.
• The management software also provides reports and analytics about the weekly average activity and daily productivity and checks top assigned project in visual representations.

6. DeskTime

DeskTime time tracking app makes it easy to measure productivity, boost performance, track attendance, and effectively manage workflow.

• The time management software ensures managers and team members can always stay up-to-day with who's doing what and the team's overall work progress.
• The management software offers a booking feature, which is useful for companies that have remote or hybrid work.
• The time tracker provides management tools for automatic online and offline time tracking, project management, shift scheduling, invoicing, and custom reports among others.
• The management software can also be integrated with commonly used project management platforms and calendars, allowing you to automate time tracking and seamlessly track projects and tasks with one management tool.

7. Time Doctor

Time Doctor time tracking and management software provide analysis of where employee time is spent, enabling employees and managers to increase productivity.

• The time tracking app not only tracks time and attendance but also provides a breakdown of how much time is spent on each project, client, or task.
• The time tracking data is accurate to the second and can be used to bill clients or to have an accurate record for paying staff.
• The time management software makes it easier to focus your time on important tasks without getting distracted by giving detailed reports on how you spend your time.
• The management software provides a weekly report for managers and employees which gives a list of websites and applications used and the time period which helps maximize productivity tracking and identify problem areas.