Best Time-Tracking Apps for Landscaping: Maximizing Efficiency

Time is everything, especially when it comes to business. As the adage goes, time is money, and your crew's time management is at the heart of any field service business.

Landscaping businesses service various clients and projects, from the standard to the tailor-made. Time-tracking on the go is important for field service teams, but the pitfalls of manual timesheets and tracking add up. Growing your field service business means analyzing what’s working and what your business can do more efficiently.

Comparative Analysis of Time-Tracking Apps for Landscaping

There are many apps out there to manage every part of your field service business, so when it comes to choosing the best time-tracking app landscaping businesses need, the ‘best’ will depend on your unique team.

Here’s a quick overview of the best time-tracking apps landscaping teams have tried and tested in the field.

It’s important to assess your current work processes and why they do or don’t work for your business. What kind of landscaping time tracking do you currently use? Are you looking to update manual paperwork with landscaping and field service software? Or are you concerned about the learning curve for your landscaping crew to adapt to a new time-tracking app? 

As we break down the best time-tracking app landscaping businesses have to choose from and discuss in-depth features, keep these questions in mind. Every business is unique, but all share common needs and problems. These landscaping time-tracking apps are designed to assist any and every field service team but differ in what they offer and what they do best. 

Not fully convinced you need time-tracking apps for landscaping? Later in the article, we’ll cover some of the common issues field service businesses face when it comes to manual time-tracking.

1. ClockShark: Employee Time-sheets and Landscaping Time-tracking

Starting strong with ClockShark (yes, that’s us,) and we’re confident for a reason.  ClockShark offers a range of features that consider all aspects of time-tracking and what makes it so important. 

Time-tracking isn’t just about schedules; it includes travel, breaks, project updates, clocking in and out times, and keeping the process transparent and accurate. From lawn care to landscaping, ClockShark is built for field service businesses to get the most out of your time.

File Attachments

Easily track work progress with photos and files directly attached to time records! Take the guesswork out of your documents and timing with a saved history of files so you can review any time and see critical job documents whenever necessary. Any changed work orders, signatures, or anything else will be timestamped and saved for reference. 

Instead of long text notes, your employees can save time while keeping issues clear with timestamped photo notes.

Build custom sick and vacation policies

As any field service business will know, crew management isn’t just about who is available but who isn’t. For the best time-tracking app landscaping teams will want to use, integrated sick and vacation policies make time-off requests easy for you and your crew.

ClockShark makes it simple to customize policies for your team, in as quick as 90 seconds, you can create time-off policies with limits and carry-over rules. Take out the spreadsheets and give you and your workers an easy way to schedule!

Get clock-out questions

Clock-out questions are another nifty feature in the ClockShark app. Get updates on rest breaks, per diem, injuries and reimbursement expenses without the hassle of chasing up each crew report at the end of the day. 

With ClockShark’s customized questionnaire, your business can set up the questions and get the answers you need from your team before they clock out. Get project updates and alerts for unexpected responses directly in your inbox.

Store a record of documents, conversations, and status updates

When it comes to the best time-tracking app landscaping crews use, it needs robust features that cover all aspects of effective time management. Communication is key to running any business. 

In field service businesses, the status of jobs on the go is key to smooth operation and team management. If an issue or something is holding up the crew, it’s better to know sooner to resolve any issues and get jobs done. Effective status reports and documents must be transparent and timely: no use in receiving a great report submitted too late. 

With ClockShark’s Conversations feature, put all your photographs, files, and updated documents in one place for each job so your crew can update from anywhere. Post status updates, tag employees, and keep your project history in one easy spot. All crew members can see, update and track how projects are running in real-time. 

Organize contacts and conversations about your customers

Conversations aren’t limited to a specific job; ClockShark’s time-tracking software also includes customer conversations and updates. Have multi-stage projects with a particular customer? With conversations, you can start and save conversations for every customer and contact the team members involved.

Customer conversations, updates and progress are saved as records for the project's life, so you and your team can check back anytime! Save the back-and-forth phone calls, missed details and tangle of contacts for one streamlined app.

Manage job-related time and expenses

With ClockShark’s job management features, see a complete history of all your projects/jobs from one dashboard, active and inactive. See related customer details, hours budgeted, number of hours worked and the stage the project is in. Update project stages from the app so everyone is on the same page with the progression of the job and the team knows exactly where they’re up to!

ClockShark also wards off buddy punching with unique crew PINs and facial recognition for kiosk clock-ins.

2. BusyBusy - Best for Real-Time Tracking and Reporting

BusyBusy shines regarding project management and keeping the team on track. The app allows users to create and manage projects within the app, contact team members, assign tasks, set deadlines and track progress in real time. Crew members can upload progress photos, and a daily report summarizes information and crew updates.

Part of how BusyBusy works is GPS utilization. It tracks the GPS location of the device, by extension, the worker, to relay data back to your business about where they are and the time spent during the project. Location-based reminders send notifications of when workers arrive and leave work sites, providing your business with accurate data.

3. Clockify - Ideal for Flexible Time Management

Clockify provides quick, flexible timetables for your team to use from any device. They offer a project timer so you and the crew can track the time spent on projects down to the minute. Their timesheets allow users to categorize timeslots by project, status and invoice. Sign in on shared devices using their ‘kiosk’ feature to update and review schedules, clock-in and clock-out.

The biggest draw of Clockify is that it is free to use. This makes it a very popular option for businesses wanting to try time-tracking apps without the monetary investment.  It has less robust features than other apps but is a solid choice as one of the best time-tracking apps landscaping businesses can try.

