Timeero’s Electronic Signatures Feature: A Comprehensive Guide
Emily Maina
Last update on:
June 26, 2024 5:55 AM
Published on:
Do you wish you had a reliable way to confirm that your workers showed up for work and finished their tasks on schedule? What about a method to guarantee that timesheets are accurate and disputes are avoided? Timeero, one of the best field employee tracking apps, offers a unique solution for this – the signatures feature.
Timeero’s electronic signatures feature provides a secure and convenient way to capture and document approvals. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about this functionality from what it is and how to enable it, to how to capture signatures and view them.
Keep reading to learn how this helpful Timeero feature can be a game-changer for your business.
Worried about Employee Accountability and Timesheet Disputes?
Timeero's signature feature eliminates the guesswork. Ensure accurate records and boost trust.
What is the Timeero Electronic Signatures Feature?
The Timeero electronic signatures functionality allows employees to digitally sign off on their timesheets and mileage logs. Timeero is a mileage and GPS time tracking software that provides detailed timesheets at the end of each shift. Timeero's timesheets document information such as hours worked, distance covered, and clock-in and clock-out times.
Adding signatures to timesheets is a great way to confirm the accuracy of recorded hours and miles traveled. Instead of making multiple calls to your team members asking if their work has been completed, you can use this handy feature.
Employees add their signatures directly onto timecards and mileage records through the app while utilizing their iOS or Android smartphones. This not only saves time but also simplifies the approval process.
Signatures on Timero (employee view).
However, the advantages of using Timeero’s Signatures Feature extend beyond convenience. By offering a verifiable record of employee acknowledgment, electronic signatures provide an extra degree of accountability. This can be especially helpful when timesheets are called into question, or there is a legal dispute.
Timeero's electronic signature function serves companies that work with several clients. Customers have the ability to electronically sign off on staff timesheets, verifying that tasks have been completed on-site. This encourages openness and solidifies the bond of trust between companies and their customers.
California is known for mandating stringent break rules that come with hefty penalties if violated. Timeero provides California businesses with a California breaks tracker to maintain compliance. To learn more about break rules, read our detailed guide on California Break Laws.
Timeero also has an electronic signature option specifically for employee break forms for businesses in California with break rules. This method confirms through documentation that the workers have taken their mandatory breaks.
Note: The signatures feature is only accessible to those enrolled in Timeero’s Premium plan.
Can Timeero Electronic Signatures Be Legally Used for Time Tracking and Payroll Verification?
Yes, Timeero Electronic Signatures can be legally used for employee time tracking and payroll verification. The United States, just like many other countries, has adopted electronic signature laws that give electronic signatures the same legal validity as traditional handwritten signatures.
Timeero's electronic signature functionality meets these requirements by providing a clear audit trail. The system can record who signed the timesheet along with the date and time it was signed. This trail helps guarantee the authenticity and integrity of the electronic signature.
How to Enable Signatures in Timeero
If you would like your employees and customers to use the signatures feature, follow these steps to enable the function:
Access your company settings within the Timeero web portal.
Locate the "General" settings and activate the "Enable Signatures" option. Save your changes.
Locate the "Signatures" submenu and select the desired settings for electronic signatures. These settings may include specifying which types of timesheets require signatures and whether customer signatures are mandatory.
Should you need any help with this, contact Timeero’s customer support team. They will assist you as soon as possible.
Using Timeero’s Electronic Signatures on the Mobile App
Your team members can use the Timeero mobile app to electronically sign timesheets and break forms. Signatures can be obtained through several methods:
Signing from the Time Card. On the timesheet screen, individuals can access the "Signature" option and choose the signature type (employee or customer). They can then use their finger or a stylus to sign and save their signature. For customer signatures, the customer will need to type their name below the signature.
Adding an employee signature.
Signing from Timesheet View. At the bottom of the timesheet, an employee will locate the "Signatures" section. They will then click "Add Signature," select the signature type, sign electronically, and save. Using this option is similar to signing from the time card. Just like the previous method, customer signatures require them to type their name for security purposes.
