What occurs when your workforce retains lacking deadlines or clocking in inconsistently, however nobody is aware of why?
Managing time at work is like managing cash. If you don’t observe the place it’s going, you may’t management it.
As highlighted in Harvard Business Review, ineffective time administration can quietly drain workforce efficiency. It says,
“If you struggle with time management, your issues likely have a negative trickle-down effect.”
That’s why many companies flip to BambooHR time monitoring. It’s a tool that guarantees to simplify worker time monitoring, attendance, payroll, and different associated duties.
But when your workforce works throughout distant, hybrid, and in-office environments, can one system deal with it all?
In this information, you’ll discover BambooHR’s time monitoring options, the place it helps, and the place it might not go far sufficient.
You’ll additionally uncover a extra targeted various that helps higher time administration, productiveness analytics, and workforce analytics, particularly for rising or distributed groups.
Table of Contents
What is BambooHR time monitoring?
BambooHR time monitoring is a part of a broader cloud-based HR system designed primarily for small and mid-sized companies. The platform focuses on HR duties, together with onboarding, managing worker data, dealing with compensation, and fostering a optimistic office tradition.
When it involves monitoring time, BambooHR contains it as an optionally available add-on reasonably than a built-in characteristic.
With this add-on, BambooHR offers fundamental worker time monitoring instruments, equivalent to:
- Clock-in and clock-out choices
- Automatic timesheet era
- Overtime calculation
- Streamlined approvals
- Self-service entry for staff
Additionally, you may combine different options, equivalent to attendance monitoring and payroll processing, to create a extra complete HR setup. These instruments can assist groups with fundamental time administration wants, particularly in in-office or extra structured work environments.
At the similar time, it is value contemplating whether or not an optionally available add-on can meet the wants of distant, hybrid, or distributed groups, particularly when workforce analytics and productiveness monitoring are important for day by day operations.
Next, let’s take a more in-depth have a look at what BambooHR time monitoring really gives.
7 key options of BambooHR time monitoring software program
BambooHR time monitoring is on the market as an add-on inside a complete HR suite. It gives a number of time and attendance options designed to assist rising companies. Here’s a more in-depth have a look at what it contains.
1. Time monitoring
BambooHR Time Tracking notes worker clock-in and clock-out instances to create correct automated timesheets.
The software program additionally permits staff to enter guide time labored on a particular challenge or job. Similarly, supervisors and managers can shortly approve these worker timesheets with only a single click on.
This transparency permits staff to see how a lot time they spend on a job and enhance their time administration. Employers may determine which duties take longer and discover what’s slowing issues down, whether or not it is a course of subject or a useful resource hole.
To streamline the course of, it’s also possible to create a customized workflow that removes these bottlenecks. For occasion, as an alternative of sending timesheet reminders, you may automate the course of, so worker timesheets attain you earlier than the deadline.
The system additionally calculates extra time pay in accordance with U.S. employment legal guidelines and organizes worker data in a spreadsheet format, making it simpler to take care of the group.
That mentioned, as groups develop or transition to extra distant, hybrid, or task-based work, some companies might search instruments that present broader visibility or real-time monitoring throughout various roles and work environments.
2. Geolocation
The BambooHR cellular app includes a geolocation operate that converts an worker’s smartphone into each a time clock and a digital timesheet.
This is particularly helpful for groups who work at particular bodily places or challenge websites. Once each time monitoring and geolocation are enabled in the app, it can mechanically begin recording time, eliminating the want for further steps from the worker.
Through this setup, the system can observe:
- Clock-in and clock-out instances
- Time spent on tasks or duties
- Location-based information for every entry
This kind of challenge monitoring allows payroll and HR groups to entry correct, task-level information on the time staff spend working and on particular duties. That makes it simpler to course of funds and approve work hours with much less back-and-forth.
While this characteristic covers on-site roles properly, some groups with distant, hybrid, or versatile schedules might require extra complete monitoring choices, particularly when workforce members should not tied to a single location or commonplace shift.
3. PTO administration
Tracking time without work turns into extra complicated as groups develop, particularly when a number of depart varieties, approval processes, and shift protection must be aligned. BambooHR gives a PTO administration characteristic designed to simplify the course of.
