How to Choose Timesheet Software
Key features to look for, questions to ask vendors, and mistakes to avoid when selecting timesheet software for your UK business.
Picking the wrong timesheet software wastes money and frustrates your team. Here's a practical framework for making the right choice.
Start With Your Actual Needs
Before looking at products, answer these questions:
- How do your employees work? — Office-based, remote, field workers, or mixed?
- What do you need to track? — Just hours worked, or also projects/tasks/clients?
- Who approves timesheets? — One manager, multiple supervisors, or self-approval?
- What's your payroll software? — This determines export requirements.
- Do you also need leave management? — Some apps include it, others are timesheets-only.
Essential Features for UK Businesses
Must-Have Features
Questions to Ask Vendors
- Where is my data stored? — For GDPR compliance, UK or EU servers are preferred.
- What happens if I outgrow the plan? — Understand pricing at 20, 50, 100 employees.
- Can I export my data if I leave? — Avoid vendor lock-in.
- What support is included? — Email, chat, phone? What timezone?
- How often do you update the product? — Active development matters.
Red Flags to Watch For
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
Before diving into specific mistakes, it is worth noting that many businesses struggle with manual timesheet problems long before they start evaluating software. Understanding the pitfalls of your current process will help you choose a solution that truly addresses your needs. You can also use our ROI calculator to quantify the savings a proper system would deliver.
Mistake 1: Buying Too Much
If you just need weekly timesheets and approval, don't pay for project management, GPS tracking, and detailed task breakdowns. More features means more complexity and higher cost.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Your Team
The fanciest software fails if employees won't use it. Test with real staff, not just managers. If it's confusing or slow, adoption will be poor.
Mistake 3: Forgetting About Growth
Check pricing at your expected team size in 2-3 years. Some apps are cheap at 5 users but expensive at 25.
Mistake 4: Not Testing the Export
Before committing, export test data to your actual payroll software. "Integrates with Xero" sometimes means "requires manual steps."
How to Run a Good Trial
- Pick 3-5 employees across different roles — Include skeptics, not just early adopters.
- Run a real payroll cycle — Submit, approve, export, process.
- Test on mobile — Have remote workers try logging from their phones.
- Time the process — How long do submissions and approvals take?
- Gather feedback honestly — What's annoying? What's missing?
A 2-week trial is usually enough to know if it works for your team.
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