Honest Review:
ExakTime

Unique physical time clocks and accurate GPS tracking, doesn't work too well on mobile though.

Written by Asim Qureshi
By Asim Qureshi, CEO Jibble

As a CEO of a time tracking software company, I need to know what my competitors are up to. That means I’m often researching about and/or playing around with their products, you know, it’s part of the job. Here, I share my findings of that research, giving credit to those competitors where credit is due and being honest about which products I believe you really need to avoid. And so, there you have it, this ExakTime review, and in it, I try to be honest, fair, and insightful…

This Review Covers:

Overview

ExakTime is a digital time tracking solution integrated with their mobile time clock app and rugged time clocks. And given that it was created by a construction business owner, it’s designed to meet the unique needs of the construction industry.

A great thing about this app is that it lets you track employee time along with their location with the help of its GeoTrakker feature. Every time employees clock in and clock out, their GPS data is recorded and synced back to the office so employers can ensure everyone is where they should be. Aside from just logging employee location, ExakTime also allows you to set up virtual boundaries around your job sites through geofencing. If employees move away from their assigned work areas, managers instantly get notifications so they can reach out, enabling timely intervention and effective workforce management.

What makes ExakTime a bit different than your usual time tracking software is that it actually offers a rugged time clock that is designed to withstand the harsh environments around construction sites. You’ll need to place these clocks on each job site, and workers will be able to clock in using color-coded key fobs, offering a tangible and efficient time tracking method.

But while ExakTime does show some promise when it comes to location and time tracking, the troublesome bugs and glitches while using the app make the software challenging to use for businesses. Some users have reported duplicate time entries, inaccurate work time measurements, and malfunctioning reports. Its mobile app has also earned less-than-stellar reviews, earning only 2.9/5 stars and 3.9/5 stars on the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively. For software designed specifically for construction workers on the go, a poorly functioning mobile app really makes me question its reliability. To make matters worse, the customer service experience is also not that great, with several users having to wait days to get a reply for their support requests. I tried their customer service chat myself to ask a product question and the response time was way too long. I waited for over an hour and just decided to give up.

These are definitely some important things to consider when deciding if ExakTime is the right fit for you. But before you hand in your verdict, I want you to have all of the information. Let’s have a deeper look at ExakTime’s standout features and what else users have to say.

The ExakTime dashboard showing employee timesheets and field notes.

What do users like about ExakTime?

  • Easy-to-use
  • Simple and comprehensible reports
  • Rugged time clocks
  • Geofencing feature
  • Automatic break time deduction

What don't users like about ExakTime?

  • High pricing
  • Time tracking bugs
  • Bugs and glitches with the app
  • Bad customer service
  • Lack of sorting options for reports

What Pricing Plans does ExakTime offer?

ExakTime offers three pricing plans tailored to the specific needs of businesses: Advanced, Premium, and Elite. To know which plan is a better fit for you, here’s a look at what each plan has to offer:

ExakTime Advanced

With the Advanced plan, users can get access to a robust set of features designed to streamline workforce management. This includes time and attendance tracking, geofencing, expense tracking, equipment tracking, meal break tracking, and notifications. The plan also includes robust security measures with Photo ID Capture, ensuring secure access to hours, and features like cost code tracking, prevailing wage tracking, and injuries & breaks sign-off for efficient job and compliance management.

The plan further offers language preferences with Spanish and French app options and unlimited email, phone, and chat support. When it comes to reporting, Advanced plan users can access 40+ instant reports and overtime payroll reports. And thanks to ExakTime’s over 100 available payroll integrations, the payroll process becomes less of a hassle.

Fair warning: all of these features do not come cheap. The Advanced plan charges a monthly base fee of $50 on top of the $9/user/month fee billed annually.

Exaktime Premium

The Premium plan includes everything on the previous tier, with the addition of custom alerts and notifications along with shift and task scheduling. Alerts and notifications are only limited to 10 per employee per month, so you might want to use them sparingly. 

