Procore's Timesheets tool forms the backbone of effective project management within the Procore ecosystem. This powerful feature enables project managers and team members to accurately track labor hours across multiple projects, ensuring that every minute of work is properly documented and accounted for. The system accommodates both employees from your Company Directory and workers added through the Crews tool, providing comprehensive coverage for all your team members regardless of their employment status.
Modern construction projects demand precise time tracking for multiple reasons—from maintaining accurate labor costs to ensuring compliance with labor regulations and facilitating smooth payroll processing. Gone are the days of paper timesheets and error-prone spreadsheets that required manual data entry and reconciliation. With Procore's digital approach, teams can input time entries from anywhere, whether they're at the job site using a mobile device or back at the office on a desktop computer.
The real-time nature of Procore's timesheet system means that project managers can make informed decisions based on up-to-date labor data. This visibility helps identify potential budget overruns before they become problematic and allows for timely adjustments to staffing levels or work schedules. Additionally, the historical data captured through consistent timesheet entries provides valuable insights for estimating future projects and improving overall operational efficiency.
Procore's Timesheet tool comes packed with functionality designed to streamline the time-tracking process while maintaining accuracy and compliance. The system's flexibility accommodates various time entry methods, approval workflows, and reporting needs that construction companies typically encounter in their daily operations.
When you begin using Procore Timesheets, you'll discover a range of capabilities that transform what was once a tedious administrative task into a strategic management tool. The platform allows for granular tracking of hours against specific cost codes, enabling precise allocation of labor expenses to the appropriate budget categories. This level of detail proves invaluable when analyzing project performance and identifying areas where labor efficiency could be improved.
Beyond basic time tracking, Procore offers advanced features like geofencing, which verifies that employees are physically present at the job site when clocking in or out. This technology helps prevent time theft and ensures that labor hours are accurately recorded, particularly for companies managing multiple job sites simultaneously. The system also supports various pay types—including regular time, overtime, and holiday pay—making it adaptable to different compensation structures and union requirements.
The following features make Procore Timesheets stand out from traditional time-tracking methods:
Creating timesheets in Procore follows a logical workflow that ensures all necessary information is captured accurately. The process has been designed to be intuitive for users at all technical skill levels, making it accessible to everyone from office administrators to field personnel.
Before adding time entries, you'll need to access the Timesheets tool within your Procore environment. This typically requires logging into your account and navigating to the appropriate project where you'll be recording time. Depending on your role and permissions, you might see different options and capabilities within the tool, but the fundamental process remains consistent across user types.
The web interface provides the most comprehensive view of the timesheet functionality, offering access to all available features and settings. When creating a new timesheet, you'll first select the relevant date using the calendar control, then proceed to add employees and their corresponding time entries. Each entry can include details such as cost codes, work locations, and time types, allowing for precise tracking of labor activities.
For those working in the field, the mobile app offers a streamlined version of the timesheet creation process. The mobile interface prioritizes essential functions while maintaining compatibility with the web platform, ensuring that time entries created on a mobile device seamlessly integrate with the rest of your Procore data. This flexibility is particularly valuable for construction teams that split their time between the office and job sites.
Follow these steps to create a new timesheet in Procore:
Tailoring Procore's timesheet functionality to match your company's specific requirements can significantly enhance its effectiveness. The platform offers numerous configuration options that allow administrators to customize how time is entered, tracked, and reported across projects.
Time entry settings form the foundation of your timesheet configuration. You can choose between two primary formats: "Total Hours" or "Start Time and Stop Time." The Total Hours option is straightforward, requiring users to simply input the number of hours worked. The Start/Stop Time format provides more granular tracking, capturing exact clock-in and clock-out times, which can be particularly useful for companies that need to monitor breaks or comply with specific labor regulations.
Lunch and break tracking represents another important configuration area. Procore allows you to determine whether breaks should be recorded as a total duration or as specific start and stop times. Some companies may choose not to track breaks at all, depending on their internal policies and applicable labor laws. For those that do track breaks, setting a default lunch duration can streamline the time entry process by automatically applying the standard break time unless otherwise specified.
Location verification features add another layer of accuracy to your timesheet data. By enabling geofencing capabilities, you can ensure that employees are physically present at the job site when they clock in or out. This technology uses the GPS functionality in mobile devices to verify location, helping prevent time theft and ensuring that labor hours are accurately attributed to the correct projects and locations.
