A Review of the Benefits of Construction Timesheets and Time Tracking Software

 June 4, 2021 by Michael Gober & Denis Gritsiyenko

Taking the time to track the hours and productivity of your workday can be a pain to do.

Most workers, especially in the construction industry, want to feel like they can be trusted by their boss to show up to work and do what they have to do efficiently and productively.

Although construction timesheets can help to better manage how workers spend their time at a job, using time tracking software provides more benefits than that.

This guide details the benefits of construction timesheets and why using reliable time tracking software is worthwhile.

  1. CM Fusion: Simplifying Construction Time Tracking
  2. How Do You Clock Time Worked on a Typical Construction Timesheet?
  3. Advantages of Timesheets for Construction Workers
  4. What Are The Advantages of Construction Employee Timesheets for Managers/Owners?
  5. Common Construction Timesheet Mistakes
  6. Benefits of Time Tracking Software
  7. Where Can You Find a Construction Timesheet Template?
  8. Utilize CM Fusion’s Time Tracking Software to Eliminate Construction Timesheet Excuses

CM Fusion: Simplifying Construction Time Tracking

CM Fusion is a cloud-based construction management software that aims to connect all of the involved parties of a construction project — owners, contractors, design teams, architects, and more.

CM Fusion’s easy-to-use app has ample features for project management, including:

  • Document management

  • Daily field reports

  • Project tasks

  • Cost tracking

  • Change orders

  • Construction time tracking

The advanced software helps streamline construction projects and keeps important information and documents organized and available to anyone who might need access to them.

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How Do You Clock Time Worked on a Typical Construction Timesheet?

Daily timesheets for construction have helped construction businesses gather some analytical data regarding their workers and have helped them learn how to better allocate their time in construction projects.

A typical construction timesheet shows when a worker “clocks in” to start their day and “clocks out” when their work is done. 

However, construction time tracking also includes tracking what type of work was done during the time that you were on the clock.

How Is Clocking Time Different in Construction?

The main goal in construction time tracking is to better allocate a worker’s time and have the ability to move tasks around on a project if necessary based on the data collected from construction timesheets. 

Unfortunately, in the construction industry, most construction workers do not want to be micromanaged and observed during their work hours. They don’t have the motivation to use construction time tracking because they don’t want to be punished for what happens while they're “on the clock”.

This has caused construction businesses to face some obstacles, like:

  • Workers not complying with tracking their time

  • Workers “forgetting” to track their time

  • Workers using usability excuses to not track their time

Advantages of Timesheets for Construction Workers

Using timesheets for construction workers has its advantages. 

Although construction workers often view timesheet tracking to be tedious and a way for their owners to micromanage them, using timesheets can help to expedite the payment process, which everyone can appreciate.

Expedite the Payment Process

When workers use a construction timesheet, they are recording:

  1. How many hours they worked that day.

  2. What projects they completed during their time at work.

Construction owners can quickly look at this record, review the information, and expedite payment to their workers based on what was done during their workweek.

A construction timesheet app, like the one offered by CM Fusion, allows construction companies to:

  • Easily track their time

  • Request payments from necessary parties; and

  • Automate their payments to their workers.

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What Are The Advantages of Construction Employee Timesheets for Managers/Owners?

Construction workers want to be paid quickly for the work that they’ve done, and construction timesheets can help expedite that process.

But for construction managers and owners, construction employee timesheets also have some advantages:

  1. Transparency of the project

  2. Manage productivity

  3. Accurate billing and payroll management

  4. Efficient project management

Provides Transparency

Construction time tracking provides transparency throughout a construction business and a project.

When employees take the time to track their work for the day, owners and managers can view what was accomplished or what was not done during a specific time frame of work and know exactly what they’re making payments for.

Allows Owners to Manage Productivity

By noting what work was done on a project each time a worker uses their construction timesheet, owners can see how productive a worker was during their time at work.

Are workers getting lazy while they’re on the clock?

Could they have completed more work during the 10 hours their timesheet notes they were working?

Supports Accurate Billing and Payroll Management

Construction timesheets take the guessing out of the hours worked and the work that was done when it comes down to billing and payroll.