Much like the Advanced plan, Premium account users can count on unlimited email, phone, and chat support, ensuring that their businesses have access to comprehensive assistance and guidance whenever they need it.

So, how much will the Premium plan cost you? Well, you’ll need to request a quote from ExakTime’s team based on the organization’s specific needs.

ExakTime Elite Plan

Like the Premium plan, the price for the Elite plan requires a personalized quote based on your organization’s needs. This plan includes all of the features of the Premium plan, this time with additional custom alerts and notifications, capped at 50 per employee per month. Another key addition to the Elite plan is the time off tracking feature, helping companies manage and monitor employee leaves effectively.

What are the Standout Features of ExakTime?

1. ExakTime GPS Time Tracking

ExakTime’s time clock app is equipped with a GeoTrakker that allows employers to track the real-time employee location along with their time. It works on all GPS-enabled smartphones and tablets and is available on popular cell phone carriers in North America.

The time tracking process is fairly straightforward; employees enter a unique PIN, select their job site, choose the specific task they’ll be working on, and click “Go”. To help employees ensure they’re selecting the right job site, ExakTime uses GPS data to put an indicator on the job site nearest their location. This isn’t exactly the most fail-safe method, but it does add an extra layer of accuracy to the job site selection process.

Another way ExakTime ensures location and time accuracy is through geofencing. This lets you create virtual borders around the job sites you create, and if workers deviate from assigned work zones, managers can receive real-time notifications. On top of this, the app also generates GPS coordinates and a trail of employee movements, providing a comprehensive method to verify time records.

For easy accessibility, all employee time and location data can be conveniently viewed through the team view tab. This provides a real-time map displaying the names and locations of all employees currently clocked in, streamlining the monitoring process for efficient workforce management.

The mobile interface showing go and stop option for tracking time.

2. ExakTime Photo ID Capture

Buddy punching is a real problem, especially when you’re managing a remote or field team. ExakTime provides a handy solution for this with its Photo ID Capture feature using FaceFront Biometrics™.

With FaceFront Biometrics™ integrated into the ExakTime mobile app, you can eliminate concerns related to time fraud and unauthorized use of timecards or PINs. The app captures a photograph of the employee each time they clock in or out, so employers can now know exactly who is clocking in and out.

This isn’t to be confused with facial recognition software that uses artificial intelligence to match an employee’s face with a stored photo. This would’ve been more foolproof. Instead, ExakTime simply stores captured images, together with its time record and GPS stamp, and syncs them back to the office for manual review.

Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, the Photo ID Capture feature operates smoothly on tablets and smartphones equipped with front-facing cameras. It’s important to note that the functionality requires iOS 4.0 or later and Android OS 4 or later.

The ExakTime Employee facefront report showing images of employees and their clock in details.

3. ExakTime Rugged Time Clocks

A physical time clock isn’t something that most time tracking software companies normally offer. But since ExakTime mainly caters to the construction industry, they’ve developed rugged time clocks that can serve as attendance hubs on work sites while withstanding the harsh environment.

The way this works is you basically assign each time clock to a work site and secure them in place by attaching them to secure walls or beams. These time clocks are portable, which makes them easy to move and mount anywhere. Employees can then clock in using a green key fob and out with a red key fob. Other key fobs can also be color-coded to differentiate between various job codes and locations. Attendance and time data recorded via the time clock are stored and synced to the cloud so managers can access them back in the office.

The time clock’s lithium-powered batteries can last up to 21 days without charging, making it perfect for temporary work camps. And since they’re weather-resistant, you can use them rain or shine without worrying about any damage.

Some of ExakTime’s rugged time clock products include the JobClock Hornet and JobClock LE. They both pretty much function the same way. LE and Hornet’s only difference is that LE is Bluetooth enabled so that users can send work data anytime. In contrast, Hornet automatically sends information every hour while clocked in through its cloud service.

The ExakTime JobClock Hornet rugged time clock that comes in a bright yellow exterior.

4. ExakTime Reporting 

ExakTime’s reporting feature gives business owners a powerful tool to extract valuable insights from their workforce data. With over 40 instant reports available, users can focus on key metrics and leverage data to make informed decisions crucial to their business’s success.

