At my first job, I worked as a research underling for a small HR consulting company. As tends to be the case with consulting, we billed clients on an hourly basis.
Of course, this was my first job, and I had no idea how to accurately track my time. I was used to campus hourly work, where you got compensated based on if you showed up, not based on the amount of time you spent working on a specific project.
Getting used to time tracking was tough for me. In my creative process, I tend to have tabs upon tabs open. This is my screen right now in preparation for this article.
Meta, I know.
As someone who is chronically struggling with the battle between ADD, creativity, and getting things done on time, as someone who flips between Facebook, Hangouts, work email, and expense reports, and as someone whose attention span fluctuates (often forgetting to stop or start the time tracking button), calculating my hours was an optimistic dream at best.
Then again, we were relying on tools that didn’t facilitate the time tracking process well. We used Trello to track our projects and wrote in our hours worked on the kanban cards. That meant that we used another free online application with simple “start” and “stop” buttons and that we had to record each time we worked on a project. For me, that meant hunting through tabs and remembering to comply with time tracking all together.
It was, in short, a disaster.
Since entering the project management software world a few years ago, I realized that my old job was suffering from a lack of quality business tools. Yes, what they were using was free, but there were free time tracking software that was better than the system we had. Paid versions, which I also cover here, are admittedly even better.
So I went on a hunt. I looked through the time tracking apps that:
- Provided project management functionality
- Integrated with a billing system
- Could track multiple projects at different billing rates
- Offered a mobile solution for on-site visits
- Offered scheduling features
- Had that “wow” factor
After filtering through 500 or so time tracking applications in Capterra’s directory, these eight stood out in the areas that I was examining. Not every business will fit every solution offered here, though. Take the time to compare features and pricing, and let me know in the comments if I missed any big winners!
These time tracking apps are sorted alphabetically, as their features vary enough that there isn’t a clear “best” or “worst.”
1. AccountSight
Reviewers have praised AccountSight for its reasonable pricing, functionality, and customer service.
For example, one reviewer was thrilled that he could use “the system in about 10 minutes!”, while another wrote, “Overall the software is the perfect online solution for project cost tracking. The cost is extremely reasonable and the customer service is second to none. I highly recommend this software.”
In fact, most reviews commented on AccountSight’s customer service.
Their time tracking processes stand out too, for businesses and consultants alike. Users can submit their timesheets in bulk via Excel, or simply track their time online. Managers can approve or reject timesheets straight from the app. Forgot to track your time? AccountSight regularly sends you messages that nudge you to turn your clock on. If only I had that at my first job!
If you’re looking for a time tracker that gives you flexibility and a tight integration with your accounting system, definitely check out AccountSight.
Price: Free for one user, two client, two projects, and unlimited invoicing and unlimited T&E. For the more robust version (unlimited clients and projects), AccountSight jumps to $10 per person for groups under five. If your group is larger than that, discounts are available.
2. Journyx
If you’re already down with Microsoft Project, Quickbooks, and/or SAP, Journyx was designed to slide right into your ecosystem, integrating seamlessly.
Using Journyx, your time management documentation becomes automated. The software automatically fills out time sheets, can automatically record redundant time entries (with user validation), and even has a mobile time-tracking option.
Journyx also allows its users to make notes on recorded time, so users don’t get confused about what time logged for which project.
This software also extends to HR; employees can use it to record and request time off and sick leave. Project managers can see who is working when with a Gantt chart overview. They can also see real-time updates on how the project is progressing, so chances of cost overrun slim significantly.
Price: Free for up to 10 people. If you need more licenses, prices vary.
3. LiquidPlanner
LiquidPlanner has stood out as an incredible project management and project portfolio management software tool for a while now. Named as one of the best Microsoft Project alternatives, best project portfolio management software, and winner of the CODiE award for best project management solution, LiquidPlanner really stands apart from the rest of the project management crowd.
