How to Add Timecards to Procore

Introduction

Accurate timekeeping is a critical aspect of any construction project. Not only does it help you track employee productivity and project billing, but it also plays a significant role in payroll management and project budgeting. Procore offers a Company Level Timecard tool that makes it easy to record the hours your staff spends on various project tasks. In this guide, you will learn how to add timecards to Procore, understand the steps for entry creation, and explore some advanced features and workarounds.

The Procore timecard system allows you to:

• Enter weekly timecard data for employees who are included in the Company Directory.
• Assign timecard entries to specific projects and cost codes.
• Copy hours from a previous week for quick entry.
• Export timecard data in CSV or PDF formats for reporting purposes.
• View and filter timecard reports by date, employee, project, and billable versus non-billable hours.

By following this guide, you can ensure that your timekeeping processes are efficient, reliable, and fully integrated with other Procore tools such as Timesheets, Site Diary, and even payroll systems like Sage if you are using custom integrations.

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What Are Procore Timecards?

Procore timecards are digital records that capture the details of the time an employee or worker spends on a job. Each timecard entry contains several key pieces of data:

• Employee Name: The worker’s name from the Company Level Directory.
• Date/Day: The specific day when the work took place.
• Project: The project on which the work was performed.
• Cost Code: The cost code that matches the work type, corresponding to your project’s Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Hours: The number of hours worked.
• Time Type: The type of time recorded (e.g., regular time, overtime, holiday, vacation).
• Billable Flag: Indicator showing if the hours are billable to the project.
• Comments: Additional notes that describe the work performed or any other relevant details.

Understanding the different components of a timecard is essential for making accurate entries and ensuring that time tracking is aligned with your project’s cost management and payroll processes.

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Required User Permissions

Before you start adding timecards, it is important to confirm that you have the appropriate permissions within your Procore account. Depending on your role, different permissions are required:

• Company Level Entry:

  • To add timecard entries for all employees, you need to have ‘Admin’ level permissions on the Company Level Timecard tool.

• Self-Entry:

  • If you’re entering your own time, ‘Standard’ level permissions or higher are sufficient.

Additionally, you may need to check that your employees are properly linked in the Company Directory and, if applicable, marked as “employees” across all projects. This is particularly important if your organization has enabled the Procore Timesheets tool, as data will flow between systems.

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Steps to Add Timecards to Procore

Below is a step-by-step guide for adding a timecard using Procore’s Company Level Timecard tool:

1. Navigate to the Timecard Tool

Start by logging into your Procore account and navigating to your Company Level Timecard tool. You can typically find this tool along with other administrative tasks in the Company Tools section.

2. Choose an Employee

• Click on the gray employee name bar.
• From the drop-down list (“Enter Time For”), select the employee for whom you are adding the timecard entry.
• Make sure the person is already added or imported into Procore’s Company Directory.

3. Select the Pay Period

• Use the “For the Pay Period” drop-down list to choose the ending date for the timecard entry.
• This period is usually set to end on a specific day (for example Sunday), which can be configured according to your company’s needs.

4. Enter Date and Work Details

For each timecard entry, you must provide the following information:

• Day: Select the specific date on which the work was completed. The current date is usually pre-selected, but adjustments can be made if you’re entering past or future entries.
• Project: Choose the project on which the work was performed.
• Cost Code: Pick the cost code that describes the scope of work. Ensure the cost code is properly configured in your company’s Work Breakdown Structure.
• Hours: Input the number of hours that the employee worked for that particular day or week.
• Time Type: From the drop-down menu, select the type of time recorded. Procore usually supports common time types like Regular Time, Overtime, Holiday, and PTO.
• Billable?: Indicate whether the work hours are billable by selecting Yes or No.
• Comments: You can also enter any supplemental information on the work completed in the comments field.

5. Quickly Copy Hours from a Previous Week

If your timecards contain repetitive entries, Procore allows you to copy hours from a previous week:

• Look for an option titled “Copy hours from last week.”
• Click this option to automatically pre-populate the entries, then adjust any specifics as needed.

6. Save Your Timecard Entry

• After meticulously entering all information, click the “Save” button.
• Procore will automatically add the entry to the “Timecard for [Employee Name] for the Pay Period of [date]” section.

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Detailed Guide to Creating a Timecard Entry

Let’s break down the process in more detail to provide maximum clarity.

A. Initialization and Employee Selection

First, navigate to the Company Level Timecard tool. Make sure you have your employee's information correct and that their profile is visible in the Directory. When you click the gray bar that lists employee names, you will see a drop-down list that allows you to select the specific individual for whom you wish to record time. This step is crucial for ensuring that the time is recorded accurately in the employee’s personal log.

