Sick of Chasing Timesheets?
If you’re still scrambling for timesheets every Friday arvo, you’re not alone.
For a lot of small to mid-size builders across Australia, tracking hours is one of the most painful parts of the week. Crew members forget, scribble down rough guesses, or just leave it to the office to figure out.
The result? Missed billable hours, stuffed labour tracking, and dodgy reporting when it comes to quoting the next job.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
A simple, crew-friendly system makes all the difference. In this article, we’ll walk through exactly how Aussie builders can get their team to actually use timesheets — reliably, accurately, and without it turning into a drama.
Why Timesheets Matter (Even for Builders Who Hate Admin)
You’re not running a payroll department, you’re running builds. So why do timesheets matter so much?
Because the second your jobs get past a few days long, or you’re juggling more than one crew, tracking time becomes critical. Here’s why:
- You can’t back cost without real data - You might have quoted 120 hours for framing, but how close did the team actually land? Without clean timesheets, you’ll never know.
- You can’t improve future quotes - If you’re always off by a couple of grand, chances are it’s hidden labour you didn’t capture. Better timesheets help you sharpen the pencil next time.
- You could be leaking profit - If your crew worked 45 hours and you only billed 40, you’ve lost time and money. That stacks up fast.
- It’s payroll pain if the hours aren’t clear - No one wants calls on payday asking why someone’s short. Accurate timesheets = smoother payroll.
What Makes a Timesheet System Crew-Friendly?
Here’s what Aussie builders tell us works best when it comes to getting the team on board. Your timesheet system needs to be:
- Easy to use — no training required - If a team member can take a photo or send a text, they should be able to log their time. Think: tap the job, pick the task or stage, and punch in hours.
- Works on mobile - Your crew’s already on their phones. Make it easy for them to log hours right there and then — not back at the office or at home that night (if they remember).
- Fast - Logging time should take seconds, not minutes. If it feels like admin, they’ll ditch it.
- Links time to the actual job and stage - This is what separates “guessing” from true tracking. You want to see not just how long someone worked, but where that time went — framing, cladding, roof install, etc.
- Sends everything back to the office - The site logs feed straight into job costing and invoicing. No retyping, no chasing, no stuff-ups.
How to Roll It Out Without a Revolt
Introducing new software can be a bit touchy, especially if your team’s been running things a certain way for years. Here’s a simple rollout plan that works:
1. Set it up right
Before you ask the crew to use it, make sure the basics are loaded:
- Jobs and tasks/stages are clearly named
- Each team member knows what’s expected (e.g. log hours daily before knock-off)
- Test it yourself so you can answer quick questions
2. Start with one crew
Pick a small crew or trusted foreman to run a test for the first week. Iron out any bugs and get honest feedback.
3. Keep it visual
Show them how quick it is to log hours. If you can demo it in under 30 seconds, they’ll be more likely to give it a crack.
4. Reward adoption
Got a crew that logged everything perfectly for a week? Give them a shout of beer or pizza to say thanks. Show how it helped the job run smoother.
Real On-Site Scenarios That Make It Click
Here’s how timesheets actually look on a job site when the system works:
- Starting the day - Jase opens the app, selects the “Smith St Build”, and taps “Framing – Lower Floor”. Time starts ticking.
- Midday switch - He moves to another part of the job. Two taps, logs the change to “Prep Roof Framing”.
- End of day - Before heading off, he logs the total time and adds a quick note: “Lost 30 mins unloading trusses”.
- Back at the office - The job manager sees Jase’s hours logged against the right stage. Labour cost updates instantly.
What Happens When Timesheets Actually Get Used
Once you get the crew logging their hours consistently, you unlock a stack of wins:
- Tighter quoting - You’ll finally get accurate actuals to feed into your next estimate.
- No more chasing hours - Admin doesn’t spend Friday arvo texting the crew.
- Cleaner invoices - You can back up your labour charges with real data.
- Smarter job planning - See which stages consistently run over and plan accordingly.
But What If the Crew Pushes Back?
Let’s be honest, not everyone loves change. Here’s how to deal with the usual objections:
“I don’t have time to log hours.”
Response: It takes 30 seconds — quicker than that call from your misses
“I’ll just tell you at the end of the week.”
Response: That’s how hours get missed and we lose money on this job.
“I’m not good with apps.”
Response: If you can use your sports betting app mate, you can use this.
“I keep forgetting!"
Response: No timesheet, no pay. Simple as.
Why NextMinute Makes It Stick
NextMinute was built with Aussie builders and their crews in mind. That means:
- It’s super simple for the crew to log hours by job and stage
- They can add notes and photos while on the job
- Admin gets clean data they can use straight away
- You can see labour costs by stage in real time
- Everything links back to invoicing, back costing and accounting
And because it’s all in one system, you’re not juggling spreadsheets or paper logs.
Ready to Make Timesheets Less Painful?
Getting your crew to log their hours properly doesn’t have to be a battle. With the right setup — and a tool that actually works for tradies — you’ll spend less time chasing hours and more time getting the job done.
Try NextMinute free for 10 days and see how easy timesheets can be when they just work.
