Capture enough detail to explain the hours
- Project, date, worker or crew, role, and work activity
- Regular hours, overtime hours, and approved nonproductive time
- Internal planning rate or labor-cost assumption
- Daily labor cost and cumulative project labor cost
- Estimated labor allowance for the same phase or cost category
- Reviewer, correction note, and date of any adjustment
Use consistent cost categories
Match field activities to the categories used in the estimate whenever practical. If the estimate says demolition, framing, drywall, and finish work but every timesheet says only labor, the comparison will not explain where the job is using more time than planned.
Keep category choices short enough for the field to use correctly. Review new or unclear entries instead of letting several names develop for the same work.
Treat the tracker as an early-warning view
Compare cumulative recorded cost with the planned allowance and the amount of work completed. A difference is a prompt to review the facts, not proof of a cause. Check missing time, coding mistakes, changed conditions, rework, overtime, productivity, and estimate assumptions before drawing a conclusion.
Keep payroll and accounting controls separate
A field tracker can support management review, but it does not replace approved timekeeping, payroll, tax, workers' compensation, or accounting systems. Limit access to employee and rate information, follow the company's retention rules, and have qualified professionals review any payroll or accounting treatment.