B. Setting Up the Pay Period

The pay period defines the timeframe for which you are recording time. Typically, it might be a weekly period where entries need to be submitted by the end of that week. When selecting the pay period:

• Confirm if your organization has a set “Default” day on which periods conclude (this might be configurable in the Advanced Settings of the Timecard tool).
• Once selected, this will serve as the anchor period for all subsequent entries made during that cycle.

C. Data Entry for Each Day

For each working day within the chosen period, you need to provide detailed information:

• Date Selection: Although the current date is automatically selected, you have the option to change it to reflect the actual day when the work was performed. This is particularly useful for retroactive entries.
• Linking to Projects: Employees often work across multiple projects. You must ensure that the time entry is associated with the correct project; this reaffirms that billing and internal tracking are accurately maintained.
• Choosing a Cost Code: Cost codes are predefined codes that represent types of work, such as “Site Preparation,” “Concrete Pouring,” or “Electrical Installation.” Each project will have a set of cost codes tied to its budget and scope of work. Selecting the proper code is imperative for accurate labor costing.
• Recording Hours: Enter the exact number of hours the employee worked on that day. Procore allows time entries in various formats as configured in the advanced settings.
• Defining Time Type: Time types help in categorizing work hours. For example, if the employee worked overtime, select ‘Overtime’ as the time type. If it was regular work, select ‘Regular Time.’ Custom time types can be added through the Procore Admin settings.
• Billable Hours: Toggle the billable option to Yes if the work should be charged to the client or project budget, or No if it’s part of overhead or administrative tasks.
• Adding Comments: This optional field is ideal for brief work descriptions or notes about any peculiarities regarding the day’s work.

D. Copying Hours from the Previous Week

In many cases, especially with recurring tasks or regular scheduling, your team may have similar hours from the previous week. Procore simplifies your job by allowing you to copy the previous week’s entries:

• Click on the “Copy hours from last week” link.
• Review the copied data and modify it if certain details differ for the current week's context.
• This functionality reduces manual entry errors and saves time.

E. Saving and Syncing Data

After verifying all details:

• Click “Save.”
• Procore will save the timecard entry instantly.
• If you are working offline on a mobile device, Procore’s synchronization feature will upload the data once your connection is restored.

Using the Procore Timecard Tool Alongside Timesheets

If your company has enabled Procore’s Timesheets tool, adding timecards isn’t the only option for recording work hours. Timecard entries that are input at the Company Level can also be managed and approved as part of the Project and Company Level Timesheets process. This provides a holistic approach to managing time and allows for:

• Multi-tier approval processes where supervisors and payroll staff can review and sign off on entries.
• Integration of time data into broader cost tracking modules like the Project Financials tools and Labour Productivity Cost Budget views.

For instance, when a field employee fills out a timesheet on a mobile device using the “My Time” feature (detailed later in this post), that data automatically populates multiple areas across the Procore system—from the Site Diary’s Timecards section to the Company Level Timesheet reports. This seamless flow helps in:

• Reducing duplicate data entry.
• Avoiding discrepancies between project-based and company-level reports.
• Enabling real-time updates on budgeted versus actual labor hours.

Supervisors who have ‘Standard’ level permissions (or higher) on the Procore Timesheets tool can also:

• Edit unapproved timecard entries.
• Delete entries if necessary.
• Streamline the overall payroll process by ensuring that the data reflects reality before the final approval process.

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Advanced Settings and Customizations for Timecards

Procore offers customization options that allow your company to tailor the timecard tool to meet your internal processes. Some of the customizable settings include:

Configuring Default Time Periods and Report Formats

• Timecards For “Default” Group End On:
  In the Company Level Timecard tool settings, you can choose which day of the week timecard entries should end on (for example, every Sunday). This setting ensures that all weekly entries are grouped in a way that aligns with your payroll schedule.
• Timecard Report Format:
  Procore allows you to choose whether you want your timecard report in a standard format or a format compatible with external systems such as Timberline (Sage). This is particularly helpful when you have to integrate timecard data with payroll systems.

Customizing Time Types

• Adding Custom Time Types:
  Procore’s default time types include Regular Time, Double Time, Holiday, Exempt, Overtime, PTO, Salary, and Vacation. However, you may need additional categories specific to your business needs. Through the Timecard Admin settings, you can add a custom time type by entering the name and abbreviation. Once added, these will appear in the Time Type drop-down menu during timecard entry.
• Restricting Certain Pay Types:
  If you want to hide some pay types from the selection list, you have the option to deselect the appropriate checkboxes in the tool’s settings.

