Accurate payroll starts with accurate time capture. Raken's time tracking tools connect the field and the office — letting supervisors enter crew time, workers clock themselves in and out, and payroll admins review and export everything from one central place. This guide walks you through the recommended setup sequence to get your account ready.
Quick Answer
To get started with time tracking in Raken:
Set up your Time Policy under Company > Time settings > Policies.
Configure General Time Settings — pay period, approvals, and classifications.
Invite workers if using Time Clock — assign the Project Worker role in Directory > Employees.
Start tracking time from the global Time tab or from Project Tools > [Project] > Daily Logs > Time Cards on mobile.
Complete setup before your first pay period to ensure all time cards follow the correct rules from day one. Time Cards, in every form, require the Performance Plan. Basic plan accounts do not have Time Cards, only Work Logs.
Work Logs vs. Time Cards
Work Logs are for tracking manpower and progress on site by company. General Contractors typically use Work Logs to log subcontractor headcount and activity — grouped by company so it's reportable across projects. Work Logs are available on all plans, including Basic.
Time Cards are for tracking individual employee hours for payroll. They include pay type, classification, cost code, and automatic overtime calculations — everything needed for accurate payroll processing. Time Cards require the Performance Plan and are not available on Basic.
You can use both on the same project if you're on Performance. If your account is on Basic, Work Logs are your only option for tracking activity, you'll need to upgrade to Performance for individual payroll-ready Time Cards.
Step 1: Set Up Your Time Policies
Time Policies define the rules that govern how time is captured, calculated, and categorized across your organization — overtime rules, breaks, pay types, shifts, and more. Setting up your policy before anyone logs time ensures every time card is accurate from the start. Time Policies are part of Time Cards and require the Performance Plan.
Step 2: Configure General Time Settings
Navigate to Company > Time settings to configure pay period, approvals, and classifications.
Step 3: Set Up Time Clock or Kiosk (if applicable)
If your organization wants workers to clock themselves in and out on their own devices, enable Employee time clock in your Time Policy and invite workers to Raken. To use a shared station device, enable Kiosk mode — Kiosk does not require the Time Clock add-on, but both still require the account to be on the Performance Plan for Time Cards at all.
Step 4: Start Tracking Time
Once your policies and settings are in place, your team can start capturing time.
On web → Click Time in the left navigation, then click Entries
On mobile (Time tab) → Tap Time in the bottom navigation bar
On mobile (from project) → Tap Project Tools > select your project > Daily Logs > Time Cards
Step 5: Review and Approve Time
At the end of each pay period, review and approve time cards before exporting to payroll.
Step 6: Export to Payroll
Once time is approved, export to your accounting or payroll system using one of Raken's supported integrations.
Additional Features
Per Diem
Record per diem for travel, meals, lodging, or other work-related expenses. Per diem entries are day-based and independent of time cards — created from Time > Review > Per Diem by supervisors or administrators. Requires the Performance Plan (same as Time Cards generally).
Overtime Premiums
Automate pay type assignment for weekend shifts, early starts, late finishes, and holidays. Configured inside your Time Policy. Requires the Performance Plan (same as Time Cards generally).
Troubleshooting & FAQ
I'm on the Basic plan. Can I still track individual employee time somehow?
Not through Time Cards, those require the Performance Plan. On Basic, use Work Logs instead to track company-level manpower and activity. Work Logs don't capture pay type, classification, or individual payroll-ready hours the way Time Cards do. If per-employee payroll tracking is needed, the account will need to upgrade to Performance.
Considerations
Time Cards, in every form (supervisor entry, personal entry, Time Clock, Kiosk), require the Performance Plan. Basic plan accounts have Work Logs only.
Complete Time Policy setup before your first pay period — policy changes only apply to future time cards.
On mobile, time cards can be created from the Time tab (bottom nav) or from Project Tools > [Project] > Daily Logs > Time Cards.
Workers need the Project Worker role in Directory > Employees before they can use Time Clock.
Offline time entry is supported on mobile via both the Time tab and Project Tools > [Project] > Daily Logs > Time Cards.
Per Diem entries are created by supervisors and administrators — employees cannot submit their own requests. Per Diem and Overtime Premiums (Weekend, Shift, Holiday) require the Performance Plan, same as Time Cards generally.
Overtime is calculated automatically server-side.
Technical Specifications
Compatibility: iOS 15+, Android 10+, and all major web browsers
Offline Capability: Yes (mobile) — via Time tab or Project Tools > [Project] > Daily Logs > Time Cards. Entries sync when connection is restored.
Plan Required: Performance Plan for Time Cards in any form (Time Policies, Per Diem, and Premiums included). Not available on Basic, which has Work Logs only.
Add-on Required: Time Clock add-on for worker self-clock-in, Photo ID, Clock questions, and Geofencing. Kiosk does not require the Time Clock add-on.
Role Required: Account Administrator for setup; Supervisors and Project Administrators for time entry
More Questions?
Feel free to email us or call us at +1 866-438-0646. We're always glad to answer your questions!