Recent research shows that:

• Up to 60% of construction businesses have had projects postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus. 
• In addition, the pandemic has resulted in greater material costs and lower availability of workers.
• That means accurate construction job costing may be the difference between survival and shutdown. 

In fact, 75% of contractors say construction job costing is among their top concerns for their business. So there’s never been a better time to learn about and implement the right construction job costing software. 

4 things you need in construction job costing software

When you’re trying to determine how to estimate construction jobs, costing is vital because it allows you to break down large projects into smaller, specific tasks. In the past, construction job cost accounting software might have consisted of multiple Excel spreadsheets; today, there are much better ways. 

Look for construction job costing software that:

1. Streamlines estimates 

Construction job cost tracking is only successful if the system does the heavy lifting for you. Look at how the software handles estimates and ensure the finished product can be easily exported in a format that clients can work with. This will help you create estimates and bids faster.  

2. Tracks costs in real-time

Once a project is underway, the best construction job costing software will allow you to compare estimated costs with actual costs — in real-time. Use that data to identify areas where costs are escalating and root out the reason before the issue becomes unfixable. The ability to see these spikes at the very beginning — when you still have time to change purveyors, materials or your timeline — is crucial to success in the industry today.

3. Helps keep stakeholders informed

Change is inevitable in construction, so figuring out how to estimate construction jobs is essential. When you’re reviewing construction job costing software, look at how they handle change orders. Make sure the software provides space for your team to give detailed information about changes to labor and materials costs, so you have the information you need for your clients and your boss. 

4. Works for people in the field

To estimate construction jobs properly, you need accurate information, and the only people who can give it to you are your foremen, supervisors and workers. Yet, contractors often say that getting information from the field is the most challenging part of construction job costing. 

The fastest way to fix that? Find construction time and attendance software that your workers will use.

How Time Tracker streamlines construction time tracking

1. Allows crews to clock in on arrival to a jobsite

Time Tracker replaces your old punch clock with whatever technology is right for your company, whether that’s a mobile app or time cards. It’s ideal for construction sites because your crews can clock in, take breaks and clock out using their unique 4-digit pin. Plus, facial recognition will eliminate buddy punching. 

2. Lets you see where your team is at all times

Time Tracker features built-in geo-tracking, so you can see where your crew members are in realtime and where they were throughout the day. You can also add a geofence radius, so entries can only be submitted when workers are within the boundary.

3. Gives you the tools you need — and none you don’t

Use Time Tracker for everything from distributing weekly schedules to tracking expenses by client or project. Or, if all you need is a time clock, simply use it onsite for employee time tracking.

Ready to try Time Tracker for construction job costing? 

We’re happy to offer all construction companies a 14-day free trial. Sign up today.

The post How Construction Job Costing Software Can Help Maximize Your Profits appeared first on eBillity.

In reality, construction time tracking is one of the top 5 challenges companies face. Managers have trouble keeping up with workers’ whereabouts, and many companies still depend on paper time cards, manual data entry, and spreadsheets to keep track of time. These methods are not only inconvenient and inefficient, but also inaccurate, which amounts to time and money lost. In addition to those challenges, companies are now being asked to implement more and more safety measures to guard against potential risks, which means it’s never been more important to streamline where you can. 

5 Benefits of Taking Construction Time Tracking Digital

While there are a myriad of benefits of automating your time tracking, these ones stand out, especially in today’s marketplace.

1. Allow crews to clock-in on arrival

Automated construction time tracking reduces the time workers spend clocking in and out. By eliminating manual punch cards, employees spend less time entering their hours and more time working. Plus, it’s inherently compliant with social distancing, which means your team is proactively addressing Coronavirus concerns. 

At eBillity, our Time Tracker allows workers to use a 4-digit pin to clock-in on any mobile device. Facial recognition confirms their arrival time and identity, and you can set up as many kiosks as needed. No buddy punches, no time wasted. 

2. Know where every worker is, all the time

Knowing exactly where every worker is at all times is difficult, especially as schedules flex and workers continuously migrate from one site to another. A GPS tracking system alleviates those concerns by automatically confirming every worker’s physical location and showing you their real-time status. 

Plus, Time Tracker allows you to view detailed summaries of your workers’ days so you can determine where and how to improve efficiency. Studies also show that when workers know you’re tracking their whereabouts, they become more accountable. That can lead them to spend break time wisely and accurately, take the fastest route to another location, and ensure they get to work on time. 

3. Monitor and minimize overtime

Overtime is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean you should accept it as the cost of doing business. Automated construction time tracking helps guard against unnecessary overtime by ensuring workers only complete hours that are approved and within budget. Automated tracking also ensures that you’re in compliance with state and federal laws and mandatory breaks. 

With TimeTracker, you can monitor every hour worked on every site by every employee to prevent unnecessary overtime. You can also set up alerts to notify you when any worker is wading into overtime territory so you can make key game-time decisions. 

4. Prevent time tracking errors or theft

We all make mistakes, but studies show workers often track their time incorrectly, whether it’s intentional or not. While one or two late arrivals may not seem like a big deal, time theft — when employees accept pay for time they haven’t worked — costs companies $400 billion annually. Obviously, that slows down the productivity of your business as a whole and can lead to incorrect projections, estimates and bids.   

Using Time Tracker, you can set time rounding (up and down) to reduce data editing, create break notifications prompting workers to return to work, and combat common time-theft practices to ensure payroll is accurate. 

5. Gain global perspective

Construction time tracking is tedious for workers, but it’s also a huge time commitment for managers. When you’re in charge of multiple sites, safety concerns and migrating employees (among dozens of other things), it’s difficult to take time out of your day to review every employee’s time card. 

