Most consultancies and self-employed consultants make the same mistake when it comes to productivity: they count money, not time spent and tasks finished. Due to the unrecorded work activities, companies lose billions of dollars daily. That raises the question of where the lost hours go and how they can use consultant time tracking software to maximize their productivity and income.
It is often the case that individual consultants are underpaid because a significant part of their time remains uncounted and not included in the payroll calculations. Apart from the consultancy services, they also do research, communicate with clients and departments, go on business trips, and more. That means that consultants often work out of hours, so their extra work time remains unrecorded and unpaid.
How consultant time tracking software can deal with time theft, maximize the income of individual consultants, and increase the companies’ revenue?
Why Consultants Need Time Tracking Software
A study conducted among UK office workers shows that the average amount of productive work time equals 3 hours out of 8 working hours. According to the respondents, for the rest of their workday, they check social media, browse news sites, discuss work with office mates, and spend time on other non-working activities.
Multiple surveys prove that time trackers deal with poor personal time management habits. It is known that daily time tracking improves productivity by 80% and accuracy by 66%. In other words, time logging makes employees more engaged and disciplined in the workplace. But this is far not the only advantage of consultant time tracking software.
To keep track of productivity, time trackers provide valuable business intelligence and analytics. They gather the data for you and organize it into dashboards and customizable reports so that managers and consultants can see how much time is spent on each task, project, and service issue.
With data analytics and reports, consultants can get a more in-depth insight into profitability by segmenting the data by projects or clients. This way, they can estimate which projects or services are less profitable and calibrate accordingly.
Cloud consultant time tracking software is the best choice for those who need to automate their invoicing routines. Cloud-based software offers useful integrations with accounting software and makes invoicing as simple as clicking a few buttons to get a bill and sending it to the customer.
And finally, modern time trackers for consultants should be available on multiple platforms. Consultants should be able to track their time in the workplace, during business trips, meetings, and off-hour activities, so that every minute is counted and fairly paid.
So what time tracking solutions can deliver these benefits for consultancies and independent consultants?
Best Free Time Tracking Software for Consultants
1. actiTIME
- Online timesheet
- Browser extension
- Task management
- Productivity reports
- Team management
- Billing & invoicing
- Mobile apps
Pricing: Free for teams of up to 5 members (try a free 30-day trial). Paid plans start at $6 user/month.
actiTIME is a versatile project management and time tracking software that helps businesses streamline their workflows, enhance productivity, and manage employee time more effectively. Designed to cater to the needs of teams of all sizes, it facilitates both on-site and remote work scenarios, adapting to the evolving landscapes of modern workplaces.
With actiTIME, consultants can streamline their time management processes, ensuring that every billable hour is recorded accurately. This not only guarantees precise invoicing for clients but also provides invaluable data for analyzing project expenses and budget compliance, enabling a succinct and transparent financial overview for both consultants and clients alike.
Online timesheet interface in actiTIME where every user can select task parameters
they want to see in their timesheets
Configurable charts and spreadsheets provide consultants with clear statistics that can be sorted by projects and billable hours and that allows them to easily create invoices. All reports are available for download in CSV and PDF formats.
Reports dashboard in actiTIME – set up real-time data widgets
and add report shortcuts for quick access
Its free plan covers all the consultant time tracking needs and provides you with data analytics to help you identify the bottlenecks and maximize productivity. Free mobile apps for Android and iOS make an excellent addition to the app and allow you to manage time on the go. With paid plans, you get access to a handy Chrome extension.
As for time management, actiTIME allows you to configure work schedules no matter whether it’s a full-time, part-time, or flexible job. You can also create teams to group employees by departments, locations, or time zones.
Integrations: QuickBooks, Jira, BaseCamp, Trello, Slack, and more.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Why choose actiTIME?
- Ease of use: Many users find actiTIME to be intuitive and easy to learn, with a simple interface and straightforward navigation.
- Versatility: actiTIME features multiple time tracking methods, including weekly timesheets and calendars, one-click timers, and a fully automated activity tracker.