When configuring your timesheet settings, consider these important options:
Proper permission management ensures that employees can access the timesheet functions they need while maintaining data integrity and security. Procore's permission system allows administrators to finely control who can view, create, edit, and approve timesheets across the organization.
Permission settings in Procore operate at multiple levels, allowing for granular control over timesheet functionality. At the company level, administrators can establish broad policies that apply across all projects. These might include determining which user roles can approve timesheets or setting visibility rules for labor cost information. Project-level permissions then allow for further refinement, enabling project managers to tailor access based on the specific needs and team structure of each job.
For most organizations, a tiered approach to timesheet permissions works best. Field supervisors might have the ability to create and edit timesheets for their crews, while project managers gain additional approval rights. Company administrators typically retain the highest level of access, with the ability to configure system settings and override entries when necessary. This hierarchical structure ensures that everyone has the access they need without compromising the system's integrity.
When implementing timesheet permissions, it's important to balance security with usability. Overly restrictive settings can create bottlenecks in the time entry process, while excessively permissive configurations might lead to data quality issues. Regular review of permission structures helps maintain this balance, especially as your organization grows or project requirements change.
Procore's dual-platform approach offers significant advantages for construction teams that divide their time between the office and the field. Understanding the distinct capabilities of each platform helps users choose the right tool for their specific circumstances and maximize their efficiency with the system.
The web platform provides the most comprehensive access to Procore's timesheet functionality. With its larger screen real estate and full keyboard input, the web interface excels at complex tasks like bulk editing multiple timesheets, configuring advanced settings, or generating detailed reports. Office staff responsible for payroll processing or labor cost analysis will typically find the web platform better suited to their needs, as it facilitates working with larger datasets and performing administrative functions.
For field personnel, the mobile app offers convenience without sacrificing essential functionality. Team members can create and edit time entries directly from the job site, eliminating the need to remember hours worked when they return to the office. The mobile interface has been optimized for touchscreen interaction and presents a streamlined version of the timesheet tool that focuses on the most commonly used functions. Perhaps most importantly, the mobile app includes offline capability, allowing users to record time even in areas with poor connectivity.
Data synchronization between platforms happens automatically, ensuring that information entered on one device becomes available across the entire system once connectivity is established. This seamless integration allows for flexible workflows where field supervisors might begin timesheets on their mobile devices, which office administrators then review and finalize through the web interface.
Many organizations enhance the value of their Procore timesheets by connecting them with other business systems. These integrations create efficient workflows that eliminate duplicate data entry and ensure consistency across platforms.
Payroll integration represents one of the most common and valuable connections for timesheet data. By establishing a direct link between Procore and payroll software such as Sage, ADP, or QuickBooks, companies can automatically transfer approved time entries into their payroll system. This not only saves administrative time but also reduces the potential for transcription errors that might affect employee compensation. The specific integration method varies depending on the systems involved, ranging from direct API connections to scheduled data exports and imports.
Beyond payroll, timesheet data often feeds into broader financial and project management systems. Labor costs captured in Procore can flow into accounting software to update project financials, or into enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to inform company-wide reporting. Some organizations also integrate timesheet information with scheduling tools, using historical time data to improve the accuracy of future work planning and resource allocation.
When implementing timesheet integrations, it's crucial to establish clear data mapping and validation rules. Different systems may use varying terminology or data structures for similar concepts, requiring careful configuration to ensure that information translates correctly across platforms. Regular auditing of the integration helps identify and address any discrepancies before they cause significant issues.
These integration approaches can transform your timesheet process:
Even with a well-designed system like Procore, users occasionally encounter challenges when working with timesheets. Understanding common issues and their solutions helps maintain smooth operations and prevents frustration among team members.
Missing employees in timesheet selections often stems from directory configuration problems. When users can't find certain team members in the employee list, it typically indicates that those individuals haven't been properly set up in the Company Directory or haven't been marked with the "Is Employee of [Your Company]" designation. Resolving this issue involves reviewing directory settings and ensuring that all employees have the correct profile configuration. For workers who aren't direct employees, checking their status in the Crews tool can help identify why they might not be appearing in timesheet selections.
Time format discrepancies frequently cause confusion, especially in organizations that have recently changed their timesheet configuration. If users find that their entries aren't being accepted or are displaying incorrectly, the issue often relates to a mismatch between how they're entering time and how the system is configured to receive it. For instance, if the project is set up for start/stop times but users are attempting to enter total hours, the system may reject the entries or interpret them incorrectly. Checking the Advanced Settings for Time Entry and ensuring that all users understand the expected format resolves most of these problems.