The signatures function.
Adding Signatures on California Break Forms. When submitting the California Meal & Rest Breaks sign-off form, tap the pen icon next to the "Submit" button. Sign electronically and save.
Please note that electronic signatures in Timeero are captured exclusively through the mobile app. The web portal does not offer signing functionality.
How Can Employers View Timeero Electronic Signatures?
For managers and administrators, viewing electronic signatures on timesheets and break forms within the web portal is simple. Since signatures are collected on two separate documents, the navigation process to view signatures for each is unique.
For Timesheets
Go to the "Time & Mileage" section.
Select the desired timesheet using the "View Timesheet" icon.
In the top right corner, you'll see the number of signatures attached to the timesheet.
Timeero shows the total number of signatures.
Select the number to see a preview of all signatures.
Clicking on a specific signature reveals its date, time, and type (employee or customer).
The Signatures feature on Timeero (Admin View).
For California Break Sign-Off Forms
Navigate to the "Reports" section and generate the "Daily Sign-Offs" report.
If a form has a signature, a "Signatures" icon will appear on the right. Click on it to view a preview.
When you click on an individual signature, it displays the date and time the signature was captured.
It's important to remember that even after an employee signs a timesheet, edits can still be made. To maintain transparency, the system timestamps both the edits and the signature, providing a clear audit trail. If you want to retrace signature timelines, look at the employee's clock-out time, the time the signature was added, and when any other edits were made.
How Can Timeero’s Electronic Signatures Feature Benefit Your Business?
Timeero's Electronic Signatures feature offers a multitude of advantages for business owners and employees. Let’s take a look at some of these benefits.
Enhanced Efficiency
Timeero eliminates the need for printing, distributing, and physically collecting timesheets and break forms by automating these tasks. Using electronic signatures streamlines the timecard approval process, eliminating additional administrative steps.
Previously, managers or admins might have spent a significant amount of time going through individual timesheets and verifying each one. Timeero automates this entire workflow process, freeing up valuable time.
Improved Accuracy
Electronic signatures provide a clear and verifiable record of who signed off on a timesheet or break form. Timeero's Signatures feature reduces the risk of misplacing timecards and decreases disputes regarding approvals.
Electronic signatures provide a tamper-proof record, reducing confusion and inaccuracies in payroll processing.
Secure Recordkeeping
Electronic signatures add an extra layer of security to timesheet management. Any edits made to timecards after the initial signature is saved are timestamped. This provides a detailed log of changes in case an audit is required.
Timeero's electronic signatures clearly document who signed which document and when. This can be crucial for both enterprises and small businesses that need to comply with industry regulations or legal requirements. For example, if there is ever a dispute over an employee's work hours, the electronic signature can provide a verifiable record of when the timesheet was approved.
Increased Convenience
Electronic signatures can be obtained anytime and anywhere, through the Timeero mobile app. This allows employees greater flexibility when approving timesheets.
Employees no longer need to be in a specific location to sign off on their timesheets, and admins can verify work is done from their own mobile devices. This flexibility can significantly improve the payroll process.
Is Timeero The Right App For You?
Besides the signatures function, Timeero also offers other key features that can significantly benefit companies. Let’s take a look at some of these functionalities, as explained in more detail in our Timeero review.
Real-Time GPS Tracking and Segmented Tracking
Timeero provides real-time location visibility of employees during their shifts. This ensures admins can verify that they have arrived at client appointments or work sites on time.
You can see employee whereabouts on the “Who's Working” dashboard while they are on the clock. Please note that if an employee turns off location tracking while clocked in, the app automatically clocks them out.
Timeero’s Who’s Working dashboard.
Another important feature is segmented tracking. This functionality requires employees to clock in and out once per shift, while the software automatically tracks their movements between different locations using GPS data from Google Maps. Segmented tracking eliminates the need for multiple clock-ins and provides a visual summary of an employee's workday, including locations visited and time spent at each site.