4. QuickBooks Time - Optimal for Integrated Financial Management

As a business owner, you’d have heard of QuickBooks. While their main claim to fame is an extensive suite of accounting tools and services for any business, QuickBooks offers the best time-tracking app landscaping businesses can integrate with their current accounting. 

This option is best for businesses and crew/office members familiar with QuickBooks as an accounting service, as it is designed to work seamlessly with those tools. QuickBooks Time works to make payroll simpler with flexible scheduling, breaks and overtime that integrate with QuickBooks invoicing and finance.

5. Hubstaff - Great for GPS Location Tracking

Hubstaff Field offers a variety of benefits that make it a pick for one of the best time-tracking apps for landscaping businesses. Hubstaff’s standout feature is its GPS tools to keep track of your crew and fleet. 

Set up job sites from the app with geofencing, where you can select the locations of jobs and their radius. Crew GPS tracking means you know when team members are on the way to jobs, when they get there and how long each project takes. This means clocking in and out is automatic and based on the when and where of the job, taking the stress out of scheduling and management. Get alerts for when and where the crew is and detailed reports for each job.

GPS features are restricted to the mobile app as it uses the GPS function of the mobile device to operate.

6. TimeCamp - Perfect for Project Time Management

TimeCamp is one of our picks for the best time-tracking app landscaping field service businesses can get for project management. They utilize automatic time-tracking by scanning your apps and categorizing them, using keyword management and easy timesheet copies. TimeCamp makes it easy to see exactly what time is being spent on the job!

This ties into the productivity tracking offered by the app. This is the best time-tracking app landscaping teams can use to increase productive time spent on the clock and assess where their time is going during projects. Attendance reports and time-tracking without the micromanagement!

7. Manage360 - Tailored for Landscape Business Management

Offered by DynaScape, Manage360 is the best time-tracking app landscaping businesses can find for a tailored experience. With a focus on lawn care/landscaping, Manage360 is all about scheduling, managing and delivering on your contracts.

Manage360 provides a sales pipeline dashboard where your business can track the progress of your jobs, set deadlines, and see what’s working and where sales are falling. Track your crew, equipment, and even the status of plants to see every step of the way as it happens.

Want more lawn care-focused apps? Check out our list!

Addressing Common Time-Tracking Issues

These aren’t just issues with manual time-tracking but issues that can crop up in any time-tracking/timesheet process. 

Time-tracking software for landscaping can streamline many essential work processes, but these apps aren’t without their problems. The key point to take from this is while both manual and digital time-tracking have their issues, the benefits of digital software often outweigh the downsides.  

Inaccurate Time Logs and Human Error

One of the biggest drawbacks to manual time-tracking is the potential for human error. Clocking in and out is one thing and can be tracked with manual time clocks or manual time records. Field service teams are on the go, so a physical clock-in location isn’t always an option. Time cards can be filled in, but the times could be inaccurate or incorrectly recorded. 

Or, the timesheets can be perfect, but mistakes happen when translating them to invoices and payslips. Manual processes mean more chances for error, and these small mistakes add up. Mistaken pay and time can cause distrust between you, your crew and your clients. 

Difficulties in Remote Time-Tracking

Manual time-tracking, at its best, still has the drawback of distance when it comes to field service businesses. Your crew will be on the road and on jobs, and if they’re going directly to onsite work, it can be difficult to manage time-tracking effectively. 

Issues, reports and status updates are restricted to phone calls, emails or physical visits on-site. Your crew might handle the paperwork perfectly, but it can be challenging to respond to issues and project delays with manual time-tracking. It can also make project tracking difficult, and wires can get crossed in communication between team members. 

The best time-tracking app landscaping businesses will provide on-the-go project flow and communication between the field crew and office staff.

Resolving Data Sync and Integration Setbacks

Even the best time-tracking app landscaping businesses decide on must be integrated into your current work processes and software. This includes plenty of paperwork, project details and crew information. If the software doesn’t integrate with software/apps your field service business already uses, this can slow down your time-tracking.

The initial setup can be a lot of work, and getting devices to sync and be up-to-date is key for effectively using time-tracking apps for your landscaping business. 

Managing Battery Drain in Mobile Devices

Of course, the best time-tracking app landscaping teams can use won’t be any use without a device from which to access it. Robust apps can contribute to quicker battery drain in mobile devices and the last thing you need is a crew member in the field without contact.

A method to mitigate this is to provide employee power banks and car charging attachments in work vehicles to avoid running out of power. Providing work phones gives the crew incentives to keep them charged and ready to go like any other equipment they use for a job. 

Navigating User Adoption and Training Hurdles 

Even the best time-tracking app landscaping businesses will have a learning curve. Only some people on your crew will have the same confidence in technology, especially with the rate of digital technologies/software change and transform. You’ll have crew members who are like a fish to water with new software and others who prefer a clamshell cell.

Software doesn’t just end at download. Each business has its customer help and support contacts, training materials and assistance. These businesses know how important it is that your work continues to operate efficiently!

Making an Informed Decision for Your Landscaping Business

Finding and choosing the best time-tracking app for your landscaping business can be challenging. Adapting to new tech isn’t accessible for everyone, but digital software like ClockShark can do the heavy lifting of paperwork, manual entries and chasing up phone calls. 

Ultimately, it’s up to you and what is best for your business. We hope we’ve given you the information you need to make the right decision!

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Liz Allen

Liz is a writer and content whiz with a love of everything language. She graduated from Swinburne University with a Bachelor of Arts, studying professional writing and editing. In her spare time Liz enjoys trying new coffee at local cafes, attending art classes and reading. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia.