In business, every hour counts. Time tracking, often perceived as an administrative task, is actually a key driver of profitability. ERP software facilitates precise and seamless time entry, thereby optimizing planning, productivity, and margins.
Why Time Tracking Is Essential Today
Whether you run a digital agency, an IT services company, or a consulting firm, tracking and time entry for your teams’ time spent on each project are key indicators. Not only does it allow for invoicing tracking, but it also provides you with a detailed understanding of your operational performance.
According to an SD Worx study, conducted among more than 5,000 companies and 18,000 employees in 18 European countries, only 37% of French employees use a time tracking tool. The system is also perceived as a form of control by the employer in 40% of cases. However, the majority (54%) believe these are practical and useful tools for task planning and operations organization.
Accurate time tracking is also a safeguard against schedule slippages, poorly distributed workloads, or unrealistic delivery times. In short, it’s not micromanagement; it’s managerial insight.
Common Challenges in Time Collection
Yes, ideally, every employee enters their time daily, rigorously, and enthusiastically. In reality… it’s a different story. Here’s a scenario many leaders know well:
- Late Entry: Some fill out their time sheet on Friday evening, or even the following Monday. Approximate memory, guaranteed errors.
- Unsuitable Tools: Excel, makeshift spreadsheets, or archaic software deter more than they help.
- Lack of Buy-in: Teams see time entry as a useless task, with no added value for them.
- Scattered Data: Multiple tools used depending on projects or clients, without centralization or an overall view.
- Unaccounted Time: Invisible tasks (internal meetings, customer support, training) are not entered and burden the actual workload.
Result? Budget discrepancies, inaccurate billing rates, and decisions made on unreliable bases. It’s a bit like choosing a vacation destination blindfolded.
Tangible Benefits of Accurate Time Tracking
When time entry is simple, understood, and properly utilized, positive effects are quickly felt, starting with profitability. Companies that actively rely on their time data can improve their profit margin. It’s logical: fewer deviations, more reliable data to adjust workloads, and better negotiation of fixed-price contracts thanks to visibility into tasks performed.
It’s also a real gain in peace of mind for teams. Better time tracking means better understanding how time is used. This helps identify time-consuming internal tasks or micro-interruptions that are never accounted for. It’s also an opportunity to better distribute the workload, reduce tensions, and offer everyone a clearer view of their daily routine. And as a bonus? Relieved HR, fewer reminders, fewer corrections, and more precise project management. This ensures a well-oiled machine serving performance.
The 4 Key Strengths of a Good Time Entry Tool
- Real-time tracking to quickly adjust schedules and control costs.
- Clear visibility for managers to optimize resource allocation.
- Automation of repetitive tasks to reduce errors and save time.
- Simple and accessible interface promoting team adoption.
The major time saving comes from shared schedules. This has allowed for the decentralization of the production director's role: today, project managers can directly manage adjustments, which has broken down silos in production management.
How to Simplify Daily Time Entry?
Simplifying time entry starts with a clear conviction: if the time entry tool is a punishment, the team will never play along. The key is therefore to offer the most intuitive user experience possible, with a streamlined interface, mobile access, and seamless integration with an existing ERP tool (project management, payroll, invoicing). When everything is centralized and consistent, time entry becomes a reflex, not a chore.
But technology isn’t everything. You also need to support the change: explain to your employees why this data is useful, how it influences schedules, workload, and even performance bonuses in some agencies.
A tip: Start with a small, motivated pilot group, test, adjust, then deploy. A gradual rollout is better than a failed large-scale adoption.
What are the Criteria for Choosing a Good Time Tracking Software?
Choosing time management and entry software isn’t just about ticking a few technical boxes: it’s about finding an integrated management software package capable of adapting to your agency’s realities and your teams’ practices. The first criterion is ‘the ergonomics: the’ interface must be clear, quick to learn, and accessible on both desktop and mobile.
Next, the integration capability with your staffing and invoicing management tools is crucial to avoid duplicate entries or tedious exports. Configuration flexibility is also key: each agency has its own rules (billable time, leave, internal meetings, etc.) and the management software must adapt to them, not the other way around.
Also consider access rights management, the ability to generate real-time reports, and the ‘automation of certain tasks like entry reminders. Finally, don’t neglect the support offered by the publisher’: good customer support, quick training, and well-supervised deployment will often make the difference.
In short, the right management software is one that almost disappears into your employees’ daily routine, while offering managers clear and reliable visibility.
Optimize Your Time Management with Furious
Time entry is not just a control tool; it’s a strategic lever for managing activity, improving profitability, and empowering teams. To fully benefit from this approach, it is essential to rely on a reliable, intuitive, and integrated management solution.
This is where the Furious ERP stands out. Designed for agencies, IT services companies, and consulting firms, Furious natively integrates an intelligent time entry module, capable of adapting to the most complex business constraints.
In a fragmented sector like public relations, competition is strong. With Furious, we can precisely track the time spent for each client and use this data in our negotiations. This allowed us to revise certain rates and even terminate contracts when profitability wasn't met.
Its major asset lies in its user-centric philosophy. Unlike rigid tools on the market, Furious offers a conversational interface that makes time entry natural and engaging. It’s especially the ‘collaborative aspect’ that distinguishes this solution.
Teams benefit from shared visibility into project progress, optimizing collective planning. They can organize their activities using an intelligent tagging system and interactive lists, thus facilitating task prioritization.
The integration of quality and satisfaction indicators enables strategic management, transforming administrative constraints into a true lever for organizational performance.
You might be Asking Yourself these Questions?
01 What is Automatic Transaction Categorization?
This is an AI-based feature that automatically categorizes your expenses according to their nature, for simplified and more reliable financial tracking.
02 how Does Furious AI Work to Categorize Transactions?
With each import or bank synchronization, the AI analyzes the label, amount, and context to suggest a relevant category and tags. You validate, adjust if necessary, and the tool learns from your choices.
03 What are the Benefits of Automatic Categorization for Financial Teams?
Less manual entry, better accounting consistency, reduced human errors, and significant time savings on recurring tasks.
04 Can You Maintain Control over the Categories Suggested by the AI?
Yes, you remain in control of the suggestions: each classification can be accepted, modified, or refined. Automation supports, not replaces.
05 Does the AI Improve its Suggestions over Time?
Absolutely. The more you use the feature, the more the AI learns from your corrections and offers categorizations tailored to your habits.
06 who is this Feature for?
For financial managers, executives, or anyone looking to automate accounting processing, optimize cash flow, and focus on analysis rather than data entry.
