A mid sized architectural practice, managing a diverse portfolio of residential and commercial projects, struggled with visibility and accuracy in their time tracking and project costing processes. Their reliance on spreadsheets and manual reporting created inconsistencies that affected project budgets, staff utilisation and overall operational performance.

By implementing Quantim’s Timesheet and Operational Tracking System, the firm achieved real time transparency, improved accountability, more accurate project budgeting and a significant reduction in administrative workload. This case study outlines their challenges, the transformation process and the results achieved after adopting Quantim.

1. Background

The organisation had built a strong reputation for design quality but faced significant operational challenges as their workload increased. Team members were working across multiple projects simultaneously, yet there was no clear visibility of how time was being spent.

Before Quantim, the practice relied heavily on:

• Manual spreadsheet based timesheets
• Email and verbal updates for project budget reviews
• Limited reporting that did not reflect real time conditions
• A fragmented approach to resource planning

As the practice grew, these processes increasingly affected productivity and financial control.

2. The Challenges

2.1 Lack of Real Time Insight

Time information was often updated late or inconsistently. This prevented managers from understanding:

• Whether projects were on budget
• Which activities were consuming the most time
• Whether staff were spending time on the right priorities
• When projects were at risk of overspend

Without real time data, decisions were reactive instead of proactive.

2.2 Difficulty Managing Project Budgets

Because data sat in spreadsheets, tracking the relationship between time spent and fee allocation became time consuming. Project managers struggled to identify:

• Over serviced clients
• Activities exceeding estimated hours
• Projects drifting off plan

This had a direct impact on profitability.

2.3 Accountability Across the Team

With manual processes, there was no structured method to ensure time entries were complete, accurate and aligned with project codes. This created administrative overload and limited transparency.

2.4 Excessive Administrative Burden

Staff were spending valuable time manually updating spreadsheets, reconciling hours and preparing reports. This added pressure to both operational teams and project leadership.

The practice recognised that its manual system could not scale, and a modern, structured solution was required.

3. Why Quantim Was Selected

The firm evaluated several tools but selected Quantim because it provided:

• A simple, intuitive timesheet entry process
• Real time visibility of staff hours and utilisation
• Clear links between time, project budgets and fees
• Accurate reporting without manual consolidation
• Improved accountability and operational discipline
• A scalable platform that could grow with the practice

Quantim offered the combination of structure and flexibility needed by a professional services organisation operating across multiple active projects.

4. Implementation Approach

Quantim was introduced in a phased manner to ensure smooth adoption.

4.1 Staff Training

Training sessions focused on making time entry simple and consistent by demonstrating:

• Daily logging routines
• Activity and job code selection
• How entries contribute to project budgets and utilisation

Staff feedback was positive due to the clarity of the interface and workflows.

4.2 Transition from Spreadsheets

The team migrated active project budgets and set up proper fee allocations. Existing spreadsheets were retired, and all time tracking moved into Quantim.

4.3 Establishing Accountability Cadence

Weekly timesheet checks and monthly utilisation reviews were introduced, supported by automated reminders and clean reporting dashboards.

This significantly reduced administrative effort and replaced manual chasing.

5. Results After Adopting Quantim

Following a successful rollout, the practice reported significant improvements across several operational areas.

5.1 Real Time Time Tracking and Budget Visibility

Quantim provided the team with immediate insight into:

• How every employee’s time was being used
• Which projects were running on target
• Which clients or tasks were consuming excessive hours
• Where adjustments were required to protect fee recovery

This allowed the leadership team to make informed decisions quickly, without needing to assemble data manually.

5.2 Increased Productivity and Accountability

Team members became more conscious of how they were allocating their time. The structured nature of the system increased:

• Responsibility in logging hours
• Awareness of project budgets
• Transparency across teams

With no reliance on Excel templates, the practice eliminated duplicate files, misaligned versions and missing data.

5.3 More Accurate Project Budgeting

For the first time, the firm could connect daily activity directly to project budgets. This had a major impact on:

• Fee planning
• Forecasting
• Cost control
• Earned value visibility

Project managers could identify early when a project required intervention, protecting profit margins.

5.4 Reduced Administrative Workload

The practice significantly reduced time spent on:

• Collecting timesheets
• Updating spreadsheets
• Reconciling project hours
• Producing monthly reports

Operational staff freed up hours each week that could be redirected to project delivery and client service.

5.5 Better Resourcing Decisions

With clear utilisation information, leadership could:

• Allocate staff more effectively
• Balance workloads
• Avoid over servicing clients
• Plan hiring needs with evidence based forecasting

This created a more controlled and sustainable working environment.

6. Key Outcomes

7. Conclusion

This architecture practice transformed its operational performance by replacing manual, spreadsheet based time tracking with Quantim’s structured platform. The organisation gained real time insight, improved accountability and strengthened financial control across all active projects.

The transition not only removed administrative burden but also created a more predictable and transparent operating environment for both staff and leadership.

If your organisation faces similar challenges with time tracking, budgeting or project visibility, you can contact the Quantim team at info@quantim.co.uk or explore related insights in our Blogs section.