- Detailed reporting: actiTIME offers a wide range of reports that can be customized to your specific needs, providing insights into project progress, employee productivity, and more.
- Mobile app: actiTIME Mobile lets you track your time and access reports on the go, which can be helpful for remote workers or those who are frequently out of the office.
- Cost analysis: You can collect information on the cost of projects and resources, which is handy for budgeting and work estimation.
- Integrations: actiTIME integrates with many popular project management and accounting tools in order to help you streamline your workflow.
- Free trial: You can try actiTIME for free before you buy it and see if it is a good fit for your needs.
actiTIME more than meets the needs of my company
It’s an amazing product, it is extremely well-polished and a good deal better than other apps which have higher license fees. At this point, actiTIME more than meets the needs of my company. Thanks for developing such a wonderful app!
2. Hubstaff
- Online timesheets
- Geofencing
- Habit tracking
- Analytics
- Invoicing
- Cost management
Price: Free for one user with limited functionality. Paid tiers start at $4.99 per 2 users per month.
Hubstaff is a comprehensive workforce management software that aids businesses in monitoring employee productivity. This cloud-based tool is particularly beneficial for companies with flexible work arrangements, allowing them to keep track of team performance and distribute tasks efficiently, no matter where employees are located.
Hubstaff registers time spent in applications and on websites and provides productivity reports. Consultants can set budget and hour limits for projects and export reports to their clients. Hubstaff also allows you to easily create client invoices based on time tracked and bill rates.
Integrations: Asana, Jira, Trello, GitHub, and more.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Why choose Hubstaff?
- Detailed time tracking: It offers accurate time tracking with features like automatic timers, screenshots (optional), and activity monitoring, giving managers visibility into employee work.
- Payroll integration: The software integrates seamlessly with popular payroll platforms, streamlining payment processes and reducing manual work.
- Reporting and analytics: You can generate comprehensive reports on employee productivity, project progress, and more, offering valuable insights for decision-making.
Hubstaff cons:
- Privacy concerns: The employee monitoring features, like screenshots, can raise privacy concerns for some users. Clear communication and usage policies are crucial.
- Cost: Paid plans can be expensive for large teams, especially with advanced features like invoicing.
3. TMetric
- Billing and invoicing
- Time off management
- Activity tracking
- Screenshot capturing
- Automated notifications
Price: Free for 5 users, unlimited projects, and clients. Paid tiers start at $5 per month — not worth it unless you need budgeting, invoicing, task management, activity tracking, and some sync features.
As high-quality time tracking software for consultants, TMetric offers a straightforward way to monitor work hours, set up projects, manage tasks, view detailed reports, and provide billable time for clients.
With TMetric, you can track billable and non-billable hours and assign different billable rates per hour. Consulting firms can set up billable rates and cost rates for each member of the team. Analyze your profits through detailed reports with financial statistics. The in-built invoicing feature allows you to charge clients daily, weekly, or monthly based on the contract terms.
Integrations: Asana, Trello, Todoist, Hubspot, Quickbooks, Salesforce, Jira, and more.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Why choose TMetric?
- Ease of use: TMetric boasts a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for users of all technical abilities to quickly learn and navigate the platform.
- Multiple tracking methods: Track time using timers, manual entries, desktop app, mobile app, browser extension, and integrations with project management tools.
- Offline functionality: Track time even without an internet connection, syncing data automatically when you reconnect.
TMetric cons:
- Limited customization: Some users find customization options for reporting and time tracking could be more extensive.
- Limited payroll features: While invoicing is available, TMetric lacks advanced payroll management functionalities.
4. DeskTime
- Performance evaluation
- Scheduling
- Automated and manual time tracking
- Screenshot capturing
- Time off calendar
Price: Free for one user with basic time tracking and app tracking features. Paid tiers start at $7 per month. 14-day trial period.
DeskTime is designed to improve productivity and efficiency within the workforce. It automatically records employee work hours, identifies unproductive habits, and provides detailed reports, fostering a more transparent and accountable work environment.
