You have chosen a new tool, but a timer is still running in the old one. Last month's report has not been checked, and two employees still need to add missing entries. What happens next determines whether the change is straightforward or leaves someone searching for missing hours later.
The start of a month can be a convenient boundary, but it is not essential. An agreed cutover time, saved records and a clear route for new entries matter more. This checklist helps small teams prepare the handover, with a short reference to the recording requirements in Germany.
Decide which time belongs in which system
Write down the date, time and time zone of the change. For example, a team could start recording new work in its new system on Monday, 2 November 2026, at 00:00 German time. That is an illustrative planning date, not a recommendation for every business.
Agree separately how to handle work that crosses the boundary. Split an actual record only in a way that preserves the real working time without gaps or overlaps. Also decide who can correct entries from earlier periods after the switch.
| Question | Agree before the switch |
|---|---|
| New time entries | When will the new system become the sole place for new records? |
| Earlier periods | Where will records and subsequent corrections be kept? |
| Running timers | Who will check them and stop them at the actual end of the work? |
| Reports | Who will prepare and check the final report for the old period? |
| Questions | Who will resolve missing or conflicting entries? |
Treating two systems as equally authoritative makes reconciliation harder. A short comparison may help, but specify which system holds the authoritative entries during that period.
Save more than a total number of hours
Check which records and reports your current provider actually makes available. Do not rely on an export button you have never used. Open the files and inspect a complete sample period.
Useful reconciliation fields include the person, date, time details, breaks and project allocation where applicable. Record the filters and rounding rules used to produce the report. Store the files securely and agree who will need access later.
Germany's Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs explains that the start, end and duration of daily working time must be recorded. A monthly total alone does not contain those details. Check any additional requirements and retention rules applicable to your business separately.
Do not close the old account until the records you need are secured and you understand what closing it means. Contract notice periods, access to earlier reports and importing data into another service are separate questions.
Recalculate one day by hand
Choose a simple case for the first check. In this fictional example, Amir works from 08:30 to 17:00 with a 30-minute break. The elapsed time is 8 hours 30 minutes; subtracting the break leaves 8 hours of work.
Of those 8 hours, 5 hours 45 minutes belong to Project North and 2 hours 15 minutes to Project South. The project entries therefore total 8 hours too. This is a checking example, not a rule requiring every business to allocate every working minute to a client project.
| Check | Result in this example |
|---|---|
| 08:30 to 17:00 | 8 hours 30 minutes |
| Break to subtract | 30 minutes |
| Working time | 8 hours |
| Project North | 5 hours 45 minutes |
| Project South | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Combined project time | 8 hours |
If two reports disagree, check their periods, time zones, break deductions, filters and rounding first. Check the format as well: 7.5 decimal hours means 7 hours 30 minutes, not 7 hours 50 minutes. Resolve the cause before adding balancing entries.
Minutezilla treats attendance and project time tracking as separate workflows. Checking in does not automatically allocate that time to projects. Start with the overview of browser-based time tracking.
Try Minutezilla for free
Time tracking, attendance, breaks and leave in one tool. Right in the browser, no credit card.
Check everyday tasks before the team starts
Walk through the essential steps with one person: sign-in, starting time, recording a break or stopping a timer, adding a missing entry and finding a report. Use a paper example first. Then accompany a genuine working day without creating artificial hours in live accounts.
Look beyond the final total. Can the person add a forgotten entry correctly? Do they know how to report an error? Can the responsible colleague find the right reporting period? Check the required tasks on the devices people will actually use.
Arrange a review after the first few working days. Collect specific questions rather than asking only whether people like the software. “Where was the break entered?” or “Why is Project South missing from the report?” gives you something concrete to resolve.
What a switch to Minutezilla involves
Minutezilla supports timer-based and manual project-time entries. Attendance uses check-in, breaks and check-out. Time reports can be filtered by period and other criteria and produced as PDF files; HR reports provide CSV output.
A general import of historical time records from other tools or CSV files is not available. Do not assume that your full history will automatically move into Minutezilla. Secure your existing records independently and plan when new entries will begin.
Leave accounts and previously approved absences need a separate reconciliation. See replacing scattered leave spreadsheets for a practical process.
If you are still selecting a replacement, review the criteria in the Crewmeister alternative guide. Once the workflow is clear, you can try Minutezilla in your browser.
Your switching checklist
- Record the cutover date, time and time zone.
- Assign new entries, old records and later corrections to a clear process.
- Review running timers and missing entries with the people concerned.
- Export, open and securely save the records you need.
- Recalculate one known working day and reporting period.
- Reconcile attendance, project time and leave accounts separately.
- Give the team a named contact and starting instructions.
- Check outstanding questions and report totals after the first few working days.
Frequently asked questions about switching time tracking tools
Do we have to switch at the start of a month?
No. A month boundary can make reports easier to separate. Another date can work if everyone knows where to record new work and how earlier entries will be handled.
Can I automatically import my previous hours into Minutezilla?
A general time-data import from other tools or CSV files is not available. Treat securing historical records and starting new entries as separate tasks.
Why do the totals in two reports differ?
Check filters, reporting periods, time zones, breaks and rounding first. Compare individual records against a known day before adding an entry to offset the difference.
Should everyone record time twice during the change?
Choose one authoritative recording route. If you use two systems for a limited comparison, define the period, purpose and responsibilities so the same work is not later billed or counted twice.
Reviewed on 1 November 2026. Amir, the project names and all example figures are fictional.
