A project report says volunteers contributed forty hours. Another report converts those hours into a large cash figure. Before comparing them, ask what was counted and what the number is intended to mean.
Define an hour for this record
Agree whether the log includes direct activity, preparation, meetings and travel. Follow any funder’s reporting requirements, but keep those requirements distinct from the project’s own planning needs. Do not change the definition halfway through a reporting period without explaining the change.
For a simple local record, capture the date, activity, time contributed and a suitable identifier. Collect no more personal information than needed, and explain who can see the record. Avoid public league tables that pressure people to disclose or compete over their availability.
Avoid counting the same time twice
If someone attends a two-hour session in two roles, the project has not automatically received four hours from that person. Likewise, a group session’s duration and its total person-hours are different measures. Five people working for two hours represents ten person-hours, assuming each contributed throughout.
Use an explicit note for estimates or incomplete records. A plausible round number should not silently become a verified total.
Keep money and time in separate columns
Volunteer effort is valuable, but an estimated monetary value is not cash received in the bank. If a report requires a valuation, use the applicable method, state the rate and assumptions, and label it clearly. Ask a qualified accountant or the funder about formal reporting requirements rather than treating an informal calculation as accounting guidance.
For everyday project management, the time record may reveal where work is concentrated, which activities need more support and whether an apparently small event required substantial preparation. Discuss those findings with the volunteers themselves.
End the report with what the figures help you decide. “Most preparation fell on two people, so we will share that work next time” is more useful than an impressive valuation with no practical consequence. A good record recognises effort without pretending that every contribution is interchangeable with money.