With Time Tracker, the burden shifts from you and your employees to the app. Simply put: they track; you approve. You can view the ‘work week’ or ‘payroll period’, reject or edit submitted entries before you approve, and approve time for one or all employees in seconds. That allows you to easily manage workers’ time entries from one location before syncing with payroll and accounting software.

Let’s Talk. 

Construction time tracking does not have to be a challenge any longer. Time Tracker simplifies the tracking and payroll process so your company can save time and money. If you’re ready to learn more about the benefits of taking your construction time tracking digital, we are offering a 14-day free trial. Sign up today. 

The post 5 Reasons Construction Time Tracking Has Never Mattered More appeared first on eBillity.

1) Managing multiple work sites

If your construction company is similar to most, you may find yourself managing several key projects at once – especially during peak season. Some managers end up splitting up their teams or hiring extra workers to handle the increased scope of work. Providing training, support, and direction to employees across several different sites can prove to be difficult.

2) Not knowing the whereabouts of employees

“Some workers may stay for several months on a given construction site, whereas others only stay for a few days or weeks, being reassigned to new construction sites where their specific skills are needed next.” – American Journal of Industrial Medicine

Knowing exactly where every worker is at all times becomes an increasingly difficult task as construction companies expand. With employees regularly migrating from one site to another to deliver specialty expertise or ensure that deadlines are met, it can sometimes take multiple calls to track down a key employee.

3) Accurately tracking employee time

Not knowing the location of employees is closely linked to another top challenge in the field of construction: tracking employee time. Many construction companies still depend on paper time cards, manual data entry, and spreadsheets to keep track of time. In addition to being inconvenient and inefficient, these methods are often inaccurate.

4) A shortage of experienced workers

“When it comes to skilled workers in the industry — people who lay brick, frame structures or work with metal — younger generations are nowhere near filling in the need of those who are retiring or leaving the industry. For every four workers to leave the industry, only one person is replacing them, according to the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute.” – Jarred Schenke, Bisnow Atlanta

Older, experienced employees are retiring and leaving the construction industry in droves. In addition to causing an overall labor shortage in the field of construction, this exodus leaves behind a void of experience that today’s younger workers are unable to fill. 

5) Safety violations

Despite tightening regulations in the construction industry, safety violations remain a constant threat to the well-being of construction workers and anyone who ventures near a job site. Some of the most common safety violations in construction include the following:

• Fall protection violations
• Insufficient training
• Working without the proper protective gear
• Improper use or selection of ladders

What are some effective ways to overcome these challenges?

Fortunately, there are some simple, cost-effective ways to prevent the challenges above from hindering your construction company’s success. With a little bit of planning and investment in some user-friendly tools, you can keep a watchful eye on your employees while maximizing efficiency across multiple job sites. 

Four ways to overcome the construction challenges above are as follows:

1) Inspect each job site at least once per day

The path to smooth construction operations begins with a safe, efficient job site. Daily inspections are listed as a requirement in many construction contracts, and are the cornerstone of a successful project outcome. Daily inspections should be undertaken by an owner, manager, or trained supervisor and should feature the following elements:

• Safety checks: Ensure that all workers are following safety protocol and wearing the proper personal protective gear
• Progress updates: Review progress to date to confirm that the project is on track to meet scheduled deadlines
• Employee monitoring: Make a note of star performers as well as any employees who exhibit inefficient or unprofessional behavior 

2) Consider GPS tracking for employees

A robust employee GPS tracking system is one of the most effective means of confirming an employee’s physical location. Time Tracker offers a GPS tracking platform that is perfect for busy construction professionals who need an accurate means of seeing the real-time status of their employees. 

• Improve efficiencies: view detailed summaries of your employees days to determine where you may be able to improve efficiency.
• Improve accountability: as employees are aware you are tracking their whereabouts, they become more accountable for time spent on breaks, taking the fastest route to another location, and ensuring they get to work on time. 
• Respond to emergency calls: quickly see where the closest employee is so you can send them to the emergency call the fastest. 

3) Introduce time tracking software

Time tracking software addresses nearly all of the challenges above. It is an especially effective means of confirming the location of construction employees and boosting employee accountability. Here are just a few of the many benefits of Time Tracker:

• Free time clock App: Employees use a 4-digit pin to clock-in on a tablet device and confirm job site arrival,  facial.recognition confirms the employees identity.
• Managing projects: if you’re managing multiple sites your employees and contractors can easily switch between projects, clients and activities.
• Managing employee time: time is money know which employees are getting to the job site late or leaving early, or even taking long lunch breaks.
• Job cost reporting: tracking time on a job site will help you to determine if the job is going over budget. It will also allow you to figure out what a future job of similar scope actually cost so you can accurately bid on the next project. 

4) Consider retention bonuses

Retention bonuses have gained traction across industries as an effective means of keeping key employees on the job. They are typically well-received by experienced, top performing employees while also helping to reduce turnover by motivating seasoned employees to remain with your company. If your budget is tight, you may also wish to consider incentives such as gift cards, extra paid time off, or special recognition.  

The Bottom Line

Overcoming the challenges facing the construction industry can seem like a daunting task. But by following the tips above, you can organize your employee management processes, boost efficiency, and know where your employees are at all times. To learn more about boosting efficiency in the construction industry, we invite you to contact us at eBillity. We look forward to helping you improve operations!

The post The Top 5 Challenges Construction Companies Face and How to Overcome Them appeared first on eBillity.