Timeslips software is a relatively new phenomenon. Where several years ago the "time slip" was still in vogue, today that little piece of paper has largely flown the coop as more and more companies are relying on software for time reporting, control and accounting.

You can find many providers of timeslips software online who will help manage this important business aspect and get you into a suite of programs that will replace unwieldy paper-based payroll. Business operators rely on suppliers of timeslips software for the following:

1. A timeslips program provides easy and convenient reporting and management of employee days and hours in a central digital location.

2. Sellers of timeslips software help managers promote the best and least complicated solutions for their size and type of business, so that managers don't end up trying to "reinvent the wheel."

3. Timeslips and payroll software makes employees' lives less hectic and assists them in fulfilling their responsibilities.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get comprehensive payroll timeslips software for your office

Online sellers of timeslips software lay out the extended features of their accounting services to show you how they can help you implement best management practices. Browse product descriptions looking for elements you think will enhance your office management.

I recommend: Frontier Software offers a wide range of elements in their software including "what if" calculations. Millennium Payroll (in conjunction with HR Technology Partners) is another online vendor offering a suite of HR elements in products that work with an intranet and offer "no-limit" data collection for employees.

Get industry-specific time billing software

Some workplace scenarios are much different than others. Find online vendors who sell timeslips software that fits your industry, whether it's 'blue-collar' or 'white-collar' or some combination of the two.

I recommend: Another seller of timeslips software, Juris, provides time billing software programs for legal purposes. Take a look at Timeslips by Sage for medical environments or other service professionals. Sage develops a lot of healthcare software with their timeslips software solution.

Get timeslips software solutions for remote workers

Some providers of timeslips software offer web-based programs or other ways to handle workers reporting their time from outside of the office. This is becoming a bigger and bigger part of what suppliers of timeslips software are offering as more jobs are being 'outsourced' to remote workers.

I recommend: Time Force supports remote collection of times for payroll and billing. A variety of HR products on Ultimate Software support web-based payroll for remote workers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Find out what's important before you buy. You may have carte blanche in selecting the products you want, but polling staffers is still a good habit for getting more informed about what really counts for payroll solutions. You may find you learn critical tips by getting a sense of collective timeslips software needs before you make that buy.