Segmented tracking on Timeero.
Scheduling Features
Timeero's scheduling tool optimizes workforce management. It facilitates creating customized schedules that match workers with clients based on their availability and skills.
The system gives employees scheduling flexibility by offering options to accept, decline, or choose specific shifts (cherry-picking). Workers and managers receive notifications to let them know if shifts have been accepted or declined. This scheduling practice reduces scheduling conflicts and maintains staffing levels to meet business needs.
Cherry-picking shifts on Timeero.
Mileage Tracking and Reimbursement
Accurately tracking mileage is an important part of reimbursing your team members for travel expenses. Timeero automatically records distances traveled between work locations, ensuring fair compensation.
Mileage tracking on Timeero.
The offline mileage tracker functions even in areas with poor internet connectivity, guaranteeing accurate mileage records. Additionally, Timeero's Suggested Route feature recommends the most efficient routes for workers, minimizing travel time and reducing operational costs.
Geofencing and Facial Recognition
Geofencing allows you to create virtual boundaries around client locations. Employees can only clock in and out within these designated areas. This eliminates inaccurate timesheets and prevents "buddy punching", which is one worker clocks in for another.
Geofencing fosters accountability and ensures employees are physically present during scheduled shifts. This is especially important for sensitive industries like health care. If you are in this field and are looking for apps to use, check out our article to find out why Timeero is the best HIPAA-compliant caregiver management software on the market.
Facial recognition adds another layer of security. Your employees clock in and out using their phones, and the user-friendly app verifies their identity through facial recognition. This ensures timesheets are linked to the right person.
Timeero’s facial recognition feature.
Reports and Integrations
Timeero goes beyond basic timesheets by offering comprehensive reports. You gain insights into key metrics like employee hours worked, break duration, and travel distance for each caregiver.
This allows you to analyze reports to identify trends in overtime, late arrivals, or missed breaks. You can then take proactive steps through additional training or scheduling adjustments to reduce unwanted behavior. If a manager needs to make an announcement to all employees, they can use the Message Blast feature.
The software also integrates seamlessly with popular payroll software, streamlining payroll processing by eliminating manual data entry. Timeero integrated with software such as: Gusto, Zapier, Vieventium, Xero, Paylocity, QuickBooks, Paychex, Rippling, and ADP.
Timeero integrations.
Use Timeero’s Electronic Signatures Feature to Improve Your Business
The Timeero electronic signatures feature is a handy tool for enhancing employee accountability and ensuring legal compliance. It also simplifies the process of timesheet verification and payroll processing.
The sign-off functionality provides a reliable solution for businesses seeking to improve their time-tracking and record-keeping practices. Timeero is the best app to use if you're overseeing a group of remote employees or trying to ensure California's labor regulations are followed. By using Timeero's electronic signatures and robust workforce management tools, your job becomes a whole lot easier.
FAQs
How Can I Use Timeero Electronic Signatures?
Employees and customers can sign timesheets and break forms directly on the Timeero mobile app. To do so, clock in to start tracking time, then access the "Signature" option on the timesheet screen. Next, choose the signer type (employee or customer), and sign using your finger or stylus.
How Do I Set Up Electronic Signatures in Timeero for Timesheets?
You can enable Electronic Signatures within the company settings of the Timeero web portal. Go to "General Settings," activate "Enable Signatures," and save. You can then configure specific settings like which timesheets require signatures in the "Signatures" submenu.
Discover How Timeero's Signatures Can Transform Your Workforce Management
Proof of work, streamlined approvals, and happy employees are just a few clicks away.
Emily Maina is a tech-savvy writer with a passion for creating content. With years of experience in the industry, she is well-versed in the latest trends and developments in the tech industry. When she’s not working, Emily enjoys exploring the great outdoors or watching her favorite shows.
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