Reports can be effortlessly generated from data collected by the time clock app or rugged time clocks, covering aspects such as hours worked, regular and overtime hours, location, start and stop times, and more. The robust construction reports offer real-time visibility, offering actionable insights necessary for business progression.

The time card tracking reports offer actionable insights for effective workforce management. These include Employee Executive Summary for a high-level overview, Employee Time Card for monitoring Regular and OT hours, Employee Touch Detail for tracking start and stop times and work types, Location by Employee for understanding hours at specific locations, and Employees by Location for a breakdown of working hours spent at each job site.

Additionally, certified payroll reports that are a must-have for federal contractors and are available in the software. These reports give businesses a comprehensive view of their projects and employees, enabling them to make informed decisions and improve their operations.

 

Employee Touch Detail report generated by ExakTime. The report shows data on start location, start time, stop time, and so on.

Selected Positive User Feedback: 

  • It super handy having it on my phone for clocking in and out from job site to job site.” – Kenneth M. (Source Capterra)
  • I like that this software is compatible anywhere, and anyone can use it. Once set up is complete, it is easy to use and is a great tool for time tracking your employees.” – Lori B. (Source Capterra)
  • ExakTime is an excellent mobile tool for our employees working out in the field. This is extremely beneficial because even though tasks are assigned on a daily basis, ExakTime allows the flexibility to change job codes with ease on the mobile app. I’m not really sure that I’ve encountered a less appropriate scenario.” – Paul Gruber (Source TrustRadius)
  • I like that you are able to leave comments on the actual time cards, it saves a lot of time from the field notes. I also like that you can see where the employees are clocking in and out from.” – Shana H. (Source GetApp)
  • That we don’t have to worry about lunch being clocked out or in, and it automatically deducts the lunchtime and that we get the option to choose how much time can be taken out.” – Luis L. (Source G2)
  • The reports are useful. The overall time detail view is very helpful. I like that you can view time by the locations or by the employees.” – Gabrielle B. (Source GetApp)
  • All of the features in the program itself are great. We like the geo-fence a lot for tracking where guys punch, and the selfie is great for accountability.” – Anonymous Reviewer (Source GetApp)
  • Being able to break jobs down by cost codes for our Borough. Cost codes in ExaKTime allow us to better prepare budgets.” – Paul G. (Source G2)
  • This is a great way to track hours worked at different job site locations. You are able to view time cards and payments all in the app.” – Chantel M. (Source GetApp)
  • I have had the mobile time app for about 2 years now and absolutely love it.” – Rachel J. (Source GetApp)
  • I have recommended this app (ExakTime) to several other companies in the same line of work as we are. It is a great way to keep people honest with their time.” – Nikki Madox (Source TrustRadius)
  • It is extremely easy to set employees and locations up on Exaktime. We obtain very accurate weekly timesheets for all the employees, as we know exactly when they have arrived within the geo-fence and logged in/out.” – Mike B. (Source GetApp)
  • ExakTime is very intuitive and user-friendly. Very easy to create and filter reports and super easy for workers to punch in and out.” – Yvonne N. (Source G2)

Selected Negative User Feedback:

