Harvest
Time Tracking
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Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies

Agencies can lose 15-30% of billable revenue without effective time tracking. Harvest provides the comprehensive tools agencies need to maximize profitability and manage projects efficiently.

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How much revenue is your team leaving on the table?

Most agencies run at 55-60% utilization. Even a small improvement means significant revenue. See what closing the gap looks like for your team.

Number of people who track billable time
$
Blended rate across roles (junior, senior, lead)
55%
Percentage of total hours that are billable. Industry average is 55-60%.
75%
A realistic target for service businesses is 70-80%.
Monthly revenue gap $0
Revenue at current utilization $0/mo
Revenue at target utilization $0/mo
Extra billable hours needed per person/day 0h
Annual revenue opportunity $0

Start tracking team utilization

Walk through the entire flow below. Start a timer, check your reports, and create a real invoice — all in three clicks.

Go ahead — start tracking!

One click and you're timing. Try it right here: start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Harvest.

  • One-click timer from browser, desktop & mobile
  • Works inside Jira, Asana, Trello, GitHub & 50+ tools
  • Duration or start/end — your call
  • Day, week & calendar views to stay on top of it all
  • Friendly reminders so no hour gets left behind
Acme Corp
Website Redesign
Homepage layout revisions
1:24:09
Content Strategy
Blog calendar planning
1:30:00
SEO Audit
Technical audit report
0:45:00
Brand Guidelines
Color system documentation
2:15:00
Logo Concepts
Initial sketches round 1
1:00:00
Today's total 6:54:09

The Strategic Imperative of Time Tracking for Agencies

For agencies, time tracking is not just a logistical tool; it's a strategic imperative. Agencies that fail to implement effective time tracking can lose as much as 15-30% of their billable revenue due to untracked hours. Furthermore, only 35% of agencies consistently meet their financial benchmarks, partly because of inadequate time tracking practices. This illustrates the critical role time plays as a business metric in agency operations.

Implementing a robust time tracking system like Harvest not only helps maintain profitability but also builds client trust through transparent billing. With Harvest, agencies can leverage detailed reports to quantify productivity and profitability, while managing multiple clients and projects simultaneously. This capability is essential for agencies that often sell time, either directly through hourly billing or indirectly via fixed-fee projects based on estimated hours.

Essential Features of Agency-Specific Time Tracking Software

Agencies require time tracking software that offers specialized features tailored to their unique needs. Key functionalities include project and task tracking, budget monitoring, and invoicing capabilities. Harvest excels in these areas, providing project-based time tracking and customizable client invoicing based on tracked time and expenses.

Advanced capabilities such as distinguishing between billable and non-billable hours and providing team management with permissions and approvals are critical. Harvest's integration with tools like Asana and Trello ensures a seamless workflow, while its detailed reporting features offer insights into team productivity and project profitability.

Implementing Time Tracking: Best Practices for Agency Success

Effective time tracking implementation is crucial for agency success. Agencies must shift the narrative from surveillance to empowerment, emphasizing the benefits of time tracking for both the team and the business. Simplifying the process with clear categories and multiple entry methods, such as one-click timers and manual entries, is essential for adoption.

Daily time entry is recommended, as accuracy significantly decreases after 24 hours. Harvest supports this practice with its start/stop timers and manual time entry options. Moreover, leveraging automation through integrations and intelligent reminders can reduce the administrative burden on teams, allowing them to focus on delivering value to clients.

Transforming Data into Actionable Insights

Time tracking is more than just logging hours; it's about transforming data into actionable insights. Agencies can use reports to identify inefficiencies, optimize resource allocation, and adjust pricing strategies. Harvest’s detailed reporting features enable agencies to analyze productivity trends and project performance, informing future project estimates and pricing strategies.

Regularly reviewing time tracking data allows agencies to continuously improve processes and optimize team capacity. With Harvest, agencies can manage team utilization effectively, ensuring resources are not overbooked and projects remain profitable.

Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies with Harvest

See how Harvest enables agencies to track time, manage projects, and increase profitability with seamless integrations and detailed reporting.

Screenshot of Harvest time tracking interface tailored for agencies

Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies FAQs

  • Agencies benefit from time tracking software by improving billing accuracy and understanding profitability. Without effective tracking, agencies can lose up to 30% of billable revenue. Software like Harvest provides detailed reporting and project tracking, helping agencies meet financial benchmarks and optimize resource allocation.

  • Time tracking software for agencies should include project and task tracking, budget monitoring, and invoicing capabilities. Harvest offers these features, with additional support for distinguishing between billable and non-billable hours, team management, and seamless integration with tools like Asana and Trello.

  • Harvest supports remote teams with real-time tracking and updates through its web and mobile apps. This ensures that remote and hybrid teams can log time accurately and collaborate effectively, regardless of location or time zone.

  • Yes, Harvest allows agencies to distinctly track billable and non-billable hours, ensuring accurate client invoicing. This distinction helps agencies analyze profitability and make informed decisions about resource allocation.

  • Harvest integrates with a variety of tools such as Asana, Trello, Jira, Slack, and QuickBooks, providing agencies with a seamless workflow. These integrations enhance project management and streamline communication across platforms.

  • Daily time entry is recommended because accuracy decreases significantly after 24 hours. Memory decay can lead to errors in weekly timesheets, so using features like Harvest's start/stop timers ensures precise tracking and billing.

  • Harvest provides detailed reporting features that allow agencies to analyze team productivity and project profitability. These insights help in identifying inefficiencies, optimizing resource allocation, and informing future pricing and project strategies.