Setting User Permissions

• Managing Access Control:
  As with any Procore tool, user permissions are crucial. At the Company Level, the Timecard tool’s permissions can be managed through the “Configure Settings” menu. Here, you can grant or restrict access to operations such as:
  • Adding or editing a time entry
  • Deleting time entries
  • Viewing timecard reports
  • Approving or signing timesheets

Customizing these permissions ensures that only authorized personnel can update or modify timecard entries, thereby maintaining data integrity across the project.

Integration with External Payroll Systems

Many companies using Procore have to integrate timecard data with payroll systems such as Sage 300 or Sage 100C. While Procore handles the core functionality of tracking hours and generating reports, additional custom solutions may be required to push data seamlessly into payroll systems. Some organizations have:

• Developed custom functions that pull data from Procore’s exported CSV files.
• Set up scripts that automatically push timecard data to Sage using API integrations.
• Employed middleware that bridges Procore’s time entries with payroll processing software.

This integration process not only reduces manual data entry but also minimizes errors, saving both time and labor costs.

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Tips for Efficient Timecard Management

To get the most out of Procore’s timecard tool, consider the following best practices:

Maintain Consistent Data Entry Procedures

• Train all employees and supervisors on how to correctly enter timecard data.
• Provide clear instructions on selecting the correct project, cost code, and time type.
• Encourage the use of comments for additional context so that any adjustments can be easily recognized and approved.

Utilize the Copy Functionality

• The “Copy hours from last week” feature is extremely helpful, especially for employees working on repetitive tasks.
• Review the copied data carefully to ensure that any changes in work scope or project codes are made before saving the new entry.

Leverage Reporting and Filtering Options

• Procore’s timecard reports allow you to filter data by date, employee, project, and whether the hours are billable or non-billable.
• Regularly review these reports to identify inconsistencies or trends, which can help with budgeting and cost management.
• Export data to CSV or PDF for additional analysis or for sharing with your payroll department.

Ensure Compliance with Company Settings

• Regularly verify that your company’s Advanced Settings in the Timecard tool reflect your current payroll and project reporting needs.
• Adjust settings such as the default end-of-week day or time entry formats as your internal processes evolve.

Use Mobile Features for On-Site Entries

• If your team is frequently in the field, encourage the use of Procore’s mobile app for creating time entries directly from the jobsite.
• The “Clock Your Time” feature in the mobile app facilitates quick, on-the-go recording of work hours, and even supports geofenced clock-in/clock-out options.
• Familiarize your team with mobile notifications and reminders so that they do not miss out on completing their daily timecards.

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How Procore Timecards Work with Other Procore Tools

A key advantage of using Procore for time tracking is its seamless integration with other project management tools. Here’s an overview of how timecards interact with the broader Procore ecosystem:

Integration with Procore Timesheets

• The Company Level Timecard tool provides the foundational data for creating daily timesheets.
• Once hours are entered as timecard entries, they can be further managed using the Project or Company Level Timesheets tool.
• Supervisors can review, approve, and even edit unapproved time entries before they’re finalized. This multi-level approval process ensures data accuracy and reduces the time spent on manual corrections.

Interaction with the Site Diary Tool

• Timecard entries can be synchronized with the Site Diary’s Timecards section. This means that visual site entries and time data are consolidated in one location, giving project managers a complete view of daily operations.
• The Site Diary tool may also include additional options for splitting time entries or reallocating time based on location, cost codes, or work types.

Impact on Project Financials

• When time is accurately recorded, it can directly feed into Procore’s Project Financials modules. This integration is crucial for managing budgets and comparing budgeted labor costs to actual labor expenditure.
• Tools such as the Procore Labour Productivity Cost Budget view rely on real-time timecard data to show your revised budget, projected labour costs, and any over/under estimates. This ensures that financial reporting is as close to real time as possible.

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Custom Approaches to Special Timecard Scenarios

Many companies have specific needs that require working around the limitations of Procore’s timecard system. For example, some users have shared workarounds to track non-job related hours such as administrative time, vacation time, or miscellaneous overhead costs. Here are a few custom strategies:

Creating a “Self-Performed Work” Job

• One common solution is to create a dedicated job in Procore titled “Self-Performed Work.”
• Employees can then log their hours against this generic job for non-project tasks like admin work, training, or even personal time off.
• The key benefit is that the time still gets recorded and can be reported in Procore, but you avoid the confusion of having multiple time entries scattered across projects.

Configuring Miscellaneous Codes for the Field

• Field workers often need to record holiday, training, or vacation hours separately from project work.
• By adding miscellaneous codes to every job once it’s imported into your ERP system, you can easily distinguish between project-related hours and overhead.
• This separation helps the payroll team process the data efficiently, even if a manual correction is required on the ERP side.

