TrackStar Time Tracking and Project Tracking Software

Time Tracking

Software

Tracking time can be important for many reasons.   If you track time to projects, it becomes easy to determine how much projects cost.   When coupled with TrackStar’s Project Management functionality, you can determine when projects cost more than planned.   Tracking time also helps managers see how their human resources are being deployed.   A wealth of information can be gleaned using the time reports.   For example, excessive time spent working with customers might indicate poor quality or training deficiencies, or insufficient time spent planning and designing might forecast future design or usability issues.

Unfortunately, many employees would prefer not to track time.   Some feel it is too tedious, or don’t understand the value to management.   TrackStar takes the drudgery out of the process by making it fast and simple. 

Time sheet forms are available to capture time in various formats.   Many professional workers use the Weekly form, which tracks elapsed time to projects.   A more detailed Daily form is provided to capture start and stop times, which is often appropriate for hourly or consulting personnel.   Exception level tracking is also provided for tracking only HR type events, commonly used by management personnel.

TrackStar implements an entry/approval model, whereby employees enter their time information, and managers approve it.   Tools are provided to help ensure that data is entered in a timely way, and that nothing “slips through the cracks”.   

The Time Tracking Software is a comprehensive and affordable system for managing and tracking employee time sheets.  The system is 100% web based, and can be deployed as an in-house solution, or hosted by Internal Systems. Either way, all you need is a browser to run the software!

TrackStar Time Tracker can be used as a stand-alone solution, or can be integrated into a more robust Project, Expense, Item and Skills Tracking system. ISC makes it easy to add additional modules or users later. A link at the bottom of this page will take you to other product description pages.

The sections that follow describe features of the Time Tracking Software module and show sample screens to help you understand its’ capabilities.

Getting Started
Weekly Time Sheet
Daily Time Sheet
Punch Clock
Time Sheet Approvals
Managing Projects
Editing Project Information
Activity Maintenance
Time Analysis by Project
Time Analysis by Activity
Missing Timesheet Report
Email Notifications
Administration Tools
Outstanding Support
Time/Project Tracker Attributes
Time/Project Tracker Features
Technology
Benefits/Justification
Licensing Options
TrackStar Pricing
Next Steps

 

Getting Started

You access TrackStar by clicking on a browser link. The system provides multiple levels of security and encryption, so your data is safe and secure.

Each employee logs on to TrackStar using their unique ID and password. Once signed on, a menu system is presented that reflects the capabilities that have been granted each user. Though simple to use, multiple levels of help are provided to assist users if needed.

Signing on to TrackStar Time Tracking Software  - Click screen to see larger view.

Weekly Time Sheets

Employees use this form to enter their time for a given week. A week is selected by using the calendar icons. Each employee has a timesheet template that holds their specific project information.  These are added by selecting a project/activity/task and clicking Add.

Each time the form is opened, the pre-built form is displayed.  You only need to fill-in the blanks in most cases, making entry fast and easy.

Once time is entered, clicking Submit sends the timesheet to a manager for approval.  Automatic approvals are also supported.

Weekly Time Sheet Form  - Click screen to see larger view.

Daily Time Sheet

Employees use this form to enter their time for a selected day. Time is entered using the start and end times.  Elapsed time is calculated automatically, as are totals. Daily time is used for precise tracking of time.  It shows the hours worked, not just how many.

Daily time is often useful for hourly employees or consultants who need precise tracking.  You can use both weekly and daily sheets together.

 

Daily Time Sheet Form  - Click screen to see larger view.

Punch Clock

Employees use this form to enter time in/out as you would with a time card machine.  The interface is simple and fast, and is excellent for hourly workers who simply need to log hours worked.

Clicking the Clock In/Out buttons causes the system to makes time entries for the employee.  When the days work is completed, punch clock entries are transferred to the employee's weekly timesheet for review and submission.  A management version of this form is provided to allow for updates, edits, or completion of incomplete entries.

Daily Time Sheet Form  - Click screen to see larger view.

Time Sheet Approvals

When employees submit timesheets for approval, the system routes the request to their manager (or optionally others) for approval.  Managers are informed of pending requests via email and then review timesheets online and make approval decisions. 

When problems are found, managers can quickly send an email back to the originator detailing the issue.

Approving multiple requests is fast and easy, through use of the scroll arrows provided.  A manager can accomplish all approvals in one session, with a minimum of effort!

Time Sheet Approvals  - Click screen to see larger view.

Defining Projects

A basic ability to create projects is included with the Time Tracker Module.  You can also get enhanced project tracking by licensing one or more Project Tracking licenses.    The system is optimized to handle many projects if necessary, and provides search tools to locate them quickly.

The selection form is customizable, providing a convenient view to manage and maintain projects.

Project Management Software - Click screen to see larger view.

Editing Project Information

The Project Summary form is used to define the name and description of a project, as well as many other "grouping" fields.

 

 

 

 

 

Editing Project Data - Click screen to see larger view.

Defining Activities

The Time Tracker uses Activities to further categorize time spent.  You are free to define as few or as many activities as you need to facilitate reporting.  These activities are used to specify what the employee is doing on a project.  You not only know how many hours were spent on projects, but what they were doing as well.  This is a very valuable management tool!

 

 

Activity Maintenance - Click screen to see larger view.

