Eager to optimize your project workflow with precise time management, but uncertain about the right application? Look no further! Dive into the secrets of efficient time tracking with our comprehensive guide on time tracking in Airtable.
Discover what Airtable time tracking entails, explore its best features, find the perfect templates, and compare it with other time tracking platforms. Whether you’re a novice or seasoned pro, this guide is your gateway to enhanced productivity and project precision.
Ready to redefine your time management in Airtable? Keep reading as we walk you through the comprehensive guide to Airtable time tracking!
⏱️What is Airtable and Airtable time tracking
Alright, let’s chat about Airtable and how it plays a role in time tracking – or as some folks call it, the Airtable time tracker.
So, imagine this: you’ve got loads of information to handle, be it for a project, a team, or just your personal tasks. Enter Airtable, the mixture of a spreadsheet and a database, here to make your life easier. You can organize, sort, and manage your data in a way that suits you, thanks to its user-friendly interface.
Now, let’s dive into the time-tracking groove. This is where the magic of the Airtable time tracker comes in. It’s like having your personal time wizard – allowing you to keep tabs on how you spend every precious minute. No more wondering where your day went; it’s all neatly logged in your Airtable.
Need to know how much time you spent perfecting that presentation? Or maybe your team wants to figure out where their hours are flying off to? The Airtable time tracker has got you covered.
So, whether you’re a project manager juggling multiple timelines or just someone trying to make sense of your busy day, give the Airtable time tracker a shot. It’s like having a personal time-travel assistant. When you enter Airtable you will see a bunch of ways to start your work.
It can be from the scratch or even use there endless templates that are user friendly and easy to use for your workspace!
Source: Airtable
If you like to explore you can start from scratch on Airtable and customize your way in through or you can start with a template.
🚀Best elements of Airtable time tracking
Now that you know what Airtable is, let’s see some of it’s best features that make Airtable easy to use for time tracking!
List view
Quickly scan through tasks and get an overview of what needs to be done.
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Gallery view
Get a visual snapshot of your progress and check off completed tasks.
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Kanban board
Track who’s working on what and monitor task progress.
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Calendar view
See assigned tasks scheduled throughout the month and week.
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Timeline view
Dive deep into each day, time, and month to understand project timelines.
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Form view
Create specific projects within your workspace, simplifying project tracking.
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Dashboard view
Analyze and report on completed work and pending tasks.
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Record review
Get a detailed overview of each project and its timeline.
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Record summary
Summarized project details for a quick glance.
⚡Pro Tip: You can also look into Tackle if you are looking for time tracking that caters to your need seamlessly. Tackle allows you to have more than having a layout. From keeping track of your meetings to organizing your goals there is so much more. Try now!
How to start from scratch on Airtable
You can also start from scratch before jumping into templates and when you start this is something that might pop in your screen. You can also integrate your work from Google Sheets or Excel to have your own database here.
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Select a Base Type
If you choose to start blank, select a base type based on your needs. Airtable offers options like Grid, Calendar, Kanban, Gallery, and more. Each type provides a unique way to organize and view your data.
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Set Up Your Fields
Define the fields for your base. Fields are where you’ll input and categorize your data. Customize them based on the information you want to track.
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Input Data
Once your fields are set up, start inputting your data. Depending on your base type, you can enter information directly into the grid, calendar, or other views.
Customize Views
Explore different views available in Airtable, such as Grid View, Calendar View, Gallery View, etc. Customize these views to suit your preferences and make data visualization more effective.
Add Collaborators
If you’re working on a project with others, invite collaborators to your base. This facilitates real-time collaboration and sharing of information.
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Explore Additional Features
Familiarize yourself with Airtable’s additional features, such as filters, sorting, grouping, and attachments. These features enhance the way you organize and interact with your data.
Sync with Apps (Optional)
Airtable integrates with various third-party apps. Explore the Apps Marketplace to find integrations that can enhance your workflow. You can connect Airtable with tools like Slack, Google Calendar, and more.
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Top 3 Airtable time tracking template that you must try
Now that you know the basic elements of Airtable, let’s dive in to the top three Airtable time tracking templates designed just for you!
Contractor time tracker
This Airtable time tracking template is in high demand, particularly for home improvement projects. It meticulously logs a variety of tasks, spanning from basic fixes like garage door repairs to more intricate endeavors such as electrical inspections and appliance installations.
Each task, assigned to specific individuals, includes essential details like duration, associated costs, and progress updates. Notably, tasks like the garage door fix appear to be on schedule, with additional notes highlighting specific repair requirements, like the need for a new control panel.
