ClickTime Blog

Increase your Profitability - Part 2

We've talked in the past about how saving a few minutes with every timesheet can significantly improve the profitability of your company. By saving 2 minutes per employee per week for 20 employees over the course of a calendar year, you get nearly a full week's worth of time that could be better spent on productive or billable work. Here are more ways you can reduce administrative overhead costs by letting ClickTime automatically fill out your timesheet for you:

Auto Fill - This feature pre-fills your current timesheet's client, project and task selections from the prior week's timesheet entries. If you work on projects that last more than a couple of days, this significantly speeds up timesheet completion each week.

Quick Day -  When filling out your timesheet one day at a time, this option allows you to completely copy the previous day's time entries to the current day. For people who are working full-time on a specific project for multiple days in a row, this makes filling in your timesheet a fast one-click process.

Quick Week - For employees whose timesheet look nearly identical from one week to the next, this button will copy last week's time entries to the current week. This can dramatically reduce the time required to fill out a week's timesheet from minutes to seconds.

These three time-saving features built into ClickTime help your employees be more productive and reduce administrative overhead costs so your company can increase profitability.

ClickTime 6.95

With ClickTime version 6.95, we released the new Day View time entry screen (no more beta), updated the ClickTime Connector for use with QuickBooks® and introduced other enhancements as follows:

1. Day View - The new time entry interface is out of beta and is now available. We improved performance, fixed lots of bugs and added support for several features including zero-hour time entry, Quick Day and enhanced search capabilities to find the correct client, project and task for your timesheet entries. We want to thank all of our customers who used the beta version during the past several months and provided us with feedback. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.


2. Timesheet Override - Administrators now have the ability to temporarily circumvent job list and task list controls, as needed, when overriding another person's timesheet. Additionally, you will now get the new Day View functionality when editing another person's timesheet.


3. ClickTime Connector for use with QuickBooks® - We've made numerous improvements to our QuickBooks integration, including the ability to export time off and an easier-to-use main menu. You can also now export data to Canadian and UK versions of QuickBooks.


4. Update Vacation and Sick Leave Balances - We fixed an issue with sorting long employee lists. Now you can more easily select the people whose vacation and sick leave balances need to be updated.


5. Job Availability Report - We updated the report to make it easily sortable when used with Excel. Now you can quickly and easily see which jobs each person may enter enter time against across your company.


6. Web Browser Compatibility - We continue to support the most current versions of the most popular web browsers. This includes the recently released Chrome 16 and Firefox 9. Check out the ClickTime system requirements for more information about supported browsers.

Five Practical Ways to Use a Stopwatch

ClickTime's stopwatch feature lets you start tracking time with one simple click. Find out just how easy it is to get the timesheet data you need:

1. Punch Clock - Know exactly when your projects start and stop. Just let the stopwatch track your company's hours and gauge employee efficiency. The advanced settings even allow for break time adjustments.
2. Stopwatch On-the-Go - Even when you're on the road, you'll have access to precisely tracked time entries with the ClickTime Desktop Application. Stopwatch information is securely stored in the application until internet access is available, at which point it is automatically synced with our servers.
3. Precision Billing - Don't lose another billable minute. Inaccurate timekeeping can cause more than just billing headaches. Precise time data, with one-second resolution, ensures that you capture every moment spent on projects and clients.
4. Smart Stopwatches - Your stopwatch's historical data is recorded securely on our servers. We'll preserve your stopwatch status so that your timer will continue to run until stopped, even if you close your web browser.
5. Stopwatch Reminders - Automatic notices appear on the timesheet application to alert you to stopwatches that are still running. This intelligent feature allows you to correct any outstanding stopwatches left open before you submit or close out your timesheet.

Mileage Reimbursement Rate for 2012

For our U.S. customers, we want to let you know that the IRS announced the federal mileage reimbursement rates for 2012. As of January 1, 2012, the federal mileage reimbursement rate will be 55.5 cents per mile (see the IRS web site for details).

