The Economic Impact of Time Tracking

The Economic Impact of Time Tracking

by | Aug 22, 2022 | Project Management, Software, Time Tracking

Recently, a customer told us that with just 20 employees, their payroll team saved 45-60 minutes every payroll cycle because our PK4 TimeTracker makes the data easy to access, boosting productivity and giving staff more time to focus on other tasks. 

Time trackers can also have a financial impact in other ways, such as identifying revenue lost due to employees not spending their time productively. Sometimes this will be down to the employee being unaware they were time wasting. At others, it can be caused by employees deliberately misleading their employers.

Examples include practices like time theft and buddy punching, which are very costly to businesses overall. And the statistics speak for themselves regarding the economic impact it has.

And you don’t have to take our word for it:

Some specific examples of how time tracking software can have an economic impact include the following:

An Effective Deterrent

Employees are unlikely to try to steal time if they think they’ll be caught, thus reducing the amount of time stolen. It will also help encourage them to arrive and leave at reasonable times, helping the rest of the team remain productive.

While the deterrent is effective enough to deter most people, it’s not always the case. However, for those that do try, time tracking software gives you the tools and information you need to raise discrepancies, potentially identifying attempted time theft.

Increased Employee AccountabilityTime Tracker dashboard on the Time Tracker web app

It’s not uncommon for individuals to not make as much effort as the rest of the team. Time tracking software will help you identify those who could be doing more to contribute. It will also help encourage people to do more if they know they’re being monitored.

It can also be good team management to make employees directly aware of the reports and give them access to them where needed. In some cases, the employee will be surprised or embarrassed by the report and take it on themselves to be accountable.

Enhanced Project Management

Project Management screens in the PK4 TimeTrackerProjects that run smoothly and are delivered on time can provide a significant positive financial impact. Tools like the PK4 TimeTracker Project Management Add-on give project managers more tools that help ensure the project is on target to finish on specification and on time.

Such tools include visual aids like Gantt charts and Kanban boards make it easy to see the workflow and help you identify areas for improvement, ensure you meet project deadlines and boost profit margins.

Gain Insights into the Working Process

In many cases, the working process might be holding the team back from achieving their best. Time tracking software can give you information such as how much time is being spent on particular tasks, helping you identify which tasks could be delegated or automated.

This also helps highlight the benefits of communicating with your employees about time tracking software. Some people might resent being monitored, but education and strong team management can encourage people to embrace the technology instead.

Gain Cost Transparency

Time tracking tools can provide valuable data that gives you greater visibility into costs. Such tools can help you identify high-cost/low-productivity areas and focus on reducing those costs. Cost transparency also makes it easier for you to bill clients.

For example, time tracking software may reveal your team is spending a lot of time on a low-value client. You can then address the issue to help ensure time is spent more productively, helping improve your profit margins.

Improved Planning and BudgetingProject Profitability Report

Time tracking gives you access to detailed reports that let you see key issues at a glance. With more in-depth knowledge and understanding of your costs, you can set better goals for the future. With effective planning and accurate estimates, your future projects are more likely to succeed.

For example, you can gather more accurate project deadlines thanks to data on workflows and how long it takes to complete certain tasks.

With improved planning tools, you may even be able to complete projects faster than usual.

Gain Customer Trust

With time tracking tools, you can send professional reports to your clients with an accurate and transparent breakdown of fees. This will help gain your client’s trust, encouraging them to do more business with you in the future.

Although gaining customers’ trust might not immediately impact your profit margins, its value should never be underestimated. Once you gain your customers’ trust, you are more likely to get quality referrals and gain long-term clients who help keep your business healthy in the long term.

Summary

Time tracking can have a financial impact in numerous ways, and above are some of the most commonly encountered. Not only can time tracking impact your company’s economy directly by identifying theft and other losses, but it can also help give you a boost thanks to providing a better, more accurate estimates to your clients.

And the software won’t just help on the individual level but could help give economies a boost on a national level and even globally. The software is also easy to use and incorporate into your working day and gives you access to a host of other team management tools that will help you achieve your goals.

