Time tracking for field workers: paper, spreadsheet or app?
In an office, time tracking is easy: a terminal by the door. Once your people work on sites, at clients or on assembly jobs across Europe, a terminal won't help. We compare the options.
Companies whose people work outside their own premises need to track time differently from an office or factory. Workers start the day on site, move between jobs, work at a client's location or abroad.
Why time tracking matters
Legal framework. In its judgment of 14 May 2019 (C-55/18), the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that EU member states must require employers to set up an objective, reliable and accessible system for recording the daily working time of each worker. How this is implemented differs by country, so check your specific obligations with your payroll provider or legal adviser.
Payroll. Overtime, night, weekend and holiday work affect pay.
Invoicing. If you bill hours to clients, your time records and timesheets must match.
Protection in audits and disputes. What counts is how reliable your records are.
What's specific about field work
- No fixed location. Work starts directly on site or at the client.
- Crews. Often the crew lead reports hours for everyone.
- Changing jobs. Hours must be assigned to the right job.
- Many languages. Assembly firms and agencies employ people from many countries.
Options compared
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Paper timesheet | Cheap, familiar | Retyping, losses, low credibility, filled in after the fact |
| Spreadsheet | No investment | Versions, no change history, no client approval |
| Time clock terminal | Accurate, credible | Fixed location only, useless on sites |
| Mobile app | Recording on site, location, job link, approval | Needs rollout and training |
What to look for in an app
- Simplicity for the worker. A few seconds per entry.
- Manual entry and clock in/out. Not every day can be recorded in real time.
- Location on the entry. Increases credibility; set the scope in line with data protection rules.
- Link to job and crew. Otherwise the records can't be used for invoicing.
- Approval and period locking.
- Change history with author and time.
- Languages your workers speak.
Location and data protection
Location at clock-in and clock-out is very useful as evidence, but it is personal data and the GDPR applies. We recommend:
- capturing location only at the moment of the entry, not continuously,
- informing workers in advance what it's used for,
- limiting access to the roles that need it.
Agree the details with your data protection officer or legal adviser.
Rolling it out
- Map the current process: who records, who checks, who sends to the client.
- Pick a pilot crew and one job.
- Set rules: when to record, who corrects, when periods lock.
- Train crew leads first, then the crews.
- Review after a month and roll out further.
Time tracking with MyAgent
In MyAgent workers log hours manually or by clocking in and out with one tap, including location. Hours are linked directly to the job and crew. Supervisors check, clients approve or dispute in their portal, administrators lock the period. Every change is in the audit trail. MyAgent works in English, German and Czech and can automatically translate text entered by users.
Summary
- Recording working time is an employer obligation in the EU and the basis for payroll and invoicing.
- Terminals fail for field work; paper and spreadsheets are weak evidence.
- A mobile app goes with the worker to the job.
- Simplicity, approval, change history and languages decide.
Want to see it with your own data?
We'll show you MyAgent at your office, at ours or on a video call.