How to Compare Time Tracking Tools: A 10-Point Checklist for SMEs
Compare time tracking tools against your workflow: 10 criteria, concrete pilot cases and checks from clocking in to payroll handoff.
Which time tracking software suits your business: an app for a mobile team, a shared tablet or a system with web access for managers? The decision depends on where people work, who reviews their hours and how the records reach payroll preparation.
This checklist helps you compare providers using concrete workflows. The selection examples and pilot plan are suggestions for your own assessment, not a report of completed comparison tests. To first review Shiftdesk’s features, see employee time tracking.
Assess recording duties and software choice separately
What the BAG decision requires for time recording
Under the BAG decision of 13 September 2022, 1 ABR 22/21, employers within its scope must introduce a system to record hours worked. The decision does not prescribe specific software or a particular electronic format. Digital tools can support the process; actual recording is what matters. Our guide to the time recording obligation explains the German legal background.
Recording hours and proving overtime pay are different questions
Clear records make working hours easier to review. They do not automatically reverse the burden of proof for overtime pay. The BAG ruling 5 AZR 359/21 distinguishes the recording obligation from evidence in an overtime claim. Assess software by the quality of its records and correction process, rather than by a blanket legal assurance.
10-point checklist for choosing time tracking software
Work through these criteria using your daily operations. For each feature, ask whether it is included in your chosen plan and what setup it requires.
Recording that fits the workplace
Test smartphones, a shared terminal or web access using the intended user roles. Web access for managers does not automatically mean browser access for every employee.
Record and review breaks
Check how actual breaks, later corrections and automatic deductions are distinguished. A calculated deduction does not establish that a break was actually taken.
Hours accounts and target/actual comparison
Clarify whether target hours come from the contract or the schedule and which recorded hours enter the account. Shiftdesk includes hours accounts from Pro.
Working-time and rest-period notices
Ask which rules are checked, how deviations are displayed and who reviews them. Automated notices do not replace an assessment of the applicable rules.
Data protection and role permissions
Review the legal basis, processor arrangements, processing locations and access rights. In particular, test who can view or change other employees’ records.
Reviewed handover for payroll preparation
Request a sample file and agree its format, personnel numbers, wage types, units and cost centers with the accountant. A CSV extension alone says nothing about a successful import.
Absences in the same workflow
Use sample data to check holiday, sickness and part-time work. Pay particular attention to how absences spanning month boundaries are allocated in reports.
Connection to the schedule
Compare a scheduled shift with an earlier or later clock-in. Check how deviations and the times used for further processing can be identified.
Behavior without connectivity
Check whether Wi-Fi or mobile coverage is sufficient at the actual work site. Shiftdesk requires a connection for mobile actions and does not buffer them for later transmission during an outage.
Corrections, approval and month-end close
Check who corrects an entry, how changes are documented and how approval is withdrawn. Also clarify the procedure for corrections after closing the month.
For the general statutory break rules, section 4 ArbZG requires at least 30 minutes when working more than six and up to nine hours, and 45 minutes when working more than nine hours. Work must not continue for more than six hours without a rest break. Section 3 ArbZG generally sets eight hours per working day; extending this to ten hours requires the balancing period set out there. Also review the exceptions and rules applicable to your business.
Assess time tracking and scheduling against your workflows.
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Office, tablet or a mobile site team: which method fits?
| Selection example | Starting point | Pilot check | For Shiftdesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office & home office | Personal app or browser, depending on provider and role | Access on the intended device, breaks and correction process | Employees use the app; authorized management roles also use the web. |
| Production, warehouse & shared entrance | Tablet terminal shared by employees | PIN entry, queues at shift start and connectivity | Terminal from Pro; link the tablet to its location and budget separately for hardware. |
| Cleaning & changing work sites | Smartphone at each site | Coverage, correct shift/location assignment and site changes | An active connection is needed; no mobile offline queue or automatic route planning. |
| Shift work with changing hours | Time tracking linked to scheduling | Schedule deviations, actual breaks and approval status | Configure the recording mode deliberately; hours accounts and month-end close from Pro. |
The tablet time clock explains shared clocking; the tablet setup guide covers location assignment. For personal access, see the employee scheduling app. For changing shifts, see the online shift planner.
Distinguish planned hours from time actually worked
A scheduled shift shows when someone is expected to work. A clocking event records an actual booking. When choosing software, check that you can see where these agree and where a review is needed. Also clarify whether rounding or the adoption of planned hours is enabled.
Shiftdesk supports schedule-based, clock-based and combined recording. Choose the mode that fits your workflow and review deviations; a published schedule alone does not show the hours actually worked. The guide to recording modes explains the differences. For planning itself, see creating an online schedule.
From a reviewed month to a CSV or DATEV handover
Before month-end, decide who resolves missing entries, reviews corrections and approves hours. Also check absences and month boundaries. Closing a month locks the reviewed records; it does not replace a completeness check. Shiftdesk includes hours accounts, month-end close and payroll preparation in Pro and Enterprise.
- Working-time report: The general CSV export contains time records and processing statuses, including entries that have not yet been approved. It supports review and is not a universal payroll import.
- Reports: CSV and Excel support analysis. The records included depend on the selected report and period.
- DATEV handover file: This uses approved or locked time records and approved absences in the payroll journal. Personnel numbers, wage types, units and any required cost centers must match the receiving system.
