Timesheets come with numerous benefits concerning time management. For project managers, time is a valuable resource that should be appropriately managed if the objectives are to be met. Thus, there comes the need for a freelancer timesheet. It's not unusual for specific tasks in projects to be handled by independent freelancers.
Timesheets are organized as tables where each freelancer fills in the time spent on individual tasks. Thus, the project tasks are spread out to different freelancers, increasing efficiency.
Numerous benefits of the freelancer timesheet
For successful project management, timesheets are indispensable tools. The benefits of the timesheets don't just apply to the project manager; individual freelancers will appreciate the efficiency offered when the project is divided into bite-sized structures that each can handle easily. With this distribution of tasks, the freelancers are spared from unrealistic deadlines. Since the information is entered in real-time, the team members can respect deadlines and budgets.
1. Better time management with the freelancer timesheet
Timesheets allow you to identify the time an activity will require. Where numerous freelancers are working as a team, this time allocation isn't always easy to determine. As the project manager, you can view the team contribution since each freelancer will enter the time taken to work on a particular task. The freelancer timesheet allows the total hours worked to be computed. With this information, efficiency is increased as you can manage your time better. Since the team members are also able to enter comments about the task, the project manager can identify the reasons why some tasks took longer than expected. This process allows you to know which functions are time and money intensive and the reason why.
2. Workload management with the freelancer timesheet
A timesheet is an excellent tool to manage the workload allocated to individual team members. As the manager, you know which task is assigned to a specific team member, the time allotted for the job and how much time is left before that time lapses. This allows you to distribute tasks equitably across the team. Team members will also appreciate this factor since they will not have to deal with unrealistic deadlines for assignments. If there are team members who are free, the manager can ask them to take up more tasks within the project hence distributing the workload efficiently.
3. More efficient budgeting with the freelancer timesheet
A timesheet allows you to establish the actual cost of the project. By organizing projects into specific tasks with their allocated time, you will know the different costs associated with the project. The freelancer timesheet also enables the project manager to establish the value of internal labor. Timesheets allow the project manager to know exactly how much time was spent on the project's tasks by specific team members. This is a gem for project managers whose team members bill hourly since they are paid precisely for what they worked for. The same applies to individual team members. A team member can charge precisely for hours worked, and the timesheet can verify this. There is no room for estimating how much work a freelancer has put in just by judging the progress of the entire project. This transparency cements the working relationship between the project managers and their team members.
4. Managing delays with the freelancer timesheet
By being able to analyze time management for the project, it is possible to establish which task is approaching its deadline, and its level of accomplishment. This way, you can manage delays by allocating such tasks to team members who are more available and have a track record for efficiency. The extra help allows you, the project manager to deal with delays and mitigate them completely. This aspect cannot be achieved without a freelancer timesheet.
Conclusion
A freelancer timesheet is one of the critical tools for effective project management. By allowing time tracking for individual tasks, you can manage a lot of factors, from time to finances to anticipated delays.
