In this third and final installment of this article, we highlight some of the benefits of software that speeds up the process of tracking payroll and collecting time and attendance data and then transferring the data to Timberline. We also explore the processes involved with implementing these products, which we looked at in the previous installment of this article, Field data collection with Sage Timberline Office plug-ins.

Adding time tracking and increased construction payroll processing functions to Sage Timberline Office is often more a process of deciding just what you are trying to accomplish, rather than ramping up for a full scale technology upgrade. Jeannie Brantley, president of Data-Maxx Technologies, said the typical process for getting started in time tracking begins with an online or in-office demo.

Following that, she said, there are a number of things for the company to consider, including:

• Will individuals be reporting their own time, or will crew leaders be reporting times?
• Will people report time in and time out, or just total time?
• Do you want to be sure of who clocks in and out?
• Do you want to know the location of the clock-in and clock-out processes?
• Do you want to track other things, such as when someone operates a piece of equipment or when someone begins and ends specific jobs?

Once those questions are answered, the company decides whether to use existing devices, new devices or a combination of devices. Some of those decisions hinge upon the availability of wireless and Wi-Fi connectivity or Internet connections. Finally, since the mobile time tracking software is set up to interact with Sage Timberline Office, the desired information is collected and inputted to the desired accounting functions.

Austin Beaty, president of Austin Lane Technologies, said that, when looking at third-party time reporting and payroll tracking software plug-ins like those represented here, people should know their requirements up front and make sure the vendor is addressing them. “The requirement shouldn't be, ‘I will know when I see it’,” he said. “And the other requirement shouldn't be, ‘My competitor has that and that is what I want.’ [Users] really need to evaluate the software against their own requirements.”

Changing corporate culture, one company at a time

Without exception, those who build automated payroll systems say the biggest challenges are really within the cultures of the companies they serve.

“We started this 12 years ago, and the biggest hurdle that we had then was people actually believing that there was technology out there that would let you remotely collect information, transmit it to another system and then get it into accounting,” remembered Brantley. “They had no concept that anything like that could even exist.”

For Kit Dickinson, president of Integrated Design Inc., the biggest challenge is getting clients to embrace change. “It is a cultural change, a processing change, and a technical change," he said, "but it has a big payback. [Users] are handing out payroll checks as opposed to running a printer, and they are using accurate reports to validate payroll job costs.”

Beaty chalked up resistance to fear, doubt and uncertainty on the part of the decision makers. He said managers often think their employees won’t be able to adapt to the new technology because they can’t get things right in the paper-based system.

Beaty maintained that it depends upon the technology a company buys -- if it is harder for people to use than tried-and-true paper, then people won’t successfully adopt it. “If you find something that is smarter than paper, then they are probably going to do it right," he said. "Don't sell them short."

All these vendors of Sage Timberline Office plug-ins talked in general terms of how successful implementations have vastly reduced the time and attention their customers need to allow for payroll functions. One example comes from Robert Heely Construction in Paso Robles, Calif., which adopted mJobTime software and saved $31,000 a year by eliminating redundant payroll data entry for its 250 employees.

Beaty summed up the advantages of automating payroll like this: “When you go with a more automated approach where people turn in their time daily, then you are going from 65 or 70% accuracy to 95% accuracy. You get payback on the investment in one to three months.”

Conclusion

For companies that use Sage Timberline Office, each of the providers mentioned in this article offers its own approach to collecting construction payroll data from the field or moving and manipulating payroll data between Timberline and other third-party services.

People who are deciding what time reporting software or payroll tracking software to buy will face a challenge in finding the approach that best answers their needs and uses their current technology investments while still offering the best fit to their company’s culture. With the broad selection to choose from, though, it’s likely that everyone can find a match.