Entries without a personnel number or matching wage type may be omitted from the download. Check warnings, included employees and totals before handing over the file. Agree the format with your accountant and have a test import checked. A DATEV-compatible file is not direct transmission to DATEV or proof of a successful import. Payroll calculation takes place in the payroll software or with the accountant. See Shiftdesk integrations and export options for further details.
Assess data protection when choosing software
Review which data is processed, for what purpose and on which legal basis. For employee data in Germany, section 26 BDSG is among the relevant provisions. Location data requires a separate assessment of necessity and proportionality; a blanket statement that GPS always requires consent is not a sufficient assessment.
Processor arrangements and locations
Review the DPA, subprocessors and actual processing locations. EU hosting alone does not establish GDPR compliance; transfers to third countries require additional checks.
Data minimization and security
Limit data to the required purpose. Review appropriate security measures and whether location data is needed at all.
Everyday access permissions
Use different roles to test who can see personal hours, absences and corrections. Limit access to the relevant task.
Retention and deletion
Define periods for each type of data and purpose. Statutory records and other retention obligations may have different periods; automatically deleting all time records after two years is not a general standard.
Relevant provisions include GDPR Articles 5, 6, 17, 28, 32 and 44 onwards. Section 16 ArbZG and section 17 MiLoG set minimum retention periods for certain working-time records. They do not establish a single deletion period for all personnel and time records.
A checklist for your pilot
Use the first week to work through typical days with a small team. The following sequence is a suggestion for your own assessment, not a promise of implementation within seven days. Check month-end close and a test import separately before the first real payroll handover, preferably using separate sample data.
Define your goal and handover format
Choose a small test team and name the responsible manager. Agree with your accountant which personnel numbers, wage types, units and file format are needed.
Set up devices and access
Check the appropriate access for office work, a tablet terminal and smartphones. Use sample data to test who can view, correct and approve time entries.
Work through a normal shift
Record a start time, end time and break. Compare net hours with your own calculation and check the entry in the employee and employer views.
Check deviations and a lost connection
Test an earlier or later start, a missed clocking event and a connection failure. Check the messages shown and how missing entries can be added with a clear record.
Check corrections and approval
Correct a sample entry and approve it. Check how the change is documented and what approval step is required if it needs to be changed again.
Review the month and export together
Check open entries, absences, hours and the intended month-end close. Compare the export with the reviewed records and have an import checked in an agreed test client. Include a month boundary.
Decide on the rollout
Record unresolved issues, training needs and responsibilities. Roll out once recording, corrections and handover work; the monthly review may take longer than the first test week.
For each case, record the expected result, actual result, unresolved question and responsible person. For the practical steps, see clocking and breaks and approving time entries.
Frequently asked questions about choosing time tracking software
Is time tracking software mandatory in 2026?
The duty to record working time does not automatically mean a duty to use specific software. Within its scope, BAG decision 1 ABR 22/21 requires a system for recording hours worked; it does not prescribe a particular electronic solution. The chosen process must meet the applicable requirements.
What does Shiftdesk time tracking cost?
With monthly billing, Basic costs €25 per month with 6 employees included; each additional employee costs €2.50 per month. Pro costs €45 with 12 employees included and €3.90 per additional employee. All amounts exclude VAT. Hours accounts, month-end close, the tablet terminal and payroll preparation are included from Pro. Allow separately for hardware and setup work.
Which method suits an office or cleaning team?
Check devices, user roles and connectivity. Shiftdesk employees use their personal app; authorized management roles also use the web. A tablet terminal from Pro suits a shared clocking location. Mobile teams need an active internet connection for the app.
Does the Shiftdesk app work offline?
No. Mobile actions require an active internet connection and are not stored locally for later transmission during an outage. Check connectivity at the actual work site and agree a traceable process for adding missing time entries.
Is a CSV file already a DATEV import?
No. A general CSV working-time report is different from a handover file prepared for a payroll system. From Pro, Shiftdesk provides DATEV-compatible handover files. Personnel numbers, wage types, units and any required cost centers must be agreed with the accountant and checked in the receiving system. Downloading a file is not direct transmission to DATEV.
Does every export contain only approved hours?
No. The general working-time report also includes other processing states and shows each entry’s status. The DATEV handover file is based on approved or locked time records and approved absences in the payroll journal. Missing personnel numbers or wage-type mappings can cause rows to be omitted; check warnings and completeness before handover.
What should I check for data protection?
Review the purpose and legal basis, required data, role permissions, processor arrangements, security measures, subprocessors and processing locations. EU hosting alone does not guarantee GDPR compliance. Location data requires a separate assessment of necessity and proportionality. Retention and deletion periods depend on the records and applicable obligations.
Can I use time tracking and scheduling together?
Yes. Shiftdesk links shifts and time tracking. During setup, check whether entries come from clocking events, the schedule or a combined process. A planned shift alone does not establish the hours actually worked; deviations need to be reviewed.
Compare the full process from clocking to reviewed handover alongside the price. The plan comparison shows the current scope, and the time tracking page explains the features for your pilot.
This guide provides general information and does not replace legal advice. The legal notes refer to Germany; Austria and Switzerland have their own rules. Discuss specific requirements with qualified advisers and payroll imports with your accountant.
The Shiftdesk team writes about scheduling, time tracking and labor law in the DACH region — practical and easy to follow.
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