Aug 1, 2023
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Make Your Time Tracking Seamless and Efficient
6 Best Billable Hours Tracker Software Solutions
Anyone who works in the professional services industry knows that not all hours worked translate into billable hours. Only work directly tied to a client project makes the cut. Without precise time tracking, you could be overlooking the vast chunks of time your team spends on non-billable tasks.
According to our research, service firms leak time and money every day.
Historically, businesses have relied on spreadsheets and outdated tools to track time. According to QuickBooks data, 80% of timesheets are inaccurate. Business leaders who wish to invest in an error-proof, automated method should consider investing in a billable hours tracker.
A billable hours tracker is an automated tool that removes the need to manually record how long you spent on tasks during a given workday. Investing in a billable hours tracker is the fastest and most accurate way to capture this information.
Billable Hours Tracker Software Options
To ease the pain point of tracking time manually, we've compiled a list of six time-tracking software platforms that make time tracking a seamless, efficient and more accurate process.
To ease the pain point of tracking time manually, we've compiled a list of six time-tracking software platforms that make time tracking a seamless, efficient and more accurate process.
1. Accelo
Accelo is a client work management platform designed to help professional services firms, including agencies of all sizes, manage client relationships from prospecting and payment through projects and even retainers. The platform provides customizable solutions to expand visibility, improve collaboration and increase profits.
Features
- Custom workflows to automate and streamline business processes
- Centralized client database connecting client records to projects, tasks and billing
- Project management tools, including automated time trackers, useful project templates and resource management
- Retainer tools, including contract management and recurring work automation
Pros
- Not limited to one industry or stage of client work, so it’s customizable for all service firms
- Recognized as #1 in customer satisfaction for Professional Services Automation based on real user reviews
Cons
- The platform may be too robust for small businesses seeking only one or two functions
- Not the best fit for teams of under five people
Start a free trial or schedule a demo to discover Accelo's power for time tracking and beyond.
2. ClickTime
ClickTime offers a combination of tools for timesheets, expenses and business intelligence. It helps teams in a variety of industries with capacity planning, profitability analysis, utilization tracking and more.
Features
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Variety of time tracker types, including stopwatchm mobile app and overtime tracker
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Ability to export timesheets to payroll or QuickBooks
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Automated reminders
- Remote employee management
Pros
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Capable of setting up recurring tasks or time logs
- Workflows for managerial approval
Cons
- Not ideal for small to mid-sized businesses because of complexity of finance codes
- Some users dislike the amount of manual configuration required
3. Harvest
Harvest is a time-tracking, expense management and invoicing tool with integrations that support all kinds of businesses. Known for its easy-to-read reports, Harvest makes it easy to monitor team utilization and billable hours and make more data-driven decisions.
Features
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Visually engaging reports to aggregate timesheet data
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Invoicing and payments
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Integrates with popular platforms like Slack, Asana and Jira
- Convenient desktop-accessible timer for reminders
Pros
- Ability to set a time limit on projects to visualize scope creep
- Intuitive UI
Cons
- No way to compare budgeted to actual time
- Difficult to pinpoint source of discrepancies in invoicing
READ NEXT: The Transformative Power of Automated Employee Time Tracking
4. QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time, formerly T Sheets, is a time-tracking and employee scheduling solution that seamlessly integrates with other Intuit products to simplify payroll and client billing. It's best for teams that need detailed time tracking and reports attached to their client invoicing.
Features
- Time logging for internal and external users
- GPS time tracking for on-the-go teams and geofencing for in-person teams
- Ability to track time against customers, projects, classes and service items
- Time kiosks for in-person clock-ins
Pros
- Discounts for large businesses
- Included with some tiers of QuickBooks Payroll software
Cons
- Some users report problems with location tracking
- There are some complaints about miscalculation of PTO
5. Timely
Timely is an AI-powered time tracker with resource management and project management features. The platform offers visibility over team time and availability, as well as advanced organization features, including tags.
Features
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Automatic time capture and timesheet creation
- Planning and task scheduling
- Extensive reports
- Privacy for individual activity
Pros
- Records everything you work on in the Memory Tracker and displays on a private timeline
- Flexibility to rename entry titles, reassign tags and adjust group activities
Cons
- Takes time to teach AI to recognize type of work performed
- Manual phone call logging
6. Toggl
Toggl, and specifically its Toggl Track product, is designed to help teams stay on top of billable hours and hold employees accountable. It features user-friendly dashboards with simple summaries, simplifying time tracking for individuals and data analysis for managers.
Features
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One-click time tracking or entry
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Toggl Button and Toggl Desktop apps for idle reminders
- Calendar integrations to turn events into time entries
- Automatic time entry formatting
Pros
- Customizable reports by client, project or tag
- Free plan
Cons
- Some users say the app has time zone conversion issues
- Individual time reports are limited
Automated time tracking is an avenue to avoid the hassle — and cost — of a manual lift. To get a preview of what time tracking could look like for your business, schedule a demo of Accelo.