Timesheet software helps small businesses accurately track the number of hours employees have worked. This can help you explore areas in which your business can improve and work more efficiently, but that’s not all. It can also help you stay on Uncle Sam’s good side, specifically when it comes to compliance with labor laws.
According to Recordkeeping Requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers are required to keep a record of the hours worked and wages earned by non-exempt workers. The law doesn’t specify what form these records should be in, but your records do need to be accurate. Timesheet software can help ensure accuracy in recordkeeping and eliminate possible human error.
The apps I’ve picked out for this article are excellent options when it comes to accurate recordkeeping. They can help make time tracking easier, and you’ll have data on employee hours on hand whenever you need them. These apps also automate timesheets and reports, which drastically reduces the time you would typically need to spend on poring over employee time records.
What Qualifies as a Small Business in the US?
In the US, any independent business that has fewer than 500 employees counts as a small business. While big enterprises get a lot of press and attention, it’s the small ones that drive the American economy. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, there are 33.2 million small businesses today, which make up a whopping 99.9% of all businesses in the country.
Furthermore, small business employees make up about 46% of the US workforce. Though lots of businesses closed down or were negatively impacted by the pandemic, small businesses have created 5.5 million jobs for Americans despite the recession.
The Definitive List
1. Jibble
Jibble is a feature-rich time tracking and timesheet software that makes it easier for small businesses to record and track attendance. Employees can use Jibble to clock in and out from their cell phones or PCs, and the software automatically determines their working hours and creates data for payroll. Jibble’s main features include geolocation monitoring, real-time tracking, biometric device interaction, and leave management. Its mobile app enables users to record attendance from any location and has an offline mode for when they do not have internet access. The offline mode can subsequently sync to the database. Jibble works particularly well for companies with mobile workforces, especially in places with spotty internet access.
Along with an efficient attendance kiosk, Jibble’s real-time reporting generates intelligent insights and summaries of work progress. The software offers first-rate customer service and a variety of pricing options, including a fully-stacked free edition.
Sure, Jibble is our product, but independently it is actually the highest-rated app according to the aggregate of reviews on sites such as Capterra, GetApp, G2, App Store, and Play Store.
Key Features for Small Businesses
- Kiosk with PIN code
- Face recognition for secure logins
- Auto clock outs
- Reminders and notifications
- GPS-based geofencing
- Device restriction for clocking in and out
Is Your Data Safe with Jibble?
Yes, your data is in safe hands with Jibble.
Jibble 1 user data is stored in North Virginia AWS and Jibble 2 user data is stored in Ireland AWS. The data is encrypted and backed up regularly. Jibble 1 archives are stored for 3 months, Jibble 2 archives are stored for 30 days. Jibble will not share personal information with third parties without permission, except for certain circumstances.
Only authorized employees have access to user data, which is encrypted and stored for internal analysis. Jibble stores user data as long as the account is active, but will delete the data once the account is deleted. User data is typically retained only for a short amount of time.
You can also request to have your personal data permanently deleted from Jibble’s servers. Just email customer support at support@jibble.io.
Learn more about Jibble’s privacy policy.
Jibble Integrations
Jibble integrates with the most popular and commonly used apps for project management, HR management, scheduling, communication, payroll, and more. These include:
- Asana
- Google Calendar
- Jira
- Trello
- Zapier
- Hubspot
- Microsoft Office 365
- Microsoft Teams
- QuickBooks
- Slack
- Salesforce
…and many more Jibble integrations.
What Users Like
- Free
- Easy to use
- Affordable with a stacked free version
- Accurate time-tracking due to facial recognition and GPS tracking
- Excellent customer support
- Feature-rich software
What Users Don’t Like
- The CEO wears crazy white glasses
2. Timesheets.com
Timesheets.com allows small businesses to track employee work time and manage business operations through a web browser. The interface is easy to navigate, and the customizable reporting options make it easy to stay on top of the team’s productivity.
What’s more, the employee management features are top-notch, making it a breeze to keep track of things like attendance, leave, and overtime. And with a plethora of time tracking features to choose from, including GPS tracking and photo timestamps, this timesheet software makes sure all your time tracking needs are fulfilled.
However, one area I feel where Timesheets.com falls short is its lack of integration options, which makes it challenging to track work time in different software. Additionally, the absence of a mobile version makes it difficult to manage time when away from the computer and becomes inaccessible for teams on the go. I also feel that the software is very basic and outdated and that customer support could use some improvement.
Key Features for Small Businesses
- Extensive time tracking
- Time clock
- Billing and job costing
- PTO requests
- Small business scheduling
Is Your Data Safe with Timesheets.com?
Timesheets.com does not sell or disclose personal information to any organization or entity for any use other than legitimate business uses. User data provided to Timesheets.com will only be used for the purpose of providing services outlined in the terms of use.
Timesheets.com Integrations
- QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Desktop
- Sage
What Users Like
- Easy to use
- Free version
- GPS time tracking
- Fully customizable supervisor settings
What Users Don’t Like
- Lack of integrations
- No mobile app
- Outdated UI
- Substandard customer service
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Timesheets.com review?
