Freelancers or solopreneurs often choose time tracking solutions with
basic features only. This is due mainly to the popular belief that
solo users use only a timer to estimate their work hours. However,
when the need arises to track billable hours or invoice clients,
freelancers usually choose one app for this and another for that. This
approach may work in practice, yet it seems costly in the long run.
What about choosing a time tracking app that offers all the essentials
for running a freelance business smoothly?
Get to know:
-
What are the key features of a time tracking app for freelancers?
-
How can an automatic time tracking app benefit the freelance
business?
-
How to bill and invoice clients with a time tracking app when
you're a solopreneur?
-
What time tracker integrations are the most beneficial for solo
users?
-
How does a time tracker adapt to different working schedules?
-
Why is a time tracking app the perfect choice for those seeking
flexibility?
And many more because "to track time" means obtaining endless
possibilities to streamline the daily struggles of a freelancer. Once
you ditch tracking time in Google Sheets, you'll quickly notice how
convenient and accurate the tool is.
See for yourself how to ease your freelance workload with a time
tracking tool. Go get a free TimeCamp account!
What key features should time tracking software include to benefit
solo users?
Is it possible to manage a freelance business just with a time
tracker?
Since team management features or measuring team's performance are not
essential for freelancers, they're more flexible when making a
decision to purchase a time tracking app. However, choosing one when
being blind about one's needs or a time tracker market in general, may
backfire later.
That's why, to help you avoid a (probably) costly mistake, below you
can find the list of essentials that a good time tracking software for
freelancers should have.
Just to be sure, TimeCamp has it all ;)
What are the advanced features of a time tracking app that benefit
freelance professionals?
To measure freelance capacity
Different ways of time tracking
The best time tracking app for freelancers should allow both automatic
and manual data entry. This way, users can keep their logs of hours
worked consistent, even if they forgot to enable the automatic timer.
Streamlined time management
Calendar view and integrations allow the implementation of time
management techniques (like time blocking or time boxing), helping
plan slots for meetings or more focused work in advance.
To keep the freelance business in the right shape
Comprehensive reporting
Knowing one's performance is essential for successfully scaling
business growth, so choose a time tracker that can generate detailed
reports from tracked time entries and user activity. A breakdown
of activity for a specific period provides actionable insights into
tasks that consume your time the most, thus helping optimize the daily
workflow and personal productivity. Moreover, exporting reports to
Google Sheets and other file formats is the easiest way to share proof
of work with clients.
Accurate billing
Billable hours tracking is essential for freelance professionals to
charge work time effectively. It would be even better if the system
had a feature that helps create invoices straight from time entries
tracked for a particular task and an ability to track the payments.
Seamless integration with project management software
A project management tool integration helps avoid duplicating the task
management structure by importing it directly to a time tracking app
or placing a time tracker button right in the tool's interface.
Extra perks (best if they're free!) include:
-
A free plan: Freelance businesses may experience
many difficulties, which may result in a decrease in their monthly
revenue. If users need to reduce their spending temporarily, they
can downgrade their plan without losing time tracking data.
-
Guest feature: This feature eliminates the
need to send screenshots to share proof of work. Once the client
is invited, they can browse the reports created based on the time
registered for their project. Hence, they can track the
project progress anytime they want.
-
Unlimited users: The tool allows the admin to
invite additional users, e.g., in case a certain project stage
requires help from other freelance professionals.
-
Unlimited projects: Freelancers often take a few
projects simultaneously, so their time tracker should allow them
to add as many projects as they wish, even in a free plan.
A success-oriented freelancer needs a comprehensive suite for tracking
time spent on various tasks and billing clients according to the work
done. Optional features such as budgeting or dedicated customer
success manager help significantly, especially if managing multiple
projects simultaneously, but they're not necessary if you're on a
tight budget.
How can solo users benefit from automated time tracking features?
Why switch from manual data entry systems like Google Sheets to an
automatic time tracking system?
Tracking time spent on tasks with just a few clicks is extremely
convenient, especially when juggling tasks for different clients on a
daily basis. Get it and save time tracking work hours and daily
performance.
How track time automatically with TimeCamp?
To start tracking time automatically with TimeCamp,
follow these few simple steps:
-
Download our desktop app (available for Mac, Windows, and Linux).
Enable "Computer activities" in Settings.
-
Go to Projects and list keywords for each task in your project
structure. Keywords can be the names of other tools, the website's
address (or part of it), the project's or client's name, etc.
-
Open the app and switch from "Manual time tracking" to Automatic
mode.
-
The app will automatically recognize the keywords in the names of
windows and apps and assign the entries to the tasks you're
working on.
Max five minutes of setting things up, but saves hours of manual data
entry per month.
Why use an automatic time tracker as a freelancer?
The best time tracking app takes the guesswork out of the processes
crucial for business growth.
Automated time tracking with TimeCamp guarantees:
-
Increased project profitability: Accurate time
tracking records and hourly rates are the core of advanced
reporting for a quick assessment of whether the project seems
profitable or not.
-
Streamlined task management: Because automatic
time tracking seamlessly fills a time log, it keeps you up to date
with how many work hours you've already spent on specific tasks.
