Harvest
Time Tracking
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Time and Expense Tracking Software

Harvest is the ideal time and expense tracking software, addressing revenue loss up to 25% from inefficient tracking and ensuring seamless integration with accounting tools.

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What should you charge per hour?

Most freelancers and consultants dramatically undercharge. This calculator accounts for what most people miss: non-billable time, taxes, and overhead.

$
Accounting for vacation, holidays, sick days
60%
Most freelancers can bill 50-70% of their time. The rest goes to admin, marketing, proposals, and learning.
$
Software, insurance, equipment, accounting, taxes beyond income tax, etc.
Your break-even rate $0
Recommended rate (+20% buffer) $0
Billable hours per week 0h
Equivalent daily rate $0

Start tracking your billable hours

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

The Imperative of Integrated Time and Expense Tracking

In today's fast-paced business environment, the need for effective time and expense tracking cannot be overstated. Professional service firms face substantial revenue losses, estimated at 15-25% of billable hours, due to inefficient tracking practices. This translates into thousands of dollars in lost revenue annually. Furthermore, expense report errors, which occur in approximately 19% of cases, cost an average of $52 per error and consume 18 minutes to rectify. These inefficiencies highlight the importance of a robust tracking system.

Beyond basic record-keeping, integrated time and expense tracking software offers significant advantages. It enhances project profitability, improves cash flow, enables accurate invoicing, and facilitates data-driven decision-making. By shifting from manual methods, such as spreadsheets, to automated solutions, businesses can significantly boost efficiency and accuracy. Harvest exemplifies this shift, providing a comprehensive solution that streamlines both time and expense tracking for teams and freelancers alike.

Essential Features and Seamless Integration

When selecting time and expense tracking software, it is crucial to consider essential features that enhance usability and integration. Real-time time tracking, digital receipt capture, and automated expense categorization are fundamental capabilities that simplify management tasks. Moreover, customizable approval workflows and project budgeting tools are vital for maintaining control and ensuring compliance.

Mobile accessibility is another critical feature. With Harvest, users benefit from mobile apps available on iOS and Android, enabling on-the-go time and expense entry, receipt scanning, and approvals. This functionality is particularly beneficial for field teams who require immediate access. Additionally, Harvest's integration with accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero ensures seamless financial management by synchronizing invoices and payments, providing a holistic view of financial data.

Navigating Pricing Models and Ensuring Compliance

Understanding pricing models and compliance requirements is essential when evaluating time and expense tracking software. Pricing can vary significantly, ranging from $2-5 per user per month for basic solutions to $15-25+ for comprehensive platforms. It's important to consider the pricing structure that best fits your organization's needs, whether it be per-user fees, flat-rate subscriptions, or tiered pricing based on features.

Compliance with labor laws and tax regulations is another critical consideration. For instance, the FLSA in the US mandates a three-year record retention for payroll documents, while other regions may require different durations. Harvest supports compliance with features like audit trails and secure record retention. For professional services firms and government contractors, adherence to DCAA requirements is paramount, and Harvest provides the necessary tools to maintain compliance through detailed tracking and reporting capabilities.

Best Practices for Successful Implementation and Adoption

Implementing a new time and expense tracking system requires careful planning and execution. Start by defining clear objectives, such as improving productivity, enhancing transparency, or ensuring compliance. Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to align software selection with business goals. Establish clear policies for time logging and expense reporting to guide user behavior and maintain consistency.

Training and communication are critical components of successful adoption. Provide comprehensive training to employees, emphasizing the benefits of the new system, such as faster reimbursements and reduced administrative burdens. Consider a phased rollout, starting with a pilot program to gather feedback and refine processes. Regularly monitor key performance indicators like utilization rates and project budget adherence to ensure the system continues to meet evolving business needs.

Discover Harvest's Time and Expense Tracking

Explore how Harvest simplifies time and expense tracking with seamless QuickBooks integration and mobile access for on-the-go management.

Harvest dashboard showcasing time and expense tracking features.

Time and Expense Tracking Software FAQs

  • When evaluating time and expense tracking software, consider features such as real-time tracking, digital receipt capture, automated expense categorization, and customizable approval workflows. Mobile access and integration with accounting tools like QuickBooks are also essential for seamless financial management.

  • Harvest integrates with accounting software such as QuickBooks and Xero, enabling seamless synchronization of invoices and payments. This integration ensures consistent financial data across platforms, simplifying financial management and reporting.

  • Yes, Harvest allows you to differentiate and track both billable and non-billable hours. This feature is crucial for accurate client billing and helps in analyzing profitability and resource allocation across projects.

  • Yes, Harvest offers a mobile app available on iOS and Android, providing users with the flexibility to log time and expenses, capture receipts, and manage approvals on the go. This feature is particularly useful for field teams and remote workers.

  • Pricing for time and expense tracking software typically ranges from $2-5 per user per month for basic solutions to $15-25+ for more advanced platforms. Harvest offers a 30-day free trial, allowing users to explore its features before committing.

  • Harvest supports compliance with labor laws and tax regulations by offering features like secure record retention, audit trails, and detailed reporting. These capabilities ensure that businesses can maintain compliance and are prepared for audits.

  • Tracking non-billable hours is important because it provides insights into time spent on activities that don't directly generate revenue. This information helps businesses optimize resource allocation, improve efficiency, and make informed decisions about project management.

  • Time and expense tracking software offers benefits such as improved accuracy, reduced administrative overhead, enhanced project profitability, and faster invoicing. By automating these processes, businesses can focus on strategic planning and growth.