Running a business can become quite complicated, even if it’s a small business – but especially as the business gets larger and larger. One aspect that can be quite a hassle (not to mention an expense) is the process of scheduling employees, logging timesheet hours, and building billing reports � either for internal purposes or to show to a client. Over the years, the innovations in this field have molded with the times and available technologies. Nonetheless, staff scheduling has always been an important part of running a business.
In the good old days before computers, all of the scheduling process was done by hand. This could end up filling literally dozens of filing cabinets with timesheet logs, spreadsheets, and payment stubs. Companies would have to hire an entire set of employees simply to keep up with who was available when, what project schedules had to integrate, who had been clocking in on time, etc.
Today, with the advent of employee scheduling software, the entire process has changed quite a bit. The good news is that almost all the changes have been overwhelmingly positive. Not only is the process much more affordable and intuitive, but it is also more streamlined, efficient, and accessible.
Modern scheduling software suites allow employees to log in via the internet to monitor their schedules, add notes, and receive payments. Many also allow businesses to simply set up a computer with a barcode scanner attached to use as an automated (and secure) clock in/clock out machine which will automatically update the database with any relevant data.
The detailed logs produced by such software are a gift to the HR department, as they help to drastically reduce the amount of paperwork required to meet legal requirements while also ensuring that all employees are doing their fair share of work. This can also help the business analysts and project managers, as some more detailed options allow work breakdown structures to show detailed reporting in terms of how much time is being spent on each individual project. This same reporting option can be used to help keep track of future work flow expectations, helping to keep employees and management on track in terms of upcoming and ongoing projects.
The detailed logs can also be a great help to clients that your business interacts with. You can elect to show employees based on skill sets, hours logged on previous projects, availability, etc. Clients can provide input regarding which employees they want to work on their project and can then have access to an automated portal where they can keep tabs on their project’s progress.
Of course, one of the best things about computerized employee scheduling and reporting software is that it is entirely customizable. If there are features that your company doesn’t need or want, simply disable them. You can also use development APIs to connect to existing infrastructure.
Whether your business is small or large, tech driven or product driven, hourly wage based or salary based, client based or consumer based, you will find that the best staff schedule software suites can handle it all. If you want to make staff scheduling a more affordable and intuitive process, this is most certainly for you.
