We’ve been keeping track of our time in one way or another over the past 21 years. Since the start of our company, we’ve experimented with paper timesheets spreadsheets as well as open source software and even web-based software. Of the various techniques we’ve tried, keeping track of time using spreadsheets was the most laborious however, it was also the most flexible that’s why so many businesses still use them to this day.
After we created our own time-tracking application, Intervals, we no ever employ spreadsheets. We do have over 10 years of experience in consulting with companies that use. If you’re thinking of keeping track of your time with an Excel sheet of paper, these are advantages and drawbacks to think about before getting started.
Benefits
Spreadsheets are a universal tool.
It doesn’t matter if you’re employing Excel, Calc, or Google. Each spreadsheet application comes with the same list of features you require to track time. Additionally, it is possible to collaborate with other spreadsheet users in your workplace. Companies such as Google will provide versions of the spreadsheet, so that you will know who changed the spreadsheet and when and then roll back any modifications if necessary. Spreadsheets are so common that starting out using one makes sense, as the vast majority of users already know how to use the spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets are simple
It’s easy to start tracking your time using spreadsheets. After you’ve labeled the rows and columns, the process of entering time is quick. So long as you keep up to date by updating the information on time tracking at close of each day, the process of entering time into an Excel spreadsheet is a fairly easy procedure.
Spreadsheets can be adapted to your needs.
Spreadsheets allow you to arrange data on time tracking in a manner that is most logical to you. Additionally, you can alter the arrangement of the data at any point. There is no need to be within the constraints of a company’s database structure or collection of tools. Since you’re recording raw data of time tracking and you are in control of the data, you have plenty of options for how the data is organized.
Did You Know? You will find Excel template for time tracking over at quidlo.com.
Drawbacks
Spreadsheets can be time-consuming.
There was a time in the history of our company when we kept track of time in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Every member of the team was required to submit their work hours with the team’s project coordinator who would then input their time in Excel. It was a lengthy and laborious process , which was prone to error particularly as we increased in size.
Sharing the spreadsheet via Google or OneDrive in order to let people modify it themselves would surely have made the procedure easier however, it’s is not enough to make it easier to maintain it over the long haul. Prepare to spend more time than you believe to keep the spreadsheet updated and free of mistakes.
Spreadsheets are the most basic of spreadsheets.
While spreadsheets are excellent for keeping track of data and are designed in an endless number of ways, obtaining useful information from them is not without limitations. It is possible to create customized reports with the built-in features in the spreadsheet program, however it will take some time to setup.
It is possible to install extensions, but your data needs to be formatted correctly in order to work. The graphs and reports that result might look nice, but they’ll be deficient in intelligence. To draw more significant conclusion from the data, you will require something far more sophisticated than an Excel spreadsheet.
Spreadsheets don’t scale.
A spreadsheet is basically an array of data points arranged along two axes, and a set of macros. It is difficult to organize time tracking data for each employee and to manage the project within these parameters can be a challenge. Do you have one sheet for each employee? One per project? How do you gather many years of information?
If your business is expanding — including employing more staff and tackling new projects, your spreadsheets will not expand even a bit. Every pain point will be amplified by every new project or person coming through the door and you’ll find yourself exhausted having to cope with the demands of all this.