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash

10 Tips for Project Management Success

10 Tips for Project Management Success

by | Aug 4, 2022 | Project Management, Software, Time Tracking

Project management can be a lot of work, with numerous moving parts that all need to work together harmoniously. A project manager’s job is to ensure every project component works as intended to help ensure a successful outcome.
Managing projects is easier said than done, however, and one error could cause the whole project to be a disaster. But if you follow our top 10 tips for project management success.

Managing projects is easier said than done, however, and one error could cause the whole project to be a disaster. But if you follow our top 10 tips for project management success. 

1. Define Your Objective

One of the most important steps in project management is to define your goals before you begin. After all, if you don’t know what you are trying to achieve, how will you achieve it?

When you define your goals, it becomes easier to identify and plan the various stages along the way. It also helps you ensure you have all the tools and personnel you need for a successful job the client will be delighted with.

2. Manage your Time Effectively

Many of the most successful people on the planet share a common trait – effective time management. No amount of money can help overcome time constraints, so it’s essential that you make the most of every minute for high productivity levels.

Using tools like the PK4 TimeTracker will help you monitor how you spend your time and help to identify areas where you are not working efficiently. With the right information, you can optimize your working day and spend your time on the most.

3. Lead by Example

As a project manager, your team are looking to you for guidance. While a project manager should have the knowledge and experience to tell people what to do, it’s best if team management SHOWS his team what to do.

By showing people what to do, you lead by example and show them that solutions are available that the rest of the team can use. Leading by example also helps give your team confidence that you know how to lead a project.

4. Take Time Out

Project deadlines mean lots of work to meet targets. While it can be easy for a project manager to work every waking moment on a project, doing so is more likely to do more harm than good.

Make sure to take personal time out to rest and regenerate your batteries physically and mentally. Look after yourself, and you will feel alert and ready for the day ahead, helping boost your productivity.

5. Avoid Perfectionism

Those of us who put pride in our work might be prone to perfectionism, which is likely to do more harm than good. Perfectionism can slow things down as you make changes that, in many cases, don’t need to be made.

While it is necessary to ensure that standards are met, you should not strive for perfection beyond those requirements. Otherwise, you might end up with frustrated team members, and you may have difficulty meeting project deadlines.

6. Avoid Multitasking

It is thought by many that multitasking will help you get more done and boost productivity, but the opposite is true. According to studies, multitasking makes you less efficient, meaning you get less done.

Instead, it is typically advisable to focus on one task at a time and not move on to another task until your previous one is done. You will also work more efficiently if you plan your day ahead, prioritizing the most important tasks.

7. Always Ask for Feedback

Teams are typically made up of people who have different skills and experiences. Your team members are also on the front line, meaning they know what is going well and what is not.

Good team management involves getting regular feedback from your team to help ensure the project is on course. You should also try to tap into your team’s knowledge and experience for the best results, and a good team manager will always be willing to learn.

8. Use Appropriate ToolsPK4 TimeTracker Project Management Screens

Project managers have a huge range of tools that help them get the job done. Such tools can help plan and execute projects, with features that help you see progress at a glance.

Project management tools are often software-based and can be used by the whole team. The right platforms can help ensure everything is running according to plan and the individual team members know what they’re responsible for.

9. Always Communicate

Communication is essential for any project, and any project manager should be looking to communicate continuously. Not only does this mean letting people know what their roles are, but also keeping your team up to date with changes and keeping everybody informed of progress.

Make sure to hold regular meetings where everybody involved will get a chance to contribute. You should also consider using communication tools to ensure your team is made aware of important developments as soon as they happen.

10. Use Your Team’s Skills

Good team management also involves tapping into your team’s skills. Remember that every one of your time members is likely to have different experiences and outlooks than you, while some will have specific skills that can be put to use.

Remember also that effective delegation is important for successful projects. Assigning tasks to the right people will help ensure the overall team benefits from the skills of individuals.

