Morris Drywall
WorkMax Makes Payroll Errors as Antiquated as Paper Timesheets
Industry
Drywall
Location
Texas
Employees
300 - 500
Integration
Accounting Software
Solution
WorkMax TIME WorkMax FORMS
The WorkMax Platform Provides Accurate Timekeeping and Information Instantly for Morris Drywall
Angie Robb, who handles payroll and benefits for Morris Drywall in Tyler, Texas, can’t remember the last time she had to make a payroll correction.
Before working with WorkMax on payroll solutions, Morris Drywall employees tracked their work time on paper timesheets; they took pictures of the timesheets and emailed the photos to the payroll representative. The representative spent days manually keying in all the hours. Oftentimes, the timesheets weren’t legible and had mistakes — which created a lot of payroll errors.
Morris Drywall first used WorkMax’s AboutTime solution before transitioning a few years ago to the cloud-based WorkMax platform. Since then, payroll errors have become a thing of the past. In addition, the payroll process now only takes, at most, a couple of hours, Angie reports.
Subcontractors like the speed and efficiency with which they now receive payroll information. Angie adds how beneficial this is because this allows for more time to create their reports and invoices.
In addition, WorkMax seamlessly integrates with today's most common accounting software, saving a lot of repetition of tasks and time in the payroll process.
“I can't even imagine going back to the way that we were doing time. This has just been a tremendous advancement for our company.”
Angie Robb, Payroll and Benefits
Key WorkMax Features That Increased Accuracy & Payroll Processing
Clock In/Out in Real Time
Expedited Payroll Processing
GPS Location on Clock In or Out
Increased Payroll Processing Accuracy
Technology Creates Accuracy and is Easy to Use
WorkMax TIME has many features that create an efficient, user-friendly experience for Morris Drywall employees and has eliminated some “problems” that often arise when managing a remote workforce. WorkMax TIME solutions for previous issues include:
Facial recognition: In the past, like on many job sites that utilize subcontractors, Morris Drywall had issues with “ghost employees.” These workers would have their friends put their name on the paper timesheets even though they weren’t there that day. Now, because every timekeeper must upload a clear photo of his or her face to WorkMax, Morris Drywall can ensure each person who clocks in or out is who they say they are.
Geo-fencing: Morris Drywall once had a foreman who was clocking in prior to arriving at the job site and clocking out after arriving home. WorkMax TIME’s geo-fencing feature captures the location of the device at the time it is being used to clock in or out. This eliminated the problem of fraudulently inflated timekeeping.
Language options: With so many of Morris Drywall’s workers preferring to speak Spanish, they felt comfortable using WorkMax in Spanish. This gives employees peace of mind about the platform’s purpose and function, making it easier to use.
Location information: The location of each job is stored on the app, so it’s easy for employees to know where to go when they are assigned work. The app also provides directions to the job site. The same feature is also helpful for Morris Drywall’s office staff to quickly locate workers and get in touch with them when needed.
User-friendly app: The WorkMax platform can be installed on any smartphone or tablet and is easy to use by workers in the field, Angie says.
Cloud-Based Platform Keeps Connectivity Easy
One of the best upgrades that came with Morris Drywall’s switch from AboutTime to the WorkMax platform is the cloud-based connection, Angie reports. Previously, workers would have to manually sync the time clock in the app. But WorkMax auto-syncs in the background. It seamlessly provides updates and gives Angie and her colleagues in the office a real-time look at what is happening in the field.
This is also a beneficial feature for connectivity problems, which Angie says are frequent. Many of Morris Drywall’s jobs are in incomplete buildings, so there is no Wi-Fi. Even if the job is in an area with bad cellular service, it now doesn’t affect the workday, because the app can still capture the information, store it and upload it automatically once the device returns to an area of service.
The cloud access also allows Angie to access all types of information when she’s not in the office. Angie can set up a new employee, check someone’s timesheet or see a job site location all from the app.
Detailed Information from the Job Sites in WorkMax FORMS
Morris Drywall uses various forms to track job progress and employees. It was always a challenge getting foremen to complete these paper forms out in the field. WorkMax FORMS is available online in the same app as the time clock, so the foremen with Morris Drywall were immediately able to start utilizing WorkMax FORMS because they were already familiar with the platform. When a form needs to be submitted, they simply complete the form, click submit and it sends the forms directly to Angie in real time. Project managers and general contractors also receive the pertinent forms, which keeps everyone updated on job progress or issues.
There is also a new hire form Morris Drywall uses in WorkMax FORMS that streamlines the onboarding process for new employees. With about 500 users and growing, having all the information needed for each new subcontractor, including their photo and job classification, saves Angie a lot of hassle.
WorkMax FORMS is one area Morris Drywall plans to expand in the future, Angie says.
“[Project managers] no longer have to wait until the week is done or the job is done in order to get a look at those hours that are being put on the job site.”
Angie Robb, Payroll and Benefits
Real-Time Visibility of Remote Sites
WorkMax gives Morris Drywall project managers and general contractors a real time snapshot of what is happening on the job site. From how many hours were worked that week to how many workers are on a specific job site, there is an accurate accounting of progress and work without having to drive to the site to count heads. By looking at the WorkMax TIME app, Angie can see how many employees are at the site, when they arrived and left, and what they were doing while they were there.
Also, the app allows for the uploading of photos and documents. This is really useful for getting daily reports from the job foreman or others in the field. Being able to see a photo of the project gives the project manager an accurate look at exactly what was done, what is left to do and any issues that workers on the site have encountered.
Morris Drywall Transitions to WorkMax Platform from AboutTime
AboutTime was a helpful platform and state-of-the-art for its time. But when it came time to upgrade to better technology, sticking with WorkMax was a “no-brainer,” Angie says. Morris Drywall saw the advancements that came on WorkMax and was able to visualize and now experience the increase in benefits.
Aside from the technology itself, Morris Drywall has always appreciated the great working relationship it’s had with WorkMax. Whenever they have feedback or problems with the program, WorkMax always responds quickly and helpfully. WorkMax worked with Morris Drywall as partners to make tweaks to the system so they could use it in a way that made sense for the company.
“[WorkMax] always had a solution…. And have always been very understanding to make things more efficient and simpler for us.”
Angie Robb, Payroll and Benefits
Hesitancy Gives Way to WorkMax User Champions
When Morris Drywall initially introduced the technology to workers in the field, the company was met with a lot of reluctance. There was hesitancy around learning and using new technology as employees were comfortable with the paper timesheets. Soon after putting WorkMax into practice, workers and timekeepers found the workday much easier. Even communication has become seamless between Angie and the timekeepers, as they have the ability to leave notes for errors like forgetting to clock in.
Because communication and tracking have been so effortless, easy, and up-front, workers are able to see the importance of accurate time reporting and its direct relationship with their pay. Though they were hesitant at first, workers see how easy and efficient timekeeping is and have grown to support moving from paper to the WorkMax app.