This streamlined record ensures efficient project management and transparent communication, encompassing a wide spectrum of activities from routine repairs to complex electrical work.
The comprehensive database provides detailed insights into various home improvement tasks, offering specific information such as assigned personnel, locations, dates, durations, hourly rates, and any pertinent notes.
Tasks range from power supply repairs, circuit rewiring, and testing to more comprehensive projects like garage door fixes, ceiling fan installations, and washer/dryer setups. The database captures the ongoing progress of each task, offering a holistic view of the project’s timeline, costs, and current status.
Ultimately, this tool proves invaluable for meticulous tracking and effective management of the multifaceted aspects involved in the home improvement process.
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This aspect of the database illustrates the specific tasks assigned to each individual involved in the home improvement project. It provides a clear overview of the responsibilities and contributions of each person, showcasing a diverse range of skills and expertise within the team.
This structured information is valuable for project management, ensuring that tasks are allocated efficiently and progress can be tracked effectively.
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You can edit and explore more through out this template and get benefits from the customization.
Project tracker time template
Utilize this template to effortlessly track the progression of your diverse projects, gain insights into the ongoing activities of your team, and visualize the workflow through an intuitive Gantt chart.
For instance, consider the Mostco brand redesign project: This database offers a succinct yet all-encompassing glimpse into the project’s evolution. It delineates specific tasks, ranging from finding a design agency to initiating design work and formalizing a design contract.
Each task is meticulously assigned to individuals like Jordan Peretz, Paris Fotiou, and Sam Epps. The real-time status of each task, whether it is “In progress” or not, is readily discernible, providing a swift evaluation of the project’s present status.
Furthermore, this comprehensive database includes task-specific details, dependencies, associated documents, and a timeline featuring precise start and end dates. This organized and structured information streamlines project management processes, empowering teams to effortlessly monitor and synchronize their efforts throughout the entire brand refresh and redesign endeavor.
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This database is centered on project management and progress tracking across diverse initiatives, prominently featuring tasks related to the employee satisfaction survey, design agency selection, and the Mostco brand redesign. Each entry meticulously outlines the status, assigned individuals, timelines, and associated documents for every task.
For example, tasks encompassing sharing employee survey communications, preparing for the next survey, executing the survey, and selecting a design agency are diligently monitored, complete with specific actions, designated owners, and current completion statuses.
The linked documents serve as valuable supplements, providing additional context for each project and fostering a comprehensive understanding among team members, thus enhancing overall oversight and coordination.
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You can also have an overview of each of the projects and see the progress yourself at a glance along with who is working on what and other details relating to it.
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Content operations template
The Content Operations template streamlines your project management and time-tracking efforts, providing a comprehensive platform to monitor project details, team members, progress, and attached briefs.
This database intricately outlines various marketing initiatives and projects, each allocated within a specific timeframe and accompanied by distinct priorities, statuses, and associated particulars.
Notably, it encompasses the advancement of multiple endeavors, including a marketing whitepaper, lead-to-conversion email strategies, onboarding tracks, new upsell copy, Facebook copy experiments, a brand voice workshop, and a new onboarding guide.
Task-specific details such as assigned individuals, pertinent documents, deadlines, and additional contextual information are encapsulated within the entries.
For example, the marketing whitepaper holds high priority and is currently in progress, with Leslie Walker and Jess Patel spearheading the initiative with a targeted completion date of May 28, 2021.
These entries offer valuable insights into the strategic focus, timelines, and objectives for each marketing initiative, presenting a holistic overview of the marketing efforts and priorities within the specified timeframe.
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Additionally, the template incorporates a convenient request form empowering writers to submit specific requests related to fields, thereby streamlining the tracking process.
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Furthermore, various sections of this template encompass comprehensive campaign tracking and delineation of marketing objectives for enhanced organizational efficacy.
Other trackers
Explore a range of tracking tools within Airtable to meet your specific requirements. In this overview, we’ve highlighted options specifically linked to the time tracking of both employees and projects, providing tailored solutions for your needs.
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Limitations Of Airtable Time Tracking
Add before this H2,
Time Tracking on Airtable’s Time Tracking Tool Is Pricey
If you want to use Airtable’s time-tracking feature, you’ll need to purchase the Pro plan, which costs $24 per user per month. While the Pro plan includes valuable tools like snapshot history and locked views, teams that only need to track time may find it hard to justify the cost. Smaller businesses or startups that don’t require the full Pro plan features might find it hard to justify the price.
