Grindstone is a time administration instrument by Epiforge Software. This free instrument means that you can observe working time and measure worker productiveness. It’s appropriate with Windows software program and may be built-in with different Microsoft Office instruments like Office Timeline, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Access for simple collaboration.
So, why search for a grindstone time monitoring different?
Well, the appliance has its personal share of drawbacks. For starters, Grindstone has restricted options and will not have the ability to increase the general productiveness of your staff.
But don’t fear. If you’re on the lookout for a extra complete and user-friendly time monitoring answer, we’ve acquired you coated.
In this text, we’ll take a look at the highest 10 Grindstone time monitoring different instruments and their key options, pricing, and rankings. We’ll additionally discover the options to search for when selecting a Grindstone different.
Let’s get began!
Top 10 Grindstone time monitoring different instruments
Grindstone is an easy time monitoring and activity administration software program that means that you can effectively increase your workforce’s productiveness by:
- Tracking time with the assistance of a widget-like stopwatch.
- Connecting with Grindstone Sync permits Grindstone customers to see what every member of the workforce is doing and examine their time monitoring data dwell. The characteristic helps you see, filter, handle, and monitor workforce members and assignments.
- Gathering data on when staff are away from their system.
However, the app’s options restrict you to primary time monitoring with a timer. Additionally, the instrument doesn’t facilitate in-depth evaluation or productiveness evaluation. Such options are important to realize actionable insights into your group.
Are there higher time monitoring options with superior options?
Yes.
Here’s a listing of a number of the greatest Grindstone time monitoring different instruments to your workforce.
1. Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a robust cloud-based worker time monitoring and productiveness administration instrument. It’s utilized by huge corporations like Verizon and Ericsson, in addition to small companies like Firehouse Subs, to spice up worker productiveness.
The instrument has superior efficiency administration, timesheet, and payroll options, making it a prime time monitoring software program for what you are promoting wants. The instrument is on the market as a desktop app and a cellular app (Android).
Key options
Here are a few of Time Doctor’s key options that make it an ideal Grindstone different:
A. Time monitoring
Time Doctor presents handbook and computerized time monitoring modes.
To use the handbook time monitoring mode, you’ll want to:
- Add a brand new activity or choose an present one below the related undertaking.
- Press ‘Start’ if you need to begin monitoring time.
- Press ‘Stop’ to cease monitoring time or if you wish to take a break.
The computerized time monitoring mode runs silently within the background when staff begin their techniques. It helps your workforce members think about their activity with out worrying about monitoring time each time they begin their system.
B. Idle time monitoring
Time Doctor helps you observe when an worker is idle for a selected period of time.
The enterprise software program additionally sends a pop-up alert to your staff to re-focus on their activity after a sure interval (specified by the admin) of inactivity. The timer robotically turns off if the person doesn’t reply.
Note: Time Doctor isn’t a keystroke logger. It’ll solely test if a person pressed any keys or moved the mouse to find out idle time.
C. Screencasts (optionally available)
Time Doctor’s screencasts is an efficient worker monitoring characteristic that permits you to see what your workforce members are engaged on. The app takes screenshots of a person’s display screen periodically.
This characteristic deters staff from participating in non-work actions throughout work hours since they’re conscious that their display screen actions are being monitored.
Note: The instrument solely takes screenshots when staff point out they’re working. This characteristic is optionally available and may be enabled or disabled for a selected person. The admin can blur or delete the screenshots with confidential data to take care of privateness.
D. Productivity rankings
Time Doctor permits you to set productiveness rankings for various apps and web sites, relying on an worker’s duties and tasks.
You can classify the web sites as:
- Productive.
- Unproductive.
- Neutral.
- Unrated.
For instance, in case your workforce member makes use of LinkedIn to run social media campaigns, you’ll be able to classify the web site as productive. But, you’ll be able to fee the web site as unproductive for a workforce member who works in software program growth.
E. Productivity experiences
Time Doctor generates a number of complete experiences which you can view in real-time.
Here are a number of the experiences obtainable:
- Hours tracked report: Shows what number of hours or minutes your staff have labored per week, workday, or the date vary you choose.
- Attendance report: Shows if the worker was current, absent, partially absent, or late for his or her shift. You can filter the report as per requirement.
- Projects & duties report: Shows how a lot time was spent on every undertaking and activity.
- Custom export experiences: Allows you to customise what you need to embody in a single exported report relatively than combining information from a number of experiences.
- Internet connectivity experiences: Shows the entire time your worker was offline and the share of days spent offline whereas monitoring time.
- Timeline report: Shows the precise time your staff register and signal out of labor day-after-day.
- Web and app usage report: Displays what number of hours your workforce spends on totally different web sites and functions.
- Activity abstract report: Reflects your worker’s lively seconds, lively minutes, unproductive, or cellular time.
F. Payroll administration
Time Doctor additionally gives highly effective payroll administration options, like automated timesheets and billing, together with time monitoring.