-
Detailed expense tracking: Manage spending
related to a specific project or client to ensure accurate
billing.
-
Secure data storage: Certificates ensure that all
collected data is stored securely, protecting sensitive business
and client information.
-
Accurate tax preparation: Simplifies tax
preparation by maintaining accurate records of billable hours and
gained income.
In what ways does time tracking software support goal setting and
achievement for solo professionals?
How does project time tracking help freelancers stay on track?
A freelancer is a project manager, a specialist, and an administrative
assistant in one person. Not everyone can afford to outsource, so
without a proper toolkit, juggling tasks of a different nature may
tire off even the most enthusiastic professional.
Goal tracker is a nice addition to TimeCamp's automated time tracking
features. It allows users to set clear goals and track their progress
in real time. This way, users can quickly determine how close they are
to achieving their objectives. If a goal seems distant, users can use
the time data to define the bottlenecks and the reasons behind them
and change their approach before it affects their overall performance.
How does a freelance time recording system help follow the path of
effortless goal achievement?
-
Estimates time: Once the goal is set and broken
down into more manageable tasks, a time tracking app helps
estimate the work hours needed to complete each task and deliver
the project on time.
-
Enhances prioritization: A time tracking app
helps prioritize tasks based on their importance and deadlines,
ensuring critical goals receive your attention first.
-
Monitors progress: Knowing how many work hours
you have already spent on the project and comparing it with
initial estimates clearly shows whether the project steers toward
successful completion.
-
Builds good habits: Reports on your daily
performance show how close you are to achieving the goal and help
keep yourself disciplined.
-
Helps avoid scope creep: Along with project
management software and other tools, it keeps solo professionals
focused on their primary goals, preventing them from getting
sidetracked by less important tasks.
Even a free time tracking app can ensure steady performance
improvement and freelance business growth if its features are used at
maximum capacity.
How does time tracking software enable precise billing and invoicing
for solo users?
Why are client billing and invoicing essential parts of a freelance
time tracker?
A solo user who cuts their spending to keep their business afloat or
does everything themselves just to maximize their profit will surely
love a time tracker with a billable hours feature.
Billable hours
TimeCamp allows you to set time entries assigned to a particular task
as billable by default. This way, whenever you track time
automatically or add time entries manually, there's no way you will
miss any billable hour just because you forgot to mark the entry
billable by yourself.
Read more: Billing in TimeCamp
Client invoicing
Once you've assigned hourly rates to your clients, you can issue
invoices based on the number of work hours registered for particular
tasks and within a specific period of time. Then, email them to your
clients or send them as PDF files or a handy link.
Integrating TimeCamp with your PayPal account enables payment
tracking.
A separate invoicing suite generates additional costs. However, having
this feature as a separate asset of your freelance time tracker is
truly a time and money saver.
Read more: Invoicing in TimeCamp
Can time recording software adapt to the flexible schedules of solo
users?
Is time tracking software accessible on mobile devices for solo
users working on the go?
Absolutely. A comprehensive time tracking app should be available as a
web timer, desktop app, and mobile device version for all available
operational systems.
TimeCamp and all its apps work together seamlessly, guaranteeing that
your time log is always precise. Whether you're working from home,
commuting, or visiting clients, you can effortlessly switch between
different types of trackers while maintaining complete control over
your hours worked.
Moreover, TimeCamp offers free browser extensions that place a timer
button inside other apps.
Read more: TimeCamp Apps
How does time tracking software help solo users identify and eliminate
inefficiencies in their workflow?
How can a solo user analyze data gathered from time entries to
identify flaws in time allocation?
A time tracker is not just a tool to track work hours for the sole
purpose of tracking time. It collects data that may be crucial for
freelancers to allocate their time wisely, thus keeping their business
growing steadily.
How does the regular analysis of time entries help optimize a solo
user's workflow?
-
Presents both general and detailed time data: A
time tracker records time spent on each task or project and
presents the time entries as timesheets and detailed reports,
providing a clear picture of where time is allocated.
-
Analyzes productivity: Productivity
dashboards show time data breakdowns to highlight productive
versus non-productive periods, identifying patterns that affect
efficiency.
-
Identifies time-wasters: Efficiency reports show
tasks that take up excessive time without adding significant
value, allowing them to be reduced or eliminated.
-
Reminds about taking breaks: Freelancers tend to
overwork themselves to keep their business afloat. A time tracker
ensures that breaks are taken at optimal times to maintain energy
levels without disrupting workflow continuity.
-
Provides centralized data: Most freelancers
integrate their time tracker with a tool that offers project
management features. However, the ability to generate detailed
reports consolidates data from different sources, presenting a
holistic view of the daily workflow.
-
Allows self-monitoring: Receiving clear
records of their activities (as timesheets or custom reports)
encourages solo users to take ownership of their time management.
A physical tracker or a spreadsheet cannot provide such a detailed
analysis of time spent on tasks.
Why not switch to TimeCamp right now to track work hours and
performance effortlessly?
Streamline your solo project management process with a
freelance-friendly time tracker
Secure yourself a free time tracking account