Even the Plus plan at $12 per user per month doesn’t include time tracking, making this feature inaccessible unless you commit to the highest-tier plan. The Pro plan might be worth it for teams heavily invested in Airtable for project tracking, automation, and template-based workflows. However, more cost-effective alternatives are available if you’re looking for a simple time-tracking solution.
Airtable’s Time Tracking Lacks Built-In Reporting Features
Airtable’s time tracker records the duration of tasks and projects, but it doesn’t generate any productivity insights or analytics. Instead of providing automatic reports, Airtable only logs raw time data, leaving users to analyze it manually or rely on third-party integrations. This lack of built-in reporting makes it harder to determine:
- Which tasks or projects take up the most time?
- Which team members spend the most time on specific tasks?
Without these insights, project managers have to export data and create their calculations to track efficiency, making project oversight more time-consuming than it should be.
5 Best Airtable Alternatives for Time Tracking
Airtable is a flexible tool for time tracking that can be customized. However, many time tracking alternatives to Airtable offer more features specifically for monitoring time, and some even have automation to simplify the process. Here are five of the best Airtable options for time tracking.
1. Tackle
Tackle revolutionizes time tracking through seamless calendar integration, eliminating the need for manual logging. Our platform automatically captures and categorizes your time, providing actionable insights through intuitive dashboards and reports.
We’ve built everything you need into one seamless package:
- An intelligent tagging system that works your way
- AI-powered automation to handle the tedious stuff
- Flexible reporting tools to track what matters
- Intelligent time capture right in your browser
Trusted by Roblox, Deel, and Lightspeed Ventures teams, Tackle helps executives, team leaders, and customer-facing professionals understand and optimize their time allocation. Simply connect your Google or Outlook calendar, set up custom tags and automations, and gain valuable insights into how your team spend their time.
Whether you’re tracking strategic initiatives, measuring team efficiency, or ensuring resource optimization, Tackle transforms time monitoring from a chore into a powerful decision-making tool.
Start using our automatic time-tracking software for free with one click today!
2. Toggl
Toggl is one of the most widely adopted time-tracking apps on this list. It has withstood the test of time and competition, and for good reason: there’s a lot to love about this time tracker. Toggl is built for group time tracking to boost team productivity. It is widely popular with agencies large and small due to its user-friendly interface and easy learning curve.
Key features:
- Transparent reports and billing.
- Easy timesheet exports and reports emails directly from the app.
- Works everywhere:
- Macs
- iPhones and iPads
- Windows
- Android
- Linux
- Unlimited number of clients and projects (on the free version) Offline time tracking, syncing when back online.
3. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a product made out of necessity. The founders were actively using many freelancers worldwide and needed a better way to manage them. They ran an SEO agency then, making the product with marketing agencies in mind. The first thing I noticed when using the app was the “screenshot proof” feature, whereby employees enter their time with accompanying screenshots as proof of work.
This is akin to the evidence feature in the tracking software used by Upwork, so our remote staff could use it without issue. The client viewing feature is particularly remarkable. Gone are the days when clients paid you, sat back, and patiently waited for results. Nowadays, clients want to know exactly where their marketing budget is going, and now they can with Hubstaff.
Key features:
- Show proof of work with screenshots
- Allows for Manual Time logging (similar to Upwork) Online / Offline Indication.
- Know when your employees are online
- Multiple Teams. Keep tabs on all your remote teams from one single account
- Time & Budget Limits. Cap the number of work hours for each employee.
- Unlimited Free Viewers.
4. Timely
Timely is more than a time tracker. Dubbing itself “The time tracking app to end time tracking,” Timely’s calendar interface lets you schedule, log, and bill time simultaneously. This means that your calendar is your time tracker. Great for freelancers and teams, Timely’s scheduling interface is intuitive and fun. To rearrange meetings and events, the time blocks are fluid drag and drop boxes (similar to Trello).
Herein lies Timely’s actual value:
As the timer ticks away in the event box, you can see the difference between the time allotted and the time spent in real time.
Key features:
- Smooth, clean interface
- Scheduling + tracking, stronger together
- Integrates with your existing calendar
- Easy exporting as Excel and PDF
- Timely is free (up to 5 projects)
5. ATracker
This free time-tracking app does more than track business and marketing objectives—it lets you track your entire life with a simple iPhone app. At the end of each day, ATracker builds a report that shows how you spent your day. ATracker is excellent for solopreneurs and freelance marketers who manage themselves or a small team and need a time tracking app to hold themselves accountable to daily tasks.
Main Features:
- Easy to set up and easy to scale
- One-touch tap to start and stop tasks
- Create eye-catching reports in the bar and share them via email and social media
- Customizable UI with many advanced options available the moment.