We recommend that you verify your company's mileage reimbursement rate is set correctly in ClickTime. In order to edit your company's mileage rate, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to ClickTime (you need to be an administrator).
2. Click the "Expenses" link on the menu bar under the Company tab.
3. Click the "Expense Types" link.
4. Click on the name or "edit pencil" icon of your "mileage" expense type.
5. Edit the rate value. For example, enter 0.555 for the new federal rate.
6. Choose whether to apply the rate change to expenses that haven't been approved.
7. Save your changes.

If your company has multiple mileage expense types, remember to repeat steps 4-7 above for each appropriate expense type. You can also choose to apply the rate change to expenses that haven't yet been approved.

Check out this Wikipedia article if you're interested in how the federal mileage rate has fluctuated over time.

Stop the Receipt Shoebox Madness!

Stop hauling around those piles of receipts! Cut the clutter with ClickTime's simple expense receipt upload and never worry about losing another paper receipt. Just log into our web app, enter your expenses and upload your receipts in your choice of JPG, GIF, PDF, PNG, BMP or TIFF. We'll keep your receipts secure and automatically attach it when you submit your expense sheet.

But what about the IRS? Don't worry—since 1997, the IRS has allowed computerized storage of receipts and other documents. See Rev. Proc. 97–22 on the IRS web site for details (yes, it's as exciting to read as you might imagine).

If you want to start tracking reimbursable expenses and storing your receipts digitally in your ClickTime account, contact us to get a free trial of the Expenses module. Also, we're currently testing a brand new mobile app, which will let you capture receipts and log expenses right from your iPhone and Android smartphone. Look for it in the next few months.

Take Some Time Off!

Can your employees work 365 days a year without taking time off for vacation, sick leave, or holidays? The reality is that everyone needs time off. And with different accrual rates, various time off categories, and ever-changing schedules, tracking non-worked time can be a work-flow nightmare for everyone involved—employees, managers, and HR.

There's an easier way!

ClickTime Web Timesheet tracks your employees' time off just as easily as it tracks the worked Client, Project and Task hours. There's no separate system to log into, and you don't even need to leave the time entry page. ClickTime's Time Off Module offers incredible convenience, simplifying and streamlining the entire time tracking process by tracking time off and worked time side by side. 

Automate your accruals

"How much sick leave has Bob accrued? What is Sally's current vacation balance?" You'll never have to worry about divining the numbers from calendars and Excel spreadsheets ever again. All the important totals and figures are at your fingertips with ClickTime's automated accruals. Employees can check their accrued time with the click of a button, and managers can easily generate full-featured Time Off reports for employees, divisions or the entire company!

Check Your Mileage Reimbursement Rates

As the year comes to a close, people start submitting expenses that have piled up on their desks and in their wallets from the past several months. That makes this a good time for our U.S. customers to confirm that their mileage reimbursement rates are set correctly. As of July 1, 2011, the federal mileage reimbursement rate increased from 51 cents per mile to 55.5 cents/mile (see the IRS web site for details).

We recommend that you change your company's mileage reimbursement rate in ClickTime if you haven't already done so. In order to edit your company's mileage rate, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to ClickTime (you need to be an administrator).
2. Click the "Expenses" link on the menu bar under the Company tab.
3. Click the "Expense Types" link.
4. Click on the name or "edit pencil" icon of your "mileage" expense type.
5. Edit the rate value. For example, enter 0.555 for the new federal rate.
6. Choose whether to apply the rate change to expenses that haven't been approved.
7. Save your changes.

If your company has multiple mileage expense types, remember to repeat steps 4-7 above for each appropriate expense type. You can also choose to apply the rate change to expenses that haven't yet been approved.

Check out this Wikipedia article if you're interested in how the federal mileage rate has fluctuated over time.

If you want to start tracking reimbursable expenses in your ClickTime account, contact us to get a free trial of the Expenses module.

ClickTime 6.91

With the release of ClickTime version 6.91, we made it easier to update your employees' vacation and sick-leave balances and introduced other enhancements as follows:

1. Update Vacation and Sick Leave Balances - We've made it easier for you to update the vacation and sick leave balances for multiple people simultaneously. A new option to "Update leave type balances" is available in the Advanced area under the Company tab. This makes it easier for companies who need to reset people's leave type balances (vacation, personal time, sick leave, etc.) at the beginning of the year.