3. Buddy Punch
When it comes to managing employee hours and payroll, Buddy Punch’s cloud-based timesheet software provides a seamless, easy-to-use solution that simplifies time tracking and streamlines payroll processes. And let’s not forget about the push notifications that keep employees informed and ensure a simple and user-friendly experience.
The time-tracking system is where Buddy Punch truly shines. With real-time attendance tracking and automatic calculation of accrued time off and overtime, managing employee time has been made quite easy. Plus, the platform offers customizable reports that allow you to see how many hours your team works and monitor remote workers by tracking their location and assigning specific IP addresses. And if you’re worried about accountability, Buddy Punch integrates with payroll software and offers GPS and image tracking.
While Buddy Punch is undoubtedly a fantastic tool for keeping track of employee hours, it’s essential to be aware of its limitations. One issue is the time-consuming process of time-card management, which can be cumbersome for small businesses. The mobile app also has some rules that may impact its functionality, requiring users to adapt to its requirements. Lastly, some users have reported difficulties when punching out, leading to inaccuracies in timekeeping. These are important considerations to keep in mind when evaluating Buddy Punch’s suitability for your business needs.
Key Features for Small Businesses
- Kiosk feature
- Schedule notifications
- Basic GPS and geofencing
- Alerts and reminders
Is Your Data Safe with Buddy Punch?
Buddy Punch encrypts payment information and has measures in place to deal with possible data breaches. However, Buddy Punch cannot guarantee the complete security of personal information transmitted through the app and is not responsible for any privacy settings or security measures that are circumvented.
Buddy Punch Integrations
Buddy Punch integrates with the most popular and commonly used apps for accounting. These include:
- QuickBooks
- ADP Workforce Now
- Gusto
- Workday
…and many more.
What Users Like
- Great customer service
- Easy-to-use software
- Facial recognition
- Smooth functioning web version
- Helpful features for on-the-move teams
What Users Don’t Like
- Mobile app is limited
- Punching out difficulties
- Time-card step is time-consuming
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Buddy Punch review?
4. Deputy
Let me tell you about Deputy, the cloud-based time tracking and timesheet software that helps small businesses manage employee scheduling and time tracking. With features like attendance tracking, overtime monitoring, and break compliance, Deputy makes it a breeze to stay on top of employee management. And its accessibility on desktop and mobile devices makes it simple for employees to clock in and out from anywhere.
Some of the coolest things about Deputy’s time tracking software are its real-time digital timesheets, GPS location stamps, and facial recognition for timesheet verification. With automatic wage calculation, break compliance, and dynamic reporting to compare labor hours and profits, it’s a good choice for all your employee management needs. And the fact that it integrates with payroll systems like Xero is a great benefit.
However, Deputy does push my buttons when it comes to certain things. While it is cost-effective, I feel its time tracking software is a bit too complicated. And if you’re an Android user, you might be disappointed to know that the Android app has fewer features than the iPhone app. Plus, the design framework is not very customizable.
Key Features for Small Businesses
- Unlimited timesheets
- Real-time attendance tracking
- Leave and holiday management
- Automatic scheduling
- Custom reporting
- Open API
Is Your Data Safe with Deputy?
Though Deputy cannot guarantee the absolute safety of user information, it nonetheless uses industry-standard methods to ensure that this information is securely stored. Deputy is also ISO27001 certified and PCI compliant, ensuring that your credit card transactions are secure.
Deputy Integrations
Deputy integrates with the most popular and commonly used apps for project management, communication, payroll, point of sale, and more. These include:
- BambooHR
- Abacus
- Xero
- Google Calendar
- QuickBooks
- Microsoft Outlook
…and many more.
What Users Like
- Automates complex pay calculations
- Dynamic reporting
- Logging shifts through the mobile app
- Value for money
What Users Don’t Like
- Lack of functionalities in Android app
- Lack of user-specific customizations
- Outdated user interface
- Complicated time tracking
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Deputy review?
5. QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time (formerly Tsheets) meteoric growth was on the back of its strong integration with QuickBooks, which explains why QuickBooks’ owner, Intuit, bought them in 2017 for US$340m, gradually aligning it even closer with the family and eventually changing its name to Quickbooks Time. Given this, it should be no surprise that it’s the natural choice for users of QuickBooks’ accounting products.
QuickBooks Time, an employee time tracking and timesheet software, allows small businesses to manage office-based teams as well as mobile workers, but its real strength has always been the latter. With GPS tracking and geofencing, the software offers a really decent web dashboard, mobile app, and time kiosk that enables real-time monitoring of employees and their actions on-the-go. PTO tracking, team scheduling, time kiosk, project tracker, and API interaction with third-party applications are just a few other features in QuickBooks.
Quickbooks Time is an absolutely solid timesheet software, hats off, particularly if the goal is to track time for payroll, but it does have the kind of issues you’d expect from it being a cog in the massive Intuit machine. The product isn’t really developing quickly anymore, I’d argue that it not only feels dated but is just that, customer support isn’t great, and it’s pretty darn expensive with pricing starting at US$8/user/month plus a US$20/month base fee – ouch!
