Harvest
Time Tracking
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Time Tracking Software for Media

Harvest offers media professionals precise time tracking solutions, helping to recover up to 30% of lost billable revenue with seamless integration and detailed reporting.

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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: Why Media Projects Demand Smart Time Tracking

Time tracking in media projects is essential for maximizing profitability and enhancing client relationships. Accurate time data not only supports billing but also drives resource allocation and project forecasting. Agencies risk losing 15-30% of potential billable revenue due to unrecorded hours, highlighting the importance of robust time tracking systems. Moreover, inaccurate tracking can cost professional service firms over $60,000 annually per employee, underscoring the financial impact.

Beyond financial metrics, detailed time tracking enhances client trust. Agencies that consistently share time-derived performance insights are 32% more likely to retain clients year-over-year. This transparency is crucial in the creative industry, where demonstrating value through detailed time breakdowns fosters stronger client relationships and improves retention rates.

Essential Features: Tailoring Time Tracking for Creative Workflows

Effective time tracking software for media projects must seamlessly integrate with industry-standard tools like video editing suites and graphic design software. Harvest excels in this area by offering integrations with platforms such as Asana and Trello, facilitating smooth workflows. Automated activity capture in Harvest reduces the administrative burden, while manual entry options provide flexibility for non-linear tasks like brainstorming.

Comprehensive reporting is another critical feature. Harvest’s customizable reports allow agencies to generate client-ready presentations that break down time by project phase, task, and activity type. This capability not only showcases progress but also justifies costs, making Harvest an invaluable tool for managing media project budgets and timelines effectively.

Optimizing Adoption: Best Practices for Creative Teams

For creative teams, successful time tracking adoption hinges on user experience and clear communication. Harvest prioritizes an intuitive interface that encourages consistent use, reducing the likelihood of 80% of timesheets requiring corrections. Educating teams on how time tracking can improve workload management and project success is crucial. Highlighting benefits like better resource allocation and transparency fosters a positive culture around time tracking.

Phased implementation and feedback loops are essential for refining time tracking processes. By gradually introducing tracking and customizing parameters to reflect creative productivity, teams can optimize their workflows. Harvest supports these efforts with flexible tracking methods and insightful data that can drive continuous improvement in project estimations and resource allocation.

Milestone-Based Billing: Structuring Payments for Project Success

Milestone billing is a payment structure where payments are tied to specific deliverables or project phases. This approach provides manageable cash flow and clear progress indicators. In media projects, milestones might include concept approval, first cut delivery, and final master completion. Harvest supports this billing model by providing detailed time tracking data that correlates with each project's milestones.

Challenges in milestone billing often include projects lacking concrete deliverables. However, Harvest's detailed tracking and reporting capabilities help define and measure progress effectively, ensuring alignment between clients and providers. Integrating time tracking data with milestone billing not only supports clear financial tracking but also enhances client confidence in the project's progress.

Time Tracking with Harvest

See how Harvest tracks time for media projects, offering detailed reporting and integration with tools like Asana and Trello.

Harvest interface showing time tracking for media projects.

Time Tracking Software for Media FAQs

  • Harvest is ideal for media projects due to its ability to track time across various media formats, including video, audio, and graphics. Its integration with tools like Asana and Trello enhances collaboration, making it perfect for managing complex media workflows.

  • Harvest offers customizable reporting options that can be tailored for client presentations and project reviews. This allows media professionals to present detailed breakdowns of time spent, providing transparency and justifying costs.

  • Yes, Harvest supports remote teams by offering time tracking across different time zones through its web and mobile apps. This ensures consistent tracking and collaboration regardless of location.

  • Accurate time tracking helps identify areas of inefficiency, allowing teams to optimize resource allocation and improve project estimates. This can prevent up to 30% of lost billable revenue, significantly enhancing profitability.

  • Automated time tracking reduces manual entry errors and administrative tasks, improving accuracy. For creative teams, this means more time spent on valuable work and less on tracking logistics.

  • Time tracking data provides insights into how time is allocated across tasks and projects, allowing for more accurate future project estimations and resource planning.

  • Essential features include seamless integration with media tools, automated and manual tracking options, comprehensive reporting, and support for various billing models such as hourly and milestone-based payments.

  • Harvest supports various billing models, including hourly, retainer, and milestone-based payments, with configurable rates to accommodate different project needs.