Microsoft Excel, although more sophisticated than analogue methods of timesheet tracking, is still a very dated way of tracking time and attendance. That’s where automated software for a timesheet calculator comes in.
For those who’ve relied on Excel for time tracking and timesheet calculating up until this point, it might not seem necessary to move to an automated software tool. However, once you’ve employed an automated tool, your operations and processes will be changed radically. Read on for an in-depth analysis and comparison of the differences between Excel and automated software.
Advantages of Excel Spreadsheets for Timesheet Calculator
When it comes to time tracking in the workplace, Excel has grown immensely in popularity in recent years, and with good reason. There are certainly some advantages of using Excel for this purpose, these include:
- Promoting productivity – Although time tracking is about monitoring and calculating total working hours, the practice of timekeeping comes with the added benefit of boosting productivity as employees are also made aware of how much time they’re actually committing to a task.
- Providing business intelligence – Spreadsheet time tracking can help with the automation of multiple tasks and provide a large amount of business analytics that will directly boost business intelligence.
- Comprehensive overviews – Most business processes are tracked within and across a variety of spreadsheets. By tracking employee time in this manner, you have access to exportable data that is highly portable and actionable.
Disadvantages of Excel Spreadsheets for Timesheet Calculator
Although there are a few good and obvious advantages of using spreadsheet software like Excel for the purposes of time management, the cons far outweigh the pros. Some noteworthy disadvantages are:
- Easily bloated – When setting up a spreadsheet time tracking system, it’s easy to fall into the trap of creating a one-stop-shop of the company’s strategic intelligence. Though this may sound like a good idea, it’s a solution that can become bloated and over-complicated really quickly.
- Risk of human error – Spreadsheet software delivers automation in many areas aside from the tracking itself. Because these sheets are managed and filled in manually, the risk of human error in time tracking is significantly higher than when using automated software.
- Inaccurate reporting – Excel is excellent at producing reports. Despite this, the reality is that data reports are only ever as good as the data they’re based on.
- Time-consuming – Likely the worst disadvantage of spreadsheet-based time tracking is that it’s incredibly time-consuming. Clock-watching, time-counting, data entry and reporting are crucial parts that, when not prioritized, cause the whole system to be unreliable.
Advantages of Automated Time-Tracking Software
Time-tracking has proven to be one of the most difficult to get right, yet the handiest tools for productivity measurement. It comes with at least four noteworthy benefits for both the employee and the employer alike. These four benefits are:
1. Keeping Accurate Record of Billable Time
Because the software you employ automates this process for you, the most obvious and popular benefit is that it’s free of human-error risk and highly accurate. This results in fewer billing and invoicing errors, as well as a more detailed productivity report.
2. An Accountability Boost
There’s no greater encouragement for time management and distraction avoidance than knowing your manager has easy access to reviewing your billable time. Time-tracking software is proven to improve workplace accountability and transparency around capacity and capabilities.
3. Analysis of Financial Outcomes
A direct result of tracking billable hours is a data-based insight into expenditure and the ability to analyze the work being put in to achieve financial goals.
4. No Interruptions
Accurate manual time-tracking is not only time consuming, but it also requires complete dedication and focus, which is why it’s proven to be unreliable. Automated time-tracking, however, is a no-frills, no-fuss process that can run silently in the background of the tasks at hand. This means it’s not disruptive, allowing employees to maintain their focus on what’s actually important – their work.
Disadvantages of Automated Time-Tracking Software
As with everything, there are a few cons to employing automated time-tracking tools. These downsides include:
- There are fees involved
- There’s a risk of micromanagement
- It can impact staff turnover and absenteeism
Overall, automated tracking and its benefits far outweigh the features and effort involved in manual or traditional time-keeping systems like Excel.
When choosing which software to work with, the more features and benefits you have access to in relation to the price point, the better. EasyRoster, for example, comes with over fifteen features and benefits, yet it is still priced competitively.
If you’re interested in learning more about EasyRoster and what it can do to improve your business functioning, get in touch with us today to book your expert-led demo.
As a Senior Product Manager at Adapt IT, I lead the division responsible for one of our flagship products, EasyRoster. Our primary focus is to empower organisations with top-tier Workforce Management Software, enabling them to optimise operational efficiency and streamline processes.
With over 12 years of experience in the industry, I have collaborated with clients across 25+ countries, delivering training sessions and offering labor efficiency consultations to diverse groups of professionals.
In my capacity as Senior Product Manager, I oversee a multidisciplinary team that together, strive to create innovative solutions and maintain our commitment to excellence in the realm of workforce management.
