Time tracking is the process of recording the hours you spend working, or that you spend on a particular project or task.
Examples of professions that use time tracking are craftsmen, lawyers, cleaning personnel, graphic designers and consultants.
Why time tracking is important
Time tracking is important for freelancers, consultants and sole traders who bill by the hour.
You can also track time for your own records; it’ll help you estimate how long it takes to perform your services, complete a task, or produce goods.
For invoicing
A timesheet is crucial documentation for hourly-wage professions so that you can document how many hours you’ve worked and send your clients a correct invoice.
For projects
Time tracking is also commonly used by businesses to keep track of how much time they spend on various tasks or projects. Knowing how much time you spent on a project will help you work out if the project was profitable.
Having tracked time previously can also help you give estimates to clients in future—which a lot of clients appreciate and require in order to accept your offer—and you can also see if you need to increase your productivity, or increase your prices to match the amount of work you have to put in.
Cloud-based time tracking
Time tracking is often done using online tools or software, but you can do it on pen and paper too.
Download our free timesheet template.
There are, however some advantages to using cloud-based software. Firstly, it lets you log hours even on the go. You don’t risk losing your timesheets, and you can share it with your client. Some clients might even have a time tracking system that they prefer that you use.
Going the digital route is quick, easy, compliant with rules and regulations, and helps you create accurate invoices faster.