Improve Project Flow in IT with Digital Timesheets
Published: 26/06/2023
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You know by now that the right set of software will help your project delivery. In this article, we will be advising project managers on how to approach building a tech stack for IT projects. And why digital timesheets is one of the tools that should be at its foundation.
When it comes to software, things may seem rather simple from the project manager’s perspective. As long as there is a solution to keep tabs on how the project is going, functional communication channels and quick ways to get ahold of the team - they’re sorted, right? Wrong! The tech stack for successful project delivery is more diverse than that. It’s just not many project managers look past the regular setup, often not realising the option is there in the first place. But we are happy to help you expand your horizons.
There are many types of software available, for pretty much every aspect of the business. The key to choosing the right solution is thinking outside the box in the context of your project. While the core principles of a project delivery structure shouldn’t change, there’s room for innovation in how these steps are executed. That’s exactly where you should turn your focus to. After all, nothing can improve if you continue staying within your comfort zone.
While the tech stack will be vastly different from project to project, here are some tools every project manager should be equipped with:
Project management software
Time tracking software
Document sharing software
Budget management software
Collaboration platform
Accessible communication channels with both the team and the client
While the rest of the tools added will depend on the objectives, budget and other ruling factors of the project, none of the above should be skipped in their favour. Our article will explain why.
In this article, we want to talk about digital timesheets specifically and why they are included into the list of tools a good IT project tech stack should have. Although other tools are no less important, we are best experienced when it comes to timesheets. Therefore we feel we can explain it in greater detail.
Sometimes, the team already available at your disposal is not enough for a project. This doesn’t mean they’re any less competent or that your company needs to hire a new full-time worker. It simply means that the project you’re working on is a touch out of your usual expertise. Which is not a problem. Hiring workers on a temporary contract basis is not a new practice, however, it’s become increasingly popular during and after the pandemic. It’s an optimal solution that helps you save money and achieve great results, especially if you continue working with the same contractor on more than one project.
The challenge that arises from a mixed-team approach, however, is its management. Namely, while your regular team is within one billing rate for their time, the contractors will have a different setup. The more outsourced workforce you hire, the more confusing it gets. But not if you utilise digital timesheets. Most of the solutions are highly customisable and flexible, making time tracking of mixed teams and their billable hours a breeze.
Another difficulty projects, especially in IT, run into is flimsy approval procedures. Not only they can cause serious delays in project delivery, expense reimbursement or employee compensation, but also become breeding grounds for serious errors. A good timesheet solution should be addressing the issue from the get-go, already coming equipped with tools that help smooth the approval process. For example, at Timesheet Portal we have reduced the steps of it to the point the assigned approvers can give their ruling out without even logging into the system.
Now while most digital timesheet tools are focused exactly around just that - digital timesheets, others come with a variety of different modules. Depending on what the vendor has to offer, you may be able to use one tool to create approval workflows in areas that aren’t timesheet-focused. Not to toot our own horn, but Timesheet Portal is one such solution. Why not check out what we have to offer?
While our focus is digital timesheets, it would be unfair to leave other tools entirely uncovered too. Unfortunately, if we tried to write about them all, this already lengthy piece would triple in size. Instead, we’ve chosen the two that are closely related to digital timesheets and can sometimes be found packed together as one solution.
The reason we are lumping these three features together is that in the right software, they will actually come together. Simply put, they are closely tied and can therefore be used in unison as effectively as they function on their own. For example, if you’re onboarding a contractor for a project, you won’t have to go back and forth collecting their paperwork to then manually upload it on the company’s server. Instead, the documentation they supply via the onboarding module will be stored in the allocated space. The same goes with compliance-related bits - they become much easier to be accessed, and some solutions will even notify you of their expiry date.
Not to mention, document sharing is generally crucial for any project. Whether you’re sharing the details internally or with the client, having centralised file storage is more convenient than going back and forth via email. It also tracks and reverts changes applied to the files, allows multiple people to work on it in real-time and offers a couple of layers of security. In other words, software with these features is vital to any project.
We’ve briefly touched upon expenses when speaking of approvals, so let’s delve a little deeper into this topic. As you know, every project has an allocated budget, and unless you’re staying vigilant and mindful, you risk going over it. Which, of course, can be very disastrous. The problem is, often when speaking of budgets, many components that fall under this umbrella get disregarded, therefore denting the financial stability of the project.
That said, it’s absolutely crucial you add software designated to keep track of your budget’s state to your tech stack. The best candidate in our opinion is an expense management solution. Not only it makes it easy to log and approve any expenses incurred, but also easy to analyse its impact towards the overall budget. Sometimes, you can find it as a module within another tool instead of a standalone solution, meaning you won’t have to worry about having to go the extra mile to tie it into your stack. An example? Timesheet Portal, of course.
Now there’s no point in collecting a bunch of stand-alone solutions for simply having them doesn’t make it a tech stack. The very idea of a digital toolbox is having the tools within connected to one another in a way that supplements each other’s processes. Thankfully, it sounds more complicated than it is.
The key to having a functional and united tech stack is ensuring your solutions can be integrated with one another, and can therefore communicate with each other. The way to achieve that is through integrations. Now it might be a little challenging if you already have plenty of digital tools and they are disjointed. In that case, we recommend either developing a custom API to link them or to consider replacing some of the tools.
If you’ve already got part of your tools working together nailed, the next step of expanding your stack is easy. Simply look out for software that has the features you’re looking for AND which integrates with your current toolbox. We would like to emphasise that meeting both of these criteria shouldn’t be negotiable. Even if it takes a bit longer to find the right tool this way, it’s going to be worth the wait. Additionally, if you don’t see integrations you’re interested in listed, don’t be discouraged right away. Contact the vendor. Sometimes, they’re simply not listed.
Digital timesheets do not just belong in a tech stack for IT projects but are pretty much mandatory. Whether you’re working with your full-time team, a team made of contractors or a mixture of both - they will make team management and client communication much smoother and overall easier.
Overall, project management software isn’t the only tool a project can benefit from - there are plenty of others that will help you improve the flow and delivery. They might cover areas slightly different from what would be considered traditional tasks of a project manager, but they still tie nicely into the overall success of a project. We’ve suggested a couple of options in this article, however, different projects will like to find different tools more beneficial than others. At the end of the day, you yourself know what your project needs. Just one thing we can say for sure - digital timesheets will work for everyone.
Why not start building your stack by adopting them? Timesheet Portal is here for you.