If you are looking for a tool with in-built invoicing, DeskTime offers a Premium plan for $124 per month. Above all, it provides URL and app tracking, productivity calculation, and idle time tracking. The Free and Pro plans will unlikely meet all the consultants’ needs because they cover only basic and advanced time tracking features respectively.
Integrations: Trello, Basecamp, Jira, Asana, Outlook Calendar and Google Calendar.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Why choose DeskTime?
- Attendance management: DeskTime monitors employee logins and breaks, simplifying absence tracking and ensuring compliance with the scheduled work hours.
- Productivity Insights: It helps to identify unproductive websites and applications, helping employees focus and managers optimize workflows.
- Flexible reporting: It offers extensive customizable reports on individual and team productivity, attendance, overtime, and more, aiding informed decision-making.
DeskTime cons:
- Potential trust issues: If not implemented transparently, DeskTime’s monitoring functionality can create feelings of distrust among employees. Open communication and focus on improvement are key.
- Customer support: Some user reviews mention occasional difficulties reaching customer support for timely assistance.
Check out our free consulting templates!
5. DueFocus
- One-click timers
- Screenshots
- Real-time monitoring
- Advanced reports
Price: Free for up to 5 users with one active integration. Paid tiers start at $9 per month.
DueFocus is a consultant time tracker tailored for freelancers and remote work teams. By offering detailed insights into how time is spent, it aims to help users enhance focus, prioritize workloads, and improve overall productivity.
DueFocus allows planning the working day and identifies the most productive time intervals. It provides automatic time capture and activity recording, offline time tracking, and timesheet management features. Create invoices based on the time tracked or on the manual entries and send them to your clients.
Integrations: Asana, Trello, Todoist, Zoho, Outlook, and more.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Why choose DueFocus?
- Desktop applications: Available for all major operating, they ensure smooth offline capabilities and cross-platform compatibility.
- Focus timer: The software integrates a Pomodoro timer to encourage focused work sessions, boosting productivity and reducing distractions.
- Time management analytics: Gain insights into your time usage with detailed reports on tasks, projects, and overall productivity.
DueFocus cons:
- Limited features compared to paid competitors: DueFocus lacks advanced features for project management and team collaboration.
- Fewer integrations: While offering key integrations, DueFocus might lack connections with specific tools compared to some competitors.
- Limited reporting customization: Report customization options could be more extensive for specific user needs.
6. Elorus
- Real-time employee monitoring
- Cost management
- Payment management
- Client portal
- Team collaboration
Price: Free for one user and up to 5 client invoices. Paid tiers start at $7 per month.
Elorus is an online invoicing, time tracking, and billing software designed to help small businesses and freelancers streamline their financial operations. The platform provides a suite of tools that facilitate the creation of professional invoices, the management of expenses, and the monitoring of project time, simplifying the financial oversight of a business.
Elorus tracks time automatically and lets you fill in the timesheets manually. It tells you about billable time, project costs, expenses, and billed and unbilled invoices. Smart invoicing tools allow you to manage invoices and payments.
Integrations: Asana, Trello, PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, and more.
Deployment: Web-based.
Why choose Elorus?
- Comprehensive invoicing features: Elorus allows you to create professional-looking invoices quickly and easily, with customizable templates, recurring invoices, and payment options.
- Expense management: You can manage and track business expenses, categorizing and associating them with specific projects or clients.
- Multi-currency support: It’s possible to handle transactions and invoices in multiple currencies, streamlining international business operations.
Elorus cons:
- Limited customization: Some users may find the customization options for invoices and reports are not extensive enough to meet specific business needs.
- Learning curve: New users might experience a steep learning curve as they acclimate to the software’s features and interfaces.
- Feature availability: Advanced features may only be available on higher-tier plans, requiring an additional investment to access the full range of tools.
Paid Time Tracking and Billing Software for Consultants
1. Bill4Time
- Invoice templates
- Expense tracking
- Online payments
- Reports
- Mobile app
Price: Starting at $27 per user per month when billed annually.
Bill4Time is a comprehensive time billing software tailored primarily for the needs of consultants, lawyers, and other professionals who require accurate time tracking and efficient invoicing. It has a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of capturing every billable moment, managing client information, and generating detailed invoices.