Summary

Above is just a small sample of tips that can help your project be a success. It’s essential that you make it clear what must be done before you get started. Communicate with your team, and make sure you use your time effectively. Also, make sure you use the right tools and don’t forget to tap into your team’s talents.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

 

Project Management that actually WORKS

Project Management that actually WORKS

by | Jul 5, 2022 | Project Management, Time Tracking, Uncategorized

Managing a project can get real hairy real quickly. Look at our own process as an example:

  • We begin with a great idea – taken from our storehouse of great ideas, Jira, of course.
  • We talk through of how we think it should work within our context.
  • We write out the details of what we think should be done.
  • We break down the stuff that needs to get done into small segments – 8-to-16-hour work-items.
  • We figure out the skills needed for each of these work-items.
  •  We use a Gantt Chart to set up Tasks.
  • We assign those tasks to various people using a Resources mechanism.
  • We get to work.

Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, not at all. Yes, all the pieces are in place, but how do we know how things are going on a day-to-day basis? For example, someone takes off for a day fo personal reasons – how do we know about that? And how do we figure out how that will affect the project? If you’re anything like a typical team, there are always other things that intrude on your work – customer issues, tech issues, laptop failures, you name it. And they all impact someone’s ability to deliver on the tasks they have to work on. Yes, they may have a nice dashboard that shows what they should be working on today. And they may even have ways ot marking those things as Done when done. But that’s when things are done – what about when things are being done? How do we know if things are slowing down?

The best way we’ve found is to do the following:

  1. Begin with setting the number of hours each assignment takes, right in the assignment
  2. Break the assigned hours across the days that someone’s to work on the task – say, 4 hours a day for 6 days if it takes 6 days to deliver
  3. Get everyone to track the hours that they spend on each of their task, every day, using an effect time-tracker
  4. Get people to report PTO requests regularly
  5. Report the hours spent on each task against the hours that should have been spent by now, based on the daily breakdown and the time-tracked hours
  6. Talk to people when these hours don’t match, help them fix things early.

With this simple mechanism in place, you can tell if things are slowing down, very early in the game. You can tell ahead of time if your project needs more people, more time, more money, a new laptop, whatever. That’s how you can make sure that your project management is actually working.

Now, you can do all of this and more using PK4 TimeTracker and our Project Management add-on.

  • With the Gantt chart, you can plan your whole project out, with work-breakdown at a Task level.
  • You can then assign those tasks to various people having multiple people doing things on each task, if needed.
  • People can use the Tasks tab to track when they need to do, as can you for your project.
  • Everyone can request and track PTO requests as they come up.
  • People can report the time they’ve spent on each task – they can use Salesforce, a web app, a mobile app, Jira, Slack or a Chrome Extension to report time worked.
  • If you have stages in your project, you can track those stages for each task on the Kanban Board.
  • You can see who’s working on what, what days they’re overloaded on, what days they’re on PTO – all via the Resources tab.
  • You can set up any number of Salesforce reports to track work-breakdown and time at every level of detail.

The key thing in all this is that you can track tasks as they get done, based on the time that people report for each task assignment. This gives you a much clearer idea of how things are going than jotting down notes during meetings.

Hopefully, this will get you sleeping better.🙂

P.S: Check out the details of Project Management here.

How to Increase Productivity with a Time Audit

How to Increase Productivity with a Time Audit

by | Jun 17, 2022 | Project Management, Software, Time Tracking

Not completing your tasks in your working day can be very frustrating. It might mean you have to spend more of your spare time catching up, or maybe some tasks will become neglected. Regardless, many of us have felt as though we could get more done or that we have more time. The solution might be easier than you think.

One way to help give your productivity a boost is to run a time audit. This article looks at what a time audit is and how to

What is a Time Audit?

Simply put, a time audit involves examining what you work on throughout the day. Doing so will help you identify how you can improve your time management. Many people will use their time inefficiently in two main ways:

  • Procrastination

We’ve all done it. We get at our desk, about ready to crack on and get stuff done, but we first choose to have a quick look on social media. We start off intending to spend just a few minutes catching up, but before we know it, an hour has passed, and we’ve still got nothing done.

