For MSPs, timesheet compliance is essential — but getting techs and staff to log their time consistently can feel like herding cats. Whether you’re tracking billable hours, project progress, or labor costs, accurate time entry is crucial for profitability. Here’s how to make timesheets less of a battle and more of a habit.
1. Make It Easy (and Fast) to Complete
Clunky or confusing systems kill compliance. Choose tools that integrate with your PSA (like ConnectWise, Autotask, or HaloPSA) and make logging time frictionless. Bonus if it’s mobile-friendly — field techs will thank you.
✅ Tip: Use auto-timers and templates to reduce manual entry.
2. Lead by Example
If management or senior engineers don’t enter their time consistently, others won’t either. Set the tone from the top: leadership must model the behavior they expect.
🔄 Discipline starts with accountability at every level.
3. Tie Timesheets to Payroll and Bonuses
Want attention? Tie time entry to pay. Many MSPs link accurate, on-time timesheets to performance bonuses, commission eligibility, or even payroll release.
💰 No time entry = no bonus. Simple. Effective.
4. Use Dashboards & Nudges
Visibility drives behavior. Set up dashboards that show daily or weekly compliance — even gamify it with a leaderboard. Schedule automated reminders through Slack, Teams, or email.
📊 “You’re 3 hours behind” is more effective than silence.
5. Explain the “Why”
Technicians often see timesheets as annoying admin. Explain how accurate time logs affect client billing, service quality, and even their own workload management.
🎯 A 5-minute team huddle explaining the why goes a long way.
6. Make It a Daily Habit
Waiting until Friday? Guaranteed bad data. Encourage (or require) end-of-day time entries. Make it part of your daily closing checklist or SOP.
🧠 It’s not a memory test. Daily logging = accuracy.
7. Celebrate Compliance — Not Just Consequences
Publicly thank team members who are consistent. Highlight improvements. Positive reinforcement matters more than punishment in building habits.
🙌 “Shout-out to Mark — 100% on-time timesheets this month!”
Timesheets don’t have to be a weekly war. With the right tools, mindset, and culture, MSPs can turn this pain point into a performance booster. Start small, be consistent, and measure improvement.
-Joe Pannone
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