Employees can request time without work by way of the app. Managers obtain notifications, reply with a single click on, and see depart balances replace mechanically. The system helps a variety of depart varieties, together with limitless PTO, in addition to medical and parental depart.
It additionally permits customized insurance policies based mostly on roles or groups. For visibility, the “Who’s Out” calendar exhibits which staff are at the moment on depart or scheduled to be away quickly.
This will help groups shift workloads, modify timelines, or plan forward for durations of peak demand.
HR groups even have entry to reviews on absenteeism. These will help observe attendance patterns and assist broader workforce planning.
That mentioned, the characteristic focuses on logging absences reasonably than connecting them with worker time monitoring or precise productiveness information.
For groups that depend on time-sensitive workflows or handle distant and hybrid staff, it could also be more durable to see how time without work straight impacts challenge timelines, billable hours, or real-time availability.
4. Payroll processing
Getting payroll proper is crucial. It impacts extra than simply tax filings as a result of it additionally impacts worker satisfaction and belief. BambooHR’s payroll processing characteristic helps simplify this by automating calculations, tax deductions, and fee supply for U.S.-based staff.
With this characteristic, you may:
- Manage native, state, and federal tax filings
- Catch discrepancies earlier than they flip into issues
- Automate recurring payroll runs
- Keep worker information protected by way of encryption
This setup helps scale back guide entry, stop widespread errors, and be sure that everybody receives their pay on time. In case any points come up, their buyer assist workforce is on the market to help.
This strategy is handiest for groups which have full-time, in-office U.S. workers. However, firms that work with freelancers, contractors, or a distributed workforce throughout a number of time zones might discover they want further steps to attach payroll with the approach time is definitely tracked.
When worker time monitoring and pay information should not deeply linked, it can create extra complexity in managing billing, budgeting, and productiveness analytics. This is particularly true in distant or hybrid setups the place work hours can range broadly.
5. HR reporting and analytics
To make knowledgeable choices, HR groups want entry to dependable information. BambooHR gives reporting and analytics instruments that allow the monitoring of developments in worker habits and the identification of potential points early on.
You can generate reviews on:
These reviews present HR groups with a method to determine dissatisfaction, modify workloads, and take steps to scale back turnover. With the built-in digital signature system, it’s also possible to handle paperwork extra effectively.
Additionally, the system tracks who has signed what, eliminating the have to chase down lacking approvals.
This stage of reporting works properly for common HR oversight. At the similar time, companies that depend upon deeper productiveness analytics, real-time worker time monitoring, or extra detailed insights throughout tasks might ultimately want instruments that transcend summary-level information.
For groups the place attendance, time use, and job completion are intently tied to payroll or efficiency objectives, linking reviews on to day by day workflows turns into more and more useful.
6. Automation
Automation helps scale back guide work and retains processes working easily. BambooHR offers automation options that streamline quite a few on a regular basis HR duties.
With just some clicks, you may arrange workflows for:
- Managing worker PTO requests
- Collecting worker timesheets
- Gathering signatures on necessary paperwork
- Approving promotions and bonuses
- Adding payroll and time monitoring information to worker data
These automated workflows can save useful time for HR groups and managers. By streamlining repetitive steps, the platform helps keep away from delays and lets your workforce focus extra on core enterprise actions.
At the similar time, whereas BambooHR automation covers important administrative workflows, companies that require automation tied on to worker time monitoring, real-time challenge information, or extra in-depth productiveness analytics might discover themselves in search of instruments that ship better operational management.
Especially in distant and hybrid work environments, straight linking job progress and time use to automated reviews could make a big distinction in managing workforce effectivity.
7. Other HR administration options
Along with time monitoring and attendance, BambooHR gives a number of further options that assist HR groups handle day by day operations extra simply.
A) Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
The ATS platform includes a recruitment system that organizes candidate info in a single central location. This helps hiring managers focus extra on deciding on the proper expertise reasonably than chasing down paperwork. It additionally improves the candidate expertise, which might strengthen your organization’s repute.