In some cases, we are not even aware of how much time we are spending on social media and other distractions. However, a time audit will help let you know how much time you are wasting and the results can be quite surprising. Seeing such results can also help compel you to improve your productivity.

  • Unproductive Tasks

Some of our tasks can be time-consuming and not particularly productive. For example, you might spend a lot of time checking your emails each morning, taking time away from more valuable jobs.

A time audit will help you identify which unproductive tasks you are spending too much time on, helping you reorganize your day. For example, you could try delegating some tasks to somebody else and consider using automation tools to do your menial tasks for you.

How to run a Time Audit?

Before you run a time audit, you will first need to get prepared. One of the first things you should do is to define your goals and place your tasks into categories. Armed with this information, it will become easier for you to analyze the report and identify where time management improvements can be made.

Free White Round Analog Wall Clock at 10 10 Stock Photo

A time audit is not difficult to run, provided you have the right tools. These tools include:

  • Time Tracking Apps

Using a time-tracking app is probably the easiest and most effective way to run a time audit. Various platforms are available, including the PK4 TimeTracker. The platform offers powerful reports and analysis that help you run an audit that will help you get the answers you need.

Such a platform will automatically monitor what you are working for and record the data for use later. Having the information available digitally will let you run reports that help break down your working day into intuitive graphs, charts, and other information.

  • Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets may not be as high-tech as time-tracking tools, but they can still be very effective when used right. Of course, you will need a timer to record how much time you are spending on certain tasks, and you will need to enter the information into the spreadsheet.

If you are good with spreadsheets, you will also be able to create your own graphs and other reports. These reports will then help you organize your day to boost your productivity.

  • Pen and Paper

Pen and paper are the crudest methods available, but they can still be effective. You will obviously need to write everything down clearly, while you will also need to time yourself manually. It will help if you draw a table first so you have an appropriate place to write down your observations.

Analyzing Your Audit

Time Audit Reports in PK4 TimeTrackerTime audits are a powerful tool because they help you take accountability for how you work. In acknowledging where you could be doing better, you can then ‘own’ it, which is an essential step before tackling the situation.

It will help if you are as objective as possible when analyzing your audit. Taking an objective approach involved using making decisions based on facts rather than feelings. Trying to take a subjective approach could lead to you starting to make excuses, making it harder for you to accept accountability.

Acting on Your Audit

A time audit is of no use to you if you don’t act on it, so make sure you use the information to put a plan in place. Such a plan will typically involve ways of ensuring your time is spent on productive tasks. As mentioned previously, you could try delegating your tasks or maybe consider adopting automation where appropriate. If necessary, you could also consider having your access to social media blocked to prevent you from spending so much time on Facebook and other platforms.

Summary

A time audit can be easy to run, especially if you have the right tools for the job. Remember that it’s best to be objective and be hard on yourself if necessary. Doing so will help you accept accountability and set about reorganizing your day to increase your productivity.

With your day optimized to make you more productive, you will get much more done in your working day. You will spend less of your personal time trying to catch up, while the more important tasks will get the attention they deserve.

Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

Using The Pomodoro Technique To Be More Productive

Using The Pomodoro Technique To Be More Productive

by | Jun 7, 2022 | Project Management, Time Tracking

We all have a limited amount of time in the day, making it essential to make the most of the time we have. Busy people have searched for time management methods help them maximize their productivity, and one solution developed is the Pomodoro technique.

The Pomodoro technique was developed by Italian author and entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo.

Francesco developed the technique with help from a tomato timer, and the Italian word for tomato is pomodoro, which is how the method got its name.

The method is simple:

  • You set the timer to 25 minutes and get to work.
  • Once the 25 minutes (known as a pomodoro) is up, you have a 5-minute break.
  • You then repeat the process again.
  • After four pomodoros, you take a longer break of between 15-20 minutes.

As simple as this time management technique is, it can be very effective.