  • Reports and report sorting. There are only predefined sorting options; I would like to be able to sort by any field I want. I get around it by downloading them into Excel. However, it would be nice not to have to do that.” – Ruby C. (Source Capterra)
  • Pricey. Customer service is not good at all. The company does not have a support phone number. You have to submit a ticket. Someone does get back to you, but it might be a day or so.” – Sarah D. (Source G2)
  • The main complaint we all have is that you cannot respond to field notes or communicate with the field with the app; it is inefficient. It would be nice to have job-specific comments as well as crew-specific comments.” – Verified User in Construction (Source G2)
  • It is expensive software. I have to type in all of the information addresses every time I get to a new site. This app does not track all of your movements. I might as well just type everything up that I do in a day and send it in.” – Rick B. (Source App Store)
  • It is extremely difficult to get support. No one is in the support department when I’ve called, and they do not call back promptly.” – Ronald K. (Source GetApp)
  • I wished it talked to different platforms like our accounting software and daily report app. The app is ineffective. We had to pay for a custom-coded app to be able to talk to our accounting software.” – Casey G. (Source G2)
  • Doesn’t do what it says it does. It isn’t easy, and 3 days after using the product, and realizing it would not work how we expected and how the salesman told us it would work. I asked for a refund and was refused. Had to charge back cars used.” – Kevin K. (Source GetApp)
  • This has to be the worst time clock app that I have ever used, The app is not working fine. I have to open the app at least 10 before I punch in because it’s always loading and stopping. Sometimes I have to shut off my phone and restart it and hope for the best. Something’s always changing with this stupid app, and not for the better.” – Joshua Smith (Source Google Play Store)
  • Not user-friendly. Would have to manually create a startup point for each person. Plus, reports are malfunctioning. ” – Edward M. (Source GetApp)
  • IT PRODUCES DUPLICATE TIME ENTRIES ON A REGULAR BASIS. This has created several very tense and embarrassing situations with my hourly customers.” – Peter C. (Source GetApp)
  • The program is glitchy at times and causes bugs in time-tracking. Managers tell me they changed a time punch, but it didn’t hold. Reports feature doesn’t work well and deficient.” – Verified User in Construction (Source G2)
  • We used it for years. Paid for a brand-new yearly plan of over $3,000 only to find a month later that our hornets do not work any longer because they are outdated 2-3g. ExakTime should have made us aware of this before they renewed our policy. Told us the only thing we could do was buy new hardware. Refused to refund our $… WOULD NEVER TREAT A CUSTOMER LIKE THIS.” – Krystal T. (Source GetApp)
  • I have a Galaxy Note 8, and now the Time tracking section does not work at all and has bugs! It used to give me issues on refreshing, but now nothing is there! I have uninstalled and reinstalled the app, logged out and then back in, and restarted my phone, and nothing is working. This needs to be fixed! When it did work, sometimes showed my hours as double punches.” – Jodie Guttliep (Source Google Play Store)

      What are ExakTime's Review Ratings from Review Sites?

      (As of 11/22/2023)

      • Capterra: 4/5
      • G2: 4.2/5 
      • GetApp: 4/5
      • Software Advice: 4/5
      • Google Play Store: 3.9/5 (in the US)
      • App Store: 2.9/5 (in the US)

      What's my Final Verdict on ExakTime?

      As a time tracking software that’s tailor-made for construction businesses, I think ExakTime’s features, from automated overtime calculations to GPS tracking and real-time data access, are actually quite decent.

      The app makes it easy for employers to track employee time alongside their location with its mobile time clock and GeoTrakker features. The geofencing function adds a great layer of security for ensuring that workers are accurately logging hours at designated job sites.

      For employers who prefer physical time clocks, ExakTime’s JobClock Hornet and JobClock LE offer a good solution. These weatherproof and portable options are well-suited for the challenging environments of construction sites, offering durability and flexibility in time tracking.

      There’s definitely a lot to like about ExakTime, but like any other time tracking app, it still has its flaws. The reporting feature lacks comprehensive visual charts for easier data analysis. There are also less report filters which can make it hard for employers to drill down on specific data points.

      There’s also the issue of bugs and glitches with its mobile app which really hampers the overall user experience. And for a time tracking solution specially made for construction businesses, a reliable mobile time tracker should seriously be a given. Its reviews on the Google Play Store (3.9/5) and App Store (2.9/5) speak for themselves. All of these, along with ExakTime’s not-so-great customer support and high pricing, really don’t make for a good selling point.

      Despite these issues and limitations, I still believe ExakTime could be a viable option for businesses in the construction industry. Although it’s not the best and most cost-effective time tracking solution in the market, its features, such as GPS tracking and geofencing, can be really valuable for remote and field workers. It’s still worth a try if you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars and don’t mind dealing with app glitches and bugs every now and again.