Got the first timesheet template to fill in on my new job

[msmyrtle]

I know timesheets really suck, they’re a pet hate of mine personally but yeah, they’re like death and taxes. I recently changed company and just now submitted my first timesheet with the new company. Back in my previous job, this was pure hell. Everything done manually, in ridiculous detail, once a week (I almost started hating Fridays, it was that bad). Here they sent us this monthly timesheet template, to fill in and submit once a month, obviously. With Excel formulas, and very clean and simple. Man. It really made an impression on me how the same thing can be super annoying in one and completely okay in a different setting. Anyway, I also remembered some months ago, we were all rushing to get our timesheets in before the deadline, and my coworker Lisa was super stressed out and had a lot on her plate, so... Instead of submitting her hours worked, she accidentally submitted her weekly grocery list. It was full of weirdly specific items like “gluten-free dinosaur-shaped nuggets” along with the most random entries like “those labels for spices.” Speaking of random, my post is turning into a bunch of random thoughts, so I'll stop now. My main point was that I'm so happy the new timesheets are not such a drag, so just wanted to share. Hang in there, the weekend is coming. Cheers!

 

[wonderings]

For our book keeping we use Quickbooks, and Quickbooks has a timesheet app, super simple you just hit clock in when you are at work and clock out when you are leaving. You can obviously clock in from anywhere so if you are mobile with your job or working from home it does not matter. There is no manual record keeping, just easy and simple saving a ton of time with the employees as well as in accounts as they always have upto date time sheets.

 

[eyoungren]

The company I work for uses iSolved. https://www.isolvedhcm.com Log in, click either 'Quick Punch' or 'Detailed Punch' and you're in. Same for clocking out. The website keeps track of the pay period and you have to verify it at the end of the pay period. The hard part is remembering to log in to the site to either clock in or out.

System also allows to ask for time off (sick, vacation pay, PDO, etc), which the manager either approves or declines. Keeps track of your total paid time off. iSolved is also where I get my W2s at the end of the year as they generate that in to a PDF.

I just use their website though, their iOS/Android app has always been trash.

My wife also uses a website through the company she contracts with. But she actually has to fill in her hours for each day. They don't have a method to punch in and out. And she has to remember to file it before the deadline.

No spreadsheets.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Is this a common thing? I’ve never filled out a timesheet in my life. I’m assuming you are contractors doing contract work?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Is this a common thing? I’ve never filled out a timesheet in my life. I’m assuming you are contractors doing contract work?

At the moment, I am required to complete a weekly timesheet for my driver and interpreter/PA, plus fuel and distance records for the driver; as we approach the election, overtime will become increasingly necessary, something I will have to sign off on, so that my superiors will be able to okay - in other words, agree as necessary (and thus, pay) - the funds in question.

In truth, there is never any issue about paying stuff that we have signed off on, but they do require that financial records are reconciled correctly.

 

[Chuckeee]

Had an employer that used digital system that required you use a certified terminals in the office, the alternative (that we were required to use while on travel) was to enter your data over the telephone using only the number keypad. The entire staff (including salaried employees) were required to complete daily. True agony, in addition to being stupid and wasteful,

 

[Nermal]

Is this a common thing? I’ve never filled out a timesheet in my life. I’m assuming you are contractors doing contract work?

We used to have to do them fortnightly (government job) but several years ago we changed to "timesheets by exception". I've only had to do a handful of them since then, usually when I've been on call.

 

[scubachap]

I use the mac app Timing - it tracks all the work you do on various files / applications etc on your Mac without any input from yourself. When you're ready you can then set up jobs and then quickly review and ascribe that previously recorded work to the various projects/jobs you've set up. It's been an absolute godsend over the years and it's interesting how my memory about how much work I've done on something has played tricks with me.

Most of the other timesheet apps I've used require you to be somewhat organised and remember to switch them on and off, or to set them running at the start of a project etc etc. I've always thought that if I was good at that and not as forgetful then I could just use a paper timesheet or a spreadsheet etc and I wouldn't need a special app in the first place.

 

[scubachap]

Is this a common thing? I’ve never filled out a timesheet in my life. I’m assuming you are contractors doing contract work?

Time sheets are quite common, all sorts of industries use them as a matter of course where client billable time is involved. (Lawyers, project managers, designers etc etc). Most accounting software packages these days have some sort of time tracking feature for such input. They might not always be called time sheets but in the end that what they are...