Instead, everything is clearly noted, and not only can billing be expedited, but it allows for a more accurate payroll system.

Makes Project Management More Efficient

Construction timesheets allow owners, contractors, or foremen to visually see how efficiently a project is moving along.

When workers take the time to track their day, the project can be adjusted to move more effectively and productively without causing delays or blowing budgets.

Gives a More Accurate Depiction of the Cost of a Job

Using time tracking software, like the one featured in CM Fusion, can help owners and contractors get a better idea of the actual cost of a job.

When employees take the time to track their workdays, owner’s get a better picture of the final cost of a job. This can help:

  • Give precise estimates on future similar jobs

  • Reduce overall profit losses by underbidding future projects

  • Reduce losing out on future jobs from overbidding project costs

Common Construction Timesheet Mistakes

When construction owners and employees use construction timesheets, there is some room for error to be made, like:

  1. Workers don’t take the time to manually fill out their timesheet

  2. Paper timesheets can easily be misplaced

  3. Accounting mistakes can be made when preparing payroll

By using timekeeping software for construction businesses, like the one offered in CM Fusion’s project management software, mistakes can be minimized and businesses can instead begin to reap the benefits of construction timesheets.

Benefits of Time Tracking Software

Using time tracking software helps to eliminate many of the disadvantages associated with time tracking manually.

With a trusted time tracking feature, like the one included in CM Fusion’s project-management software, there are a handful of benefits.

  1. You can experience a simple and user-friendly construction timesheet.

  2. You can improve the efficiency and profitability of your construction business.

  3. You can use a reliable and secure platform to store all of your important information.

Simple and User-Friendly

Time tracking software does not have to be complicated. In fact, the easier and more user-friendly it is to use, the more likely it is that workers will take a few minutes a day to use it.

CM Fusion’s time tracking feature is customizable for each construction business to make it as simple as possible.

Improves Efficiency and Profitability

When workers are asked to track their time on a construction timesheet app, the business can improve how it operates.

Construction time tracking shows how and where time and money are being wasted

It becomes obvious where project budgets are being spent and helps owners or contractors see how efficient their team is on the job.

Reliable and Secure

If you’re using a trusted project management software that has the capabilities of time tracking, like CM Fusion, you can find peace in knowing the information is reliable and secure.

Only those who should have access to your construction timesheets are granted permission, and the cloud-based software is secure and easy to use.

Where Can You Find a Construction Timesheet Template?

Many construction timesheet templates are available online, however, you might not find one that specifically meets the needs of your business.

Construction timesheet templates can be useful, but if there is a need for customization (there often is in construction), a template is not the way to go.

Instead, use a construction timesheet app, like the time tracking feature available through CM Fusion’s project management software.

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Remember — Templates Don’t Allow for Customization

Specifically in construction, every owner, contractor, and foreman has a different idea on how they’d like to categorize the labor they’re allocating to different projects.

By using construction timesheet software, timesheets can be customized to the liking of the individual in charge.

As workers use their timesheet, the owner/contractor/foreman can see how or where labor needs to be or can be moved around to allow the project to run more efficiently and stay on schedule and within budget.

Construction timesheet templates don’t allow for this, but CM Fusion’s software does.

Utilize CM Fusion’s Time Tracking Software to Eliminate Construction Timesheet Excuses

In construction, time tracking can be a pain to do.

You show up to different job sites all of the time, you don’t want to be micromanaged while you’re at work, and keeping track of your timesheet is just another responsibility.

With CM Fusions cloud-based project management software’s timesheet feature, these excuses don’t hold any weight.

Because technology is the way of our world, you almost always have your phone with you. You never have to worry about misplacing your timesheet again.

It doesn’t matter which job site you show up to today, your timesheet is in the palm of your hand.

And no one likes to be micromanaged at work, but when owners can track a project’s progress with timesheet tracking, payments can be expedited. Who doesn’t like that?

CM Fusion’s beneficial software is designed to make all aspects of the construction industry run smoother, including time tracking. Say goodbye to the excuses.


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If you are trying to figure out where to look now, our company CM Fusion offers a free version of Construction Project Management Software. Not to mention, our customers brag about it’s ease of use, so you should be able to sign up and start managing your projects in minutes.

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