Harvest
Time Tracking
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Time Tracking App for Defense Contractors

Harvest provides an effective solution for defense contractors to track billable hours and manage project costs, enhancing profitability analysis without specific DCAA features.

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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
Today's total 6:54:09

Understanding the Unique Needs of Defense Contractors

Time tracking for defense contractors is a specialized need driven by stringent compliance requirements set by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). These regulations mandate precise timekeeping practices, including daily time entry, employee certification, and supervisor approval. For defense contractors, non-compliance can result in severe penalties, including contract termination and financial repercussions. Given these stakes, adopting an effective time tracking solution is not just beneficial but essential.

Industry research shows that while cloud-based solutions dominate the market with a 77.8% share, hybrid models are gaining traction due to their balance of control and flexibility. This trend is especially relevant for defense contractors who must ensure data integrity and security while meeting compliance standards. However, many traditional payroll systems lack the controls needed for DCAA compliance, highlighting the necessity for dedicated time tracking solutions.

Harvest for Defense Contractors: Effective Time Tracking

While Harvest does not specifically offer DCAA compliance features, it provides robust tools for managing time tracking and profitability analysis that can be adapted to defense projects. Harvest allows defense contractors to track both billable and non-billable hours effectively, which is crucial for maintaining accurate project costs and enhancing profitability analysis. This capability helps contractors allocate resources efficiently, ensuring that every hour is accounted for within the scope of the project.

Many organizations have reported significant ROI increases within six months of implementing automated time tracking systems. By leveraging Harvest's capabilities, defense contractors can streamline their time tracking processes, reducing payroll errors by up to 80% and cutting payroll processing time by nearly 50%. These efficiencies are crucial for maintaining competitiveness in the defense sector, where precision and accountability are paramount.

Enhancing Compliance and Efficiency with Harvest

Defense contractors face unique challenges in maintaining compliance with DCAA regulations. While Harvest does not offer direct DCAA compliance features, its time tracking tools can support contractors by ensuring meticulous tracking of work hours and project accounting. Harvest's integration with QuickBooks Online, though not with government accounting systems, can still aid in financial management and reporting.

Automated reminders and alerts within Harvest can prompt timely submissions and approvals, supporting the stringent daily time entry and certification requirements of DCAA regulations. While multi-tiered approval workflows are not supported, Harvest provides basic timesheet approval functionality that can assist in maintaining oversight and accountability. This approach helps maintain a transparent audit trail, a critical component of compliance.

Leveraging Harvest for Profitability Analysis

Accurate time tracking is foundational to effective job costing and profitability analysis, especially for defense contractors managing complex projects. Harvest excels in this area, offering tools that facilitate detailed analysis of project costs. By tracking both billable and non-billable hours, contractors can better understand the financial impact of their efforts and optimize resource allocation.

Industry data underscores the importance of accurate time tracking, with reports indicating that professional service firms could lose over $60,000 annually per employee due to inaccuracies. By utilizing Harvest, defense contractors can mitigate these risks, ensuring that time and resources are allocated efficiently and accurately. This capability not only enhances profitability but also aids in maintaining competitive advantage in an industry where precision is crucial.

Discover Harvest for Defense Contractors

See how Harvest tracks billable hours and manages project costs for defense contractors. Enhance profitability analysis without DCAA features.

Screenshot of Harvest time tracking dashboard for defense contractors.

Time Tracking App for Defense Contractors FAQs

  • A DCAA-compliant time tracking app should include daily time entry, employee certification, supervisor approval, detailed audit trails, and timesheet locking. These features ensure adherence to Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and maintain accurate records for audits.

  • Defense contractors ensure DCAA compliance by using time tracking systems that require daily entries, offer role-based access, and include detailed audit trails. Regular training and clear policies also play a crucial role in maintaining compliance.

  • Yes, Harvest can assist with job costing and profitability analysis for defense projects by tracking both billable and non-billable hours. This helps contractors understand project costs and optimize resource allocation.

  • Accurate time tracking is essential for defense contractors to ensure compliance with DCAA regulations, avoid financial penalties, and optimize project profitability. Inaccurate tracking can lead to significant financial losses and contract issues.

  • Non-compliance with DCAA standards can result in rejected invoices, suspended payments, adverse audit findings, and even contract termination. It may also lead to financial penalties and increased legal costs.

  • Harvest integrates with QuickBooks Online but does not specifically integrate with government accounting systems. However, it can still support financial management and reporting for defense contractors.

  • Automation can enhance time tracking by reducing errors, ensuring timely submissions, and providing real-time visibility into project performance. Automated systems can also streamline payroll processes and improve overall efficiency.

  • Automated time tracking can reduce payroll errors by up to 80% and cut payroll processing time by 40-50%, leading to significant cost savings and improved ROI within six months of implementation.