As a business, you can track time to document your business' and team's productivity, or to bill back to the client for your services worked. All time you track will be saved until you're ready to bill for it later.
You can track time with the timer, or by logging time manually. Time entries can also be marked as billable, edited or deleted afterwards. If needed, you can adjust the day you start your week on in your Basic Information settings.
Before you start adding time, you can choose whether you'd like to track your time by duration in hours and minutes, or by start and end time. This can be adjusted anytime and applies to everyone including your team members, with the below steps:
Choose between Track time entries by duration for hours and minutes, including the ability to pause, or Track time entries by start and end time. Your changes will automatically save.
Start Timer
Track time while you're doing work by using the timer with the below steps:
Select the Time Tracking section
From the Day sub-tab, select the Start Timer button
While the timer is running, you can fill out the entry with more details:
Select the Add a client or project field, and choose between internal client, browse through your existing list, or enter a new client or project instead
If applicable, check the box off next to Apply to Retainer if you'd like to associate this entry to an existing retainer for a client or project
Next, in the Add a service field, enter or browse through your existing services, or enter a new service instead
If needed, enter any notes in the What are you working on? field
If your Tracking Format is set to Duration, pause the timer by selecting on the pause button, and resume by pressing the play button, or hovering over any logged time entry and selecting the play button to resume that particular time entry
If your Tracking Format is set to Start and End Time, there is no pause button. Instead, you can hover over any logged time entry and press the play button which will create a separate time entry with the same details with a new start time
When you’re done, select the Stop button to finish.
Notes:
Select Cancel at the bottom of your timer if you'd like to discard it entirely
The timer will continue running until you select the Stop button, and will stay open as you navigate to different parts of your FreshBooks account or if you close the browser window
Set to Start and End Time, change the started at time if you’d like to have it start earlier and pause as needed on the same timer
Set to Duration, pause by stopping the timer and then resuming it from the time entry by selecting on the Play button that appears above it
Select the pop-out icon in the top right corner to have the timer in its own window, then select the X button to close the window and pop the timer back into the corner of your account again
Add Time Entry
Day View
The Day sub-tab is useful for logging time on a day by day basis. All time entries logged on that particular day will appear in a list below the New Entry button. To log time on the Day sub-tab, use these steps:
Select the Time Tracking section,
On the Day sub-tab, select the day you want to log time on (or use the calendar icon to jump back or forward by weeks)
Select the New Entry button
Then select the Add a project or client field, and choose between internal client, browse through your existing list, or enter a new client or project instead
Next, if needed, select Add a service and choose a service
Depending on what tracking format you've chosen, you can either:
In the HH:MM field, enter your time as a decimal (1.5), as #h #m (1h30m), or with a colon (1:30)
Or in the Start field, add the start time, and in the End field, add the end time
If needed, select Add notes and include any details
When you’re done, select the green checkmark button to save your entry.
Week View
The Week sub-tab is ideal if you log time in bulk, especially if those daily time entries are similar. You also have the option to copy a week with recently logged time entries on it over to a new week, making timesheet entry quick. Use the below steps:
Select the Time Tracking section, then select the Week sub-tab
Next, select the week you want to log time on (or use the calendar icon to jump back or forward weeks)
Select the New Row button
Next, select the Add a project or client field, and choose between internal client, browse through your existing list, or enter a new client or project instead
Next, if needed, select Add a service and choose a service
Select the green checkmark button to continue
Enter the time as a decimal (1.5), as #h #m (1h30m), or with a colon (1:30) into any box for each day of the week available
Repeat steps 3-7 for any additional client, project and service as needed
When you’re done, select Save to finish logging time for the week.
If you’ve already logged time on another week recently using the Week view, the option to copy it over to another week will become available. Select the copy over all rows from most recent timesheet link under the New Row button. Then you can go to step 7 above and continue with the rest of the steps to fill in the boxes with your time logged.
Month View
If you prefer to log your time in a calendar view, you can use the Month sub-tab view instead. The total for each week is displayed as well as the monthly total at the bottom of the calendar, allowing you to review how much you've logged weekly or monthly at a quick glance. Use the below steps:
Select the Time Tracking section, then select the Month sub-tab
Next, select the day you want to log time on, otherwise it will default to today's date for you
Select the New Entry button
Then select the Add a project or client field, and choose between internal client, browse through your existing list, or enter a new client or project instead
Next, if needed, select Add a service and choose a service
Depending on what tracking format you've chosen, you can either:
In the HH:MM field, enter your time as a decimal (1.5), as #h #m (1h30m), or with a colon (1:30)
Or in the Start field, add the start time, and in the End field, add the end time
If needed, select Add notes and include any details
When you’re done, select the green checkmark button to save your entry.
Manage Time Entries
Billed, Unbilled, and Non-Billable Status
There are three types of statuses on your time entries that determines whether they can be invoiced or not:
Marked as Billable
Billed - The time entry is recouped, whether generated onto an invoice or manually marked as billed, once billed, it cannot be rebilled again unless marked as unbilled manually
Unbilled - The time entry is ready to be billed on an invoice and charged to a client
Non-Billable - The time entry is not available to be billed on an invoice, this is useful if you’re tracking time that can’t be billed to a cllient
Tracking time to an internal client or flat rate project will automatically mark the time as non-billable by default
Edit a time entry logged by yourself or by any team member, except contractors, who can only edit their own time. To edit, either modify several time entries in bulk with the steps in How do I review my time? here in the All sub-tab, or use the below steps to edit an entry individually:
Either in the Day, Week, Month or All sub-tab, select the time entry in the list below
Change any detail as needed, including checking off or unchecking the Billable box (if applicable)
Select the checkmark button to save.
From the Time Tracking section, hover over any tracked time to quickly perform any of these actions:
Edit - Select the pencil icon to modify your time entry as needed
Delete - Select the trash can icon to delete the time entry permanently
Start Timer - Select the play icon and choose between:
Start Timer Today - Select to start a new timer with the same details filled out
Resume Timer on Day - Select to resume the timer on the same day the time entry was logged if you're tracking by duration, otherwise this will create a separate entry instead if you're tracking by start and end time
FAQs
How do I generate an invoice with tracked time on it?
There are many ways to generate an invoice, use the steps in How do I generate an invoice? here to get started with rebilling your time back to a client.
How do I add a time entry on behalf of my team member?
You can add time entries for any team member except contractors, using these steps:
Select the Time Tracking section
Then select the Day, Week,or Month sub-tab
In the dropdown under Hours Logged By, select the team member you want to add time for
A banner will appear indicating You are viewing [team member's] timesheet. Follow the steps in Add Time Entry above to add time as needed.
