Beginner
How to track time on projects in FreshBooks
Quick Answer
Track time on FreshBooks projects by navigating to the Time Tracking section, starting a timer for your project, and logging hours manually or automatically. You can then convert tracked time into invoices for client billing.
Prerequisites
- Active FreshBooks account
- Created project in FreshBooks
- Access to FreshBooks time tracking features
- Client assigned to your project
1
Navigate to Time Tracking
Log into your FreshBooks account and click on Time Tracking in the main navigation menu. This will take you to the time tracking dashboard where you can see all your tracked time entries and active timers.
Tip
You can also access time tracking quickly by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+T (Cmd+T on Mac)
2
Start a New Timer
Click the Start Timer button or the + New button in the top right corner. Select Timer from the dropdown menu to begin tracking time in real-time for your project work.
Tip
Starting a timer immediately helps ensure you capture all billable hours accurately
3
Select Your Project and Task
In the timer interface, click the Project dropdown and select the project you want to track time for. Then choose a specific Task from the task dropdown menu. Add a brief description of the work being performed in the Notes field.
Tip
Use descriptive notes to help clients understand the value of your work when invoicing
4
Set Timer Preferences
Configure your timer settings by clicking the Settings icon. You can enable Idle Detection to automatically pause the timer when you're away, and set up Notifications to remind you when the timer is running.
Tip
Idle detection prevents overbilling and ensures accurate time tracking
5
Monitor and Stop the Timer
The timer will display in the top navigation bar showing elapsed time. Click the Stop button when you finish working. The timer will automatically save the time entry to your project with all the details you specified.
Tip
You can pause and resume timers multiple times throughout the day for the same project
6
Log Time Manually (Alternative Method)
To add time manually, click + New and select Time Entry. Choose your Project, enter the Date, set Start Time and End Time or enter Duration directly. Add task details and notes before clicking Save.
Tip
Manual entries are useful for logging time worked offline or correcting timer mistakes
7
Review and Edit Time Entries
View all tracked time in the Time Tracking section. Click on any time entry to edit details like duration, project assignment, or notes. You can also delete entries by clicking the trash icon or duplicate entries using the copy icon.
Tip
Regularly review your time entries to ensure accuracy before converting to invoices
8
Convert Time to Invoice
Select the time entries you want to bill by checking the boxes next to each entry. Click Create Invoice at the bottom of the page. FreshBooks will automatically generate an invoice with your tracked time converted to billable hours at your project's hourly rate.
Tip
You can modify invoice details before sending to ensure proper formatting and add any additional charges
Troubleshooting
Timer not saving or stopping unexpectedly
Check your internet connection and refresh the browser. Clear your browser cache and cookies for FreshBooks. If the issue persists, try using the Manual Time Entry option as a backup.
Project not appearing in dropdown menu
Ensure the project is Active in your Projects section. Check that you have proper permissions for the project and that a client is assigned to it. Refresh the page to reload project data.
Time entries showing incorrect duration
Edit the time entry by clicking on it and manually adjusting the Start Time, End Time, or Duration fields. Check your timezone settings in Account Settings to ensure accuracy.
Cannot convert time entries to invoice
Verify that the time entries have an hourly rate assigned and are marked as billable. Check that the associated project has a client assigned and is set up for billing.
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