Mass Timecard Creation for Efficiency

• In some cases, supervisors face the challenge of manually approving hundreds of timecards.
• A custom functionality may be developed that can create and update timecards en masse. For example, a custom action could allow a payroll person to select multiple employees and generate their timecards for a specific week in one go.
• This customization represents a significant time saver during periods where multiple timecards need to be generated—common at the beginning or end of a payroll cycle.

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Mobile Time Tracking and Geofence Integration

One of Procore’s strengths is the ability to track time directly from the mobile app. The “Clock Your Time” feature allows workers to clock in and out on-site using their iOS devices. Here’s how the mobile process works:

Clocking In and Out via Mobile

• Open the Procore mobile app and navigate to the “My Time” module.
• Tap the “Clock In” button to start your shift. You will be prompted to enter details such as the project, sub job, cost code, location, time type, and any brief description.
• When finished, simply tap “Clock Out” to end your shift.
• If you need to switch tasks during your shift, the app makes it easy to pause one entry and start a new one without losing the previous data.

Geofence and Push Notifications

• Procore also supports geofenced clock-in and clock-out options. When a mobile device enters or leaves a designated jobsite area, push notifications remind the employee to update their time.
• To utilize this feature, ensure that the location services are enabled on your mobile device and that Procore has the appropriate permission to access your device’s location.
• These features are especially useful for field teams that may frequently move between multiple projects over the course of a day.

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Overcoming Common Challenges

While Procore’s timecard functions are robust, many users have encountered specific challenges:

Manual Adjustments to Payroll Integrations

• Some organizations, especially those using payroll systems like Sage 300 or Sage 100C, have noted that Procore timecard data sometimes requires manual adjustment or custom scripting for seamless integration.
• For example, companies have reported the need to develop scripts that read Procore export files and push data into their payroll systems. While this requires some technical work, it can result in significant long-term time savings.

Handling Non-Project Time

• The primary challenge for many is entering time for employees who are not assigned to a specific project, such as administrative or overhead time.
• Workarounds include creating a generic project or “self-performed work” setup, which then allows employees to enter their time without tying it to a live job.
• This solution minimizes the administrative burden on supervisors and payroll personnel and keeps all time data consolidated in Procore for further reporting.

Approvals and Data Editing

• Time entries that have been approved (or “signed” in the Timesheets tool) cannot be edited, which means inaccuracies must be addressed before final approval.
• Educating employees on best practices for entering accurate time and reviewing entries promptly before approval is key to reducing errors and avoiding time-consuming corrections.

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Best Practices for Managing Procore Timecards

To maximize the efficiency and accuracy of adding timecards in Procore, keep these best practices in mind:

• Consistently train your staff on how to use the Company Level Timecard tool and the mobile “My Time” feature.
• Maintain up-to-date user profiles and ensure that employee and project data across the Company Directory and Project Directory are in sync.
• Utilize the copy function where appropriate to minimize repetitive manual data entry.
• Regularly audit timecard entries and run reports to detect and correct discrepancies early.
• When possible, integrate timecard data with your payroll and budgeting systems to automate data flow and eliminate double entries. • Customize your time types and cost codes to match your internal processes so that your data remains consistent and actionable.

Conclusion

Procore’s timecard tool is a powerful resource that simplifies the process of tracking, recording, and reporting employee work hours across multiple projects. By understanding the functionality—from selecting employees to entering detailed work data and exploiting advanced settings—you can ensure your organization’s time tracking is both accurate and efficient.

To recap, here are the key steps to add timecards to Procore:

1. Navigate to the Company Level Timecard tool.
2. Select the appropriate employee and set the proper pay period.
3. Enter daily data including the project name, cost code, hours worked, time type, and billable status.
4. Use the copy function for recurring entries.
5. Save your entries and leverage reporting tools to monitor and export your data.
6. Optionally, integrate the entries with Procore Timesheets for a more comprehensive management view.

By following these steps and incorporating the tips provided, you can transform your time management process from a cumbersome administrative task into a streamlined and integrated workflow that supports accurate payroll processing, detailed project financial reporting, and overall improved productivity on your construction sites.

Whether you’re working on-site or in the office, Procore’s timecard and timesheet features provide the flexibility and powerful integration needed to keep your projects on track. The ability to customize settings, integrate with external systems, and use mobile technology further enhances the tool’s utility in a fast-paced construction environment.

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By mastering the process of adding timecards to Procore and adopting best practices for data entry and management, your organization can enjoy a more efficient workflow, fewer manual errors, and enhanced financial oversight—all essential elements for success in construction project management.

We hope this guide has provided a clear, step-by-step approach to help you confidently add timecards to Procore and make the most of its robust functionality. Happy time tracking!