We’re extremely excited about the release of TimeControl 6.7. We had always known that this last wave of removing ActiveX components from TimeControl would be the most challenging. There were so many things under the surface that had to align in the final turn over to having all the code be multi-device and multi-browser. Along the way we also took advantage of some R&D we had done over the last year as well as numerous customer enhancement requests.
We are very proud of the final result.
TimeControl 6.7 is a significant upgrade from TimeControl 6.6 with many new and enhanced features. Only TimeControl Industrial now has any ActiveX controls left in it and those are for the Crew Timesheet and Material entry screens. (We’ll be addressing those later this year.)
Here are a few of the more noticeable new and enhanced features you can now see in this version:
All New Workflow Engine
We’ve gone beyond Validation Rules and created an all-new workflow engine. Now, based on conditions that TimeControl might find in a timesheet that is being released, you can have the system automatically email a supervisor, a project manager or someone you choose. You can have the timesheet automatically post or move along the approval path in the manner you select. You can even execute database commands at a Workflow event which makes this feature stunningly powerful.
ActiveX’s are no longer required in TimeControlThis is something we’ve worked towards for some time and we know that IT departments at will be delighted. All remaining features which required an ActiveX installation in the standard edition of TimeControl or TimeControl Online have been replaced under the new multi-device architecture.
New OnBoarding Import
We’ve written a brand new importing format for those who do lots of on-boarding of new staff which allows you to populate all the required tables for new employees in a single pass
Line Item ResourceLine Item Resource allows you to add a resource column to the timesheet and then have TimeControl use that Resource Code instead of the one associated to the Employee when transferring information to a project management tool.
All new server to server Project Management Link performanceWe’ve rewritten the server to server links between TimeControl and Microsoft Project Server and TimeControl and Oracle-Primavera’s P6 and have managed to make big improvements in performance. The server-to-server links are now performing at between 18 and 20 times (That’s 1,800% – 2,000%) faster! Transfers that used to take 60 minutes now take around 3.
Improved Hard Dollar HD PCM LinkWe’ve made some huge improvements to the Hard Dollar HD PCM link. The link is now much more configurable with support for multiple cost categories, allowing timesheets to be costed or uncosted when transferred, and more.
TimeControl Industrial Crew/Material combined entryWe’ve made an option in TimeControl Industrial 6.7 to enter both the crew timesheet and the non-labor entries for material consumption, equipment usage and production accomplished into a single entry on two tabs. This will optionally allow crew entry staff to enter all the information in one pass and then release it all for approval at the same time. We’ve also made it possible to enter production accomplished values on the same line.
Resources and RolesOur links to project management systems has always been one of our strongest suits. Now when linking to Oracle-Primavera’s P6 you can create assignments by Resource or by Role.
Legacy TabIf you’re an existing TimeControl client and you’ve read this far and are now hyperventilating over what you might have lost in this version, don’t worry. We haven’t taken anything away that you might have depended on in older versions. The old Formula1 report writer, old ActiveX Project Link for products like MS Project 2003 and earlier, Open Plan (via OLE) or Primavera P3 via RA are all there along with the old Drill Down Analyzer in a new tab called “Legacy”.
Plus, we’ve made improvements and updates in all these modules:Filters, Missing Timesheet Notification, Manage Scheduled Jobs, Timesheet Release Audit Report, Posting, Scheduler, Manage External Tables, Interface Definition Table, Table Exports, Enhanced Table navigation, Import / Export Packages, Enhanced Employee Banks, Menu housekeeping, MS Project Interop link, Timesheet Tabs are now part of security, Charge Table Notes, Report updates, Missing Timesheet View, Timesheet Image reports and Posted/Unposted Reports.
You can see screens and more detail on the new version at www.timecontrol.com/timesheet/latest or just contact HMS at info@hms.ca and we’ll be happy to talk to you about it.
Existing users with a current support agreement can download the new version right now at www.timecontrol.com/support/updates. If you need help with updating your support agreement, contact us at support@hms.ca.
Category Archives: TimeControl Timesheets
Testimonial from Murray and Roberts
HMS continues to receive wonderful accolades from its clients. One of our more recent is a letter from Murray and Roberts, one of South Africa’s leading engineering and construction companies. Murray and Roberts has been a TimeControl client since early 2012 and are clearly delighted if their letter is any judge. HMS is delighted to count Murray & Roberts among the satisfied clients in our TimeControl family. You can find out more about Murray & Roberts at murrob.com.
