3 timesheets each week
I fill in 3 timesheets each week.
Yes besides filling my expense; booking my next travel; not to mention the 40+ hours of consulting work; 9 plus hours of travel time; I fill in 3 timesheets each week.
I spend an avg of 6 to 9 months at each client site. So, like various orientation items when starting new at a client site: security procedure; parking place; cafeteria etc., timesheet systems (with their url;userId;passcode) is one of them.
The timesheet filling experiences are best with ones that involve an excel with their tiny formulas by cell. (Formulas that make you enter date only once and rest of the dates are computed). The worst experience is using asp, jsp, cfm and other mom & pop basic applications (probably running off of some developer desktop). SAPGUI with its various cost center, validations and rest of the experience is not too great either.
But repeatedly filling the same details is more than an annoyance. Annoyance is a seat belt gone stiff. This is more like a repeated mediaval chinese torture procedure with water dripping on forehead.
With each of the three time entry systems, you need the url handy, user id should not be locked out and it should save without clocking.
Have you had a scenario when the time has to be re-classified to a different cost center. Thats for extra fun.
When time entry is done, the timesheet has to be downloaded in pdf, image or excel format and mailed across to bunch of other folks (PMOs, sales people). Why? because these people do not have access to any of the time entry systems. Even better, when you have to print, sign, scan and email or fax them.
In an age where startups with 10 people manage a 20 million dollar business with little more than an iPad and its apps, enterprise practices leave the milestone called “ridiculous” way behind. The behemoths need to wise up & trend up with their processes.
“Honk” with a comment if you agree. “Honk Honk” if you totally agree (What am I a teenager 🙂 ).
CF (www.erpandi.com/blog)
Honk and way Honk!
Honk Honk. Linked to that is that there is nothing more frustrating than being billed via multiple agenceis or having to go through a preferred vendor. Several times I've been 'found' by a client. But then I have to bill via their preferred vendor who of course gets to tack on more to my already negogiated rate and bill them more. For what? Pushing a time sheet! And with multiple agences involved my rate has actualy been DOUBLED by the time the client got it. I refuse to go through multiple agencies now.
I understand caution, policy and procedures. But there is so much unnecessary red-tape and added cost. For instance - most of us are required to have E&O insurance as well as unemployment compensation. But since I'm an officer of my own company I'm not allowed to file for unemloyment! And when was the last time you ever heard of someone making an actual claim against an individual consultant's E&O policy? The only ones gettig rich are the insurance companies.
Joe FF