Its standalone time tracking features are no exception. From the home page, users can see an aggregate view of time tracked for the week. They can submit time manually or run a clock for each task.
What’s really cool is that LiquidPlanner has an entire section of its software dedicated just to timesheet. Mike Merwin, LiquidPlanner’s Director of Communications, breaks it out:
- Entries are generated automatically based on the highest priority tasks for the week.
- Activities can be pinned to the timesheet, so if you do a task or series of tasks often,they stay on the timesheet every week.
- When time is entered into the system, it reduces the effort estimation for that task. This rolls-up to the project and portfolio level.
- When entering time, you can add notes (if you are a consulting company and clients need more detail, for example). This is helpful when exporting a timesheet to your billing system.
Like Journyx, LiquidPlanner also offers a host of integrations (including Quickbooks), making it a powerful all-in-one project management and time management solution.
Price: Starts at $29 per user per month with a 10 user minimum. This standard plan comes with 50 active projects, 25 active clients, basic analytics, 25 virtual members, and 25GB of file storage. For $39 per user per month, companies can upgrade to the professional grade, which include 300 active projects, 100 active clients, advanced analytics, unlimited internal dashboards and 100GB of storage. If your business needs even more options, enterprise options are available.
4. Paymo
Paymo has an incredible rapport with its customers; it has a perfect 5/5 score on Capterra garnered from 83 separate reviews. Anne-Marie Rose, the founder of Rose Holistic Treatments, recently explained how Paymo helps her business:
Paymo is easy to set up and use. The free trial is perfect for trying out Paymo. I did just that initially and was so impressed that I had to continue with the paid version of Paymo.
Once Paymo had been set up and customized I could just log onto Paymo each day and easily track time. It is easy to switch between projects too. Paymo has an overview of hours worked, unbilled amounts, milestones, discussions etc so easy to see at a glance progress per project.
At the end of each month I use Paymo to easily invoice my clients. Just one click of a button to invoice unbilled time, check the invoice and send by email! Easy. Paymo then keeps a list of invoices sent out which can be updated to show status. The invoice itself looks very professional and I easily added a company logo. There are custom settings to save the text to be used when sending out invoices.
Rose sums up what there is to love about Paymo — both from business and freelancer perspectives. Paymo offers a web timer, desktop app, and even offers an upgrade to PaymoPlus, which monitors your computer activity and tracks work accordingly. That way, you don’t need to remember to start and stop your timer as you work (oh how I wish I had this when I was tracking my hours!).
Price: Any team can use Paymo for unlimited projects, clients, timesheets, and storage for $4.95 per user per month.
5. Toggl
Like Paymo, Toggl is also a huge hit with reviewers. It boasts a 4.5/5-star rating on Capterra with 178 reviews to its name.
Eric Crawford writes, “It has allowed me to effectively and efficiently track my hours working for each client. [I] can’t really think of any cons right now. But the fact that you reuse projects over again with the same description has been incredibly useful. I also just utilized importing a CSV file with one of my client’s 180 job codes. That saved an a lot of time and allows me to track my hours based on the same codes that I will charge them to.”
Toggl works on Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, and almost every browser. You can track your time directly in Toggl and then export your time with its multitudinous integrations (including, but certainly not limited to, Asana, Atlassian Jira, Basecamp, FreshBooks, Github, Google Docs, Open Project, Quickbooks, Salesforce, Slack, Teamwork, and Trello).
Users can also log their time offline and sync their data after it’s recorded. And Toggl’s security? It backs up every 24 hours to several different physical locations, and keeps all of its information on Rackspace, making it ISO 27002, ISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, CPS, Safe Harbor, and SSAE16 compliant.
