A timesheet (or time sheet) is a method for recording the amount of a worker's time spent on each job. Traditionally a sheet of

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distribu ...

with the data arranged in tabular format, a timesheet is now often a digital document or

spreadsheet A spreadsheet is a computer application for computation, organization, analysis and storage of data in tabular form. Spreadsheets were developed as computerized analogs of paper accounting worksheets. The program operates on data entered in ...

. The time cards stamped by

time clock A time clock, sometimes known as a clock card machine or punch clock or time recorder, is a device that records start and end times for hourly employees (or those on flexi-time) at a place of business. In mechanical time clocks, this was accomp ...

s can serve as a timesheet or provide the data to fill one. These, too, are now often digital. Timesheets came into use in the 19th century as time books. To record time in a more granular fashion,

time-tracking software Time-tracking software is a category of computer software that allows its employees to record time spent on tasks or projects. The software is used in many industries, including those who employ freelancers and hourly workers. It is also used by p ...

may be used.

Use

Originally developed for an

employer Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any o ...

to calculate

payroll A payroll is the list of employees of some company that is entitled to receive payments as well as other work benefits and the amounts that each should receive. Along with the amounts that each employee should receive for time worked or tasks pe ...

, a timesheet can also be used for

management accounting In management accounting or managerial accounting, managers use accounting information in decision-making and to assist in the management and performance of their control functions. Definition One simple definition of management accounting is th ...

. Timesheets may track the start and end times of tasks or just the duration. It may contain a detailed breakdown of tasks accomplished throughout the project or program. This information may be used for payroll, client billing, and increasingly for project costing, estimation, tracking, and management. Some companies provide web-based timesheet software or services that provide a means to track time for

, billing and

project management Project management is the process of leading the work of a team to achieve all project goals within the given constraints. This information is usually described in project documentation, created at the beginning of the development process. T ...

. One of the major uses of timesheet in a project management environment is comparing planned costs versus actual costs, as well as measuring employee performance and identifying problematic tasks. This knowledge can drive

corporate strategy In the field of management, strategic management involves the formulation and implementation of the major goals and initiatives taken by an organization's managers on behalf of stakeholders, based on consideration of resources and an assessment ...

as users stop performing or reassign unprofitable work.

Time cards

Factory A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. ...

workers may often have a "time card" (also known as

punch card A punched card (also punch card or punched-card) is a piece of stiff paper that holds digital data represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined positions. Punched cards were once common in data processing applications or to di ...

) and "punch in" by inserting their card into an automatic timestamp machine (called a

or bundy clock) when starting and ending their work shift, though other card technologies such as swipe cards have become more prevalent.

Advantages

Time tracking can reduce costs in three ways: by making payroll processing more efficient, by making costs visible so they can be reduced, and by automating

bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Pla ...

ing and invoicing. Time tracking can increase

revenue In accounting, revenue is the total amount of income generated by the sale of goods and services related to the primary operations of the business. Commercial revenue may also be referred to as sales or as turnover. Some companies receive rev ...

through automating

ing, which tends to make it easier for a company to get correct invoices out for all hours worked by consulting staff. This speeds up payment and eliminates the hassles of 'dropping' bills. By reducing costs in three ways, and increasing

in one way, timesheet management technologies that are web-based can improve the health of companies. In

, timesheet can also be used to build a body of knowledge about how much effort tasks take to develop. Machine learning is being used to automatically find patterns in timesheet — then using this information to recommend more accurate project plans in the future. For example, if developing a training plan has historically taken a month, then it can be assumed that creating a new one will take a month. Also, most timesheet software has the ability to track resource costs and project expenses to allow for better future budgeting. For the HR function, the time spent on activities by individuals can be analysed over a period of time and categorised into broad types. Based on the outcome, roles could be realigned.

References

{{reflist Working time Personnel economics Office equipment

Use

Time cards

Advantages

See also

References