Question 1

When is time tracking worth it?

Accepted Answer

Client billing (essential). Project profitability analysis. Capacity planning. If you're not billing by hour, consider if the overhead is worth the insight.

Question 2

Which time tracking tool should I use?

Accepted Answer

Toggl: simple, popular. Harvest: invoicing integration. Clockify: free option. Hubstaff: remote monitoring. Timely: automatic tracking. Match to needs and budget.

Question 3

How do I get team to log time consistently?

Accepted Answer

Make it easy (quick entry, mobile). Tie to billing (accountability). Regular reminders. Review and follow up. Some tools track automatically. Culture of compliance.

Question 4

Manual entry vs. automatic tracking?

Accepted Answer

Automatic (Timely, RescueTime) reduces friction but needs review. Manual is intentional but requires discipline. Hybrid: automatic capture, manual categorization.

Question 5

What categories should I track?

Accepted Answer

By project/client at minimum. Optionally by task type (dev, meetings, admin). Too granular = tracking fatigue. Enough detail for your billing and analysis needs.

Question 6

How accurate does time tracking need to be?

Accepted Answer

For billing: as accurate as practical. For insight: directional is fine. Don't obsess over minutes unless billing demands it. Good enough beats perfect never.

Question 7

Is time tracking micromanagement?

Accepted Answer

Depends on how you use it. For billing and project health: no. For monitoring every minute: probably. Focus on outcomes, not surveillance. Communicate the why.

Question 8

How do I integrate time with invoicing?

Accepted Answer

Many tools (Harvest, Toggl) have built-in invoicing. Or export to accounting software. Reduces billing friction. Essential for agencies and consultants.

Question 9

What about non-billable time?

Accepted Answer

Track it separately—admin, internal meetings, overhead. Understanding billable vs. non-billable ratio helps pricing and capacity. Target 60-75% billable for services.

Question 10

How do I use time data to improve estimates?

Accepted Answer

Compare estimates to actuals by project type. Learn your estimation patterns. Build buffer from historical accuracy. Over time, estimates improve.

Question 11

Should developers track time?

Accepted Answer

For client work: yes. For product teams: usually not at granular level. Focus on outcomes over hours. Developer time tracking can harm culture if done wrong.

Question 12

How do I handle time tracking for remote teams?

Accepted Answer

Trust-based logging works for most. If accountability needed, desktop tracking (Hubstaff). Consider time zones. Async time entry is fine.

Question 13

What about tracking time by task?

Accepted Answer

Integration with project tools (Asana, Linear) helps. Track at meaningful level—not every micro-task. Enough detail for analysis without tracking fatigue.

Question 14

How often should I review time data?

Accepted Answer

Weekly for billing/compliance. Monthly for project health. Quarterly for pricing/capacity decisions. Regular review makes data useful.

Question 15

Can time tracking improve productivity?

Accepted Answer

Awareness often helps—you manage what you measure. But don't optimize for hours logged. Focus on outcomes. Time data is one input, not the goal.

I need to track time for billing or productivity

About This Problem

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Toggl Track

Harvest

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I need a system to track tasks and projects

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I need to automate invoicing and accounts receivable

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