The 5 Best Time Tracking Software for Engineers Summarized

Are you an engineer or project manager drowning in a sea of projects, deadlines, and timesheets?

Though I am a health care worker by trade, I have spoken to several software engineers with over a decade of experience and I’ve heard my fair share of time management nightmares in various engineering firms.

The good news is this: My team and I have researched, tested, and compared the best time-tracking software for engineers we could find. So whether you are a software, mechanical, electrical, or chemical engineer, these tools will make your life much easier.

The Winners

TL;DR? Here’s a quick rundown of the top contenders we identified, each excelling in different areas:

• Most Specifically Designed for Engineers – ClickTime
• Best for Team Collaboration – Wrike
• Best for Project Tracking – Everhour
• Best For Productivity – TimeDoctor
• Best for Remote Teams – Hubstaff

Key Takeaways

• Time tracking software is essential for engineers to enhance productivity, streamline project management, and ensure precise time and resource allocation.
• Key features to consider when selecting time tracking software include automated tracking, GPS tracking, detailed reporting capabilities, and time and expense tracking, which are crucial for effective project management.
• The implementation of time tracking software should involve assessing team needs, providing thorough training, and continually monitoring for optimization to maximize productivity and project outcomes.

Why Should You Care About Time Tracking?

Look, I get it. The last thing you want to do after a long day of coding is log your hours. But the truth is proper time tracking can be a game-changer. It’s not just about keeping the bosses happy (though that’s a nice bonus). It’s about taking control of your workflow and boosting your productivity.

Think about it: how many times have you underestimated a project timeline? Or wondered where all your time went at the end of the week? Time tracking software can help you spot those time-sucking tasks and optimize your workflow. Plus, when billing clients or justifying your worth to the higher-ups, having precise data is an ace up your sleeve..

Expense tracking is another crucial feature of time tracking software, helping businesses manage both time and expenses effectively.

I know engineers who started using time tracking software and realized they were spending way too much time in meetings (shocker, right?) and not enough on actual development. Armed with this info, they were able to restructure their day to boost productivity by a solid 30%. Not too shabby!

Key Features to Look for in Time Tracking Software

Not all time tracking tools are created equal. Project-based time tracking is essential for professionals like engineers. It helps them manage time effectively across various projects with features like detailed time logging and automated timesheets tailored to specific workflows.

Automated Time Tracking

Remember the days of manually logging every task? Yeah, let’s leave those in the past where they belong. Automated tracking is a lifesaver. It’s akin to having a personal assistant who never sleeps (or asks for a raise). 

An engineer buddy of mine once told me they implemented automated tracking at his firm, and the difference was comparable to night and day. No more forgetting to log time or scrambling to remember what you worked on last Tuesday. The team’s time logs became more accurate, and they could finally see where their time was really going. Eye-opening stuff!

GPS Tracking

GPS tracking is a must for those who spend time on-site (I’m looking at you, field engineers). It’s not about Big Brother watching you – it’s about proving you were where you said you were. Plus, it’s great for safety when working in remote locations.

I had a colleague skeptical about GPS tracking until it saved his bacon on a big project. When a client disputed the timeline, he was able to prove he’d been on-site for crucial inspections. That feature paid for itself many times over!

Detailed Reports

As engineers, you love data, right? Detailed reports give you the insights you need to optimize your workflow and track project progress. For example, you may use these reports to to prove you need an extra team member for a project. The data doesn’t lie!

But it’s not just about justifying resources. Good reporting can help you spot trends in your work patterns. Maybe you’re most productive in the mornings, or specific tasks always take longer than expected. This insight is gold for planning your workday and estimating project timelines.

Top Time Tracking Tools for Engineers in 2024

Alright, let’s get to the good stuff. Here are my top picks for time tracking tools, based on hours of trial use and feedback from my engineering buddies:

1. ClickTime – Specifically Designed for Engineers

ClickTime is an indepth time tracker as well as resource management and project management platform. It claims to strike the balance between sophisticated tools for insight and ease of use.

We like that ClickTime speaks fluently to architects and engineers, which is refreshing. Its nice to not have to explain to your time tracking software that CAD time isn’t the same as doodling time. It also helps manage tasks efficiently, ensuring that project management obstacles are minimized and productivity is maximized.

For example, I know a colleague who used ClickTime on a bridge design project that was more complex than expected. Its resource management feature was a lifesaver. He narrowly avoided overbooking his structural engineers—it turns out they can’t actually be in two places at once. Who knew?

Now, its interface is not winning any beauty pageants, and it might not have all the bells and whistles of general purpose tools. But to keep your projects on track without headaches, ClickTime gets the job done.

Pros:

• Tailor-made for architects and engineers
• Mobile tracking (for when inspiration strikes on your commute)
• Billing made easy (no more invoice nightmares)
• Efficient project time and resource management
• SOC 2 Type II compliance

Cons:

• Interface is more function than fashion
• It might leave feature-junkies wanting more

Pricing:

ClickTime serves up three plans: Starter ($12/user/month), Team ($15), and Premier ($27). Each tier cranks up the feature firepower. Fancy a test run? Snag their 14-day free trial and see if it’s your productivity soulmate.