You can combine Time Doctor with cost gateways like Gusto, PayPal, ADP, or Wise to deal with your payroll wants.
You can customise payroll particulars like:
- Payment technique.
- Payment forex.
- Pay interval.
Thus, you’ll be able to handle your organization’s payroll with minimal fuss and improve productiveness and income.
G. Powerful Integrations
You can combine Time Doctor’s highly effective Chrome extension with different apps your workforce could use. For instance, CRM (Customer Relationship Manager Software) and undertaking
administration instruments like Asana, Zoho Projects, and Microsoft Office.
It additionally presents integration with Google Calendar.
With these integrations, your staff can use Time Doctor to log time on these different apps with only a single click on.
Check out Time Doctor’s options web page for extra data.
Pricing
Time Doctor gives a 14-day free trial (no bank card required). Its paid plan begins at $7/person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 ( 320+evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (460+ evaluations)
2. Paymo
Paymo is a time monitoring and administration software program with undertaking planning capabilities. You can combine it along with your Google Calendar. The instrument is appropriate for small enterprise and mid-sized corporations in addition to freelancers.
Key options
- It simplifies activity administration by letting you observe the working time for every activity individually and examine them as to-do lists, spreadsheets, and activity calendars.
- Lets you create a undertaking plan and convert repeated duties into customizable templates.
- Allows you so as to add handbook time entries for a number of tasks without delay.
- Generates invoices which you can ship on to your purchasers.
- Let’s you pay your staff along with your most well-liked cost gateway – PayPal, Stripe, or Square.
Pricing
Paymo gives a 15-day free trial for one person. Its paid plans begin at $5.95/per person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.6/5 (570+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (430+ evaluations)
3. DeskTime
DeskTime is a completely computerized time monitoring and accounting software program. The time tracker comes with many efficiency administration options that can be utilized to enhance worker productiveness.
Key options
- Tracks time primarily based on duties and tasks and robotically calculates the prices incurred.
- Lets you handle worker holidays, shifts, free time, and time-off requests.
- Generates customized experiences to your in-house workforce.
- Integrates with widespread office software program like Google Calendar and Jira to make sure uninterrupted workflow.
Pricing
DeskTime software program presents a free plan with restricted advantages. Its paid plans begin at $7/person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.6/5 (170+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (470+ evaluations)
4. Toggl Track
Toggl Track is a web-based time monitoring and undertaking administration software program with an easy-to-use UI (User Interface). You can begin monitoring time with only a few clicks.
Key options
- Lets you observe time for a number of tasks and purchasers.
- Allows you to assign duties and tasks out of your net browser, cell phone, or desktop apps.
- Keeps staff on observe by sending automated electronic mail reminders in the event that they work lower than their day by day or weekly goal restrict.
- Integrates with different CRM or undertaking administration software program like Jira, Asana, or Github. You may combine it with Microsoft Office.
Check out this in-depth Toggl Track evaluate for extra.
Pricing
Toggl Track software program has a free time monitoring plan for as much as 5 customers with restricted options. Paid plans begin at $10/per person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.6/5 (1500+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2100+ evaluations)
5. Clockify
Clockify is a strong cloud-based time sheet and billing software program. It additionally has options like undertaking scheduling and productiveness monitoring experiences. This laptop software program may be downloaded on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Key options
- Starts monitoring time robotically or permits you to do it manually utilizing a stopwatch.
- Creates a number of tasks and duties and categorizes them by purchasers.
- Tracks and approves time-off requests inside the app.
- Generates detailed billing experiences that may be exported as CSV, Excel, or PDF.
For an in depth take a look at Clockify’s options, take a look at our complete evaluate.
Pricing
Clockify time tracker presents a free plan for limitless customers and limitless tasks. Its paid plan begins at $4.99/person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.5/5 (130+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (4300+ evaluations)
6. RescueTime
RescueTime is a web-based time monitoring and enterprise software program that gives an computerized time logging system. It might help you acquire extra management over your staff’ time and increase their productiveness.
It is widespread amongst small enterprise house owners and freelancers in addition to giant/medium-sized enterprises.
Key options
- Gives you a personalised day by day Focus Work Goal primarily based in your working fashion and schedule.
- Generates time sheet experiences that assist determine which activity is extra time-consuming.
- Helps you keep away from distractions like social media with Focus Session options.
- Improves worker time administration with productiveness experiences.
Read our in-depth evaluate of RescueTime.
Pricing
RescueTime presents a 30-day free trial for brand spanking new customers. Paid pricing is on the market on request.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.1/5 (70+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (120+ evaluations)
7. Harvest
Harvest is a cloud-based time monitoring and billing software program for time administration, budgeting, invoicing, and extra. The app is on the market for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Key options
- Tracks worker time constantly from desktop, cellular, or browser.