Bill4Time offers time and expense tracking, multiple billing setups and invoice templates, and a wide variety of reports, including client summaries, internal time, invoices, payments, and more. It also features mobile apps to keep track of your business on the go.
Integrations: Quickbooks, MS Outlook, and more.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Why choose Bill4Time?
- Robust invoicing: The software allows you to create professional invoices with customizable templates, recurring billing, and various payment options.
- Client and project management: You can organize client information, manage projects, and track project progress effectively.
- Reporting and analytics: It’s easy to generate in-depth reports on billable hours, project profitability, client activity, and more.
Bill4Time cons:
- Cost: Bill4Time can be more expensive than some other time tracking and billing software, especially for larger teams.
- Learning curve: Although the solution is generally user-friendly, some advanced features might require more learning and exploration.
- Mobile app limitations: The mobile app offers basic functionality and may not fully replicate the desktop experience.
2. Timely
- Automatic time tracking
- Project health analysis
- Integrations
- Budget management
- Overtime tracking
Price: Starts at $5 per month. 30-day trial period.
Unlike traditional time tracking applications for consultants, Timely can capture the time you spend on various tasks without manual input, thanks to its AI-driven technology. It assists in gaining insights into productivity, aids in project management, and ensures accurate invoicing by keeping a detailed log of billable hours.
With Timely, you need no timers, notes, or interruptions to draft data entries into timesheets – Timely does the job for you. Tag and track specific project phases, set estimates, and track budgets. See how long tasks take you, where you get distracted, and how you perform against your forecasts.
Integrations: Toggl, Aha!, Todoist, Asana, Trello, Jira, and more.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Why choose Timely?
- Automatic time tracking: Its automation features reduce the hassle of manual entry, ensuring accurate time tracking without interrupting your workflow.
- Project management integrations: It easily integrates with project management tools, centralizing time tracking and project oversight.
- Real-time insights: Provides live data on team performance and project progress, enabling timely adjustments.
- Privacy control: Timely ensures user privacy by allowing individuals to control what gets shared and what stays private.
- Multi-platform support: Available across various devices, extending its functionality to mobile, tablet, and desktop usage.
Timely cons:
- Higher cost for larger teams: While Timely is competitive for individual users or small teams, costs can escalate quickly as more team members are added.
- Internet dependency: Being an AI-powered cloud-based service, Timely requires a constant internet connection, which might be a hindrance in areas with poor connectivity.
- Overly detailed: For some users, Timely’s detailed tracking system may feel overwhelming or unnecessary, especially if their work doesn’t require minute-by-minute accounting.
3. Time Analytics
- Employee timesheets
- Client billing
- Reports
- Basic resource management
Price: The Starter plan costs $4.99 per user/month, and the Optimum plan costs $6.99 per user/month.
Time Analytics fosters a highly accurate time tracking process, which improves productivity and billing accuracy. It lets you choose between manual entries, timers, and desktop activity tracking to capture time spent precisely.
Time Analytics makes it easy to organize projects, assign tasks, track progress, and collaborate with team members within the platform. Besides, it offers insightful reports that help consultants analyze their work patterns and identify areas for efficiency improvements, thereby streamlining their operations and enhancing client satisfaction.
Integrations: Excel.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Why choose Time Analytics?
- User-friendly interface: A clean and simple design makes it easy to navigate for users of all technical levels.
- Affordable pricing: Competitive pricing plans, especially for smaller businesses.
- Mobile app: Manage time entries and basic project details on the go.
Time Analytics cons:
- Limited integrations: Compared to some competitors, Time Analytics offers a smaller pool of integrations with other business tools.
- Customer support: Occasional difficulties reaching support for timely assistance, based on user reviews.
4. HiveDesk
- Screenshot capturing
- Geolocation
- Project management
- Reports
Pricing: The prices start at $20 per 5 users/month if paid annually.
This time tracker is primarily intended for remote teams. It provides a suite of tools to track the time spent on projects, monitor productivity through random screenshots, and facilitate reporting. It helps ensure that teams spread across various locations can work efficiently and transparently, simplifying the complexities associated with remote workforce management.
