TSheets Implements Manual Break Option

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TSheets has been offering an add-on function covering employee breaks; however, the feature was configured for automatic breaks in which TSheets automatically deducted specified break times.  For example, you could set a ‘Rest Break’ configured around completion of a specified period of work.  In the illustration below, you can see that an “automatic break” of 15 ‘paid’ minutes in length has been set-up to occur ‘mid-way through’ 4 hours of work, Monday through Friday of every work week.  

The result of this type of break was the posting of the 15 minutes break in each employees’ time record, without requiring the employee to log-out and then log-back-in after taking the break.  You can set-up as many ‘automatic breaks’ in TSheets as you want or need to configure, and the breaks post just as you specify them. 

But this week’s new feature announcement expands the TSheets Break functionality to go beyond ‘automatic breaks’, it provides a method to configure and implement ‘manual breaks’, again without the need to have employees actually log-out and log-back-in during their work shift.  A Manual Break, in contrast to an Automatic Break, puts allowed breaks back in the employees’ control.  The TSheets Administrator still configures the type and duration of the break, and whether it’s paid or unpaid. You also decide whether or not you want the break to automatically end after the break-period is up; if not, your employees will have to click “End Break” when they come back to work.  

To create a TSheets break:

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1) Go to ADD-ONS › Breaks.

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2) In the Breaks Preferences window, click Add Break Rule.

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3) Enter the name of the break, the length, and select Paid or Unpaid.

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4) By default, the break rule is assigned to all employees. To view and assign to individual employees, click all employees.

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5) Deselect the Uncheck All box, click + next to the group name (if groups have been set up), select individual groups or employees, and click OK.

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6) Select AUTOMATIC BREAK, MANUAL BREAK, or both.

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7) In the Break Rules window, make the final selections, and click Save. The Breaks Preferences window displays with the new break rule Active status set to ON.

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In the illustration below, the left side of the picture shows an example of how the break options might look on the TSheets Mobile App.  The right side of the picture shows an example of how a paid break might appear on the TSheets Mobile App.

You can make use of both ‘automatic’ and ‘manual’ breaks in TSheets.  If you have both Automatic Breaks and Manual Breaks selected, your employees will see the orange “Take Break” button, and they will still have the option to take their break whenever they see fit.

If they reach the end of their shift and they haven’t managed to take a break, that break will be automatically deducted from their timesheet. If they have taken a break, the Automatic Break feature will detect that break and will not deduct any additional time.

This is the first of several new (enhanced) TSheets features just announced; if you are a TSheets Pro, a TSheets user, or someone looking for a time-keeping App “that does so much more than just keep time”, then stay tuned for more details.

For more information about the new 'Manual Break' feature, see the TSheets Blog.