Price: Free for teams up to five people (includes unlimited projects), but it’s definitely worth checking out their premium plans. For example, for $9 per user under Toggl’s “Pro” plan, teams have unlimited participants, customizable billable rates, time estimates, and reports. For $49 per user per month in the “Business” plan, teams get priority support, locking timesheets, scheduled reports, and tracking reminders. If $49 is a little heavy, try their “Pro Plus” plan for $18 per user. This option lets teams have all the functionality of the “Pro” plan plus one of the extra features from the business plan.
6. Trigger
While Trigger isn’t listed on Capterra’s time tracking software directory (yet!), it’s still a strong app to consider. It was made with consulting firms in mind.
Trigger is either a super robust task management software or a project management software option without Gantt charts or Agile, with a CRM flavor. The sales team can keep track of their communications with clients and the app ties that information to related projects. Tasks can be zoomed in on at the granular level. The app also provides templates and storage so project managers don’t need to start from scratch at the beginning of every project.
Trigger also offers timesheets, automated invoices, and online reports, and all that information syncs with Xero, Freshbooks, and Zapier. Like with other apps on this list, its time tracking solution works with just the click of a button (or can be logged manually), and all that information gets filtered into invoices, timesheets, and reports.
Price: $8 per user per month, which includes unlimited projects, clients, companies, and full customer support.
7. TSheets
TSheets is a pretty awesome application. As Andrew Marder points out in his TSheets alternatives piece, “It’s a three-time Sleeter Group Awesome Application Award winner. It has clients in over 100 countries. It’s simple and powerful and fairly priced.” On Capterra, this time tracking system has 5/5 stars with over 500 reviews.
If you’re working in construction, field service, or other field-based industries, TSheets has an innovative approach to tracking your workforce. It’s GPS enabled, so employees can simply turn on their smartphone, check into their location, and get to work. While geo-fencing is not yet available, that’s probably something TSheets will be looking at in the future.
TSheets also offers job and work scheduling features that managers can control from the comfort of their office or out on the field. Employees can see who else is working in the field with them from TSheets’ GPS integration. That comes in handy when urgent changes come to a project late in the game; project managers can quickly see who’s already working and has the workload capability to take on a new task or two.
Price: Free for up to five projects. After that, TSheets is $16 per month + $4 per user. Businesses can add scheduling features for just $1 more per user.
8. WorkBook
Is it a project management software? ERP? CRM? Finance or accounting program?
It could be listed as all of the above (and it certainly didn’t make this list as a less-than-ideal “all-in-one” software option). Ultimately, it’s a work suite largely used by advertising and PR companies, with a sprinkling of businesses in consulting and architecture.
Stephen Walker at ToolBox Marketing explains why he likes WorkBook so much:
WorkBook is a great all-in-one solution and there is nothing like it on the current market.
We used to have multiple systems for different departments, but WorkBook has everything integrated. We now have time tracking, project management, resource management, budgeting, forecasting (incl. pipelines), CRM and all finances in WorkBook. We are in the process of setting up the also-integrated support system… [It has] tons of features – I would definitely recommend WorkBook to everybody! But the best part is that you only pay for what you need!
WorkBook offers the following time tracking features:
- A one-click timer for iPad, iPhone, and desktop
- Manual entry
- Hours can be marked as billable or nonbillable
- System reminders to track your work
- Ability to log time from anywhere in the system
- Vacation, holiday, and sick leave
For project managers, there’s also a reporting feature that can help calculate the value of each employee. The report shows the employee’s logged time, WorkBook usage, and breaks down each employee’s billable, nonbillable, and internal hours. Project managers can also see how absence (be it from sick leave or vacation) affects productivity.
Price: The basic plan starts at $19 per user per month with a minimum of 15 users. This plan includes timesheets, project management, customer management, collaboration, and file sharing. To gain access to more of WorkBook’s features, contact them for a quote.
More?
There are plenty other time tracking software options for project managers. What do you use? Do you agree that these eight options are the best time tracking software available? Let me know in the comments below!
The post 8 of the Best Free Time Tracking Software for Project Managers appeared first on Capterra Blog.