Time Management in the Construction Industry
It may seem that the construction industry doesn’t have anything in common with time tracking. But it definitely has a lot in common with time. Very often general contractors and operative builders engage in the construction of residential or commercial buildings. And they also have deadlines. However, they are not always met due to various conditions that may influence the project’s stages. Still, managing time in the construction industry may be remarkably helpful, especially with the help of a dedicated timekeeping website.
People usually don’t realize the importance of the construction industry. It is one of the most influential in terms of economic growth. Government or many private companies contract with such contractors to develop infrastructure related to sectors such as business, transportation, education, or health. If it wasn’t for the construction industry, we wouldn’t have a fancy apartment, work in comfortable offices, or gain an education at schools and universities.
But working in such a sector is extremely demanding. It requires plenty of work, not only physical but also organizational. Managers or engineers responsible for projects need to have full control over the progress, team, resources, financial issues, and many more. Thus, time management in construction industry is crucial. But don’t get mislead. Time management involves all these aspects and helps in facilitating work. It is not only about allocating time needed for finishing a task.
If you are looking for a good time management tool to take away the pain of managing projects in constructions, stay with us and take a look our list of 10 best time management apps for the construction industry:
#1 TimeCamp
No matter if you work from the office or on the construction site, TimeCamp is a perfect time tracking software for construction industry. Either working solo or with a team, TimeCamp is a fantastic time tracking software for your business. The tool combines features of time tracking and project management software which will work wonders for your company. Take a look at this short list to see how TimeCamp helps in enhancing work:
- Because accounting is of great importance, you can easily bill your clients based on billable hours, tasks, or projects.
- Accounting is also about invoicing. TimeCamp has a feature of creating invoices based on the reports and sending them right away to your clients.
- Automatic time tracking with desktop app saves your time. You don’t have to switch between different tasks. The app follows your activities.
- Extensive and detailed reports inform you about your activities and show those productive and unproductive.
- TimeCamp allows you to easily track and analyze your or your team’s absences, sick leaves, or holidays. This feature is crucial when it comes to payoff and taxes.
- Powerful integrations enhance your work with other tools and apps.
- New – GPS tracking feature
- The tool is available for all platforms and as a mobile app.
TimeCamp’s features take away the pain of dealing with financial issues as well as help you allocate resources. And if you’re working alone, the software gives you a detailed insight into your individual work.
Register for free today and turn your business into professional services with TimeCamp!
#2 GoCanvas
This isn’t exactly one specific tool. GoCanvas offers a variety of mobile apps which enhance work on the construction site. You can choose those most convenient which correspond to your needs. Or you can combine them to improve your work even more. Here are those most important features of some of the apps:
- Managing subcontractor agreements.
- Filling out building inspection checklists, and complete contractor time tracking activities electronically.
- Construction, repair and improvement reports and apps for building and construction project maintenance management.
- Managing projects according to set deadline and budget.
- Monitoring workers’ progress.
- Attaching photos, files, and creating PDF documents.
GoCanvas is great when not working in the office because it digitizes work in the field. Moreover, it is an easy-to-use mobile app so you can access it from anywhere.
#3 Procore
The Procore app is available on mobile phone or tablet. This mobile project management solution enables you to have the freedom to move around the job site while it tells you what’s happening and when it’s happening. You have the full insight into project stages. You can also send information, answer questions, and even make sure your teams are working with just one click.
With the Daily Log, you can quickly type in your notes, detail observations, or update job site conditions in the real-time while being in the field. That gives you full control over time spent on particular tasks on the site.
#4 PlanGrid
Timesheets are important in any type of a job. If you want to avoid keeping them in a paper version and flipping through all reports on time and project’s details, you should try using PlanGrid. The app allows you to easily manage all submittals and share them with subcontractors. Because PlanGrid works fantastically as a mobile app, you can track and manage different report from the field.
Moreover, you can improve job site safety by identifying hazards and reducing risk before beginning work.
#5 Zipbooks
This time management app for construction industry will work wonders in terms of accounting. So if you need an app which will help you (and your accountant) in smoothening financial processes of projects, Zipbooks is there for you.
Beside time tracking Zipbooks has the following features: flexible billing tracking, invoicing, credit card processing, recurring payments, late payment reminders, transactions, bank integration, bank account reconciliation, estimates, expenses, staff and client management, accounting, customer feedback, financial reports, 1099 contractor management, multiple currency support.
#6 Bridgit
“With Bridgit, you can streamline the entire construction process—from pre-con to completion.” Bridgit works in a quite simple way. It tracks your projects, which you can log while on the site, and monitors all stages of work. Here’s what you can do with the app:
- Manage and track inspections, checklists, and project milestones. All aspects of creating a new construction in one place.
- You can streamline communication and workflow to save time and keep your projects on track.
- You can create reports.
- Bridgit enhances communication between you and your subcontractors by allowing them to see project’s stages.
Again, this time management app for construction industry is a great solution for people spending little time in the office.
#7 e-Builder
This tool is designed as a construction management software. You shouldn’t hesitate to use it if you want to learn how to control projects and processes in the construction industry. e-Builder “focuses on specific needs in terms of project controls, process automation, information management, and reporting.”
The app enables you to customize it to your business needs. It can save a lot of your time because e-Builder will help you improve your work results. It helps in project lifecycle management, which includes tracking time spent on work, budget or project’s stages.
#8 TSheets
TSheets focuses on logistic issues of work. You may find this time management app for construction industry advantageous if you spend most of the time in the field, monitoring your employees.
First of all, it automatically tracks time for your employees so they don’t have to carry all the timesheets with them wherever they go. TSheet’s time tracking saves all the data in the form of electronic timesheets and you can easily access them from anywhere. The software has a mobile app for iPhone and Android and the build in GPS automatically tracks employees’ location. Whenever they clock in and out, you see that information in timesheets. Moreover, with this time tracking tool you can be sure that you comply with the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), especially important when working on government contracts.
#9 Talygen
Talygen’s mobile app allows you to track time from any place. You and your employees can enter as many bulk time entries as you all wish so that everyone knows who is working on what.
To put it simply, Talygen offers a perfect time management app for construction industry. The app provides you a quick view of activities, advanced and personalized dashboard with access to all aspects of your business and projects, detailed reports.
#10 Harvest
If you’re working mostly from the office, Harvest will be the right tool for you. It helps in managing internal processes of the company such as the following:
- Tracking time in this tool tracks not only time but expenses, clients, projects, and tasks.
- The timesheets in the visual form help you understand your team’s work and see how much time they spend on different tasks. You see how much, when, and on what projects people are working. You always have their work under control.
- With extensive reports, you get information on every single aspect of your project: time spent, budget, progress, time left to a deadline, etc.
- Harvest allows you to integrate with Xero or QuickBooks to create invoices and quickly send them to your clients. This feature makes accounting easier.
See the comparison between Harvest & TimeCamp
Excellent explanation. Anyone can easily comprehend since it’s simple & focused. Keep up the great work!