What is time tracking?
Time tracking means systematically recording hours worked per employee, project, or department. The aim is to gain insight into time allocation, productivity, and costs.
Whether it concerns time tracking for invoicing, recording working hours for payroll administration, or complying with the Working Hours Act, a good system makes the process clear and error-free.
More and more companies are moving away from Excel sheets. With modern time tracking software or a time tracking app, everything is automated, offering real-time insight and reducing the risk of errors.
Why time tracking is important
An automated time tracking system offers much more than simply recording working hours. Good time tracking delivers far more than you might think:
- Efficiency: no more manual entry or separate spreadsheets.
- Insight: dashboards show hours worked per employee, team, or project.
- Control: overtime and discrepancies are immediately visible.
- Accurate invoicing: recorded hours are accurate to the minute.
- Compliance: meet legal obligations (Working Hours Act, GDPR).
In addition, accurate working time tracking supports WBSO applications. Innovative companies can easily demonstrate how much time is spent on R&D projects, which is crucial for the subsidy application.
Who is time tracking important for?
Recording working time is useful for almost every type of organisation, but the application varies:
- Sole traders: track time per client or project for accurate invoicing.
- SMEs: gain insight into staffing levels, wage costs, and productivity.
- Field service teams: technicians or drivers clock in via the mobile app.
- HR departments: link hours directly to leave and payroll administration.
- Manufacturing companies: track time worked per order or production line.
Whether you work with a small team or dozens of employees, a smart time tracking system grows with your business.
Tracking time with software and app
With time tracking software, you automate the entire process from clocking in to reporting. vPlan offers a user-friendly solution with:
- Mobile time tracking app: employees can easily clock in and out.
- Web application: overview of projects, teams, and hours worked in one dashboard.
- Integrations: seamless connections with AFAS, Exact, Nmbrs, and Microsoft Teams.
- Real-time insight: instantly see who is working on what.
- Cost centres & reports: analyse time per client, department, or activity.
Comparable systems and hardware
Recording working time can be done in various ways:
- Software and apps: ideal for hybrid and mobile working.
- Clock-in terminals: physical devices for employees to clock in using a card or fingerprint.
- Integrations with ERP/HRM: combine time tracking with planning and payroll administration.
An integrated solution, such as vPlan’s, prevents double entry and centralises all data in one place.
Time tracking and legislation
In addition to practical advantages, legislation also plays a role in recording working hours. In many cases, employers must be able to demonstrate how working hours are organised and how they handle personal data that is recorded in the process.
Time tracking often involves processing information such as names, working hours, or project details. As this can be personal data, it is important to ensure careful and secure processing.
When choosing a time tracking tool, it helps to consider general principles such as:
- Secure data storage
- Clear access rights for different types of users
- Transparency about how data is processed and stored
These points align with general best practices for data security and can help organisations manage information responsibly. This ensures your time tracking is not only efficient, but also carefully structured.
Common mistakes in time tracking
In many organisations, time tracking is still done manually. This brings a number of typical issues:
- Errors due to manual entry: such as forgotten hours, duplicate entries, or incorrect figures.
- No distinction between types of hours: for example, between productive and indirect time.
- No link with planning: resulting in data being maintained in multiple places.
- Limited insight into capacity: reports are missing or time-consuming to compile.
With a digital system, you can simplify this process. Automation reduces the risk of errors, provides faster insight, and ensures better alignment between administration and planning.
Why choose vPlan?
vPlan stands out through:
- ✅ Ease of use: intuitive interface and Dutch-language support.
- 🔄 Integration: seamless connection with payroll administration and accounting.
- 📱 Mobile & flexible: record working time wherever and whenever you want.
- 📊 Real-time reporting: immediate insight into hours worked and capacity.
- 💡 Automation: less administration, more focus on your work.
Whether it’s for invoicing, internal analysis, or WBSO accountability, with vPlan time tracking becomes simple and smart.
vPlan makes it easy to combine planning and time tracking. You can see exactly what is scheduled, what has been completed, and how many hours have been logged. This provides peace of mind, clarity, and reliable data.
Want to experience how easy it is? Try vPlan with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is time tracking?
Time tracking is the recording of hours worked, breaks, and travel time per employee, project, or task. Companies use it to gain insight into capacity, costs, and productivity. Modern time tracking is often done digitally via software or an app.
Is time tracking mandatory in the Netherlands and Belgium?
There is no general obligation to record every hour worked, but employers must be able to demonstrate how they manage working hours and rest periods. A time tracking system helps maintain this insight and demonstrate during inspections how working time is organised.
What are the benefits of digital time tracking?
Digital time tracking prevents errors, saves time, and provides clear insight into hours worked. You can report faster, invoice more accurately, and plan more effectively. You also have up-to-date information at all times, which can be easily shared with HR, finance, or project teams.
How does time tracking with a mobile app work?
Employees record their hours directly via their smartphone. They can add working time, breaks, or travel time and link it to a task or project. The data is automatically sent to the central system, keeping administration and planning constantly up to date.
Which companies benefit from time tracking software?
Time tracking is useful for virtually every organisation: from sole traders and SMEs to those in manufacturing, logistics, construction, IT, and services. Teams that work on a project basis or across multiple locations especially benefit from centralised and digital time tracking.
What should I consider when choosing time tracking software?
Pay attention to ease of use, mobile accessibility, integrations with other systems, clear reporting, and secure handling of personal data. It is also important that the system can grow along with your organisation.
How does time tracking help with WBSO projects?
For WBSO projects, you must be able to demonstrate how many hours employees have spent on innovation or development work. With digital time tracking, you can record those hours accurately and clearly, making WBSO applications and reporting much easier.
How do I link time tracking to my payroll administration or accounting?
Many systems support integrations with software such as AFAS, Exact, Nmbrs, or SnelStart. This allows hours worked to be automatically forwarded to your payroll administration, HR system, or accounting package, without the need for double entry.
How secure is time tracking software?
Security varies by provider. Look for features such as secure storage, access rights, and transparency about data processing. This ensures that personal data is handled with care and that your organisation complies with relevant privacy guidelines.
Work at vPlan
We are looking for new colleagues.