- Records how a lot time your workforce spends on every undertaking and gives visible experiences.
- Helps in expense monitoring and changing them into invoices.
- Helps optimize your workflow by integrating with different office undertaking administration software program like Jira and Zendesk.
Here’s extra about Harvest time monitoring.
Pricing
Harvest software program presents a ceaselessly free restricted plan for a single person. The app’s paid plan begins at $12/person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.3/5 (770+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (520+ evaluations)
8. QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time (beforehand referred to as TSheets) is a strong time monitoring, undertaking administration, and accounting software program.
It is appropriate for IT, finance, and different service-based groups.
Key options
- Tracks billing hours and robotically provides them to invoices utilizing the QuickBooks Online app.
- Lets you observe, submit and approve time straight utilizing the cellular time sheet app obtainable for Android and iOS.
- Offers customizable time playing cards and timesheet experiences to get priceless insights about present tasks, billable hours, and payrolls.
- Helps handle groups by organising a geofence that reminds staff to clock out and in once they enter or go away the office.
Discover extra about QuickBooks Time on this informative submit.
Pricing
QuickBooks Time presents a 30-day free trial. Its paid plans begin at $8/person per 30 days, with a base payment of $10/month.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.5/5 (1400+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (6000+ evaluations)
9. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is an easy but efficient time tracker, timesheet, and billing software program appropriate for groups of all sizes. Along with cellphones, the app can also be obtainable as laptop software program on platforms like Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
Key options
- Tracks workforce members’ on-line time and work time for every activity and undertaking utilizing the handbook time tracker.
- Its all-in-one work time tracker helps you handle in-office and distant groups.
- Allows your workforce to trace time as quickly as they enter a delegated job web site with the assistance of geofencing options.
- Lets you export your timesheet and experiences to CSV format.
- Offers over 17 totally different customizable experiences that may be filtered by date, workforce, member, undertaking, or shopper.
To study extra about Hubstaff’s options, take a look at this fascinating evaluate.
Pricing
Hubstaff gives a free plan for a single person. Paid plan begins from $7/person per 30 days (minimal of two customers).
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.3/5 (400+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (1300+ evaluations)
10. Timely
Timely is a time monitoring and administration software program with easy performance that will help you maintain observe of your workforce’s productiveness.
Key options
- Tracks your billable hours throughout a number of units. The software program helps net, desktop, and cellular time monitoring.
- Helps you view your workforce’s exercise on a single dashboard.
- Records on-line time spent on video calls, shopper conferences, and all digital communication.
- Offers scheduler performance and expense monitoring to assist with finances allocation and invoicing.
Pricing
Timely presents a 14-day free trial for brand spanking new customers. Its paid plans begin at $11/person per 30 days.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.8/5 (200+ evaluations)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (200+ evaluations)
The time monitoring apps talked about above are loaded with many options, however which of those are an important?
Let’s take a look at some key options to search for earlier than investing in a Grindstone time monitoring different.
5 important options to search for in a Grindstone different
You want to make sure that your time monitoring software program meets what you are promoting wants.
Although time monitoring is an important characteristic in any time monitoring software program, it’s not sufficient. You also needs to produce other options to enhance worker effectivity and undertaking administration.
Here are a number of the key options required in trendy time monitoring software program.
1. Simplified UI (User-Interface)
A easy and user-friendly interface ought to have the next three issues:
- Easy set up and set-up.
- Track time with a single button.
- Simple dashboard for fast highlights.
2. Productivity experiences and analytics
To precisely measure the efficiency of your workforce members, your time monitoring software program also needs to have productiveness experiences. Reports like attendance, timesheet, hours labored, and so forth., can provide you actionable insights into your workforce’s productiveness.
3. Distraction administration
A productive time monitoring instrument helps eradicate distractions throughout work hours. The software program ought to have built-in options like blocking or proscribing entry to web sites that aren’t work-related.
4. Privacy
An excellent time monitoring software program also needs to have sturdy privateness insurance policies for worker monitoring options to deal with worker fears about misuse of their private information. The instrument ought to have options like:
- Allowing staff to view their recorded information.
- A handbook time tracker in order that staff are conscious of their work hours being tracked throughout work hours.
- Providing authorized data and phrases to their customers.
5. Integrations
Lastly, to benefit from the varied office instruments you utilize, your time monitoring apps ought to supply help and integrations with different laptop software program. This helps sync your information throughout the apps you utilize. It additionally helps streamline your workflow for elevated effectivity.
Wrap up
Grindstone by Epiforge software program is a simple time monitoring system that will help you observe worker work hours, however it’s not the very best within the enterprise at this time.
While we now have coated some nice time and undertaking administration instruments within the article, Time Doctor is the right possibility to your time monitoring wants. With a number of highly effective time monitoring and productiveness options, Time Doctor makes worker efficiency administration a chunk of cake.
So why not join the free trial at this time and unlock your workforce’s productiveness?