There is often only a limited maximum time quota available for activities in projects or for fee-based services. Fast and simple time recording is the key to simple controlling, uncomplicated proof of performance and problem-free billing to customers or other departments.

A recurring problem for all service departments is the recording of chargeable services and the provision of proof of services. If working times are recorded, it is often not possible to assign them to specific service requests or customers. And if a time recording system is introduced, employees often have to record their times for a service process separately from the actual processing process in their own tool. This requires multiple entries and is not without reason one of the less popular activities of service employees.

Time recording in the service department

A small add-on for Office 365 can help here. Using the example of a ticket system for an IT service department, it is shown here how both hour management and time recording for an activity can be integrated directly into the processing forms for a support case:

This integration is basically possible in all applications and administration lists based on Office365/SharePoint Online, for example also in a project administration in the form of a project time recording.

In this example, the maximum number of hours available for a support case – the hour quota or hour budget – is entered in the form when it is first entered. The corresponding field can be made read-only for everyone except project or team leaders.

When carrying out the actual activity, the processor records the work steps in the form and also the time required for them. The hours already used are calculated automatically and the hours still available are displayed as soon as the current hours have been entered in the corresponding field.

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If several people work on a support case and make entries in the form, this is taken into account when calculating the remaining hours.

Start/Stop button

If entering the hours seems too tedious, you can use the start and stop button to conveniently measure the time that elapses while processing a task.

After completing the activity, the button is clicked again and the time used is entered accordingly in the form. The form can be saved in between (e.g. to change the status or create a note), the time measurement only ends when the button is clicked again.

If the form is closed by aborting, the time measured up to that point is not entered in the form. It only appears in the time tracking list of all processes for which the time has been measured.

An entry in this list is deleted if the associated form is closed by saving and the time recording process was previously ended with a button. This prevents the list from growing endlessly.

Simple proof of performance for billing

As proof of performance, the project management can call up an overview of all activities and the hours already incurred, also separated, for example, by customer or managed cost centers.

It is also possible for individual processors to determine their total hours at a glance. This list can also be exported to Excel for further calculations.

 

Talk to us if you need a quick and easy solution for your time tracking. We would be happy to explain the possible solutions in a personal meeting or webcast.