Urgency

When working for long spells at a time, it’s easy to think you have plenty of time, thus reducing your urgency. This lack of urgency means you’re prone to browsing the web or getting involved with other distractions, affecting how much work you get done.

However, when using the Pomodoro time management technique, you will be breaking your work down into short sprints rather than a few long sessions. With just 25 minutes on the clock, you’re more eager to get as much done as you can, thus creating urgency. Approaching your work with more urgency will help you get more done in the limited time you have available.

Regular Breaks

When working for long periods without a break, the mind will inevitably become tired. You can become slow, have difficulty focusing, and you might even become irritable. When this happens, your productivity is bound to take a hit no matter how hard you might try.

When using the Pomodoro method, you will be taking breaks regularly. Every 25 minutes, in fact. While the break will only be five minutes long, that’s all it takes for the mind to refresh itself to some degree. When the five minutes are up, and you get back to work again, you will be feeling much fresher and more productive.

Motivation

Spending hours on tasks can cause us to lose enthusiasm for our work. When we don’t feel like working, our productivity is bound to drop, meaning we get less work done.

Taking regular breaks will help to separate the working day into short sprints. Working in short sprints with breaks will help to keep you feeling fresh and enthused about the task at hand.

Gamifies Working

The Pomodoro time management technique helps to gamify working, making the working day easier and even a little fun. Each time you turn the timer on, you are in a race against the clock to get as much as you can before the time is up.

When trying to win the game, you will be focused intently on your task, boosting your productivity.

Dealing With Distractions

Distractions are inevitable. Whether you’re working from home or at the office, somebody or something will eventually break your flow. The good news is that Cirillo also developed the following system that helps you deal with distractions effectively. Distractions are inevitable. Whether you’re working from home or at the office, somebody or something will eventually break your flow. The good news is that Cirillo also developed the following system that helps you deal with distractions effectively.

  • Inform: If somebody is distracting you from your work, politely inform them that you need to focus on your task.
  • Negotiate: Arrange a time when you have some time spare.
  • Schedule: Make sure to schedule when you will meet with the person.
  • Call Back: Once your pomodoro is complete, get back to the person who was disturbing you.

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro method is easy to use, but it still takes a little organization. Here’s what you need to do.

  • Buy a Timer: You will need some way to time each Pomodoro. Most timers will do, and the easier it is to use, the better. You can also try using time tracking software like the easy to use PK4 TimeTracker.
  • Plan Your Day: Write down all the tasks you need to get completed. It’s best to rank them in accordance and assign a Pomodoro to each one.
  • Allow for Overflow Pomodoros: Some tasks will take longer than 25 minutes, and it’s not always practical to split them into more than one. This makes it a good idea to allow for overflow pomodoros, so you have allocated enough time for the day.

While the Pomodoro method initially stipulates sprints of 25 minutes, you can experiment to find what works best for you. Try shortening or lengthening the time of each pomodoro, while you can also try experimenting with the length of breaks. The overall objective is the get as much work done as you can, so do whatever works best for you.

Summary

One of the best things about the pomodoro technique is that it’s so easy to use. All it takes is to find a suitable timer, a little preparation, and you’re ready to go. When using the method, you should find you increase your focus when you are working, helping to boost your overall productivity.
Remember that it’s also fine to experiment to find what works best for you. You can even try using different types of timers, from the original tomato timer after which the technique is named to digital time-tracking tools.
Regardless, using time management techniques for better productivity can help transform your working day for the better. 

Photo by Kevin Ku on Unsplash 

How to Blog Effectively Using a Kanban Board

How to Blog Effectively Using a Kanban Board

by | May 19, 2022 | Project Management, Time Tracking

Any blogger can tell you it’s important to be organized to help keep your productivity up.

Otherwise, you could easily find yourself spending time working out what needs to be done next. Being unorganized also increases the risk that you will miss something altogether, potentially leading to missed deadlines and poor overall project management.

One tool that many bloggers use to help them stay organized is the Kanban Board. The Kanban board involves setting up columns in which tasks are placed according to where they are in the blogging process. So, for example, you can have a column for your ideas, a column for blog outlines, and so on. 

