Barcode timer software, part 2. Go deeper with your bar code scanner. Start and stop the timer for projects, tasks, categories, and employees.
Manufacturer's can learn:
- How long each product takes to assemble, package, and ship
- How long each employee spends on each product
- How many employees touch each product
- Average time from start to finish
Click for all the ways to print barcode labels
Click here for Part 1 of this barcode scanning tutorial. This video (Part 2) shows three methods of using a scanner to record employee time. Your time will be recorded against a project and an employee. That lets you run reports for all the work performed. You'll see how much time each employee worked... how much time for each project... and how much time for each kind of work you did. All those totals and detail are available in the 'Time Log' reports in the program.
Although the video doesn't show this, just open the 'Time Log' section under reports and choose any item Time log reports will display records produced by the barcode scanner.
The time logs created with the barcode scanner are also available for use in client invoices. Each one has a billing rate related to the employee who scanned, and each one has a duration in hours. The billing rate times hours is automatically calculated every time you stop the timer. Those records are immediately available for invoicing. You can see the billing values in the the Time Log view by choosing View, Columns. Look for the 'Client rate', and 'Cost client' fields.
The three methods listed below begin with the simplest method and then go to the most advanced ways to use a barcode scanner. Choose the one that best meets your needs.
Method 1: One Project, Multiple Categories
This is the simplest method, but may not meet your needs because it uses only one project for all employee hours. I.e. a catch-all project for all the work you will ever do. But it's definitely a simple way to get started. Just create one project that employees will scan hours for. See Tools, Projects to do that. Employees will also choose from a list of categories when starting the timer. Choose Tools, Categories to create those. Employees first scan their name, then scan a category to represent the work they do, and finally scan the project name. The timer will start and you will see a new time log in the 'Time Log' and Timesheet views. As stated earlier, run any Time Log report to also view time records produced by the scanner.
Method 2: Multiple Projects, Multiple Categories
This method is most commonly used for small operations with relatively small projects. Here you would create a new project for every job you perform. Again, this is done in Tools, Projects. You would still use categories as in Method 1, but will track hours to each project you work on instead on one catch-all. Each time log will still be associated with the employee who scanned, and the category, but will have the added advantage of tracking time to specific projects instead of a catch-all project. The only difference between this and Method 1 is that you would create multiple projects.
Method 3: Multiple Projects, Tasks
This method is the most advanced and the most flexible. Here, you set up project tasks that are assigned to a single project and category. See the Project Tasks tab for this. Employees would scan the project task name (instead of a category and project) to start the timer. All task names must be unique so the scanner can find the one you are referring to.
Also see: Video: Barcode Scanner with Employee Timesheet, Video: Manufacturing barcode scanning, Start and timer with an RFID tag reader, Start a timer with a mag card reader, Video: Client Billing and Billing Rates
The BIG Barcoding Page
More videos to explore
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Whiteboard (60 sec)
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