2. Wrike – Best for Team Collaboration

Wrike is a work management platform that helps teams from multiple departments of your engineering firm work together with their own customized features and workflow. It claims to improve team performance and accelerate the growth of your business.

For example, you could use Wrike to take on a more intricate software project. Its ability to link time entries directly to tasks and streamline the view of the entire project would accelerate its completion. Total game-changer. No more scratching your head wondering where those 37 hours on “miscellaneous debugging” went!

Wrike really stands out for its above average time tracking, task management, and team collaboration features. This is great if you’re juggling complex projects but might be overkill if you just want to know how long your coffee breaks are.

Additionally, Wrike’s detailed reports and tools significantly enhance team performance by facilitating the assessment of both individual contributions and overall team dynamics.

Fair warning: the learning curve can be steeper than that hill you avoid on your morning jog. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be managing projects as smoothly as a pro.

Pros:

• Customizable dashboards for project visualization
• Integrated project management and time tracking
• Strong collaboration features
• Robust reporting tools
• Robust security features and industry-standard compliance

Cons:

• It might be too much horsepower for simple time tracking needs
• Learning curve that’ll give you flashbacks to calculus class

Pricing:

They have a free plan for small teams and paid plans starting at $9.80 per user per month. That’s not too shabby for a productive all in one tool!

3. Everhour – Best for Project Tracking

Ever wish for a time-tracking sidekick who actually understands engineering? Say hello to Everhour!

Everhour is a time tracking tool that also includes team management, reports, and budget and invoicing features to streamline your businesses workflow. It claims to have helped hundreds of thousands of people to improve team productivity and manage their projects.

I know an engineer who used Everhour on a massive software migration project. Talk about a game-changer! Its multi-level project hierarchies made wrangling her complex workflow a breeze. She even mentioned that those custom KPI reports saved her bacon during a nail-biting stakeholder presentation!

Everhour has all the bells and whistles: resource management, billable hours tracking, and slick invoicing. It works well with most project management tools, though CAD software (computer aided design) integration is still on the wishlist.

Just a heads up: it might be overkill for smaller teams, and the offline mode is a bit meh. But, for juggling multiple projects without dropping the ball, Everhour’s tough to beat.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface (no PhD required!)
• Killer project tracking features
• Efficient collaboration tools
• Streamlined payroll and client invoicing
• SOC 2 Type II compliance

Cons:

• It might overwhelm smaller teams
• No CAD software love (yet)
• Offline mode needs some TLC

Pricing: 

It’s free for up to 5 users, then $8.50/user/month. That’s not too shabby for a productivity supercharger!

4. Time Doctor – Best For Productivity

Ever wish you had a productivity guru following you around, gently nudging you back to work when you fall into a YouTube rabbit hole? Meet Time Doctor.

TimeDoctor is a workplace management platform that specializes in using analytics to find bottlenecks in your processes so your employees are more productive and you are more profitable. With its time tracker, project task management and payroll reporting tools, it claims to add 35% more efficiency to your teams productivity.

For example, you could use Time Doctor on a project where your team’s productivity is far more mysterious than you would like. Like Sherlock Holmes (love that Robert Downey Jr version), the insights revealed will show exactly how each team member is spending their time. Maybe they are spending way more time on emails than actual coding. Oops!

Time Doctor keeps you on track, but in a way that actually helps you improve. Its detailed activity tracking is eye-opening, to say the least. Just be prepared for some potentially uncomfortable truths about your work habits.

Fair warning: some team members might not feel comfortable being watched online. But they’ll come around once they see how it boosts productivity (and helps justify that raise they’ve been after).

Pros:

• Productivity-enhancing features like distraction alerts
• Offline time tracking for fieldwork
• Integrations with popular project management tools
• Data encryption and privacy controls
• Flexible pricing plans

Cons:

• It might feel a bit Big Brother-ish at first
• Learning curve is steep
• May require careful implementation to maintain team trust

Pricing: 

Starts at $7 per user per month. They offer a 14-day free trial to test the waters before diving in.

5. Hubstaff – Best for Remote Teams

Picture this: you’re managing a team spread across three continents, and you need to know who’s doing what, when, and where. Feels overwhelming, right? Enter Hubstaff.

Hubstaff is another global workforce management platform. It combines everything an HR manager in an engineering firm would dream of: multiple time tracking options, in-depth productivity analytics, team management tools, billing invoicing capabilities, and integrated payroll. It claims to automate your operations and patch up money leaks.

For example, you may decide to use Hubstaff to manage a global team on a high-stakes project. Those automated timesheets will be a lifesaver! Imagine no longer having to chase people across time zones for updates.

Hubstaff’s GPS tracking is like a digital timecard for field engineers. It’s not about playing Big Brother – it’s about proving you were on-site when that one client swears you weren’t.

Drawback: the interface can be a bit clunky at first. And yeah, some folks might get antsy about the monitoring features. But for keeping a distributed team running as a well-oiled machine? Hubstaff’s hard to beat.

Pros:

• GPS tracking for remote site management
• Automated timesheets reduce manual entry
• Detailed reporting for accurate billing
• Robust security features
• Invoicing capabilities integrated

Cons:

• Complicated interface may require time to master
• High pricing compared to some competitors
• Issues reported with PayPal integration

Pricing: 

It starts at $9.98 for two users per month. They offer a 14-day free trial so you can test the waters before committing.

Common Challenges and Solutions in Time Tracking for Engineers

Let’s face it – implementing time tracking isn’t the most popular thing in the world. Here are some common hurdles and how to leap over them:

1. The “I forgot to track my time” syndrome: Let’s say you’re in the zone, coding away, and suddenly, it’s 8 PM, and you haven’t logged a single minute. Solution? Set reminders or use tools with automatic tracking. For example you could set up a Slack bot that reminds your team to log their time.
2. The “This is cutting into my actual work time” complaint: Remind your team (and yourself) that accurate time tracking saves time in the long run by revealing how hours are spent and guides decisions on improving engineering practices.
3. The “Big Brother is watching” paranoia: Be transparent about why you’re implementing time tracking. It’s not about micromanaging but optimizing workflows and ensuring fair compensation. For example, a team member who is resisting time tracking may change his tune when he sees how it justifies giving him a raise!
4. The “Our work isn’t that predictable” excuse: Engineering work can be unpredictable. But that’s all the more reason to track time accurately. Use time tracking data to improve your estimation skills for future projects. After a few months of diligent time tracking, I know teams who reduced their estimation errors by 40% on one project.
5. The “It’s too complicated” pushback: Choose a tool with a user-friendly interface and provide adequate training. Remember, the goal is to make life easier, not harder. I’ve seen teams go from reluctant adopters to power users in weeks with the right approach.

How to Implement Time Tracking Software in Your Engineering Firm

Ready to take the plunge? Here’s how to get your team on board without causing a mutiny:

1. Assess your team’s needs: One size doesn’t fit all. Chat with your team about what features would help them, not just look good in a PowerPoint presentation. For example, when implementing a time tracking solution for your team, consider a pizza-fueled brainstorming session to list out your must-have features. It turns a potentially dry topic into an engaging team exercise.
2. Training and onboarding: Don’t just drop new software on your team and expect magic to happen. Offer training sessions, create user guides, and be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is perfect time tracking adoption. For example, you could make a series of quick 5-minute video tutorials for your new time tracking system; much more engaging than a dry manual.
3. Monitor and optimize: Monitor how the software is being used and be open to feedback. If something’s not working, don’t be afraid to pivot. For example, consider a monthly “time tracking check-in” where team members voice concerns or suggest improvements. It makes everyone feel heard and helps you refine your process continually.
4. Lead by example: As a team leader or manager, ensure you use the time tracking software consistently and correctly. Your team will follow your lead. Make a point of sharing insights from your own time tracking data in team meetings, which helps demonstrate the system’s value.
5. Highlight the benefits: Regularly share insights and improvements from time tracking. Did it help you justify a new hire? Improve project estimations? Win a new client? Share these wins with the team to keep them motivated.

Integrations That Enhance Time Tracking Efficiency

To really supercharge your time tracking, look for tools that play nice with your existing software ecosystem. Here are some integrations that can take your time tracking to the next level:

1. Project Management Tools: Integrations with tools such as Jira, Trello, or Asana can automatically link time entries to specific tasks or projects, enabling seamless project management and reporting.
2. Communication Platforms: Slack integrations can send reminders to log time or provide quick summaries of time tracked. I’ve found this particularly useful for remote teams.
3. Invoicing and Accounting Software: Linking your time tracking to QuickBooks or Xero can streamline your billing and payroll process. No more manual data entry when it’s time for invoices!
4. Calendar Apps: Integration with Google Calendar or Outlook can help pre-populate your timesheet based on your scheduled meetings and events.
5. IDE Integrations: Some time tracking tools can integrate directly with your development environment. This is great for automatically tracking time spent on different codebases or projects.

Remember, these integrations aim to make time tracking as frictionless as possible. The less effort it takes to track time accurately, the more likely your team will do it consistently.

Final Thoughts

There you have it folks – everything you need to know about time tracking software for engineers. Remember, the goal here isn’t to become a slave to the clock. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

Implementing good time tracking practices can resemble a bit of an uphill battle at first, but trust me, it’s worth it. It can transform chaotic, always-behind teams into well-oiled machines that consistently deliver on time and budget.

So give it a shot. Start small if needed – maybe just track time on one project. But stick with it; before you know it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

And hey, if all else fails, just remember: time is relative. At least, that’s what I tell myself when I’m pulling an all-nighter to meet a deadline. Happy tracking!

Frequently Asked Questions