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Managing construction payroll involves more than just calculating labor and overtime. With multiple job codes, union regulations, equipment usage, and more, payroll specialists have their hands full. Unfortunately, construction companies can hinder productivity by overcomplicating time tracking with the wrong time clock tools—or the lack thereof. 

To avoid a decrease in productivity or complicating your processes, check out our top construction time clock apps. We’ll compare their features, describe their benefits, and help you understand key differentiators in each one.  

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Why Accurate Time Tracking Matters in Construction 

If your construction company still uses analog time tracking methods, you’re losing money through lost productivity. Alternatively, 34% of businesses using time tracking software show higher levels of productivity compared to businesses that don’t use time tracking software. 

But inefficiency isn’t the only way construction firms jeopardize profits with outdated time clock protocols. Lacking a reliable time clock procedure can risk fraudulent activity like “Buddy Punching,” which incurs profit losses for 75% of businesses (according to the American Payroll Association)! 

Integrating digital time clock solutions benefit everyone in a construction company—especially with multiple job codes applied to any given employee each week. For example, your mobile and remote workforces can more easily record their hours, ensuring certified payroll and compliance—giving you better control over labor costs.  

Check out more interesting stats and facts in favor of time clock app integration: 

  • Manual data entry costs more than you think: Businesses still holding onto manual time entry spend $50 billion each year because of errors or untracked labor. 
  • Compliance is much easier: Time clock apps help improve compliance as construction companies are better equipped to observe changes to regulations and labor laws. 
  • Your field teams are more empowered: Helps employees take ownership of their schedule by helping them track and identify where their labor goes. 

 

Must-Have Features For Construction Time Clock Apps 

When switching from analog or manual time tracking, there are “must-haves” unique to the construction industry. As you look into which time clock app is right for your needs, try to find a software with the following features and functionalities built-in. 

  • Mobile Functionality
    Construction is a highly mobile profession, with a worker potentially traveling between multiple sites each week. Keeping track of which hours go into each job code becomes easier and more accurate when employees have a mobile app that lets them log hours from anywhere, anytime. 

  • Integrates with External Payroll and Accounting Systems 
    Standalone systems can seem cost-effective with their attractive price point. However, information silos in an organization (especially within the tech stack) can cause bottlenecks, poor collaboration, and data errors that add up. Choose a time clock software that easily integrates into your current accounting or project management systems to optimize costs and productivity. 

  • Biometrics, Photo ID, GPS, and Geofencing Capabilities 
    Make time tracking and job coding even easier with time clock software offering geofencing and GPS capabilities. When employees download the mobile app onto their work devices, the time clock auto-generates a virtual boundary to record work hours. Additional biometrics verification functions can also help prevent buddy punching. 

  • Flexibility and User-Friendliness 
    It won’t matter how comprehensive a time clock application is—especially if it’s too complicated or frustrating to use. Fancy features are appealing, but simple user experiences and interfaces can greatly improve productivity and efficiency. 

 

4 Digital Time Clock Solutions For Construction Teams 

Now it’s time to dig into our recommendations for construction-specific time clock apps. The following sections showcase four robust options, describing their most notable features and unique advantages.  

Solution 1: hh2 Remote Payroll 

hh2 Remote Payroll is developed specifically as a construction-focused time clock solution. With a variety of automation and customization, it’s ideal for any number of teams working across any number of job sites. 

Key Features: 

  • Highly portable: hh2 Remote Payroll offers convenience and portability with its mobile time tracking app–equipped with GPS and geofencing capabilities that support accurate job site verification. 
  • Easy and seamless integration: One of the most cost-effective benefits of hh2 is its integration capabilities. Designed to connect all of your back-end operations, hh2 seamlessly integrates with a variety of account systems (like Sage, Foundation Software, and many more.)  

Unique Advantage: What sets hh2 ahead of the other entries on this list is its specificity. hh2 Remote Payroll is designed specifically for the industry, offering the robust and reliable support needed for payroll compliance and field-based time entry integral to construction. 

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Solution #2: ClockShark 

Beloved for a portable and straightforward user experience, ClockShark is a popular option for construction and field service industries thanks to its adaptability in the field. 

Key Features: 

  • Comprehensive GPS technology: It offers intuitive GPS tracking and “geofencing” to generate highly accurate, location-based time tracking. 
  • Intuitive scheduling features: User-friendliness doesn’t mean less flexibility, as ClockShark offers convenient scheduling features for managing shifts and crew assignments. 
  • Convenient integration: It offers an easy integration process with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Onion accounting software. 

Unique Advantage: What most users like about ClockShark is its focus on simplicity and ease of use. This makes it easy for teams (especially smaller ones) to learn and operate the tool quickly. 

 

Solution #3: ExakTime 

With a variety of solutions to support payroll, compliance, and time tracking, ExakTime is a versatile, cloud-based tool for construction companies of all sizes. 

Key Features: 

  • Advanced GPS tracking: Like the other entries on this list, ExakTime includes geofencing and “GeoTrakker” features for real-time location monitoring. 
  • Seamless integration: Integrates with a variety of payroll systems and job costing, such as QuickBooks, Viewpoint, and more. 
  • Adaptable reporting capabilities: Offers customizable time and attendance reports. 

Unique Advantage: ExakTime supports companies of all sizes thanks to comprehensive reporting features that make it ideal for maintaining detailed oversight. 

 

Solution #4: BusyBusy 

Like hh2, BusyBusy was developed to support construction businesses and field service industries with its user-friendly app that simplifies time tracking, and provides detailed insights into project labor costs. 

Key Features: 

  • GPS and photo verification: Along with the standard GPS capabilities, it allows photo ID clock-in to ensure employees are at the correct job site. 
  • Equipment tracking: It tracks labor hours and equipment usage so managers can monitor equipment costs and usage per project. 
  • Detailed reporting: Provides insights into labor costs, time spent per job, and real-time project data, helping teams make informed financial decisions. 
  • Payroll integration: Integrates and syncs easily with popular software, reducing manual processes while helping to ensure timely, accurate payments. 

Unique Advantage: BusyBusy is great for companies needing granular visibility into labor and equipment usage thanks to photo verification and equipment tracking features. 

 

Finding the Right Time Clock Solution for Your Construction Business 

The list of software options above can help create a solid foundation for your decision-making process. While each of these apps offers impressive advantages, the reason we recommend hh2 Remote Payroll isn’t just because we developed it.  

 

We recommend it because we developed it specifically to adapt to construction demands, from field tracking to payroll integration. It’s a tool created (and iterated on) by construction professionals for construction professionals. 

 

No matter what size or scale of your business, hh2 solutions optimize your operations and position you to grow at your pace. 

 

CTA: If you’re ready to enhance your payroll processes with an industry-specific time clock solution, book your free hh2 Remote Payroll demo today! 

 

 

 

Top 4 Time Clock Apps for the Construction Industry for 2025
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