Security guards work nights, weekends, and overtime across multiple client sites — and recording those hours accurately matters for payroll and for your own records. TimeTally gives guards a simple way to submit their shift hours from their phone, and gives you a clear record of who worked where. Approved timesheets export straight to Xero, QuickBooks, or CSV. From £2 per guard per month.
UK private security is a sector built on trust, compliance, and accurate record-keeping. Guards work across multiple client sites, often at night, and shift patterns change weekly. Getting the hours right matters — for payroll, for client billing, and for your own legal obligations.
The Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR) limit average weekly working hours to 48, calculated over a 17-week reference period. Workers must receive at least 11 consecutive hours of rest between shifts and a 20-minute uninterrupted break for any shift exceeding 6 hours. Night workers — which includes most security guards on overnight patrols — face an additional limit of 8 hours per 24-hour period, averaged over a 17-week reference period. These rules apply regardless of whether your guards have opted out of the 48-hour limit, because the night work limit cannot be opted out of.
Security companies also operate under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, which requires all front-line operatives to hold a valid SIA licence. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) issues licences for manned guarding, door supervision, close protection, and other roles. Deploying a guard without a valid licence is a criminal offence carrying fines of up to £5,000. While TimeTally does not manage SIA licences or track expiry dates (you will need a separate system or process for that), accurate timesheet records showing which guards worked at which sites form part of the broader compliance picture.
For companies holding or working towards SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) status, auditable records of guard deployments and hours worked are a requirement. ACS auditors expect to see clear evidence of who worked where, for how long, and under what terms. Timesheet records are one piece of that puzzle.
On the payroll side, getting hours right is essential. Security contracts often involve different rates for day shifts, night shifts, weekends, and bank holidays. Missed overtime, incorrect break deductions, or misrecorded night shifts lead to underpayments and disputes. With staff turnover in security running higher than most sectors, paying people correctly and on time is one of the most practical retention tools available.
TimeTally works for any security company that needs to track guard hours, manage holiday requests, and export to payroll.
Office buildings, retail parks, warehouses, and residential estates
Guards covering multiple client sites across a shift or week
Overnight patrols, lone workers, and out-of-hours site security
Temporary deployments for concerts, festivals, and corporate events
Security guards are on their feet. TimeTally is designed to take less than 60 seconds per day. Enter start time, end time, and breaks — that is it. Works on any phone browser or the iOS app.
TimeTally is a straightforward timesheet and holiday management tool. Here is what it does and how it helps security companies.
Guards enter their shift start and end times. This works for any shift pattern — days, nights, 12-hour patrols, split shifts, or irregular rotas. Overnight shifts that cross midnight are handled correctly. Total hours and overtime are calculated automatically.
Set an hourly rate and overtime rate for each guard. When timesheets are submitted, TimeTally calculates standard pay and overtime pay automatically. You can set daily or weekly overtime thresholds to match your contract terms.
Use TimeTally's project tracking to assign hours to specific client sites or contracts. If a guard works across two sites in a shift, they can split their hours accordingly. Reports show total hours and costs per site, which is useful for client billing.
Night patrols that start at 8pm and finish at 6am are handled correctly — no manual workarounds needed. TimeTally calculates the full 10 hours across midnight. Overtime thresholds still apply as expected.
Export approved timesheets to Xero, QuickBooks, or CSV with one click. The export includes guard names, standard hours, overtime hours, pay amounts, and break deductions. No manual re-entry needed.
TimeTally works in any mobile browser. Guards do not need to download an app or install anything on personal devices. They can bookmark the page on their phone. There is also a native iOS app for those who prefer it.
Managing holiday requests by WhatsApp or paper forms is slow and error-prone — especially when you need to check site coverage before approving. TimeTally lets guards request time off from their phone. Managers see the team calendar and approve or decline with one tap. Remaining holiday entitlement is calculated automatically. For a full overview, see our security industry leave management page.
Guards select dates and submit. Managers get a notification and can see who else is off before approving.
See your whole team's availability at a glance. Check for clashes before approving requests.
Statutory holiday allowance (5.6 weeks) is calculated automatically, including pro-rata for part-time guards and mid-year starters. UK bank holidays are pre-loaded.
Create categories for annual leave, sick leave, compassionate leave, or any other type your organisation uses. Each with its own colour and allowance.
