The Importance of Accurately Tracking Your Time
Contractors operate within a time, project-based and specialized skill industry. Any deviations to a set schedule can result in thousands of dollars being lost in costs and time.
Accurately tracking your time is an important part of the project manager’s duties. They keep the entire crew aware of time restraints and schedules to create a more efficient and productive team.
A contractor who doesn’t have a set schedule in place can throw an entire project off, resulting in mistakes and inaccuracies.
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Why is Accurately Tracking Your Time Important?
Accurately tracking time sends a message to clients that your company and crew are meticulous and competent, placing a high regard on efficiency. Working under deadlines or a set schedule not only increases productivity, but sets a standard of excellence. Tracking your time can show you areas that need improvement, ways you can better streamline processes and gives clear indication of whether or not you are ahead or behind schedule.
How Can a Project Manager Track Time?
It’s important to have the right tools to accurately and efficiently track time. Here are a few suggestions:
Use a time tracking tool that tracks projects from start to finish, including breaks.
Group tasks by team and availability.
Measure how long tasks really take to make enhancements or alterations to your master schedule.
Set all contractors, sub-contractors and employees up with a GPS enabled app that will automate time sheets, breaks and other time-sensitive tasks. This should be tied to a master system to accurately monitor all time and activity.
Starting with these suggestions can help increase productivity and alleviate time wasters. When working on multiple projects or with different teams, time is always of the essence. Taking the steps to implement a system to accurately track your time on projects will give your company leverage in the bidding process and help build a great reputation while improving project management abilities.