HiveDesk features easy-to-generate activity reports which are critical for consultants who need to provide evidence of work and manage their time efficiently. The platform enhances accountability and fosters trust between consultants and their clients, ensuring that deliverables are met with high standards and deadlines are accurately tracked.
Integrations: Asana, Zapier.
Deployment: Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Why choose HiveDesk?
- Greater employee accountability: Remote monitoring allows for improved management of distributed teams.
- Time-saving reporting: Productivity reports are generated with ease, providing valuable insights for managers to assess performance without the need for manual input and compilation.
- Centralized communication: The platform consolidates updates and communication regarding tasks, reducing the need for excessive emails and meetings.
Cons:
- No offline time tracking functionality: The requirement for continuous internet connectivity could be a limitation for some users.
- Risk of micromanagement: If used without restrictions, HiveDesk’s screenshot monitoring and activity tracking features may cause resentment among employees.
- Limited integrations with other tools: This may restrict workflow automation.
10 Tips for Efficient Consultant Time Tracking for Consultants
1. Use a Smart Time Tracking Tool
Digital time trackers have several significant advantages over paper-and-pencil instruments or Excel spreadsheets:
- They process time tracking data quickly and infallibly, saving much time for you;
- They visualize performance statistics in graphs and charts, making it easier to analyze team productivity and progress;
- They include many additional features that allow for a more streamlined work process in general;
- Plus, many digital and web-based tools can track hours automatically, which increases precision and eliminates errors in data collection.
Manual-entry software and automatic timers are equally good. In case you want to boost productivity and need a thorough summary of your time use behaviors, an automatic time tracker, such as actiTIME Timer, will work best for you. If you just need to comply with overtime regulations or collect data for project estimation, invoicing, and payroll accrual, a manual-entry tool will serve you well enough. In other words, the choice of a particular type of software depends only on your needs.
2. Track Both Billable and Non-billable Tasks
The reason for tracking billable time is obvious – it helps to figure out an accurate price for the consulting services you render and make sure that no loss in profit is taking place.
As for the tracking of non-billable time, it allows for determining the real cost of projects. You may charge clients merely for consulting, but you also do research, engage in brainstorming, communicate with stakeholders, and analyze project results upon completion. Though these tasks are non-billable, they take time and, thus, incur expenses. When tracking them as diligently as billable tasks, you develop a more realistic picture of project profitability.
3. Focus on Simplicity
It’s great when a time tracker is sophisticated enough and has plenty of advanced and helpful features. However, the simplicity of use is a priority in case you’ve just started to explore how time tracking works or plan to integrate a new piece of software into the workflow of a relatively large team with a small number of tech-savvy employees.
Resistance to change may occur even due to an insignificant innovation or transformation. To minimize risks, choose a user-friendly tool that won’t be difficult to adopt, such as actiTIME. Later on, if you decide that more complex software functionality is needed for better business outcomes, you may expand it with various add-ons and integrations or switch to an entirely new product.
4. Explain Why Time Tracking Is Important
Continuing with the issue of resistance to change, people are generally reluctant to alter their behaviors when they don’t perceive any direct advantage in doing so. Therefore, it’s pivotal to discuss with your team members why time tracking is good for everyone.
If consultants in your team are paid per hour, it won’t be hard to convince them of the value of time tracking since, basically, the size of their wage depends on the accuracy of daily timesheet entries. But if you or your team members have fixed salaries, it will be helpful to focus on the long-term benefits of time tracking for consultants:
- Increased productivity,
- More streamlined and less time-consuming billing process,
- Better management of expenses, etc.
Be sure to communicate these and other values of time tracking to your team, and don’t forget to align them with employees’ personal interests for stronger motivation.
5. Don’t Use Time Tracking Data for Employee Criticism
Another reason why your team members may resist the adoption of a time tracker is the fear that the tool could be used to criticize their performance and control their behaviors. With many software products offering a GPS tracking feature and taking screenshots of users’ workstations once in a while, such a fear is reasonable indeed. However, even the most simple of time trackers can be abused by managers in an attempt to evaluate the quality of employees’ work.
