Every savvy business owner understands the importance of tracking employees regardless of the business’s type and size. Using a pen and paper to track employee hours and attendance is no longer viable. This outdated method of tracking employees is expensive and time-consuming. Technological advancement has led to the creation of time clock software, which business owners and HR staff can use to monitor their employees. Unlike paper records, online time clock software allows employers to monitor employees in an organized and comfortable manner. Apart from that, these tools allow for real-time reporting.
Here are some helpful tips when it comes to choosing the best time clock software for your business.
Price
Price is always the first thing we think about before buying any product or service. When it comes to pricing, you need to be aware of various things. For instance, you ought to know that software developers often lowball prices only to end up asking for hidden charges.
The best thing to do when purchasing time clock software is to think about value for money. Business owners should also not be afraid to spend to purchase decent online timesheet software. At the end of the day, your business will save about 2.2% of employee gross salaries. To put that into perspective, a company with ten employees earning about $30,000 a month will save around $6,600 in one year. This means that business owners will not incur additional costs since the software will pay for itself. However, you should not focus on pricing only when buying time clock software.
Ease of Use
Another crucial thing to look at before buying time clock software is the ease of use. While you are at it, you should think about the interface and the functionality of the software. The software will be of no use to your business if it has a cluttered interface. Business owners should focus on purchasing an easy to use work tracking software. Your employees should not have any trouble operating such a program. Implementing the software should also be straightforward.
A functional time clock software should also give you endless custom options according to your business’s specific needs. For instance, the program should have biometrics and real-time functionality if that is your priority. Other common features like pay rules customization and advanced overtime calculations will also come in handy for your business if you want complete control.
Customer Service
The next thing you should have in mind before purchasing time clock software is customer service. You will be collaborating with the vendor for quite some time. The last thing you want is a partner who is never available when you need urgent help.
The best thing to do is check the vendor’s history to determine if you will get quality customer services. It is best to work with a vendor who offers various customer services starting from maintenance, hosting, payroll integration, and software engineering to implementation.
Working with a vendor who offers fast and efficient support is the only way of ensuring that you do not lose valuable time and data. Always take your time to find out more about the available support level before you purchase the software.
Features
Most business owners choose to buy time clock software to address an inefficiency that might be threatening the business. Therefore, it is crucial to purchase clock in and out software that will address the underlying issues. The best way of doing that is by thinking about the available features.
Purchasing time clock programs that can be integrated with biometric time clocks is the best way of eliminating buddy punching. Real-time functionality, on the other hand, will allow you to monitor your employees’ labor.
Another essential feature you should look for is an advanced payment capability. It is advisable to buy a program that can handle your advanced payment needs. Business owners should also settle for programs that improve employee scheduling and labor tracking.
Flexibility
It is best to purchase time clock software that offers flexibility to suit the needs of your business. A good online timecard system can be used remotely or on-site. Such software will be able to scale your business needs while adding some much-needed convenience.
Web-based time clock software is the best for flexibility as it can be accessed from any internet-connected device. This means that your employees out in the field, on the road, working remotely, or in-office can use their preferred device to track time.
Choosing the best time clock solution to meet your business needs is never an easy process. The software is a long-term commitment, so it’s imperative you find a solution that aligns with your business goals, can reduce the need for administrative oversight, and most importantly, accurately tracks employee work hours.