Key Features for Small Businesses
- Project estimates
- Project progress tracking
- Geofencing
- Payroll and invoicing
- Unlimited customer support
- Shift scheduling
Is Your Data Safe with QuickBooks Time?
QuickBooks collects personal information from users such as name, address, email, phone, and username and password. The QuickBooks privacy policy allows for the sharing of personal information with third-party service providers, government bodies in response to legal requests, and credit bureaus for reporting purposes. Consent will be obtained before personal information is shared with any other third parties.
QuickBooks Time Integrations
- QuickBooks Desktop
- QuickBooks Online
- ADP
- Xero
- Gusto
- Sage
- MYOB
What Users Like
- Real-time GPS tracking and geofencing
- Mobile app for time tracking and scheduling
- Web dashboard, mobile app, and time kiosk
- Actionable reports and insights
- Streamlined payroll management
- Great QuickBooks integration
- A very solid product
What Users Don’t Like
- It feels dated, heck it is dated
- Not great for desk workers’ time tracking
- Rich pricing
- Poor customer support
- Not as well integrated with software outside the Intuit family as it should be
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, QuickBooks Time review?
6. Timeular
Well, let me tell you about Timeular, a trendy time tracking and timesheet software that small businesses can use to manage employees and track time.
The software comes loaded with a variety of features that can help you and your team stay on top of things, from simple time tracking to generating insights and monitoring productivity.
What I find interesting is that Timeular has a Bluetooth device that serves as a visual reminder to track time and improve concentration. This little gadget, known as the Timeular Tracker or Zei device, acts as a physical remote control that can be connected to your phone or computer. With it, you can easily log your hours while working on tasks from any device.
Another neat feature is Timeular’s goal-setting function, which helps you engage with your daily or weekly work tasks better. This allows you to set goals for yourself and your team, and then track your progress over time. And when you’re ready to create reports using all this information, it helps you gain valuable insights to make informed business decisions.
Now, as much as I love Timeular, I have to admit that it has some quirks. The Zei device isn’t always as reliable as it should be, with connectivity issues cropping up from time to time. And while the mobile app has a lot of great features, the complicated user interface can take a while to adjust to. This, coupled with the app’s slow processing, has earned Timeular a 3.7/5 star rating on the Google Play Store.
Key Features for Small Businesses
- Timeular tracker device
- Timesheets and calendar tasks
- Goal-setting and reminders
- Reporting and insights
Is Your Data Safe with Timeular?
Timeular complies with data protection laws when processing user data and puts reasonable safeguards against unauthorized access. The company also has a data protection officer that users can contact if they have any concerns.
Timeular Integrations
Timeular integrates with the most popular and commonly used apps for time tracking, scheduling, communication, payroll, and more. These include:
- Zapier
- Jira
- Slack
- Harvest
- Toggl
- Outloook
- Google Calendar
What Users Like
- Easy to sync across multiple devices
- Convenient Timeular Tracker device
- Editing tracked time
- Reports for deep insights
- Smooth integrations
What Users Don’t Like
- Slow and clunky mobile app
- Connectivity issues in the device
- The app takes some time to get used to
- Unreliable time tracking
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Timeular review?
How Does Timesheet Software Help Small Businesses Stay Compliant with US Laws?
FLSA
The FLSA requires employers to keep accurate records of the hours worked by their employees, including overtime hours, and to pay non-exempt employees at least the minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime at a rate of one and a half times their regular rate of pay.
Timesheet apps can help ensure compliance with these requirements by tracking employee clock-in and clock-out times, calculating hours worked, and generating reports that can be used to verify compliance with the FLSA.
FMLA
Timesheet apps can help companies stay compliant with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) by allowing them to easily track employee attendance and absences. Employers will be able to determine whether or not an employee has taken leave under the FMLA and ensure that employees are eligible for such leave.
By providing accurate and reliable time tracking data, timesheet software can help companies avoid FMLA violations and potential legal disputes.
DCAA
If your business does work for the Department of Defense, you’ll have the DCAA to contend with. DCAA compliance guidelines for accounting employee hours are quite strict, and it requires government contractors to maintain accurate records of employee hours worked. Timesheet apps automate this process, making it easier for companies to comply with DCAA regulations.
How to Choose Timesheet Software for US Small Businesses
Look for the following features to find the right timesheet app for your business:
- Time tracking: The software should have comprehensive time tracking features to accurately track employee hours, including clocking in and out, breaks, and overtime. Accurate time tracking and calculations are essential to avoid errors, discrepancies, and compliance issues.
- Payroll, reporting, and analytics: The software should integrate with the company’s payroll software to streamline the payment process. It should have robust reporting features, allowing managers and administrators to access real-time attendance data, generate custom reports, and analyze trends.
- Integration: To streamline business operations, the software should be able to integrate with existing workflows, payroll systems, and other HR management tools.
- Security: The software should have strict security protocols to protect sensitive employee data and prevent unauthorized access to company resources.
- Support: The software should offer comprehensive technical support, including training resources, user guides, and ongoing customer service, to ensure seamless implementation and long-term success.
- Compliance: Time and attendance software should be able to help companies adhere to federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations.