The team calendar gives managers a clear view of the entire team's status — submitted timesheets, approved holidays, and absences — all in one place. Use it to plan ahead and make informed decisions about approving leave requests.
TimeTally is a timesheet tool, not a compliance system — but accurate timesheet records are the foundation of meeting your legal obligations as an employer. Here is how the data TimeTally captures supports your compliance requirements.
TimeTally records all hours worked, including overtime and night shifts. This gives you the data you need to review the 48-hour weekly average (over a 17-week reference period), 11-hour rest between shifts, and the 8-hour night work limit. Night workers in security cannot opt out of the 8-hour average limit — it applies regardless. You can export this data at any time if HMRC or the HSE request records.
Under UK law, workers on shifts over 6 hours are entitled to a 20-minute uninterrupted break. TimeTally tracks breaks separately, so you have a record that breaks were taken. This is particularly important for lone workers on night shifts, where rest breaks are a health and safety obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
HMRC requires employers to keep records of hours worked for at least two years. TimeTally stores all timesheet data digitally with timestamps and approval records — a complete audit trail that you can export whenever needed.
Accurate hours tracking ensures your effective hourly rate does not fall below the National Minimum Wage (£12.21/hour for workers aged 21+ from April 2025). This is especially relevant where unpaid overtime or incorrect break deductions could push the rate below the legal minimum.
All UK workers get 5.6 weeks statutory holiday (28 days for full-time). TimeTally's staff holiday tracker calculates entitlement automatically, including pro-rata for part-time guards and mid-year starters, and tracks remaining allowance in real time.
TimeTally's project tracking shows which guards worked at which client sites, for how long, and at what cost. This is useful for client contract reporting and for companies working towards or maintaining SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) status, where auditable deployment records are expected.
TimeTally is a timesheet and holiday management tool. It does a few things well. It is not a replacement for dedicated security management software, and we think it is important to be upfront about that.
One price. Every feature. No surprises.
Yes. TimeTally works in any mobile browser — no app download or installation needed. Guards can bookmark the page on their phone. There is also a native iOS app on the App Store for those who prefer it.
TimeTally handles overnight shifts correctly. If a guard starts at 8pm and finishes at 6am, the system calculates 10 hours without any issues. Start and end times can cross midnight. Total hours and overtime are calculated automatically.
Yes. TimeTally has project tracking where you can create client sites or contracts. Guards assign their hours to the relevant site when submitting their timesheet. Reports show total hours and costs per site, which is useful for client billing and contract reporting.
Yes. Each guard has their own hourly rate and overtime rate. When timesheets are submitted, TimeTally calculates standard pay and overtime pay based on these rates. You can update rates at any time from the employee settings.
No. TimeTally does not track SIA licence numbers, expiry dates, or send renewal alerts. You will need a separate system or spreadsheet for SIA licence management. You can use the notes field on employee profiles to store licence numbers for reference, but TimeTally will not alert you when a licence is due to expire.
TimeTally records all hours worked, including overtime and night shifts. This gives you accurate data to review the 48-hour weekly average, rest periods between shifts, and night work limits. However, TimeTally does not actively monitor WTD limits or send alerts for breaches — it provides the data, and compliance decisions remain with you.
No. TimeTally is a timesheet submission tool. Guards submit their hours after their shift (or at the end of the week) rather than clocking in and out in real time. If you need live clock-in/clock-out or GPS-verified attendance, TimeTally is not the right tool.
Guards tap 'Book Time Off', select their dates, and submit. Their manager gets a notification and can see the team calendar to check for clashes before approving. Remaining holiday allowance is shown in real time. Statutory entitlement (5.6 weeks) is calculated automatically, including pro-rata for part-time guards.
TimeTally exports to Xero, QuickBooks, and CSV/Excel. The export includes guard names, standard hours, overtime hours, pay amounts, and break deductions. Most payroll systems can import CSV files if a direct integration is not available.
Yes. TimeTally records actual hours worked, not planned rotas or guard deployments. Guards enter what they actually worked, which may differ from the planned schedule due to shift swaps, overtime, or site changes. TimeTally handles the timesheet and payroll side, while your security management software handles scheduling, patrol verification, and licence tracking.
Guides and tools for UK security companies
Complete guide to WTD compliance for UK employers, including night worker rules
Read guideUK legal requirements for tracking staff hours and keeping records
Read guideHow to calculate overtime for night shifts and unsociable hours
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