EXCEL ALTERNATIVE
Time tracking without Excel – no more spreadsheets
Excel spreadsheets for time tracking are error-prone, cumbersome and not ArbZG-compliant. Zeitbro replaces your file entirely: one click to start, automatic break calculation, overtime balance in real time.
PROBLEM
Why Excel fails for time tracking
A self-maintained Excel spreadsheet may seem sufficient at first – but it quickly reaches its limits when dealing with breaks, overtime and legal requirements. Formulas break, cells get accidentally overwritten and manually computing breaks under the Working Hours Act is error-prone.
On top of that, Excel does not understand your working day. There is no automatic distinction between office day, home office, business trip and vacation – and no real-time balance until you manually refresh the file. For legally compliant, up-to-date time tracking, that is simply not enough.
COMPARISON
Excel vs. Zeitbro
Switching from Excel to Zeitbro makes the difference immediately clear. Here are the key contrasts at a glance:
- Manual break calculation in Excel → Zeitbro applies breaks automatically under the ArbZG (30 min from 6 h, 45 min from 9 h).
- Formulas that change accidentally → Zeitbro stores every entry securely and immutably in the cloud.
- No real-time balance → Zeitbro shows your overtime account live – on every device, without recalculation.
- No status distinction → Zeitbro knows office, home office, business trip, vacation, sick leave and flex day.
- Exports only possible manually → Zeitbro exports monthly reports as CSV or PDF at the press of a button.
- No mobile access → Zeitbro runs as a PWA in the browser and on iOS, Android and desktop – always in sync.
SWITCH
Switch in a few minutes
You do not need to migrate old data to get started immediately. Sign up for Zeitbro, select your federal state and weekly working hours – public holidays, break rules and daily targets configure themselves automatically.
From day one you start and stop the workday with a single click. Breaks are deducted under the ArbZG, and your daily and monthly balance is visible instantly. Existing overtime figures from Excel can be entered manually as an opening balance – in under a minute.
BENEFITS
What you gain with Zeitbro
Zeitbro removes everything that frustrates you about Excel: no formulas, no manual summation, no version conflicts. Instead you get time tracking that understands German labor law and your everyday working life.
Whether you are an employee looking to reduce overtime, a freelancer documenting project hours, or a commuter clocking in on the go – Zeitbro works on every device, in real time, without a spreadsheet in sight.
- Automatic break and overtime calculation under the ArbZG
- Real-time hours account on all devices
- Day status types: office, home office, business trip, vacation, sick leave, flex day
- Monthly export as CSV or PDF – no manual preparation needed
- Log project hours separately and include them in the monthly report
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about time tracking without Excel
Start earning your days off
Two clicks a day. Real-time overtime balance. One-click flex days. Available now in early access.
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