How to Track Start and End Times in Raken

By default, supervisors can enter total hours worked for their crew. If your state or company requires more detail, you can switch to detailed supervisor entries — requiring a start time, end time, and breaks for every time card. This setting is configured inside your Time Policy.

Quick Answer

To require start and end times on time cards:

Log into the Raken web app.
Click Company, then Time, then Policies.
Click Edit policy on the relevant policy.
In Settings under Time tracking, toggle on Supervisor entries (detailed).
Click Save & finish.

Once enabled, supervisors must enter a start time and end time — not just total hours — for each employee's time card.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Navigate to the Time Policy

Log into the Raken web app. Click Company in the left side menu. Click Time, then click Policies. Click Edit policy on the policy you want to configure.

This setting is configured on the web app and applies to all employees assigned to the policy.

Step 2: Enable Detailed Supervisor Entries

In the Settings section under Time tracking, toggle on Supervisor entries (detailed). This requires supervisors to enter a start time and end time for each employee's time card, rather than just total hours.

You can enable both Supervisor entries (simple) and Supervisor entries (detailed) at the same time to give supervisors flexibility in how they enter time. When both are enabled, supervisors choose which format to use on each entry.

Step 3: Configure Break Tracking (Optional)

If you want breaks to also require start and end times, navigate to Breaks in the policy left side menu. In the Break tracking section, select your preferred break detail requirement:

Require start and end time
Require start time and duration
Require break duration only

See Creating Breaks for Time Policies for full break configuration steps.

Step 4: Save

Click the orange Save & finish button. All future time cards for employees assigned to this policy will now require start and end times.

Entering Start and End Times on a Time Card

Once detailed entries are enabled, supervisors enter time cards with start and end times instead of total hours.

On the Web

Navigate to Projects > Daily Logs > Time Cards or Time > Time cards > Entries. Click the orange + Time card button. Select the crew or employees. Enter the Start time and End time — Raken calculates total hours automatically. Add breaks if required. Click Save.

On Mobile

Tap Time in the bottom navigation bar. Tap Entries or navigate via Project tools > Daily Logs > Time Cards. Tap the + button. Select employees. Enter the Start time and End time — tap directly on the time field to use the wheel picker. Add breaks if required. Tap Save.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

What is the difference between simple and detailed supervisor entries?

Simple entries require only total hours worked. Detailed entries require supervisors to enter a start time and end time for each employee. Detailed entries support more accurate overtime calculations and are recommended for organizations in states with strict wage and hour requirements.

Can I have both simple and detailed entries enabled at the same time?

Yes. Both options can be enabled simultaneously within the same policy, giving supervisors the flexibility to choose the format that best fits each situation.

Does switching to detailed entries affect existing time cards?

No. The change applies to time cards created after the policy is saved. Existing time cards are not retroactively updated.

Do break times also need start and end times?

Only if configured. Navigate to Breaks in the policy editor and set the break tracking requirement to Require start and end time if you need break-level detail. See Creating Breaks for Time Policies.

Technical Specifications

Compatibility: All major web browsers for policy setup. iOS 15+, Android 10+ for mobile time entry.
Offline Capability: Mobile time entry via Daily Logs > Time Cards works offline. Time tab requires an active connection.
Data Format: Start and end times are included in all time card exports (PDF and CSV)
Plan Required: No plan restrictions — available on all Raken plans
Add-on Required: None
Role Required: Account Administrator to configure. Supervisors and Project Administrators for time entry.

Considerations

Only Account Administrators can change Time Policy settings.
Enabling detailed supervisor entries applies to future time cards only — existing entries are not updated.
Both simple and detailed entry modes can be active simultaneously within the same policy.
No plan restrictions apply — this feature is available on all Raken plans.