Synchronization delays between mobile and web platforms occasionally occur, particularly in areas with poor network connectivity. When time entries made on mobile devices don't promptly appear in the web interface, users should first verify their network connection and ensure that the mobile app has successfully synchronized. In most cases, entries will appear once connectivity is restored, but manual refreshes or app restarts sometimes help expedite the process.
Adopting strategic approaches to timesheet management can dramatically improve accuracy and reduce administrative burden. These best practices have emerged from the experiences of numerous Procore users across the construction industry.
Consistency in time entry procedures forms the foundation of effective timesheet management. Establishing clear guidelines for when and how employees should record their time helps ensure that entries are complete and accurate. Many successful organizations implement a daily time entry policy, requiring team members to update their timesheets at the end of each workday while the information is still fresh in their minds. This approach minimizes the risk of forgotten hours or misremembered activities that can occur when entries are delayed until the end of the week.
Training plays a crucial role in timesheet compliance and accuracy. Even the most intuitive system requires some familiarization, and investing in proper training for all users pays dividends through improved data quality. Initial training should cover basic functions like creating and editing time entries, while follow-up sessions can address more advanced features and common questions that arise during actual use. Creating reference materials such as quick-start guides or video tutorials provides ongoing support between formal training sessions.
Regular auditing of timesheet data helps identify and address potential issues before they affect payroll or project reporting. Designated reviewers should examine entries for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with company policies. This review process might include checking that all expected employees have submitted time, verifying that entries include appropriate cost codes, and confirming that overtime calculations align with labor regulations and company policies.
Implement these time-tracking best practices for optimal results:
Beyond their primary role in payroll and labor cost tracking, timesheets contain valuable data that can inform strategic decision-making across your organization. Proactive analysis of this information yields insights that can improve project planning, resource allocation, and overall business performance.
Productivity analysis represents one of the most valuable applications of timesheet data. By examining the relationship between hours worked and work completed, project managers can identify high-performing teams and effective work methods. This analysis might reveal, for instance, that certain crew compositions achieve better efficiency on specific tasks, or that productivity tends to decline after a certain number of consecutive workdays. These insights enable data-driven adjustments to improve overall project performance.
Historical timesheet data provides an invaluable resource for estimating future projects. When estimators can reference actual hours required for similar work on previous jobs, their projections become significantly more accurate. Creating a systematic approach to categorizing and storing timesheet information makes this historical data readily accessible when developing new bids or planning upcoming work. Over time, this practice leads to more competitive and profitable project proposals.
Labor cost forecasting benefits tremendously from comprehensive timesheet records. By analyzing trends in labor utilization across projects, managers can anticipate future staffing needs and potential budget variances. This proactive approach allows for timely adjustments to work schedules or crew assignments, helping maintain project budgets and timelines. Additionally, the ability to forecast labor requirements weeks or months in advance facilitates more effective hiring and resource planning at the organizational level.
Mastering Procore's timesheet functionality transforms what many consider a tedious administrative task into a strategic advantage for your construction business. The comprehensive time tracking capabilities we've explored provide the foundation for accurate payroll processing, informed project management, and data-driven business decisions.
Implementing the best practices outlined in this guide will help your organization maximize the benefits of digital time tracking. Start by ensuring all team members understand the importance of timely, accurate entries and have received proper training on using the system. Establish clear procedures for timesheet submission and approval, and regularly review your configuration settings to confirm they align with your current business needs. Remember that small improvements in your time tracking process can yield significant benefits across multiple areas of your operation.
The integration possibilities between Procore timesheets and other business systems offer particularly compelling opportunities for efficiency gains. Consider evaluating your current workflows to identify where automated data transfers could eliminate redundant effort or improve information accuracy. Even simple integrations, such as exporting timesheet data for payroll processing, can save hours of administrative work each week while reducing the potential for costly errors.
As you continue to refine your approach to time tracking, remember that Procore regularly updates its functionality based on user feedback and industry trends. Stay informed about new features through Procore's support resources and community forums, and don't hesitate to suggest improvements that would benefit your specific workflows. By actively engaging with the platform and continuously optimizing your processes, you'll ensure that your organization realizes the full potential of Procore's powerful timesheet capabilities.