⏰ Crew Time Tracking Playbook
Capture labor hours by worker, cost code, and activity every day. Accurate time tracking feeds payroll, job costing, productivity analysis, and certified payroll compliance.
Why Time Tracking Matters
| Function | What It Needs | Impact of Bad Data |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Accurate hours, OT, per diem | Underpay (liability) or overpay (cost overrun) |
| Job costing | Hours by cost code | Can't identify which tasks are over/under budget |
| Productivity analysis | Hours per unit of work | Can't improve what you can't measure |
| Certified payroll | Classification, hours, rates | Fines, debarment on public work projects |
| Billing (T&M) | Detailed labor records | Rejected T&M tickets, unpaid labor |
| Estimating | Historical labor data | Future bids are guesses instead of data-driven |
Roles and Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Workers | Sign in on time, confirm hours and cost codes at end of day, report any discrepancies |
| Foreman | Record hours for each worker, assign cost codes, verify accuracy, submit to superintendent |
| Superintendent | Review and approve all time cards, verify cost code accuracy, flag anomalies |
| Payroll / Admin | Process time cards, generate certified payroll (if required), maintain records |
| Project Manager | Review labor costs vs. budget, monitor productivity trends, address overruns |
Daily Workflow
Morning Sign-In
- Workers arrive and sign in — Name, time in, trade classification
- Foreman assigns work — Assigns each worker or crew to a task and cost code
- Document starting cost code — Each worker knows what they're charging time to
During the Day
| Event | Action | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Worker moves to different task | Foreman notes time and new cost code | Foreman |
| Worker takes lunch | Record lunch start/end (unpaid) | Worker / Foreman |
| Worker leaves early | Record time out and reason | Foreman |
| Worker arrives late | Record actual arrival time | Foreman |
| Overtime begins | Note OT start time, get approval if required | Foreman / Superintendent |
| Worker moves to different project | Record time out on this project, time in on new project | Both foremen |
End-of-Day Sign-Out
- Workers sign out — Confirm total hours and cost codes
- Foreman reviews — Verify all hours match actual work
- Both sign — Worker signature confirms hours; foreman signature confirms approval
- Submit to superintendent — Before leaving the site
Cost Code Best Practices
What is a Cost Code?
A cost code is a numbering system that tracks labor to specific tasks so you can compare actual costs to your estimate.
Common Construction Cost Code Structure
| Level | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Project | 2026-0142 | Project number |
| Phase | 03 | CSI Division (Concrete) |
| Activity | 03-310 | Structural Concrete |
| Sub-activity | 03-310-L | Labor for structural concrete |
Cost Code Assignment Rules
- Every hour gets a code — No "general" or "misc" buckets
- Split hours when tasks change — 4 hours on framing (06-100-L) + 4 hours on siding (07-460-L), not 8 hours on "carpentry"
- Match your estimate — Cost codes should mirror your bid breakdown so you can compare actual vs. estimated
- Keep it simple — 15–25 cost codes per project is typical; more than 40 creates foreman fatigue and errors
Foreman Cost Code Cheat Sheet
Give every foreman a one-page cheat sheet for each project:
| Code | Description | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 03-100-L | Formwork - Footings | SF |
| 03-110-L | Formwork - Walls | SF |
| 03-200-L | Rebar - Footings | Tons |
| 03-210-L | Rebar - Walls | Tons |
| 03-300-L | Place Concrete - Footings | CY |
| 03-310-L | Place Concrete - Walls | CY |
| ... | ... | ... |
If Foremen Won't Cost Code
They will if you make it easy. Print the cheat sheet, laminate it, and hand it to them. Limit choices to 15–20 codes. If they still won't, they're telling you the system is too complicated — simplify it.
Overtime Tracking
Federal Overtime Rules (FLSA)
- Standard: Over 40 hours per work week = 1.5x regular rate
- California: Over 8 hours per day OR 40 hours per week = 1.5x; Over 12 hours per day = 2x
- Prevailing wage: Overtime rates per wage determination
Tracking Requirements
| What to Track | Why |
|---|---|
| Daily hours (start/end/lunch) | Calculate daily OT (if applicable) |
| Weekly cumulative hours | Calculate weekly OT |
| Classification per shift | Correct OT rate by classification |
| Approval | Who authorized the overtime |
Certified Payroll (Public Work)
On public work projects (prevailing wage), certified payroll adds these requirements:
Additional Data Required
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Worker name and address | Full legal name |
| Social Security Number (last 4) | For identification |
| Trade classification | Per wage determination |
| Hourly rate | Base rate + fringe |
| Hours worked daily | By classification |
| Gross pay | Calculated correctly |
| Deductions | Itemized |
| Net pay | After deductions |
| Fringe benefits | Paid to worker or to plan |
Certified Payroll Compliance Checklist
- Workers classified correctly per wage determination
- Hours tracked daily (not estimated weekly)
- Rates match or exceed prevailing wage for each classification
- Overtime calculated correctly (1.5x or 2x as required)
- Fringe benefits paid correctly (to plan or in cash)
- Apprentice ratios maintained
- WH-347 form completed accurately
- Submitted by contract deadline (usually weekly)
Classification Matters
Paying a "laborer" rate to a worker performing "carpenter" work is a prevailing wage violation. Track classification by what the worker is doing, not their job title.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Consequence | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating hours instead of tracking | Payroll errors, costing data useless | Actual sign-in/out times, every worker, every day |
| Putting everything on one cost code | Can't compare actual vs. estimate | Assign specific codes, require splits when tasks change |
| Rounding to nearest hour | Overpaying labor by 5–10% over a project | Track to nearest 15 minutes |
| No supervisor review | Inflated hours, buddy punching | Foreman verifies and signs every time card |
| Late submission | Payroll delays, lost data | Same-day submission rule |
| Wrong classification on prevailing wage | Fines, back pay, debarment | Classify by task, not job title |
Metrics
| Metric | Target | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Time card submission rate (same day) | 100% | Daily |
| Cost code accuracy (spot-check) | over 95% | Weekly |
| Hours vs. estimate by cost code | Within 10% | Weekly |
| Payroll processing time | Within 1 business day of approval | Per pay period |
| Certified payroll accuracy | 100% (zero deficiencies) | Per submission |
Related Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Certified Payroll Guide | Certified Payroll |
| Labor Cost Tracking Guide | Track Labor Costs |
| Cost Coding Guide | Cost Coding |
| Overtime Calculator | Calculate Overtime |
| BLDR Time (Digital Time Tracking) | bldrtime.com |