5 reasons to have a Slack and time tracking integration

Slack is undoubtedly a bloodstream of multiple modern companies. One of the key strengths of the Slack platform is a rich library of integrations, many of which are available in the Slack App Directory, that transform a simple chat into a company-wide hub. Time tracking is one of the most convenient integrations existing. For those browsing the Slack Marketplace, adding a time tracker has never been easier.

Slack has become an app of choice for many companies that were struggling with inefficient via email communication. In fact, emails are one of the most time-consuming and inefficient ways to communicate. An average office-based professional spends up to 28% of his or her working day on reading and writing emails instead of using Slack’s real-time messaging.

Slack enables real-time team communication with each team member in the way seen in online chats, with no delay. The app enables the easy establishment of new channels, enabling teams to run multiple asynchronous streams and keep the communication history in threads. You can even use slash commands or a Slackbot to trigger reminders, set timers, or start tracking time with ease.

The app is undoubtedly a business behemoth with 12 million active daily users. The software is used by 750,000 companies around the world, with 156,000 of them being paying subscribers. Whether you’re working in HR, project management, or development, Slack with time tracking is a smart addition to your Slack workspace.

Key features of Slack and time tracking integration

Ok, but does Slack have a time tracker at all? Unlike email-based communication, Slack benefits from multiple integrations, third-party tools, and bot plugins that can be added either for free or as a part of paid software suites. These third-party application providers help employees and companies reach new levels of productivity and clarity.

When it comes to Slack timer apps, there are at least four features to count in.

Information about breaks

Slack is a real-time communication tool, so the user expects the recipient to reply as fast as possible. Assuming that one has an “available” status (not “busy” or “non-available”), every delay in the communication builds up frustration, especially if one tends to leave Slack without a reminder.

A time tracking app can update one’s status in real-time, so there can be information about an ongoing break, out-of-office, or another status that impacts the response time. It can even help automate break alerts or update your timesheet status. When conjoined with a calendar app that updates the information about ongoing meetings, Slack integration can deliver an automated system that informs if one can expect the recipient to answer immediately or not. This minimizes distractions and streamlines communication.

Attendance list in Slack

A feature that can make the life of the HR department easier. When paired with a time tracking app, Slack can build an automated attendance list, so one needs not to sign in with multiple tools or places. This also eliminates the need to switch between systems, helping teams stay focused.

Time tracker of projects from Slack

Slack can be an interesting reporting tool that combines chat form and the ability to schedule alerts and information. Thus, the tool can be used to produce hour-based reports on the time spent on a particular project by a particular employee.

This can be of great importance for multiple departments, including accounting, payroll, team leaders, and HR specialists among others. You can export this data or generate time entries using commands right in Slack. Having a report scheduled in Slack is a great way not to omit the information. The data can be tracked without ever needing to open a separate browser tab.

Slack reminders instead of emails

Finally, emails are flooding users every day. When using a Slack timer bot with a reminder about clocking in or clocking out set in Slack, one is less likely to forget to track time. Slack can be used to automate reminders about breaks, meetings, or lunch as well. This helps manage your time more efficiently.

You can even assign reminders to a specific message or person, helping streamline daily workday routines. Integrations can also come with authentication features and a business associate agreement for compliance.

Benefits of integration of time tracking and Slack

With every company being different, there are countless ways to use Slack and time tracking tools in daily work. When having them integrated, the company can see various synergies.

Reducing the number of communication points

Modern companies use multiple tools of communication. There are emails – the workhorse of communication. But not only – there is also a stream of documents processed by various departments. When not having a centralized tool like Slack, employees tend to communicate in ad-hoc semi-official channels.

It is not uncommon for teams to establish their own, free version of Slack to communicate.

Having a Slack-centralized communication hub, the company delivers a one-place solution for an employee to do all chores. This reduces the frustration and the chance to forget about a particular action done in some external tool. Slack integration with time tracking tools helps ensure that no repetitive tasks fall through the cracks.

Improving the clarity

Having a centralized hub for the information stream brings a higher transparency to the institution’s work. A single place to check the status, login, clock in, clock out, and do multiple other work-related tasks reduces the hassle and lets the employee focus on tasks – not administration. All this can be done right in Slack, without leaving Slack.

Reducing the stress

Having the ability to do nearly all administrative tasks from a single touchpoint reduces the stress. A modern employee can be considered a specialist handling multiple tools and tasks at the same time –tracking time, checking in the to-do list, and updating statuses.

Amassing as many tools as possible in Slack brings huge relief and helps avoid manual time allocation issues or idle tracking errors.

Improving transparency

The other side of the same coin of clarity – when running all the communication processes in Slack and integrating it with time tracking apps, the company gets more transparent and up-to-date information on the status of every employee. When using a more sophisticated tool like Calamari, the status can be checked with just a glance – an icon of a hamburger indicates that one is on a lunch break.

An easy and handy reporting tool built into Slack is a further transparency booster. With the Slack integration, the report can be generated ad-hoc when needed, even during a meeting or conversation, without leaving the most used Slack workspace.

Building a Slack-centered, integrated ecosystem

Finally, companies tend to build a productivity ecosystem around Slack, integrating multiple tools and using them directly from the communication panel. In a situation like that, the time tracker on Slack is yet another app that is incorporated and used in a seamless and easy-to-use environment.

An average user is signed in into Slack for nine hours a day – that means a lot of time and many ways to interact with the company. For example, track your time and submit timesheets in Slack. If not, integrating a time tracking app like Calamari can be the first step to building a less stress-inducing environment for employees.

In the times of COVID, every way to reduce stress is good.

Summary

Time tracking and Slack go well in multiple ways, being a natural pair in a working environment. For companies willing to boost their transparency and productivity, this integration can be the first step toward a hassle-free world where you track time in Slack, manage tasks, and monitor hours worked – all in one place.

For others that have already done so, it has become a key feature they cannot imagine Slack without. Some tools, like Calamari, even offer free forever plans that make getting started simple and risk-free. With real-time updates, you can stay informed and always keep your projects on track.

If you wish to talk more about Slack timers or integrating Slack with Calamari features, feel free to contact us now!