Choosing timesheet software can be a
daunting task. It can be difficult to
keep your billable hours straight, or
what your project costs are. This is
just a part of what good timesheet
software can do for you. It will
automate these processes and keep track
of billable hours for you.
With such a
wide variety of timesheet software
packages available today, you should do
some simple research to find the package
that best fits your needs.
Here are a few things to think about
when looking for good timesheet
software:
Keep an open mind: You want to
go into the process with an open mind.
Prepare yourself for all the advertising
hype you will be bombarded with. Keep an
open mind and look past the hype.
Is a demo available? Most
companies provide a demo package of
their software. You want to make sure
you try any software package before you
buy it. The demo software should be a
full database with all benefits of the
software available for you to try. Too
often, demo software have some options
turned off. You do not want to bother
with software demo’s that do not allow
you to fully test the product.
It is important to be able to test
the software with your data. You should
also make sure the demo offers enough
time to fully test it. Some demos only
offer a day or two for testing. If a
full trial period is not offered you
should shy away from the software.
Is support offered during the
demo? Software support is extremely
important. You should test this support
during the demo process. This is when
you will learn if their support is going
to be helpful or not. Do they offer
phone support? Some companies only offer
email support. You should strive to find
a company that offers phone support.
Real time, live support is worth its
weight in gold. If you purchase the
software, how long will support be
offered? Length of support is very
important. Full support should be
offered long enough for you to become
very comfortable using the software.
Is the timesheet software web
enabled? This may not be important
to you. For some, it is very important.
The ability to access the timesheet
software over the Internet and from a
different computer is very important.
Cost: Affordability is a very
important factor. You should think about
how much is too much for a good
timesheet software package. You should
remember how much production will
increase with a good time sheet package.
Billable hours should also increase. The
old adage “you get what you pay for”
also comes to mind.
These are a few key things to think
about when looking for a timesheet
software package. Choosing the right
timesheet software can save you a great
deal of money and time.
