Improving Workforce Management and Time Capture Accuracy
WesTrac, one of Australia’s largest Caterpillar dealers, was managing fragmented Workforce Management (WFM) and time capture processes across multiple business units. With more than 2,500 timesheets processed each fortnight, inconsistent processes and outdated systems were driving inaccuracies, operational inefficiencies and downstream payroll and costing issues.
SMC partnered with WesTrac as an independent advisor to deliver the Strategy & Roadmap and Select & Negotiate phases of its workforce transformation.
The engagement focused on clarifying requirements, evaluating market options, and securing a fit-for-purpose Workforce Management (WFM) and Time & Attendance (T&A) solution, providing strong governance and decision confidence ahead of delivery.
Organisations facing similar workforce technology decisions can explore SMC’s Workforce Management consulting capabilities for independent guidance across strategy, requirements, solution evaluation and selection.
Led by SMC’s Perth team, the engagement supported WesTrac in establishing a structured pathway towards a modern Workforce Management and Time & Attendance environment.
This engagement was originally delivered under SMC’s previous Analyse & Blueprint terminology, now Strategy & Roadmap.
About WesTrac
WesTrac is a $4B enterprise operating Caterpillar dealerships across Western Australia and New South Wales/ACT. The organisation provides equipment sales, parts, and services to the mining and construction sectors.
With thousands of employees and complex rostering requirements, accurate time capture and workforce scheduling are critical for operational efficiency, compliance, and cost control. WesTrac recognised the need to modernise its workforce management environment to support its scale and future growth.
Project Snapshot
Client: WesTrac
Industry: Mining, Construction & Equipment Services
Locations: Western Australia and New South Wales/ACT
Engagement: Workforce Management & Time and Attendance Transformation
SMC Office: Perth
SMC Model: Strategy & Roadmap, Select & Negotiate
Next Phase: Plan & Implement
The Challenge
Fragmented Processes Creating Operational Pressure
Before engaging SMC, WesTrac was managing workforce time capture through three separate mechanisms. These legacy processes created duplication, errors, and limited visibility across business units.
Key challenges included:
- Outdated systems no longer fit for purpose
- Frequent inaccuracies in claimed hours
- Cultural and compliance challenges across sites
- Resource strain from processing more than 2,500 timesheets per fortnight
- Disconnected processes between project time capture and payroll
Payroll processing and award interpretation were outside the scope of the engagement, with the focus on improving Workforce Management and Time & Attendance capability.
Digital WFM roadmap future state processes defined
Digital WFM Roadmap
Future-state processes defined
Unified Requirements
WFM & T&A aligned
5-Year TCO Model
Clearer commercial decision-making
2,500+ Timesheets
Processed every fortnight
3 Time Capture Systems
Consolidation opportunity identified
8 Assessed → 3 Shortlisted
Structured WFM/T&A evaluation
SMC's Workforce Management Advisory Approach
SMC was engaged as an independent, client-side advisor to support WesTrac through the decision-critical stages of its workforce transformation.
This phase established clarity and alignment before engaging the market. SMC worked with WesTrac to:
- Document current-state challenges and pain points
- Define future-state WFM and T&A requirements
- Map end-to-end workforce time capture processes
- Establish governance aligned to business objectives
Building on the approved roadmap and requirements, SMC then:
- Evaluated market options using a structured, evidence-based approach
- Coordinated vendor shortlisting and demonstrations
- Assessed functional and operational fit
- Negotiated commercial terms to reduce risk and optimise value
SMC’s selection capability, supported by the SelectionCoach™ platform, ensured transparency, consistency, and defensible decision-making throughout the process.
Structured and Transparent Decision-Making
The engagement followed a clear, phased approach:
- Requirements and future-state definition across people, process, technology, data, and governance
- Independent evaluation of WFM and T&A solutions against agreed criteria
- Commercial negotiation to clarify scope, cost, and delivery expectations
This gave WesTrac leadership confidence that the selected solution was fit for purpose and ready to move into delivery.
