Simplify your workflow with employee time tracking software

Still chasing handwritten timesheets, deciphering scribbles, or juggling Excel files every pay run? You’re not alone, but there’s a better way. In today’s fast-moving workplaces, tracking employee hours shouldn’t be a manual chore. It should be easy, accurate, mobile, and built into your payroll process.

That’s where employee time-tracking software comes in. Whether your team is in the office, on the road, or working remotely, digital time tracking gives you full visibility, faster approvals, and fewer errors. In this blog, we’ll explore the downsides of old-school timesheets, what to look for in a modern solution, and how CloudPayroll’s built-in Timelog feature makes employee time tracking simple for everyone.

The problem with manual timesheets

Still relying on handwritten timesheets, email chains, or Excel uploads to track your team’s hours? These outdated systems often cost more in time, accuracy, and stress than many business owners realise.

Manual timesheets create a range of recurring problems:

• Illegible handwriting can lead to mistakes, misunderstandings, and wasted time clarifying entries.
• Manual data entry is slow, repetitive, and increases the risk of payroll errors.
• There’s no audit trail, making it difficult to track who made changes or when.
• Approvals get delayed, especially if managers are busy or away from the office.
• Double handling is common, with data needing to be copied from paper or Excel into payroll software, again increasing the chance of mistakes.

These inefficiencies don’t just slow down your payroll process; they can also lead to overpayments, underpayments, compliance issues, and frustrated staff. As your business grows or your team becomes more mobile, these problems tend to grow with it.

What to look for in time tracking software

The right employee time tracking app should do more than replace pen and paper. It should simplify the entire process from clock-in to payroll. Here are the key features to look for:

• Digital timesheet software: Replace manual records with a secure, centralised system.
• Mobile time tracking app: Let staff log hours from their phones, tablets, or computers.
• Automated time logging: No more manual calculations, hours are tallied for you.
• Customisable entries: Allow break tracking, activity selection (e.g., timecodes), and employee notes.
• Timesheet approval workflow: Give managers the tools to review and approve hours efficiently.
• Integration with payroll: Seamlessly send approved hours to your payroll software.
• Cloud-based access: View and manage time data from anywhere, anytime.
• Data security: Keep records safe and compliant with modern privacy standards.

Whether your team is on-site, on the road, or in the office, your time-tracking system should work wherever they are.

How CloudPayroll’s Timelog feature works

CloudPayroll’s Timelog feature is a purpose-built tool designed to streamline how businesses track employee hours, reducing admin time while increasing accuracy and visibility across your workforce. It’s seamlessly integrated into the CloudPayroll platform, so there's no need for third-party apps or extra subscriptions.

For employees

Timelog is easy to use, even for those unfamiliar with digital systems. Employees simply log in using any internet-enabled device, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Depending on how your business is set up, they can either:

• Record exact start and finish times
• Or enter the total hours worked for the shift

Breaks can be automatically assigned or selected manually based on your settings. Employees also have the option to add activity codes (timecodes), useful for tracking different tasks, clients, or cost centres and include notes with relevant details. Once completed, the entry is submitted directly to their manager for approval online.

For managers

Managers are notified when a time entry is submitted. They can:

• Review, approve, or return entries with comments
• Make adjustments or add notes as needed
• Approve hours in real-time from anywhere

CloudPayroll streamlines the timesheet approval workflow and avoids delays that could impact payroll.

For payroll admins

Once approved, all time logs flow directly into CloudPayroll, ready for processing. There’s no need to re-enter data, reducing the risk of errors and saving valuable time. The system also keeps a complete audit trail, ensuring transparency for compliance, internal reviews, or dispute resolution.

With CloudPayroll’s cloud-based time tracking system, everything is connected, secure, and accessible, making your payroll process faster, smarter, and stress-free.

Why Timelog benefits everyone

CloudPayroll’s Timelog feature makes time tracking easier for everyone involved. Payroll administrators no longer have to chase messy timesheets or manually input hours, saving time and reducing errors. Managers benefit from a fast, intuitive approval workflow that keeps everything from leave balances to time entries in one place.

For employees, Timelog is simple and flexible, allowing them to track their hours, add notes, and submit times from any device with ease. The result is a smoother, faster payroll process with fewer mistakes, better transparency, and less admin stress for your entire team.

Make time tracking simple with CloudPayroll

If you're still relying on manual timesheets or juggling spreadsheets every pay cycle, it’s time for an upgrade. CloudPayroll’s Timelog feature gives you an easy, accurate, and mobile-friendly way to track employee hours all within your payroll system. Ready to streamline your payroll with employee time-tracking software? Book a free demo or contact our friendly team today to see Timelogs in action.