If you’d like to read their letter just click on Murray & Roberts Testimonial on the TimeControl website.
Managing Holidays with TimeControl
The holidays are upon us and here at HMS when we think of Holidays, we think of what Payroll and Human Resources people need to do to properly account for them in the TimeControl timesheet. TimeControl includes functionality that is perfect for managing holidays that will be taken by many staff people and assisting those personnel with entering the appropriate line item in their timesheet.
TimeRequest Wizard
The TimeRequest Wizard is a great function which is typically made available only to Administrators. It to add entries into future timesheets and approve those entries in advance. The function is extremely simple to use. Administrators select a date in the future and then enter the description, number of hours and the charge and rate code that are appropriate for the upcoming holiday. Then the Administrator selects which users should get this timesheet entry. Once the Administrator confirms the entry, TimeControl creates a pre-approved TimeRequest which will automatically create an entry for each of those users in the future timesheet with the properly entered number of hours and charge code already done.
TimeControl Administrators often enter the entire year’s holidays in advance for the entire staff early in the year. Using the TimeRequest Wizard means fewer errors in entry during holidays for those who are entitled to the time off.
Some of the challenges which the TimeRequest Wizard’s functionally overcomes include:
How to manage different holidays for different groups?
The TimeRequest Wizard can create future entries for any filtered or selected group of employees. Perhaps you have US Thanksgiving for the American staff and Canadian Thanksgiving for those in Canada. No problem. The Administrator simply selects different filters for different groups.
What if someone unexpectedly works on the holiday?
No problem. The TimeRequest has been pre-approved and will pre-load into the employee’s timesheet but the employee can overwrite or delete that line should they wish. The TimeRequest entry simply provides them an entry that is pre-made for them, not something that they can’t undo when the time to do their timesheet comes along.
Other functionality that is important for HR and Payroll managers at this time of year includes:
Managing vacation and Personal-time-off (PTO) banks
Around the holidays it’s quite common for some staff people to want to take additional time off from their vacation or Personal-time-off banks. TimeControl supports up to 9 separate banks of time by default. In an employee wants to put additional time on their timesheet for vacation or personal time, they can make a TimeRequest to get approval and then TimeControl’s Validation Rules can check to make sure the employee still has enough time in their time-off bank.
Links to external systems
TimeControl has been designed to link to external systems such as HR and Payroll systems or services so your Holiday and time-off data can get to the right place without having to retype.
Powerful reporting and dashboarding
TimeControl’s reporting and dashboarding options lets us show summary and detailed reports for holidays booked, holidays taken as well as any additional time taken.
TimeControl Human Resources Solution Portal
To find out more about TimeControl and how it can help with your Human Resources (HR) requirements as well as other business challenges, visit the TimeControl HR Solution Portal at www.timecontrol.com/solutions/hr. You’ll find a webcast, and screen shots and you can even see a webcast of the TimeRequest Wizard in action.
Selecting TimeControl for Online or On-premises
With TimeControl now available to be purchased for on-premises installation and for subscription to our TimeControlOnline hosted timesheet service, there is a choice to make. Here at HMS we’ve been asked recently “Which is better – Hosted or Purchased?” and the answer isn’t obvious. Whether you subscribe to TimeControlOnline or purchase TimeControl to install on your own servers, there’s lots of great functionality including:
- Multi-browser easy to use interface
- TimeControl mobile smartphone interface
- Links to project management systems like MS Project
- Links to ERP/Finance, Payroll and HR systems
- Matrix Approvals
- Automated Validation Rules
- Extensive Reporting
- Vacation approvals
- Email notifications
- Multi-lingual functionality
But there specific advantages for both subscribing or installing so we’ve put together some resources that we hope you’ll find useful on our Timesheet Buyer’s Guide solution portal including:
Webcast
A short webcast by our President, Chris Vandersluis comparing the differences of purchasing TimeControl vs. subscribing to TimeControlOnline along with some basic questions you can ask yourself to see which path is optimal for you. Read more…
Slides
A PowerPoint slideshow that is used in the webcast. Read more…
Factsheet
A 4-page factsheet entitled Online vs. On-premises which puts side-by-side comparison of the different options available with both products. Read more…
Timesheet Buyer’s Guide
This solution portal contains numerous resources other than those we’ve listed here on how to select a timesheet for your needs and how TimeControl might apply to those requirements. See more at buyersguide.timecontrol.com.
