Tsheets Offers Simple and Affordable SMS and Voice-enabled Time Tracking

September 13, 2011
Written by
Meghan Grady
Contributor
Opinions expressed by Twilio contributors are their own

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Matt Rissell
Tsheets is a time tracking application designed to streamline this historically inefficient process.  This web-based application turns any PC or mobile device into a time clock with many additional features.  The SMS messaging and dial-in capabilities of the application are powered by Twilio.  Tsheets makes managing and reporting time simple & affordable for the company while ensuring that tracking time is easy and accurate for the worker.  

Tsheets is releasing a new and improved dial-in feature with capabilities that will enable organizations and employees to clock in and out or add notes with a phone call.  We got in touch with the CEO of Tsheets, Matt Rissell, to learn more about this new feature and their journey.

Tell us about the new and improved dial-in feature powered by Twilio.

This is no ordinary dial-in feature!  We have built state of the art functionality that will enable job code tracking, notes, and more.  It can even be used from a landline or a cell.  For industries on the move, like in-home healthcare, staffing/temp agencies, janitorial and construction, the ability to call in to track time can make all the difference for accountability and convenience.

How did Tsheets get started?

Tsheets
Tsheets is a time tracking technology company with over 20,000 customers worldwide.  We allow industries and organizations to track, manage, and report time in a variety of mobile, convenient ways.  We offer flexible soultions like apps for iPhone and Android, gadgets for macs and PCs, and web-based or Twitter access.  However, we needed a reliable text messaging and dial-in partner, with software and service that both our customers and our company could rely on.  We found that partner in Twilio.

Our in-home healthcare and janitorial clients especially have requested a dedicated line and more call-in features than they could get from other time and labor management companies.  Npw we can exceed the needs of these demanding industries without new dial-in add-ons.

Check out this video explaining how it works:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTAxpNl9puE&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

What are your future plans for Tsheets?

Once we began to develop and flesh out the features of this new dial-in add-on, we realized that it could appeal broadly to many of our existing and potential customers.  It essentially turns any phone into an easy-to-use time tracking device.  So we’re making the feature available to any new or existing customer to install and increase the capabilities of our existing product.  We’re also working on ways to make it easier for managers and supervisors to use the interface to take care of their employees.

What technologies are you using to build and support it?

Our application stack is build on open-source technologies, such as Linux, Apache,  MySQL, and PSP/Perl.

How did you get started developing with Twilio?

We initially discovered Twilio when looking for an alternative provider of text messaging services.  Once we became comfortable with Twilio’s service and software on the SMS platform, we were excited to see how we could leverage the voice side of things with such a reliable partner company.

How was the experience of integrating Twilio with your chosen tools and technologies?

So far, everything we can gain from Twilio through service and software is that this company does things “right.”  We especially like Twilio’s excellent documentation of API, with lots of examples and pre-built classes that make integration easy.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Matt! 

To stay up to date on all things Tsheets, check out their blog and follow them on Twitter @tsheets.