Government contracts can be an essential source of work and funding for many organizations. Many of these organizations may be wasting time and resources on manual timekeeping processes, which can cost them future contract wins. Automated federal contractor timekeeping can cut down on the time and cost associated with manual processing and it makes your organization more prepared to accept bigger contracts because an automated solution is also compliant with DCAA (Defense Contract Audit Agency) and DOL (Department of Labor) rules.
When on the lookout for an automated federal contractor timesheet solution, look for these requirements:
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR Timekeeping Must-Have Features
In a perfect world, your federal contracting employees and subcontractors should always follow policy. For the federal contracting organization that wants to more efficiently manage leave, here are a few steps to save time enforcing policies:
1. Compliance.
DCAA and DOL compliance are essential for federal contractors because government contracts are subject being audited. Meeting all requirements by both the DCAA and DOL mean that you’re prepared in case of an audit and that you’re prepared to manage the large-scale requirements of a government contract. Being compliant also boosts your reputation and encourages more government sponsors to work with you.
2. Ease of use.
An automated federal contractor timesheet solution should be easy to use and intuitive enough to require little to no training for employees, subcontractors, admins, and high level manager. Whether manually typing in hours worked or capturing it with time in/time out buttons, the system should be easy on the eyes and simple to log in and log out.
3. Flexibility.
The way your staff and approvers access the solution can make or break the system. If employees can only log in through a desktop version, that limits their ability to get their work done on time. Instead, federal contractor timekeeping should be accessible in many ways, whether through a workstation, a tablet, or the employee’s or subcontractor's own smart device.
4. Detailed reporting.
Manual processes are much more difficult to retrieve data from and they don’t provide by-the-minute updates from a bird’s eye view or from a granular view. You can get reports broken down by project, sponsor, or by staff type. You can also get reports for “floor checks” and missing timesheets in addition to other canned and ad hoc reports.
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5. SEAMLESS Integrations.
Timesheet data doesn’t have to live alone, especially since that data needs to be processed in order to pay internal and external staff. Integrations with your major billing, project management, accounting, and payroll systems moves data automatically and requires no re-keying (a process that can be rife with errors).
6. Audit trails.
An audit log can provide data about all updates or changes to the system or to a timesheet. If your staff or an administrator edits a time card, that data is captured. You get an uneditable record of all adjustments to all timesheets.
7. Notifications.
Employees, subcontractors, and managers can get notifications directly to their home screen when a timesheet is missing or as the timesheet moves through the approval process. This increases transparency and keeps up communication regarding the timesheet.
These essential federal contractor timesheet features will help your organization win more government contracts and boost the confidence of government sponsors in your work. Plus, you can save precious resources and time so that you get back to work on your current contracts.
Learn more about DATABASICS for Federal Contractors™.
For more information on DATABASICS Employee Leave Management, contact us or call (800) 599-0434.
DATABASICS provides cloud-based, next generation Expense Reporting, P-Card Management, Timesheet & Leave Management, and Invoice Processing automation. Specializing in meeting the most rigorous requirements, DATABASICS offers the highest level of service to its customers around the world.
DATABASICS is relied upon by leading organizations representing all the major sectors of the global economy: financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, research, retail, engineering, non-profits/NGOs, technology, federal contractors, and other sectors.
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