Kanban boards are easy to use, especially with help from PK4 TimeTracker‘s project management module that makes it easy for users to use Kanban boards in Salesforce. It couldn’t be easier to create new cards for each task, and you can simply drag and drop cards into place as each task progresses. 

This article looks at how a Kanban board can help bloggers work efficiently to boost their productivity.

1. Better Visualization

Free Woman in Black Blazer Sitting at the Table Stock Photo

One of the best advantages of using a Kanban board is that it helps you visualize your workflow at a glance. With your workflow visualized, it becomes easier for you to manage your workflow and identify which tasks should take priority. Being able to see what needs to be done in this way also means you spend less time on project management and more time on getting jobs done.

2. Improve Productivity

Free stock photo of adult, business, colleagues Stock Photo

As mentioned, Kanban boards mean you spend less time managing projects, boosting your productivity. And there are other benefits, such as being able to track how long certain tasks are taking. Kanban boards help you track cycle time, which is how long a task takes from start to finish, while it also helps you track how many tasks you’ve finished in a given period. This information can then be used to help make your workflow more productive.

3. Manage Your Workload

Free Man in Black Suit Standing in Front of Projector Screen Stock Photo

While it’s good to be busy, we can sometimes bite off more than we can chew. When that happens, we can end up with missed deadlines and unhappy clients. Unhappy clients can often be avoided by not taking on too much work in the first place, and a Kanban board can be very helpful in this regard. Good project management sometimes means saying ‘no’ and letting people know that you’re full. A Kanban board makes it easier for you to visualize when you can’t take on more work.

4. Enhance Flexibility

Free Woman Working From Home on Laptop Stock Photo

A Kanban board helps make it easy for you to make changes to your workflow. This is because there are no set dates or procedures with a Kanban board – you can just move the cards around as you see fit. For example, suppose an urgent job has come up that needs prioritizing. You can simply move the new job into a high-priority category so you and anybody else know to focus on it first. Such flexibility makes it easier for you to react whenever an issue comes up, helping you to keep on top.

5. Distribute Workloads Effectively

Free stock photo of accounting, adult, analysis Stock Photo

Many bloggers will have other people working with them, and distributing tasks effectively will help tasks get done well and on time. It also helps avoid overloading members of your team, which helps to keep productivity high and ensure their morale doesn’t suffer. Kanban boards make it easy for you to visualize who has a heavy workload, helping you spread the workload more evenly, which improves project management.

6. Improve Focus

Free Woman in Black Tank Top Sitting at the Table Stock Photo

We often hear about multi-tasking and how it supposedly helps people get more done. However, quite the opposite is true. A Kanban board makes it easier for you to focus on the tasks that have the highest priority, focusing on one task at a time. With an improved focus on each task, that task will be completed sooner, and you can move on to the next one. A Kanban board also make it easier to assign accountability, so others in your team know what to focus on.

7. Improve Collaboration

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Collaboration is essential for good project management, and Kanban boards help make collaboration much easier. Digital Kanban boards in particular are excellent for collaborating because everybody with access to the board has an up-to-date picture of what needs to be done and who is responsible for it. Team members can also comment on individual tasks or the board overall, helping to ensure everybody is working as a team so productivity stays high.

Summary

A Kanban board can be a very powerful tool for bloggers. When used right, a board can help enhance productivity and efficiency not just for you but also for others working with you. A Kanban board will also make it easier for you to assign accountability so you know who is responsible for what. 

Bloggers who use a Kanban board will also find it easier to manage their workloads and distribute work to their team. Kanban boards also help improve flexibility, and collaboration also becomes easier. 

Perhaps best of all is that Kanban boards are very easy to use and very affordable. In most cases, a simple whiteboard or similar will do with post-it notes used as cards that can easily be moved from column to column. Digital versions are also available, which makes them even easier to use, and some Kanban board software platforms are even available for free, albeit with limited functions.

Photo by Eden Constantino on Unsplash

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