Try to avoid that by all means. Don’t rely too heavily on time tracking statistics when appraising your team members – there are many more factors defining the quality of consultants’ performance than the amount of time spent on tasks.
Note that if you are going to apply time tracking for employee appraisal after all, the accuracy of data may suffer severely since your employees will be more likely to engage in timesheet cheating in order to protect themselves from manager disapproval. Therefore, utilize a time tracker only to assess the overall project and business performance rather than the work of individual employees. In this way, you’ll help not only your team members but also yourself.
6. Track Work Hours Daily
By Friday night, the majority of us are incapable of recalling how much time was spent on tasks throughout the week. Therefore, if you fill timesheets weekly or even rarer, your time tracking data is prone to be highly imprecise and full of errors.
In contrast, even manual time tracking can free you of guesswork and the toils of recollection when performed daily. And if you record the number of hours spent on a task right after the work is completed, the accuracy of time tracking data increases multifold. It’s not necessary to be a perfectionist and track working time up to every single second, but the more precise your time entries are – the more benefits you and your business gain.
7. Establish Organization-wide Time Tracking Rules
Policies and standards keep organizational processes in order and make sure that no essential piece of information is lost. Thus, consider developing organization-wide time tracking guidelines.
Don’t forget to state the desired frequency of timesheet completion in this document and take into account the following:
- Which basic time entry requirements will your consultants have to adhere to?
- Who will supervise the time tracking process, and how often will they check colleagues’ timesheets?
- How frequently will the filled timesheets get locked to prevent changes?
- Will your team members have to add comments and notes to their time entries and on which occasions?
- Will there be a specific system for project / task creation, naming, and categorization?
Besides, add some tips and explain the best practices in this guide to help your employees integrate time tracking into their daily routines faster.
8. Find Someone to Check on Timesheet Completion
To ensure that time tracking is implemented properly and produces maximum positive results, it would help to have someone on your team check others’ timesheets regularly, especially at the initial stages of practice adoption.
If you think that such a role is rather unnecessary, try to find and employ a time tracker that can be configured to remind users to fill in timesheets by the end of each workday. actiTIME is a good example of such a tool – it lets you set up preferable notification rules, customize message contents, and choose when and how often users will receive their reminders.
9. Track Progress Against Deadlines and Estimates
Time estimation serves significant purposes. It helps managers prevent cost overruns and utilize human and time resources in an optimal way. Thus, when you track time against project estimates and deadlines, you become able to control labor expenses better and see how efficient your employees are at work. In other words, estimates can be used as one of the key performance criteria – if you’re not successful enough in adhering to them, some changes in your management practices and decisions must take place.
By the way, actiTIME can be implemented to develop very accurate time estimates for your consulting projects. We thoroughly described the way you can utilize time tracking data and the tool’s functionality for this aim here. Feel free to check it out if you could use some help when estimating tasks.
10. Analyze Time Tracking Data Purposefully
The ultimate value of digital time trackers is in their data reporting features. These tools easily process all the information submitted by users and then present it to you in a readable and visually appealing format – in diagrams, tables, graphs, etc.
In actiTIME, for instance, you can overview personal time use trends in a beautifully designed chart or run detailed reports on team performance, project costs and revenues. Your only job is to closely examine these time tracking reports and apply them to find answers to the questions that bother you most:
- How long does it take to complete a project and why?
- How much should we charge our clients to remain profitable?
- How much did my team members or I earn?
- How profitable is our new project?
- How accurate are our task estimates, etc.?
Create a list of questions to drive the process of data analysis and enjoy the enhanced performance results once the issues are tackled.
Consultant Time Tracking Has Never Been Easier
We researched the time tracking software market and found the 12 best tools for consultants and consultant agencies. What makes them stand out is that they provide integrable solutions or in-build billing features, invoice templates, flexible reports, and analytics. Most of them offer free plans for small teams and individual users and have a long list of integrations to make your work as automated as possible.
