Time tracking in construction is one of those problems that seems simple and isn't. The work is physical, the environment is chaotic, and the person responsible for logging hours (the PM) is usually the last person with time to do administrative tasks at end of day. Whatever system you use needs to work in under three minutes or it doesn't get used consistently.
Inconsistent time tracking creates payroll disputes, budget inaccuracies, and labor cost overruns that nobody saw coming. Consistent time tracking is the difference between knowing your labor costs in real time and discovering them when the project closes.
The Quick-Entry Grid
BLT's mobile timesheet uses a grid layout: rows are crew members, columns are days of the week. Tapping any cell opens a detail entry for that crew member and day: project, phase, hours worked, optional task, optional note. The design lets the PM enter a week's worth of time for three crew members in about two minutes.
For PMs who prefer daily entry (recommended for accuracy), each day's entry takes about 30 seconds per crew member. The grid saves the week-so-far progress so the PM can open it at end of each day, tap in the day's hours, and close it.
Crew Member Roster
The manager maintains a crew roster with each member's hourly rate, skill tags, and status. Inactive crew members are hidden from time entry but their historical hours remain in reports. Hourly rates can vary by project or role — a crew member might earn a different rate for electrical rough-in than for general labor.
In BLT v1, crew members don't have app logins. The PM logs hours on their behalf. A future version will allow crew members limited mobile access to submit their own hours — useful for larger crews where the PM can't track individual hours as closely.
Labor Cost Integration
Hours logged automatically calculate to labor costs using the crew member's hourly rate. These costs flow directly into the budget under the Labor sub-category for the assigned phase. The budget vs. actual view shows material and labor spend side by side — no manual entry, no separate spreadsheet, no reconciliation at end of month.
The weekly settlement includes a labor summary alongside the expense summary. When the manager closes the week, they can see the total broken down by crew member, by project, and by phase. Overtime flags (configurable, default at 40 hours/week) appear automatically for any crew member who worked over the threshold.
Photo Links to Time Entries
One of BLT's more useful features is the direct link between time entries and progress photos. When logging hours, the PM can attach photos from that crew member's work session. When reviewing hours in the weekly settlement, the manager sees the claimed hours alongside photos of the work completed. It's not surveillance — it's verification that benefits everyone.