B) Easy worker onboarding
BambooHR streamlines the means of accumulating worker info electronically. New hires can full types and signal paperwork on-line, enabling groups to deal with onboarding duties equivalent to organising work emails shortly and effectively.
C) Mobile apps
The BambooHR cellular app permits staff to deal with fundamental HR duties on the go. They can request time without work, test approvals, and obtain firm bulletins straight by way of the app. Managers may use the app to watch attendance and time-off standing throughout their groups.
D) Performance administration
The platform sends computerized reminders and notifications to supervisors for worker efficiency opinions. This makes it simpler to acknowledge excessive performers promptly and supply assist to staff who may have it.
E) Employee satisfaction
BambooHR makes use of the Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) survey to gather nameless suggestions from staff. These insights are then transformed into an total engagement rating that helps HR groups determine developments and improve office satisfaction.
These options provide useful assist for day by day HR operations. At the similar time, companies that prioritize real-time worker time monitoring, detailed productiveness analytics, and streamlined challenge monitoring should still discover gaps when it involves connecting workforce information with total efficiency.
Especially for distant, hybrid, or distributed groups, having a system that straight ties attendance, job completion, and engagement to day by day workflows can ship stronger insights for progress and knowledgeable decision-making.
5 main disadvantages of utilizing BambooHR time monitoring software program
While BambooHR gives helpful HR and time monitoring options, there are just a few areas the place the system might not totally meet the wants of each enterprise.
1. Not best for international worker administration
BambooHR was designed primarily to simplify payroll, attendance, and tax submitting for U.S.-based staff.
For firms with a distributed workforce throughout totally different international locations, some capabilities like international tax compliance, worldwide payroll processing, and multi-currency assist is probably not accessible. This can create further steps for companies managing expertise worldwide.
2. Lacks built-in worker scheduling options
Although BambooHR integrates with third-party scheduling instruments, it doesn’t provide native worker scheduling capabilities.
Businesses that depend on shift work, versatile hours, or rotating schedules might discover it much less handy to handle staffing on a single platform. Scheduling and time monitoring information stay considerably disconnected, making real-time changes more durable.
3. Limited real-time productiveness monitoring
BambooHR focuses totally on administrative HR duties. Although it gives attendance and fundamental worker time monitoring, it doesn’t present real-time views of how staff spend their time throughout duties or apps.
Businesses wanting for detailed productiveness analytics or time-use patterns all through the day might have to discover further instruments.
4. Less flexibility for distant and hybrid groups
BambooHR’s options are well-suited for in-office groups following conventional schedules. However, distant and hybrid groups usually require deeper visibility into when and the way work occurs, throughout a number of places and time zones.
Some organizations might discover it troublesome to seize the full image of worker efficiency with fundamental clock-in and clock-out techniques alone.
5. Pricing info shouldn’t be clear
Unlike many software program suppliers, BambooHR doesn’t publicly record pricing on its web site. This applies to each the core HR suite and add-ons like time monitoring. To get an correct quote, you should communicate straight with a gross sales consultant.
This makes it more durable for companies to check prices upfront and plan budgets clearly, particularly when assessing long-term use or scaling wants.
An various to BambooHR time monitoring software program: Time Doctor
For companies that require extra than simply the fundamentals, Time Doctor offers a complete resolution for worker time monitoring and efficiency administration. It’s constructed to assist every part from small groups to giant enterprises. Whether your workforce is distant, hybrid, or in-office, Time Doctor adapts to your workflow.
With versatile instruments, real-time visibility, and options that stretch past attendance, Time Doctor helps you perceive precisely how your workforce works and the place their time is spent.
Here’s what makes it stand out.
1. Time monitoring that adapts to your workforce
Time Doctor gives each interactive and computerized time monitoring.
- Interactive mode lets staff begin and cease a timer once they work on duties.
- Automatic mode tracks work exercise from the second the pc is turned on.
These choices present correct insights with out interrupting workflows. In addition, the platform helps guide time entries with approval settings, which provides flexibility with out compromising accountability.
This offers companies with absolute management over time administration whereas respecting the distinctive working kinds of various groups.