Time Analysis by Project

This report shows how many hours each employee spent on each project.  This makes it easy for managers to understand project costs, and to drill-down to find the detail behind them.

This report, as well as most others, can be filtered by date range, by project, by employee, and other keys.  You can obtain the view you need in seconds!

 

 

Time Analysis Report - Click screen to see larger view.

Time Analysis by Activity

This report shows time across all projects, but analyzes it by activity.  With this report you can see the "big picture", comparing time spent on one activity versus another.  Management can glean a lot of valuable information from this type of statistical data.

TrackStar includes a report writer that allows you to create your own custom views of the data as well.

 

 

Time Analysis by Activity - Click screen to see larger view.

Missing Time Sheet Report

This report shows who has submitted timesheets for a given period.  It is selectable by department, to show managers which employees have not completed their weekly sheet.  This report can be scheduled to be emailed to managers weekly.  Also, the system can be configured to automatically send emails to employees who haven't completed their timesheet in a timely manner.

 

 

Missing Timesheet Reports  - Click screen to see larger view.

Email Notifications

TrackStar integrates with your existing email system to keep managers informed.  Whenever approvals are pending, managers receive email messages indicating there are requests for them to review.  This feature keeps managers aware of requests needing their attention, and helps keep data up to date and accurate.  Flooded with emails?  Don’t worry.  This is a configurable feature.

 

Email Notifications - Click screen to see larger view.

Administration Tools

TrackStar includes a robust set of administration tools to help you configure and tailor the system.  You use the admin tools to load and maintain employee, department, and various other data tables in the system.  It also includes a scheduling tool that can be used to generate background jobs or tasks, such as data extracts and reports.  For example, you can setup a job so that balance information is automatically sent to your payroll vendor monthly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tool

Use

Activity Maintenance Used to setup standard activities used in reporting.
Calendar Maintenance Used to setup project management calendars.
Customer Maintenance Used to setup customers whom projects belong to.

Department Maintenance

Used to define your company's organizational structure.

Employee Maintenance

Used to enter and maintain the employees who use the software.

Holiday Maintenance

Used to define your company holidays.

Event Maintenance

Used to define HR categories.

Rate Maintenance Used to build standard rates for costing and billing.

Report Maintenance

Used to create custom reports.

Schedule Maintenance

Used to setup jobs to run at preset intervals.

Security Maintenance

Used to define employee access to system functions.

System Preferences Maintenance

Used to setup operational preferences.

User Field Maintenance

Used to define custom fields to extend TrackStar.

User Code Maintenance

Used to enter coded fields for choice lists.


Outstanding Support

ISC provides world-class support for its software.  When you have a question or problem, our staff provides the answers you need, when you need them.  For ASP customers, the support fees are built-in to the monthly fee.  This includes updates, bug fixes, and period enhancements.  For in-house customers, our support plan is required in the first year and optional thereafter.

Support/Service Offerings
ASP Support - Included with ASP plan.
Annual Support - Offered to in-house customers.
Per-Incident Support - Provides support on a per-call basis.
Training Services - Administrative training for TrackStar.

Time Tracker Software Attributes

Time Tracker Software Features

Technology

TrackStar is built using the latest Microsoft .Net technology.  For in-house installs, it requires a Windows based server, with IIS and SQL Server.  For ASP installs, the only thing required is a browser!

Benefits/Justification

Licensing Options

Time Tracking Pricing

TrackStar Time and Project Tracker is  priced on a per Active user basis.  An active user is one who has been entered in to the software and has the ability to log on.  Employees who terminate can be marked inactive, and no longer consume one of your licenses.

A small number of administrative licenses are needed to perform setup and maintenance.  Admin licenses are priced separately from Time licenses.  Also, for enhanced Project Tracking and reporting, you might want to purchase one or more Project Tracking licenses.

Sample Pricing

Time Users

Admin Users

Monthly ASP Price

OR

One Time In-house
Price

50

1

$134

n/a

100

2

$252

$6,637

250

2

$459

$11,770

500

2

$784 $19,375
1000 2 $1,341 $33,010

 

 

 

 

In-house price includes first year annual support.

A one-time setup fee of $1,000 is required for all configurations.

All prices are subject to change without notice.  Please ask for a quote on your specific configuration.  In-house price includes first year annual support.

Next Steps

1.  Fill out an information request form by following the Request Information link. A sales representative will contact you and can provide additional information, and pricing specific to your configuration.

2. Request demonstration access so you can experience the system first hand. ISC will guide you through the system, and point out its features and capabilities.

3.  Confirm configuration, pricing and obtain approvals.

4.  Review and execute our standard ASP or License agreement.

5.  Begin using TrackStar!

ISC makes getting started fast and easy.  A complete planning guide is provided to assist you with your data collection and policy definition tasks.  Once information has been gathered, you use the administration functions of TrackStar to enter/import data.  Excel templates are provided to help you organize your data and to simplify import.   You can be up-and-running in a few days!

Request Information  Learn about ISC  Learn about other ISC Products  Visit ISC's home page

Internal Systems Corporation, Web Based Software for the Enterprise

Internal Systems Corporation
4600 Touchton Road East
Building 100, Suite 150
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
sales@InternalSystems.com, 800-952-0057 

Delivering high quality tracking solutions since 1995.
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