Simple Time Tracking Rules for Foremen So Payroll Stops Being a Mess

Most payroll headaches start in the field, not in the office.

If foremen turn in hours late, scribbled, or inconsistent, your payroll person is stuck guessing. That leads to rework, angry texts on payday, and “we will fix it next check” conversations that nobody enjoys.

You do not need a 50 page policy manual. You need a short list of simple rules your foremen can actually remember and follow.

This guide gives you a set of time tracking rules you can hand to foremen on small construction and field-service crews.

Pick one way to track time for everyone

The fastest way to create chaos is to let each foreman choose their own method.

  • One uses paper.
  • One uses text messages.
  • One uses a spreadsheet.
  • One uses the app you actually pay for.

Pick one main system, like TimeCamp or Connecteam, and make it the default for everyone.

You can still have a backup (like a paper sheet when someone’s phone dies), but the rule should be:

“If it is not in the app by the cutoff time, it is not official yet.”

Make job and cost codes non optional

For small crews, it is tempting to skip job or cost codes and “figure it out later.” That is how you end up with one giant “labor” line and no idea which jobs are actually making money.

Simple rule:

  • Every time entry must have who, what job, and what role/code.
  • If a worker changes jobs during the day, they change the job or code in the app.

In tools like TimeCamp or Connecteam, that usually means:

  • A list of jobs or projects.
  • A list of tasks or cost codes (framing, trim, demo, cleanup, etc.).

Train foremen to pick the right combo when they start or move work.

Daily approvals beat last minute scrambles

Most problems come from trying to fix an entire pay period’s worth of time at the last minute.

A better pattern:

  • Workers track hours in the app during the day.
  • At the end of each day, the foreman:
    • Checks each worker’s time.
    • Fixes obvious errors (wrong job, impossible shift length).
    • Marks the day as approved.

Then, at the end of the pay period, they are reviewing a list of already-approved days, not raw chaos.

Simple rule you can give them:

“At the end of each day, your job is not done until today’s time is checked and approved.”

Set a hard cutoff for each pay period

Your payroll person needs a clear line in the sand.

Choose a simple pattern, for example:

  • Pay period ends Sunday.
  • Foremen must approve all time by 10 AM Monday.
  • Payroll runs Monday afternoon.

Communicate it like this:

“If time for the last pay period is not in and approved by 10 AM Monday, it will go on the next check unless we made the mistake.”

Then stick to it. If you bend the rules every time, the rules will not matter.

Handle corrections in a predictable way

Mistakes will still happen. The question is how you handle them.

Give foremen and workers a single way to report issues, such as:

  • A shared “payroll fixes” text thread.
  • A dedicated email address.
  • A simple form in your office or app.

Then follow one rule:

  • If the company made the mistake, fix it as fast as you can, even if that means an off-cycle payment.
  • If the worker submits late or ignores the cutoff, fix it on the next check.

You do not need to be harsh about it, just consistent.

Keep the rules short and written down

Once you settle on your version of these rules:

  1. Put them in writing on a single page.
  2. Review them with your foremen in a short meeting.
  3. Make your time tracking app match the rules as much as possible:
    • Jobs and codes set up.
    • Approval workflow clear.
    • Cutoff times visible.

If you are not sure which app fits your crews’ phones and habits best, start with a pilot on one or two crews using something like TimeCamp or Connecteam. Once the pattern works there, roll it to the rest.

The goal is not a perfect system, just a boring, repeatable rhythm so that when payday comes around, nobody is guessing.