2. Idle time alerts
To enhance accuracy, Time Doctor detects idle time. If there isn’t a keyboard or mouse exercise for a set interval, a pop-up seems to substantiate whether or not the person remains to be working.
This light reminder helps scale back timesheet padding and retains staff targeted, particularly in task-based roles.
Importantly, Time Doctor shouldn’t be a keylogger. It solely checks for exercise, not content material.
3. Deep productiveness reviews
Time Doctor offers detailed productiveness analytics, not simply surface-level summaries.
You can entry:
- Attendance reviews to trace presence and punctuality.
- Timeline views to know how the workday flows.
- Web and app utilization to see which instruments assist or disrupt focus.
- Task and challenge monitoring to measure time spent on particular actions.
- Hours labored reviews for day by day, weekly, or customized durations.
These reviews present managers with clear, data-driven insights to reinforce workforce analytics and workflows.
4. Work schedules and shift monitoring
With Time Doctor, managers can:
- Create schedules
- Assign shifts
- Track attendance in actual time
- Make bulk edits
- Automatically modify for time zones and Daylight Saving Time.
These options make it simple to handle availability and monitor hours, particularly in groups with versatile or rotating shifts.
5. Built-in payroll integration
Since Time Doctor already tracks work hours exactly, payroll turns into quicker and extra correct.
You can:
- Integrate with platforms like PayPal and Wise
- Export reviews in CSV, PDF, or spreadsheet codecs
- Pay based mostly on precise time labored
- Set totally different pay charges for totally different roles or staff
This setup helps get rid of payroll errors and streamlines fee for contractors, hourly staff, and freelancers.
6. Screen monitoring (optionally available)
For firms that require further visibility, Time Doctor contains optionally available display monitoring. You can allow computerized screenshots at customized intervals to assist extra correct worker monitoring throughout work hours.
This characteristic is especially useful for groups working with freelancers, contractors, or throughout a number of time zones.
You can select to allow or disable this characteristic relying in your workforce’s privateness preferences and insurance policies.
7. Project and consumer monitoring
You can assign time entries to tasks or purchasers and observe progress over time.
This is good for businesses and service-based groups that invoice by the hour. It additionally permits challenge managers to check the estimated time with the precise time spent.
In addition, time budgets might be set per challenge to stop overages.
8. Real-time dashboard and alerts
Time Doctor’s stay dashboard exhibits who’s at the moment working, who’s on break, and what duties are in progress.
Managers can view lively hours and idle time as they occur. If one thing seems off, they will step in or provide assist instantly.
This real-time visibility reduces the want for frequent check-ins or lengthy updates.
9. Integrations together with your current instruments
Time Doctor connects with many common platforms by way of native and third-party integrations, together with:
This means your time monitoring aligns with the instruments your workforce already makes use of, with out disrupting workflows.
10. Transparent pricing
Time Doctor lists its pricing clearly, beginning at $6.70 per person monthly.
There are not any hidden charges. Most options are included upfront, and you may discover the platform with a free 14-day trial to find out if it fits your workflow.
Final ideas
BambooHR gives a wide range of instruments which will swimsuit small to mid-sized companies, particularly these targeted on centralizing HR operations. It covers the fundamentals equivalent to attendance, payroll, and depart monitoring by way of a unified platform.
Still, what occurs when your workforce wants greater than the fundamentals?
What if you wish to see how time is spent throughout tasks, observe productiveness in actual time, and join that information on to efficiency and payroll, with out relying on further instruments?
For firms managing a distant, hybrid, or distributed workforce, or these in search of progress and effectivity, using a platform designed particularly for worker time monitoring can have a measurable influence.
This is exactly the place Time Doctor stands out.
It is designed that will help you observe time, monitor workflows, and enhance workforce efficiency. Time Doctor offers the stage of visibility and perception that common HR techniques usually lack.
It combines productiveness analytics, workforce analytics, and real-time monitoring right into a single system that works successfully for each in-office and distant groups.
So right here’s a sensible query to consider. Do you actually know the way your workforce spends their time?
Want greater than fundamental BambooHR time monitoring?
See how Time Doctor can simplify worker time monitoring and increase workforce efficiency.
Get a free demo right now