Timesheet Tracker

Cross-platform Web App

What?

A secure, cross-platform timesheet management system with role-based dashboards tailored for HR teams and employees. It includes a responsive web app and a mobile app with real-time data sync, enabling seamless time tracking, task management, and user role administration.

Why?

Manual timesheet processes are error-prone and inefficient. This system was designed to:
— Streamline time tracking across web and mobile
— Provide HR teams with centralized control over task assignments and user roles
— Ensure secure and scalable access with real-time synchronization

Tech Stack

Backend: NestJS, MongoDB, JWT, bcrypt
Web App: Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
Mobile App: Ionic React

Deployment: Vercel, Railway (IaaS), MongoDb Atlas (DB ingress and egress)

— Authentication & Access Control: JWT-based login with support for both email and username, encrypted passwords via bcrypt, and strict role-based route protection.

— Dashboards:

  • HR Dashboard: Register/manage users, assign tasks, and monitor activities.

  • Employee Dashboard: Create/view timesheets, track task progress.

  • APIs: Custom RESTful endpoints support CRUD operations, task management, and user data retrieval.

  • System Architecture: Modular NestJS backend, secured API routes, and integrated frontend via protected endpoints.

  • State Management: AuthContext for global auth state handling (React Context API).

  • Mobile Features: Optimized for iOS/Android with tab navigation, mobile-first forms, and conditional UI rendering based on user roles.

Design Process Section

1. Research & Problem Understanding
  • Identified inefficiencies in manual timesheet processes (spreadsheets, email submissions).

  • Defined two main user groups:

    • Employees → need a simple, quick way to log hours/tasks.

    • HR/Admins → need oversight, approvals, and role management.

2. User Flows

Sketched high-level flows to clarify roles:

  • Employee logs timesheet → HR reviews → Status updated.

  • HR registers users → Assigns tasks → Tracks submissions.

3. Wireframes (Low-Fidelity)
  • Started with quick grayscale wireframes in Figma.

  • Focused on:

    • Input simplicity for employees (minimal fields, mobile-first).

    • Dashboard clarity for HR (list view of employees + timesheets).

4. UI Design (High-Fidelity)
  • Built responsive UI mockups using Figma components for consistency.

  • Used Tailwind-style utility classes to align with dev stack.

  • Designed role-based visibility (e.g. HR-only actions hidden from employees).

Check out the Figma Prototype here!

5. Prototype & Testing
  • Connected screens in Figma for interactive walkthrough.

  • Tested flows with peers → refined dropdowns, form validation hints, and error states.

  • Iterated on mobile layouts to improve usability with thumb reach zones.


🔐 Security

  • Password encryption, token-based session management

  • Input validation, XSS protection, and CORS

  • Role-based UI visibility and backend enforcement

  • Firewall and network configuration for REST API

🚀 Highlights

  • Created real-time synced dashboards for HR and employees

  • Built secure, role-aware access flow across web and mobile

  • Implemented debouncing in timesheet entries to reduce server load

  • Designed responsive UI using Tailwind CSS and Ionic components

🔮 Future Enhancements

  • Biometric login for mobile

  • Push notifications for task updates

  • Data dashboards and analytics for HR teams

Links.

© 2025 • Snehasini M Antonious

unsplash.com/@reddfrancisco

Create a free website with Framer, the website builder loved by startups, designers and agencies.