Harvest
Time Tracking
Sign up free

Time Tracker for Subcontractors

Harvest is the ideal time tracker for subcontractors, addressing common pitfalls like time padding and boosting productivity by 20%.

Try Harvest Free

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 Critical Need for Accurate Time Tracking in Subcontracting

Accurate time tracking is essential for subcontractors to maintain profitability and control costs. Manual timekeeping methods can lead to overpayments of 2-8% due to errors such as time padding and buddy punching. By switching to digital time trackers, businesses can save up to $700,000 annually. These tools also help reduce productivity leaks by up to 80% and increase efficiency by 20%.

For subcontractors, precise time data is crucial in managing diverse pay structures and extensive time allocations. Time tracking ensures that project budgets are adhered to and helps in managing the 40-60% of project costs incurred by labor. Implementing an accurate system can significantly improve project profitability and streamline operations.

Essential Features of a Subcontractor Time Tracker

Subcontractors require time tracking tools with specific features to enhance efficiency and accuracy. A robust time tracker should offer mobile access and real-time tracking to accommodate the dynamic nature of fieldwork. Essential verification mechanisms, such as GPS tracking and geofencing, help ensure accuracy and prevent fraud like buddy punching.

Integration capabilities are also crucial. Harvest, for example, seamlessly connects with payroll systems like QuickBooks and Xero, simplifying payment processes. Offline functionality is vital for construction sites with poor connectivity, ensuring data is captured and synced later. Comprehensive reporting tools allow subcontractors to analyze productivity and project costs, making informed decisions to boost efficiency.

Navigating Payroll and Compliance with Digital Tools

Compliance with federal and state regulations is critical for subcontractors, especially on public projects. Digital tools simplify this by automating payroll processes and ensuring accurate record-keeping. Harvest aids in compliance by managing time entries with different billing rates and generating necessary reports, such as Form WH-347 for certified payroll.

Failing to comply with regulations can result in penalties up to $13,508 per violation. By using tools like Harvest, subcontractors can mitigate risks associated with prevailing wage violations and ensure all records are maintained for required durations, such as six years in New York.

Maximizing Productivity and Profitability: Best Practices for Subcontractors

To maximize productivity and profitability, subcontractors should implement structured approaches to time tracking. This includes defining roles, assigning tasks, and setting clear milestones. Leveraging tools like Harvest provides real-time data for proactive decision-making and helps identify potential delays before they impact project timelines.

Fostering transparency and accountability strengthens the relationship with general contractors. Digital approval workflows and automated alerts for overtime or missing entries streamline operations and prevent costly oversights. By adopting these best practices, subcontractors can enhance operational efficiency and drive project success.

Streamlined Time Tracking with Harvest

Harvest's time tracker for subcontractors offers mobile access, real-time data, and compliance tools for efficient project management.

Screenshot of Harvest time tracking for subcontractors

Time Tracker for Subcontractors FAQs

  • Essential features include mobile access, real-time tracking, GPS verification, offline functionality, and integration with payroll systems. Tools like Harvest also offer customizable reporting for productivity analysis.

  • Time tracking ensures compliance by automating payroll processes, applying correct pay rates, and generating necessary reports. Harvest aids in compliance by managing time entries with different billing rates and generating Form WH-347.

  • Yes, digital time tracking can cut labor costs by up to 32% in the first year. It reduces productivity leaks and ensures precise time data, leading to significant cost savings and enhanced project profitability.

  • Yes, Harvest is ideal for managing multiple subcontractors across different projects. Its team management features allow for easy tracking and analysis of subcontractor productivity and project costs.

  • Time trackers prevent buddy punching and time theft through features like GPS tracking and geofencing. These verification mechanisms ensure accurate clock-ins and track workers’ locations.

  • Real-time data allows subcontractors to make proactive decisions, identify potential delays, and enhance communication with general contractors. This transparency improves project management and efficiency.

  • Yes, Harvest integrates with popular accounting systems like QuickBooks and Xero, streamlining payment processes and reducing administrative overhead.