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Time tracking integration with 3rd party apps (QuickBooks, Basecamp, Twitter)

How do I set up QuickBooks to work with Harvest? #

Note: QuickBooks export only works for Basic and Business Plan users; and it will only work for QuickBooks Windows edition.

To set up QuickBooks configuration with Harvest:

  1. Log into Harvest, go to Manage > Account Settings
  2. Under the section 3rd Party Integration, click on Edit QuickBooks Settings.
  3. To get your “Company Create Time”, you need to first open up your QuickBooks file.
  4. In QuickBooks, go to File > Utilities > Export > Timer Lists.
  5. Save the IIF file, and open it up with any text editor (such as Notepad).
  6. Look for the “company create time” number, which should appear as “890239742”. Here’s a screenshot of what the file would look like:

QuickBooks Company Create Time

Note: The company create time and company name in Harvest and QuickBooks must match exactly for the integration to work.

Once you have the Harvest form set up, you can go to Reports, and you’ll see QuickBooks within the More Actions dropdown. Click on it to download QuickBooks file for the report you’re looking at.

What are the requirements for QuickBooks integration? #

You need to be running QuickBooks 2006 – 2010 for Windows.

QuickBooks Mac is not supported, as QuickBooks Mac does not allow time activity import.

What data can be exported from Harvest for QuickBooks? #

Currently, you can import Harvest timesheets into QuickBooks.

How do I import the file I downloaded from Harvest into QuickBooks? #

Depending on which version of QuickBooks you have, you will need to follow different instructions.

For QuickBooks 2008: Navigate to File > Utilities > Import > Timer Activities, then select the file you downloaded from Harvest.

For QuickBooks 2006 – 2007: Navigate to File > Import > Timer Activities, then select the file you downloaded from Harvest.

How does QuickBooks data map to Harvest's data structure? #

You need to make sure that the data between QuickBooks and Harvest is properly matched. QuickBooks data is mapped to Harvest structure in the following way (spelling and spacing of all your items MUST be exactly the same between the two systems):


QuickBooksHarvest ClientClient JobProject ItemTask EmployeePeople Payroll Item(you can define this under Harvest’s QuickBooks setup)
What is the Basecamp integration all about? #

The integration allows you to easily import people and projects from Basecamp. When importing projects from Basecamp, all your Harvest users will automatically be assigned to their proper projects based on their project assignments in Basecamp. It makes set up very easy and alleviates any double-entry work.

How do I enable Basecamp integration? #
  1. Go to Manage > Account Settings
  2. Find the section 3rd Party Integration.
  3. Click on Edit Basecamp Settings.
  4. Follow the instructions on the following page and fill out the short form.
How do I sync Basecamp’s to-do lists with Harvest’s tasks? #

Harvest does not sync with Basecamp’s to-do lists.

In Harvest, hours are associated with projects and tasks, which are general categories such as ‘design’ or ‘programming’. Whereas Basecamp’s to-do lists are more detailed oriented. The reason that Harvest is tracking time with more general categories is that we can then see how a project’s resources are distributed amongst tasks, which you can compare to a similar project or help you estimate for a future project.

Does Harvest time tracking sync with Basecamp time tracking? #

No, we don’t integrate time tracking with Basecamp, and Harvest does not post time back into Basecamp. This is because Harvest tracks time using more general categories called Tasks, and Basecamp tracks via more granular To-dos.

Can I track time with Harvest using my mobile phone? #

You sure can! Currently there are two ways to do this:

  1. You can SMS text message simple commands to your Harvest account to track time and expenses. To do this, you need to set up integration with Twitter. Follow the simple instructions on this page.
  2. If you have an iPhone, you can use the native Harvest iPhone application, which is available as a free download from the iTunes app store. Visit the Harvest for iPhone page for more details.
How do I integrate Harvest with Twitter? #

You can set up Harvest to communicate with Twitter, so that you can use SMS (text messaging) on your cellphone to track time and expenses. To do that, follow this simple set of instructions:

  1. If you don’t have a Twitter account, please first set up an account with them (it’s free).
  2. Make sure your Twitter account is configured to work with your mobile phone. Log into Twitter and click on Settings > Phone & IM.
  3. Login to Harvest and click on your name on the upper-right side of the screen. This will take you to the edit screen for your personal account.
  4. Click on the Configure your Twitter settings link on the right-hand side of the screen. Enter your Twitter username and select a default project, task, and expense category. Click “Save” to save your settings.
  5. You’re done! Start communicating with Harvest via your Twitter account. For example, send a direct message to Harvest by texting Twitter “d harvest expense 10 testing twitter expense logger” This will create an expense entry for $10.00 with the note “testing twitter expense logger (via Twitter)”. You will also receive an email “receipt” for your command so you can rest assured that the transaction was captured correctly.

Read more about the integration and all the commands you can run via Twitter.

Is Harvest time tracking data compatible with my accounting software package (e.g. QuickBooks) ? #

Yes, Harvest is compatible with QuickBooks accounting software. Learn more about how Harvest time tracking works with QuickBooks.

Is Harvest time tracking data compatible with my project management software? #

Harvest is currently compatible with Basecamp.

Does Harvest work with my iPhone or iPod Touch? #

Yes Harvest is available as a free native iPhone application. Harvest can also be accessed via the Safari browser on the iPhone and iPod Touch by pointing the browser to the URL of your Harvest account.

Is Harvest compatible with PayPal? #

Yes, Harvest is compatible with PayPal. To set up Harvest PayPal integration, go to Invoices > Configure and enter your PayPal address. You can also modify the PayPal link language here. When you create a Harvest invoice, you’ll now see the option to Include PayPal Payment Link. This option will include a unique URL that will let your clients pay their invoices online. Harvest will automatically record the payment, add it to the invoice’s Activity Log, and update the invoice’s status

Is Harvest time tracking data compatible with spreadsheet software like Excel, Google Spreadsheets, or OpenOffice? #

Yes, Harvest can export CSV files which are compatible with all spreadsheet programs which can read CSV (comma separated value) files.

Does Harvest work with my Blackberry? #

Harvest time tracking software will work with the Blackberry using the Opera Mini browser, but will not work through the default Blackberry web browser. Opera Mini is a free software download.

What type of integration does Harvest support for WordPress developers? #

Harvest can track your time on WordPress projects and share the data with your development team. Learn more about the integration here.

I'm having trouble with the Harvest iPhone application, what should I do? #

Please contact us through the Harvest support form, select the iPhone Support category, and describe the problems you are experiencing with as much detail as you can provide. This will allow us to troubleshoot the issue as quickly as possible.

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