2. Export Lists to Excel - We added the ability to easily export your client, project, task, employee and division lists without needing to run a report. On your normal list management pages where you can select the columns of information you want to see, you can now click the "Export to Excel" button to quickly export the list you're looking at.


3. Customizable Data Export and Excel Linking - We've improved performance of these exports, especially when exporting large data sets.


4. Web Browser Compatibility - We continue to support the most current versions of the most popular web browsers. This includes the recently released Chrome 15 and Firefox 8. Check out the ClickTime system requirements for more information about supported browsers.

Our Newest Android App - ClickTime Mobile Expenses

We're proud to announce the newest member of the family of ClickTime Mobile apps:

ClickTime Mobile Expenses for Android.

And we're admitting Android users into our beta program starting today.

With ClickTime Mobile Expenses, you'll be able to capture expenses on your smartphone as they happen. These get posted to your expense sheets on the ClickTime website so you can get reimbursed sooner.

Here's what you can do:

• Enter expenses with or without an internet connection
• Shoot receipts on-the-spot with your camera phone
• Track both mileage and expenses

Sign up for our beta here.

Our beta program is open now. Testers can download the app directly to their phone. When our beta users say it's good to go, it will become a free download in the Android and iPhone app stores.

iPhone users -- you're next. We're doing a new line of true mobile apps. In the coming months, we will release both time and expense apps for Android and iPhone. Stay tuned!

Timesheets the Way You Want Them

Timesheets are not a "one size fits all" business system. Different companies track different types of information and each company wants a timesheet that can adapt to its business needs. This is why ClickTime can be configured just the way you want it. Our customization options include:

• Separate Client and Project Options - Allow people to select from a list of clients before specifying the job/project. This is especially helpful for people with long customer and project lists. If you want fewer options to enter on your timesheet, we can combine these two values into one column.
  
  
• Tasks - Track the type of work someone does. You may refer to this as the activity, service item or function. If you don't care about these details, they can be removed from your timesheet.*
  
  
• Custom Terminology - Do you call the entity to whom you provide services a "client", "customer", "cost center" or something else? Use whatever term fits your business best. You can also customize projects (job, matter, milestone, case, etc.) and tasks with your industry's proper terms.
  
  
• Custom Fields - Track anything you want on your timesheet. Add extra fields with formatting options that work best for you. These include providing a list of pre-defined values for the employee to pick from, a yes/no checkbox or an extra field for the employee to enter anything you need (location, case number, etc.).
  
  
• Abbreviations, Numbers or Full Names* - Define how each client, project and task appear to your employees. You can show the entire project name, add the project number or use a client abbreviation or code name.
  
  
• Resize the Width of Timesheet Columns - Employees have monitors of varying sizes. Each person can customize how wide each column is for selecting the client, project and task.
  
  
• Phases and Sub-Phases* - You can break down some or all of your projects into smaller entities like phases and sub-phases.
  
  
• Stopwatch - Each employee can choose whether to use a stopwatch to record their time as they do the work. Alternatively, the administrator can require specific employees to use the stopwatch to mimic a punch-clock system.
  
  
• Start and End Times - You can require specific employees to enter the start and end times for each timesheet entry. Employees who are not required to enter the start/end time may choose to enter their time this way to help them identify any missing gaps in their day.
  
  
• Notes and Comments - Each time entry on the timesheet can have additional comments or notes added. You can also require specific employees to enter notes with each timesheet entry.
  
  
• Weekends - Each person can choose whether to show or hide weekends from a timesheet. This makes filling out the timesheet faster and more accurate.
  
  
• Zero-Hour Time Entries* - Do you need your employees to add notes to a project on their timesheet even when they don't work on the project? Enabling "zero-hour time entries" adds this ability to your company's timesheets.

There are many ways to customize your company's ClickTime timesheet entry screens. Most of these options are configurable in your Company Preferences, including custom terminology, and job and task list controls. There are also several advanced customization options (identified above with a *) that your account representative or our support department can configure for you at your request.

If you'd like help customizing your ClickTime account for your business, please let us know.