The OutcomeA Fit-for-Purpose WFM Solution and Stronger Governance
The engagement delivered measurable value and improved control:
- Best-fit WFM and T&A solution selected through independent evaluation
- Reduced total cost of ownership through commercial optimisation
- Strengthened governance to support delivery success
- Clear view of future integration across key enterprise systems
- A scalable roadmap for modernising workforce processes
Preparing for Delivery
With Strategy & Roadmap and Select & Negotiate complete, WesTrac is positioned to progress into the Plan & Implement phase.
The foundations established through this engagement reduce delivery risk, support adoption, and enable the rollout of a modern, integrated workforce management environment. Ongoing performance and value realisation will be addressed through Review & Optimise once the solution is live.
Ready to streamline your workforce processes and reduce compliance risk?
Frequently Asked Questions
A Workforce Management (WFM) system helps organisations manage workforce processes such as time capture, attendance, rostering, scheduling and workforce data. For large or complex organisations, the right WFM environment can improve process consistency, visibility and integration with systems such as payroll and ERP.
For organisations reviewing their current workforce technology, defining business and process requirements through SMC’s Strategy & Roadmap phase can help establish what needs to change before evaluating new systems.
WesTrac was managing workforce time capture through three separate mechanisms, creating duplication, inaccuracies, manual effort and limited visibility across business units. With more than 2,500 timesheets processed each fortnight, the existing environment was placing increasing pressure on workforce processes and downstream payroll and costing activities.
SMC helped WesTrac define its future-state requirements and establish a clearer pathway towards a more integrated and scalable Workforce Management and Time & Attendance environment.
SMC acted as an independent, client-side advisor, helping WesTrac define requirements, assess the market and evaluate WFM and Time & Attendance solutions against agreed business and operational criteria.
Through SMC’s Select & Negotiate phase, eight solutions were assessed and three shortlisted for further evaluation. SMC also supported vendor demonstrations, commercial assessment and negotiation to help WesTrac make an informed and defensible technology decision.
Organisations should consider more than software functionality when selecting a Workforce Management solution. Key considerations include business and workforce requirements, existing processes, integration with payroll and other enterprise systems, reporting needs, scalability, implementation capability, total cost of ownership and vendor fit.
An independent evaluation process can help organisations compare these factors objectively and understand the trade-offs before committing to a solution or implementation partner.
No. Payroll processing and award interpretation were outside the scope of the engagement. The project focused on improving Workforce Management and Time & Attendance capability, including time capture processes, future-state requirements, solution evaluation and commercial selection.
The future environment was considered in the context of its broader enterprise systems landscape, including how workforce information would interact with downstream processes such as payroll.
Independent Workforce Management advisory helps organisations make technology decisions based on their own business requirements rather than vendor preferences. Establishing clear requirements, future-state processes, governance and commercial expectations before implementation can reduce ambiguity and provide a stronger foundation for delivery.
Once a solution has been selected, SMC’s Plan & Implement phase supports organisations as they move into delivery, helping maintain governance, manage risk and keep the transformation aligned with its intended business outcomes.
What WesTrac said about working with SMC:
Phase: Review & Strategise + Analyse & Blueprint: I could not have asked for a better experience. The quality of work done by SMC was tremendous. The engagement with our exec was top notch and you vindicated my decision to use SMC to deliver. We will be back.
Phase: Select & Negotiate: I like the fact that SMC deliver what they say they will. In all our consultancy assignments they have been a valued partner and delivered outstanding work.
Richard O’Loughlin
Chief Financial Officer
Planning a Workforce Management Transformation?
Modernising WFM requires more than replacing software. Explore the key considerations for processes, requirements, technology, risk and implementation when planning your future workforce environment.
Ready to streamline your workforce processes and reduce compliance risk?
SMC provides independent, client-side advice to help organisations understand their workforce technology requirements, evaluate WFM and Time & Attendance solutions and prepare for successful implementation.
About the Author
Jamon Johnston is the CEO and Founder of Solution Minds Consulting, with over 30 years’ experience helping mid-market and enterprise organisations successfully navigate complex digital and enterprise software transformation initiatives.
After senior consulting roles at Andersen and Deloitte Consulting, Jamon founded SMC in 2006 to deliver truly independent, client-side advisory services focused on enterprise systems, strategy and business transformation.
He is highly regarded for his deep market knowledge, practical insights, and ability to inspire confidence in organisations tackling large-scale change, helping them prioritise investment, optimise processes, and achieve sustainable outcomes.