Being more effective with TimeControl
We confess that here at HMS, there are some people who actually have happy dreams about timesheets… but then we don’t expect that of normal people!
The truth is, no one likes having to do a timesheet at the end of the day or the end of the week when you’d like nothing better than to be in your car on your way home so we put our heads together to see if there were ways we could share that would save a minute here and a minute there on doing your Timesheet. Here are the top 8 of our favorite tips on saving time when using TimeControl:
- Make a timesheet icon on your desktop
- Set tab defaults for the home page
- Copy last week
- Personal preloads
- Resource preloads
- Set defaults for Rates and Projects
- Hide fields you don’t use
- Click Append or Insert rather than Save and then Append
We’ve made a webcast showing how to implement each of these 8 tips called Timesaving Tips in TimeControl. We hope you like it. You can find this webcast and other great lessons in the TimeControl Online Learning Center.
TimeControl is your SharePoint timesheet
Did you know that TimeControl can be deployed right inside the SharePoint interface? For organizations that have adopted the Microsoft SharePoint environment as their Intranet or Corporate Portal software, TimeControl is the perfect fit because it allows end-users to enter their time in TimeControl without ever leaving SharePoint.
SharePoint is a powerful collaboration environment which is used by over 85 million people around the world. TimeControl is one of the first timesheets anywhere to completely support the SharePoint interface (versions 2003, 2007 and 2010) and provide SharePoint end-users with an uninterrupted user experience!
The following video-presentation shows how you can integrate your TimeControl 6 environment with SharePoint in a couple of ways. First, the demonstration in this webcast shows TimeControl provisioned into a SharePoint worksite. The webcast also shows how SharePoint lists can be saved so they can be imported and implemented right into TimeControl and then shows a timesheet with those SharePoint tasks available as charges on an employee’s timesheet.
To find out more about how TimeControl can be implemented within SharePoint, consult our TimeControl and SharePoint Solution page.
If you are interested in extending your collaborative experience by adding Microsoft Project to the TimeControl / SharePoint mix, be sure to also visit the TimeControl, SharePoint, Microsoft Project Solution Portal.
Free Solution Portal: Collaborative Project Management
HMS Software has released a new solution area for those who wish to create a collaborative project management environment and who have already adopted SharePoint for their collaboration platform and Microsoft Project desktop as their scheduling tool. This portal contains numerous resources showing how to link TimeControl, Microsoft Project and SharePoint.
The combination of SharePoint and Microsoft Project desktop already gives much of the functionality that a collaborative project environment requires. The combination of functionality allows for planning, scheduling, issue tracking, team communications, document management and more. There is, however, a gap when it comes to tracking tasks as they move forward:
Time
HMS Software’s TimeControl is already integrated with both Microsoft Project desktop and SharePoint. TimeControl’s integration with Project dates back to 1995 making it one of the longest standing relationships with Project in the world. TimeControl’s interface can also be provisioned directly into a SharePoint site. The product’s design has catered to this functionality since SharePoint 2002. TimeControl also integrates with Microsoft Project Server for those organizations which eventually graduate to Microsoft’s EPM solution.
This new solution area on the www.timecontrol.com website contains numerous resources that showcases TimeControl working with both SharePoint and Project.
Resources on the website include Webcasts, Factsheets, PowerPoint presentations, a White Paper, screen shots, and links to other online resources. There is even a link to the free TimeControl Hosted Trial site.
The new TimeControl Solution Portal is available for free at: www.timecontrol.com/solutions/projectsharepoint/.
Have you seen the latest TimeControl case study?
EXFO has been a TimeControl client since 1999 and recently they were gracious enough to allow us to interview them and do a case study on their use of TimeControl. EXFO wasn’t a publicly traded company when we first sold them TimeControl but they sure are now. The company has expanded enormously since our first visit there years ago. The case study is on our website and available in both French and English. Our thanks to Andre Richard who took time out of his busy schedule to do the interviews for us and to review the final copy. We invite you to read how EXFO has been able to enjoy some of TimeControl’s key benefits and see how the timesheet links to multiple systems for multiple purposes within the EXFO environment.
To see the EXFO case study in English, click here.
To see the EXFO case study in French, click here.