Choosing suitable time tracking
Working time, project hours and staffing plans answer different questions. A system can connect them but needs to distinguish actual work, breaks, approvals and billable services clearly. Start with the required output before choosing capture methods and connections.
Distinguish working time and project time
Working-time records document work performed; project records allocate services to a job. Billable hours therefore do not automatically equal attendance or total working time. Clarify whether leave, absences and shift planning are also needed. Request a demonstration of an ordinary day with several jobs and a later correction, rather than comparing only start and stop controls.
| Purpose | Required output |
|---|---|
| Working time | Actual duration, breaks and balances |
| Project time | Job, activity and billable status |
| Staffing plans | Planned shifts versus actual work |
Clarify working patterns and Swiss requirements
Assess the required documentation against applicable employment rules and the actual employment situation. Swiss rules provide systematic recording and exceptions with specific conditions; trust-based hours alone do not settle the question. Define working patterns, breaks, target hours and special assignments. A software function or standard automatic break deduction does not itself confirm an accurate record of actual work.
Choose capture methods for actual use
Browser, mobile app and fixed terminal can be combined. Mobile teams need clarity about offline entry, later synchronisation and straightforward corrections. For terminals, state quantity, existing devices, placement, power and network. Location tracking and biometric identification are separate data-protection-sensitive functions, not automatic prerequisites. Test the intended workflow without a connection as well.
Test approvals and interfaces end to end
Define who enters, checks, corrects and approves time. Payroll, project billing and ERP may need different data and approval dates. Test exports, a wrong job assignment, duplicate transfer and a correction after a closed month. An approved time record should not be overwritten without an identifiable change history.
Organise migration, access and records
Agree a cutover date, migration of time and leave balances and readable access to older records. Test a small pilot using invented data and selected roles. Staff should be able to understand their own records; managers need task-based access. Clarify processing locations, subcontractors, security and data return for cloud and support. Migrate necessary records and set purpose-appropriate retention.
Compare software and hardware costs together
Compare the same headcount and modules. Add terminals, readers, badges, configuration and training where needed to subscriptions or licence fees. Interfaces, extra storage and support may be separate items. A general Swiss range without equivalent devices, term and features would provide little useful information.
| Cost item | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Software | People, modules and recurring charges |
| Hardware | Terminal, reader, badge and accessory quantities |
| Implementation | Configuration, opening balances and training |
| Connections | Setup, maintenance and error handling |
| Contract exit | Complete export and readable history |
Base the enquiry on the actual workflow
State purpose, headcount, capture methods and connections. Use one brief for existing systems, devices, working patterns, operating sites and key accounting workflows. Do not send real timesheets, personal location histories, health information or credentials. Pilot, configuration, controlled import and acceptance can then be agreed.
Frequently asked questions
Is a fixed terminal mandatory?
A terminal is one possible capture method. Required documentation and actual use determine whether browser, app or terminal is suitable.
Do project hours replace working-time records?
Not automatically. Billable project hours may omit breaks, internal tasks or other work.
Does trust-based working time settle the recording rules?
Simplified recording and exemptions have specific conditions. Assess the applicable situation; the label alone is insufficient.
Does mobile entry work without internet?
Only where offline operation is supported. Test later synchronisation, duplicates and changes after reconnecting.
Are payroll and ERP interfaces always included?
No. Scope, versions, fees and support for the specific interface must be established.
What is needed for the initial enquiry?
Headcount, methods, systems, devices and timing are enough. Real timesheets, personal location histories and personnel records are unnecessary.
