by Last Updated on December 11, 2017 by Sohail Qaisar
Running a business requires a lot of effort and tedious, repetitive office work. The most common thing those who run businesses are stuck doing is making timesheets for their employees, determining shifts, time off and dealing with sick days.
For a great many business owners, this is done using Microsoft Excel. However, using this program, while possibly cheaper than using timesheet software, is not as up to par as most would like to think. Numerous other companies, such as the one that handles B2B credit card processing – Dharma Merchant Services, have recognized that using Excel for timesheets is a massive waste of time.
There’s No Automation
Let’s say, for instance, that you have some employees that are on set shifts for the next few weeks. It would be hugely beneficial to put together all the timesheets automatically so you don’t have to deal with typing them out, right? After all, the information will likely be the same for those employees. Unfortunately, Excel simply can’t do that. There’s no way to automate your timesheets, making them more taxing on the person typing them up.
It’s Easy To Make Mistakes
Using Excel, it can be easy to make a mistake. The calculating formulas Excel is known for are great, but even they aren’t infallible. All that it takes is one number typed in incorrectly, and it can end up throwing everything off. Mistyping a name, or any other piece of information can lead to the same thing. However, using a timesheet program can make it easier to make error-free timesheets without direct and constant oversight.
It Can’t Detect Scheduling Issues
It can be a gut-wrenching moment as you look over your timesheets to realize you have a shift without the adequate coverage. Or, perhaps you realize you’ve accidentally scheduled someone to work two shifts in a row. Whatever the case is, scheduling issues simply can’t be detected using Excel. All that it can do is hold the information that you put yourself, meaning you are the one that has to detect these problems. With timesheet software, it can be the program’s problem.
It Can’t Analyze
Timesheets aren’t just about your employees’ schedule and whether every shift is covered. They can also hold a wealth of knowledge about your business that, if properly analyzed, can tell you about the health of your business. You can determine what your expenses are, see what labor costs might be in the future, and view a number of other important statistics. Excel can’t make these analyses; you would have to pull the information out yourself and make the necessary graphics. Timesheet software does that for you.
It Takes Forever
There are a million better things you would probably be doing instead of timesheets. But, if you’re using Excel, you likely don’t have the time to even think of them, much less do them. Typing out timesheets by hand in Excel takes a lot of time, particularly if you have a larger business and more employees. You can face long nights after hours typing away by using Excel. This is another good reason to choose timesheet software for downloadable sheets for time tracking; it will free up this time so that you can better invest it in your business.
Getting Your Timesheets In Order
Excel is useful for a number of things. However, making timesheets is not one of them. Not only is it a long process, but it’s one where a lot of errors can occur and one that doesn’t render a lot of information. For those tired of the trouble, timesheet software is the ideal good choice.
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