Harvest
Time Tracking
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Timesheet App for Writers

Harvest is the ideal timesheet app for writers, offering flexible time tracking and detailed reporting to manage projects effectively and improve productivity.

Try Harvest Free

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

Why Time Tracking is a Game-Changer for Writers

Time tracking is essential for writers who aim to ensure accurate billing and fair compensation for their work. By logging hours for specific tasks, writers can gain insights into the actual time spent on various writing phases such as research, drafting, and editing. This not only helps in identifying productivity patterns but also highlights areas that need improvement. For instance, understanding true project costs can prevent underquoting and improve project profitability, ultimately building client trust through transparent time logs and detailed reports.

Approximately 36% of the U.S. workforce engages in freelance work, with many writers among them. Accurate time tracking is crucial in this context, as it illuminates the profitability of different types of writing projects. By revealing which writing tasks are most lucrative, writers can focus their efforts where it counts. With tools like Harvest, time tracking becomes a straightforward process, enabling writers to track their time efficiently and effectively.

Essential Features to Look for in a Writer's Timesheet App

When selecting a timesheet app, writers should prioritize features that cater to their unique needs. Flexible time entry is vital, offering both real-time timers and manual entry for any forgotten sessions. Additionally, the ability to categorize tasks and projects allows writers to break down their work into specific phases such as research, drafting, and editing, and assign these to the appropriate projects or clients.

Reporting and analytics are equally important, as customizable reports can help visualize time distribution, productivity, and earnings. Furthermore, invoicing capabilities, either directly from tracked hours or through integration with invoicing tools, streamline the billing process. Harvest offers cross-platform accessibility, ensuring writers can track their time whether they're using a desktop, web, or mobile device. Finally, integration options with productivity, project management, or accounting software enhance workflow efficiency.

Maximizing Your Writing Productivity with Time Tracking

To maximize productivity, writers should set clear, measurable goals for their writing sessions and projects. Implementing techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique can foster focused work intervals. Regularly reviewing time data helps identify distractions and optimize workflow. Using tags or labels to track time across different writing phases, such as brainstorming, first drafts, and revisions, provides valuable insights into where time is spent.

Leveraging these insights allows writers to set more accurate deadlines and manage client expectations effectively. Exploring both free and paid time tracking options can help writers find a solution that fits their individual needs and budget. Harvest provides detailed reports that can track hours for each client, project, and task, which is particularly useful for writers who handle multiple projects and clients simultaneously.

Harvest Timesheet App for Writers

The preview showcases Harvest's ability to track writing tasks, log hours, and analyze productivity for writers.

Harvest timesheet app interface showing writing task tracking

Timesheet App for Writers FAQs

  • One of the best timesheet apps for writers is Harvest. It offers features tailored to writing needs, such as tracking time for different writing phases and integrating with popular writing tools.

  • Time tracking helps writers log hours for specific tasks like research, drafting, and editing. Apps like Harvest allow tagging of hours to different writing phases, providing insights into time spent on each.

  • Yes, there are free options available, though they may offer limited features. Harvest offers a free 30-day trial with full access to its comprehensive features, ideal for writers to try before committing.

  • Key features include flexible time entry, task categorization, detailed reporting, and invoicing capabilities. Integration with writing tools and cross-platform access are also important.

  • Yes, many timesheet apps, including Harvest, can integrate with existing writing tools and software, making it easier to streamline workflows and manage productivity.

  • Time tracking helps identify productivity patterns, set accurate deadlines, and manage client expectations. It allows writers to see where time is spent and make adjustments to improve efficiency.

  • Harvest provides detailed reports and task categorization, allowing writers to track time across multiple projects and clients. This helps in organizing and allocating time effectively.