The Power of Work Tickets
A work ticket is a crucial tool that captures the time spent by an employee on a specific job. It serves as a basis for billing the costs of direct labor to customers and may also be used for calculating wages for hourly employees. In essence, a work ticket can also be known as a “time card” or a “timesheet.” Additionally, in the context of tracking employee hours for particular tasks, the term “work order” is sometimes used.
Maximizing Efficiency with Work Tickets
Work tickets are vital not only for ensuring that hourly or temporary workers are paid accurately for their labor but also for billing clients for work performed on their behalf. They help in calculating labor costs, tracking productivity, budgeting, forecasting future labor needs, monitoring project progress, and determining profit or loss.
Work Ticket vs. Timesheet
Both paper-based and digital work tickets exist for tracking hourly or temporary employees’ work hours. They include hours worked, leave time, accruals, and any adjustments. The frequency of submission can vary—from weekly and bi-weekly to monthly or bi-monthly—depending on the employer’s pay period. Once filled out, work tickets are submitted to a supervisor for approval and then forwarded to the payroll department to process payment. Digital timesheets, like punch clocks or electronic timecard readers, often facilitate automation in billing and payroll processes and can include biometrics for enhanced security.
Work Ticket vs. Work Order
A timesheet used for recording work done for a customer, known as a work order, is typically service-focused. Such a work ticket might include task instructions, problem descriptions, cost estimates, authorization forms, dates, estimated labor hours and costs, the requester’s name, and the billing information.
For instance, consider a customer who takes their car to an automobile shop for multiple repairs or maintenance. The customer receives an invoice that shows the time spent by various mechanics on different parts of the car, as well as their billing rates. This detailed time allocation derives from the work ticket.
In both cases, work tickets play an instrumental role in ensuring precise billing and payroll, ultimately enhancing workplace productivity and efficiency.
Related Terms: timesheet, work order, payroll, labor costs, productivity.
