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Time Tracking
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Track Non Billable Time

Harvest helps businesses track non-billable time, uncovering inefficiencies that can cost a 10-person firm over $200,000 annually. Use Harvest to optimize resources and improve profitability.

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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

Understanding Non-Billable Time: The Hidden Costs and Strategic Value

Non-billable hours represent time spent on tasks that do not directly generate revenue, such as administrative duties, training, and internal meetings. These tasks are essential for business operations but can become costly if not properly tracked. Misclassifying even a few hours per week can cost a 10-person firm over $200,000 annually in lost revenue. Increasing billable utilization from 65% to 75% for a consultant billing at $100/hour can add $20,800 in annual revenue per person.

Understanding and tracking non-billable time is crucial for identifying inefficiencies and uncovering hidden costs. It allows businesses to optimize resource allocation, make informed decisions, and ultimately enhance profitability. By leveraging Harvest, companies can gain insights into these non-revenue generating activities, thus aiding in strategic planning and growth initiatives.

Effective Strategies for Tracking Non-Billable Hours

Tracking non-billable hours effectively requires a clear categorization of tasks and the use of efficient time tracking tools. Harvest offers comprehensive tracking capabilities, allowing you to categorize tasks as non-billable and generate detailed reports. This ensures consistent logging and clearer data insights.

Implementing a reliable time tracking system like Harvest helps businesses log both billable and non-billable hours accurately. Features such as time entry categorization and detailed reporting aid in identifying trends and making necessary adjustments. Training employees on the importance of accurate tracking and conducting regular reviews are essential practices for maximizing the benefits of non-billable time tracking.

Optimizing Operations: Reducing and Managing Non-Billable Time

To optimize operations, businesses must identify common 'time drains' and streamline internal processes. Administrative tasks consume up to 19% of a manager's day, equating to over 7 hours a week. Harvest helps by providing insights into non-billable activities, allowing businesses to implement automation for routine tasks and prioritize critical operations.

Strategies such as outsourcing non-core functions and reallocating resources based on Harvest's non-billable time analysis can significantly reduce inefficiencies. By leveraging these insights, companies can maximize their billable capacity and ensure effective resource allocation, ultimately leading to improved profitability and operational efficiency.

The Impact on Profitability and Business Growth

Tracking non-billable time impacts profitability by influencing billable utilization rates. Businesses that track non-billable hours effectively can translate these insights into financial performance improvements. Approximately 38% of potential billable revenue is lost due to untracked time spent on emails, meetings, and delays. Harvest's reporting capabilities help businesses understand these impacts and adjust strategies accordingly.

By using non-billable data for strategic planning and resource management, companies can enhance employee productivity and morale. Harvest's ability to track and report both billable and non-billable hours enables businesses to achieve a balanced work allocation, supporting sustainable growth and profitability.

Track Non Billable Time with Harvest

Learn how Harvest tracks non-billable time, helping you optimize resources and improve profitability.

Harvest tracks non-billable time for better resource management.

Track Non Billable Time FAQs

  • Non-billable hours are the time spent on tasks that do not directly generate revenue for a business. These include administrative duties, training, and internal meetings. Understanding these hours helps in identifying inefficiencies and optimizing resources.

  • Tracking non-billable time is crucial for identifying inefficiencies and uncovering hidden costs. It aids in making informed decisions, optimizing resource allocation, and ultimately enhancing overall business profitability.

  • To track non-billable hours effectively, establish clear categories for tasks and use a reliable time tracking tool like Harvest. Accurate logging and regular reviews help in identifying trends and making necessary business adjustments.

  • Non-billable time can significantly impact profitability by influencing billable utilization rates. Untracked time on emails and meetings can result in lost potential revenue. Harvest tracks these hours, offering insights for strategic adjustments to enhance profitability.

  • Harvest provides comprehensive tools for tracking non-billable time, allowing businesses to categorize tasks and generate detailed reports. This helps in identifying inefficiencies and optimizing internal processes for better resource management.

  • Strategies to reduce non-billable time include automating routine tasks, prioritizing critical operations, and outsourcing non-core functions. Harvest's insights can guide these decisions, helping businesses streamline processes and maximize billable capacity.

  • Balancing billable and non-billable work involves understanding the impact of each on profitability. Harvest's reports show both types of hours, helping businesses allocate resources effectively and ensure sustainable growth.