Characteristics of an Ideal Timesheet

Posted by AdrianRocker on March 17th, 2014

Thanks to the concept of timesheet introduced by time tracking systems, the arena of virtual workplace is not just a reality but an organized reality which clicks equally well for employers as also the freelancers whom they hire. It has lent credibility to the system of outsourcing since all it takes is one free timesheet for the employers to check the number of hours dedicated by the worker irrespective of the latter’s location on the globe. For the employees, the system is a guarantee of payment for the work that may have been put in for a person hailing from a different time zone or country.

Much of the success of time tracking system depends on the quality of software package in terms of timesheets that it provides. A point that the buyer must check upon pertains to structure and headings in a timesheet and adjudging whether the columns are suitable for his assignment. Since there is no one-formula-fits-all solution in this case, definition of an ideal timesheet would differ from one person to the next. So long as it is apt to the requisites of the project at hand and conforms to the global law, the format could be described as being ideal. One of the ways of checking this out would entail asking for a free timesheet sample and scrutinizing it.

Something that many time tracking systems cater for is customization till a certain degree in their timesheet, meaning while there is a standard format, buyers are provided the freedom of affecting modifications and alterations as per their business needs. For example, not everyone is comfortable performing complex mathematical calculations that hourly jobs entail and hence a suitable format for such a person would be one that looks after all the calculations implicitly. Therefore, a glance at this free timesheet would reveal clearly stated column headings and data filled in the right slots to facilitate easy understanding and interpretation.

Nowadays it is common for companies to have employees working across various shifts and different time-zones across the globe and that is why it is imperative for the timesheet to accommodate these variable factors. In such a situation, the time tracking system should formulate a procedure wherein every punch-in and punch-out generates an automatic email to the employer which is then filed in its appropriate folder for a later check. Likewise, shifts can be organized as per a free timesheet that comes with a monthly calendar and also has a slot for holidays so that timings can be filled on a daily basis.

Ultimately, flexibility is an attribute that every timesheet must have followed by auto-submission. While this may not have been possible in printed timesheets web-based applications allow plenty of room for maneuver and can be constructed to cater for time differences, shifts, lunch-breaks and even holidays. How this calculation is performed is not the concern of the employee or the employer since the time tracking software performs the necessary encryption before making it available to the user. Hence whether it is a free timesheet sample or a paid package, it does provide a smart way of working and billing worldwide.  

Ever since the concept of timesheet came into being, search has been on to figure out which would be an ideal version and what its contents will be. One of the ways of going about it would be to ask for free timesheet sample, check if it can be customized and then adjudge its suitability.