Are you moving over from another system, or looking to ditch those spreadsheets you're using to keep track of volunteer time? Have no fear. You can definitely update your past volunteer hours with Timecounts so you can gain valuable reporting insights and volunteers can see a full list of their past commitments in the hub.

If you are new to Timecounts, make sure you import or add your contacts into the Community Directory first. You'll need this in order to log time to their volunteer profile. Importing is different from inviting, so you can complete these steps without notifying your volunteers. We know how important it is to get everything setup and organized in your own time.

Now it's time to get all of your data together. If you're using software to keep track, you'll want to export a volunteer hours report. Ideally in a spreadsheet that will allow you to easily keep track of what you're updating into Timecounts. If you are using spreadsheets already, that's perfect. 

Timecounts allows you to be detailed when inputting volunteer time. Which means you should consider how you wish for it to appear not only within your reporting options but to the volunteer.

The quick option we recommend is to create a new activity and give it a name that will make sense (ie. 'Volunteer Time 2018-19). You can set the date for the time period rather than a shift. It will be available to bulk add the total number of hours for a volunteer rather than breaking out each opportunity.

The other option is to associate volunteer hours to individual activities you create or against an Assignment. We advise taking a few minutes to read about these options before you start. Logging time can be done over time, so don't feel as if you have to get it done all at once. You'll just want to make note of what you've inputted so you don't create duplications.

Now is the fun part! Go to the Track tab and click on the 'Log Time' button in the navigation. It should be straightforward from here on out.

To check on volunteer hours you've credited, open up the profile card of a volunteer and go to the 'Activity' tab. You should see a breakdown there. You can also upgrade to Premium to view as a report. 

Next:  Learn How to Log Time Not Scheduled in Timecounts

Note: If you are a large organization or believe you'll need assistance importing your past volunteer hours give us a shout on chat or email support@timecounts.org. We can provide a quote to help.