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Benefits of Using Time Tracking Software
Time tracking software can replace tedious paperwork with automation. Who needs a paper trail or Excel spreadsheets when employees can clock in billable hours themselves? Traditional spreadsheets no longer cut it. You need a robust time-tracking solution that’s automated, allows access to employee time data in real time, and offers integrations for your invoicing and project management tools.
The more frequently employees fill out their timesheets, the more accurate they are. “People who log their time at least once a day are 66 percent accurate, whereas people who log their time weekly are only 47 percent accurate, and people who complete their timesheet less than once a week are only 35 percent accurate,” as per a study by AffinityLive.
The Benefits of Real-Time Time Tracking for Businesses
These numbers underpin the importance of real-time tracking and how it can reduce room for error and save your company a ton of money. If you’ve hired freelancers or contractors and agreed to pay an hourly rate, they can clock in their billable time so that it directly feeds into your project manager.
If you’re charging your clients hourly, tracking time can remove the need for manual timesheets. Once you’ve completed a project, the time tracker’s invoicing and payroll integration will automatically generate the invoice.
Improved Profitability
With a time tracker, you’ll have access to more granular insight into a project’s costs, like reworks, communication, and production costs. Once you have enough time tracking data, you’ll be better positioned to develop an accurate cost structure for your future projects and price them more competitively.
Appropriate pricing and better time management can collectively improve profitability. You can leverage employee monitoring tools so that tracking and reporting become automated.
Streamline Project Management With Integrations
Employees who don’t input accurate data into timesheets cost the company a lot of money. For this reason, when you integrate your time-tracking app with your project management software like Trello or Asana, you’re doing yourself a favor. Once integrated, the time tracker automatically populates the project manager with accurate time data.
Based on the tasks you assign your employees, they may also need to clock in time when working outside the office premises. A time tracker with a mobile app for all devices, including Android and iOS, will allow your employees to continue tracking time no matter where they are.
Performance Management
Performance management is now about improvement over accountability. Your goal is not to lecture an employee about inefficiency but to have meaningful conversations to groom them for improved future performance. Of course, to help team members improve, you still need data.
You need to compare the time they took for a given task and compare it with a standardized time requirement. Equipped with this data, you can use performance management tools or techniques like variance analysis. Once you’ve gained insight into employee performance, you can offer incentives to encourage them to become more productive.
Airtable Vs Tackle
Whew, that was quite a journey! If you’re considering alternatives to Airtable, why not explore Tackle? Let’s delve into the distinctions between Airtable and Tackle, helping you make an informed choice for your specific needs!
| Feature | Airtable | Tackle |
|---|---|---|
| Time Tracking | Limited features, primarily designed for databases | Specialized in effortless time tracking with advanced features |
| Calendar Integration | Calendar integration limited | Deep integration with Google and Outlook calendars |
| AI-Powered Tracking | Does not have high AI powered tracking | Utilizes AI for lightning-fast search and spot-on recommendations |
| Customization | Customizable but more focused on database aspects | Highly customizable to fit unique business needs |
| Workflow Automation | Provides basic automation features | Advanced workflow builder for automating repetitive processes |
| Reporting & Analytics | Limited analytics, focused on database visuals | Actionable analytics with beautiful charts, graphs, and dashboards |
So, here’s the scoop – Tackle and Airtable are like the dynamic duo, each with its own superpowers. If you’re diving into the database realm, Airtable’s got your back. But if time tracking is your jam, then Tackle is the ultimate sidekick you’ve been waiting for. The choice is yours – pick the one that suits your needs like a personalized superhero cape!
✨Wrapping it up!
Voila! We’ve unveiled the wonders of Airtable, delving into its magic for time tracking through templates, showcasing its standout features, and even tossing in a comparison with Tackle. Hope you found the answers you were looking for!
🚀 Frequently asked questions
Can you track time in Airtable?
Absolutely! Airtable offers robust time tracking features to help you monitor and log your hours efficiently. Dive into our guide to discover the ins and outs of time tracking in Airtable.
How do I track my Airtable hours?
Tracking your hours in Airtable is a breeze. Our comprehensive guide provides step-by-step tutorials and expert tips on making the most of Airtable’s time tracking capabilities. Check it out for a seamless experience.
What is the best time tracking?
Determining the best time tracking method depends on your needs. Our guide not only explores Airtable’s time tracking features but also compares it with Tackle, giving you insights to choose the solution that suits you best.
How do I track task time?
Task time tracking is simplified with Airtable. Explore our guide to learn about the various views and templates, such as List View, Gallery View, and more, designed to help you efficiently monitor and manage the time spent on tasks.
