Manual timesheets are one of the most persistent sources of error, dispute, and administrative overhead in field service operations. Workers fill them in from memory at the end of a busy day. Times get rounded. Records get lost in vehicles. And when a payroll discrepancy arises weeks later, the only evidence is a self-reported log that may or may not reflect what actually happened.Start a free trial

Hellotracks replaces the manual timesheet entirely with automatic GPS-based clock-in and clock-out records. This guide covers how it works and the exact steps to configure it.

How GPS-Based Timesheets Work

In Hellotracks, the tracking toggle in the mobile app serves as the clock-in and clock-out mechanism. When a worker activates live location tracking at the start of their shift, the system records the clock-in time. When they deactivate tracking at the end of their shift, the clock-out time is recorded.

This creates a continuous, automatically generated time record that is accurate to the minute, attached to the specific worker's profile, and accessible from the web dashboard in real time. No paper. No manual entry. No end-of-day form filling.

The timesheet record is not a self-report. It is an objective record generated by the platform based on the worker's own actions in the app, consistent and tamper-resistant in a way that paper timesheets are not.

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Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Enable the clock-in/clock-out functionality

In Hellotracks Company Settings, navigate to Member Permissions. Under Permissions for Workers, ensure that Workers can deactivate tracking is enabled. This setting makes the tracking toggle function as the clock-in and clock-out control for workers.

Step 2: Configure working hours

Set up individual or team working hours in Hellotracks. This establishes the expected shift schedule and enables automatic tracking deactivation outside configured hours, which is important for both GDPR compliance and payroll accuracy.

Step 3: Communicate the process to workers

Workers need to understand that activating tracking at the start of their shift is their clock-in, and deactivating at the end is their clock-out. The process takes one tap in each direction. Communicate this clearly before deployment and confirm that all workers have activated tracking before their first shift.

Step 4: Access timesheet records in the web dashboard

In the Hellotracks web dashboard, go to Analyze, then select timesheet records. This view shows clock-in and clock-out records for all workers, filterable by date and team member. Administrators and operators can manually add, edit, or delete recorded entries if corrections are needed.

Step 5: Export the timesheet report for payroll

In the Hellotracks web dashboard, go to Analyze, then Reports. Select Create New Reports and choose Timesheet as the report type. Select the team members to include, set the date range, confirm the format (PDF or XLSX), and click Download.

The exported timesheet report contains each worker's clock-in time, clock-out time, and total hours worked per day for the selected period. This report can be provided directly to your payroll processor or imported into payroll software.

Setting Up Recurring Timesheet Reports

For operations that run payroll on a regular cycle, Hellotracks recurring reports eliminate the need to manually generate the timesheet export each period.

When creating a new report in Hellotracks Reports, click Setup Recurring Report instead of generating a one-time report. Configure the frequency (daily, weekly, or every two weeks), select the team members to include, set the report format, and select which team members should receive the report notification. See all reports and statistics available in Hellotracks.

Once configured, the timesheet report generates automatically on the configured schedule and notifies the relevant team members. The payroll team receives the timesheet data without anyone needing to log in and generate it manually.

On-Site Time vs Shift Time

Hellotracks generates two distinct time records that serve different purposes.

Shift time (clock-in to clock-out) is the total working period, recorded via the tracking toggle. This is the primary record for payroll purposes.

On-site time at each job location is recorded separately via geofencing-based automatic check-ins. This records how long each worker spent at each specific job site, which is useful for billing by time on site. For teams automating payroll workflows further, Zapier and n8n connect Hellotracks to payroll platforms without any code.
Both records are available in Hellotracks reporting. For operations that bill clients by time on site rather than by shift, the job-level on-site time data is the billing record. For operations that pay workers by shift hours, the shift-level timesheet is the payroll record.

For the complete guide to client-facing reporting using Hellotracks data, see the complete guide to client reporting for field service businesses.

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FAQs

How does Hellotracks replace manual timesheets?

In Hellotracks, the tracking toggle in the mobile app serves as the clock-in and clock-out mechanism. When workers activate tracking at the start of their shift, the system records the clock-in time. When they deactivate at the end, the clock-out is recorded. This creates automatic, objective timesheet records without any manual entry from workers.

Can I export Hellotracks timesheet data for payroll?

Yes. In Hellotracks, go to Analyze, then Reports, then Create New Reports, and select Timesheet as the report type. Choose the date range and team members, select PDF or XLSX format, and download. The report contains each worker's clock-in time, clock-out time, and total daily hours for the selected period.

Can Hellotracks generate timesheet reports automatically on a schedule?

Yes. Hellotracks supports recurring reports that generate automatically on a daily, weekly, or fortnightly schedule. Configure the recurring timesheet report once and it generates and delivers automatically each period without any manual action.

What is the difference between shift time and on-site time in Hellotracks?

Shift time is the total working period from tracking activation to deactivation - the clock-in to clock-out record used for payroll. On-site time is the duration a worker spent at a specific job location, recorded via geofencing-based automatic check-in. Both are available in Hellotracks reporting and serve different purposes - payroll and billing respectively.

Can administrators edit timesheet records in Hellotracks?

Yes. Administrators and operators can manually add, edit, or delete recorded clock-in and clock-out entries in the Hellotracks web dashboard under Analyze, then Timesheet. This allows corrections for cases where a worker forgot to activate or deactivate tracking correctly.