Workpuls Teramind ActivTrak Hubstaff DeskTime Time Doctor RescueTime Kickidler Veriato Work Examiner
OVERVIEW
Price $6/user/month $6/user/month $7.20/user/month $7/user/month $7/user/month $9.99/user/month $6/user/month $9.99/user/month $150/licence/year $60/licence (lifetime)
Free trial 7 days 7 days No 14 days 14 days 14 days 30 days 7 days Yes 30 days
Ease of use Very easy Difficult Very easy Easy Easy Very easy Very easy Very easy Very difficult Easy
TRACKING METHODS
Unlimited (tracker working 24/7)
Fixed (defined working hours)
Automatic (when computer is connected to a specified network)
Manual (start/stop)
Project based (track time only on projects)
GENERAL MONITORING FEATURES
Stealth mode
App and website usage
Real-time monitoring
Offline time tracking
Attendance
Activity levels
Keylogger
Geolocation
Remote desktop control
Website/activity blocking
SCREENSHOTS AND RECORDING
Screenshots
Screenshots on demand
Screen recording
PRODUCTIVITY FEATURES
Productivity trends
Websites and apps labeling
Category labeling
Productivity alerts
ADVANCED SECURITY FEATURES
User behavior analytics
Data loss prevention
Advanced file and web monitoring
REPORTING
Productivity reports
Team reports
Timelines
Email reports
Access management
PLATFORMS
Web
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
Mobile app iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android Android
Browser extension Chrome Chrome Chrome
Other Citrix, VMware Chrome OS
OTHER
Support Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Email, online Phone, email, online, in-person Online Phone, email, online Email, online, Viber, Whatsapp Phone, email, online, support ticket Phone, email, online
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Integrations comming soon
API
Deployment cloud, on-premise cloud, on-premise, AWS, Azure cloud cloud cloud cloud cloud on-premise cloud, on-premise on-premise
Kronos Humanity Timeclockplus Tsheets Wheniwork Deputy Replicon Jibble EbilityTimeTracker OnTheClock BeeBole
OVERVIEW
Price(per month)Available upon requestFrom $2 per userAvailable upon requestFrom $6.40 per user+$16Free for up to 75 usersFrom $2.50 per userBasic plan:$30 for 5 users+$5 per additional userFrom $1.50 per employeeFrom $4 per user+$8From $2.20 per user$5.99 per user per month
Free trial30 days14 daysYes14 days14 days14 days30 days30 days,no credit card required
Ease of useDifficultEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyEasy
FEATURES
Timecard management
Scheduling
Shift Trading
Timesheets
Break time management
Real-time tracking
PTO Management
Payroll
Invoicing
Client billing
GPS tracking
Clock out reminders
Alerts
Manual time
PUNCH-IN METHODS
Web app
Mobile app
Time clock device
Time clock kiosk
Facial recognition
Fingerprint scanning
Geofencing
Group punch-in
REPORTING
Visual reports
Email reports
Time rounding
MANAGEMENT
Permissions
Manager approvals
Add time for others
Integrations
PLATFORMS
Web
Android app
iOS app
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
OTHER
SupportPhone and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,chat and onlinePhone and chatEmail and onlineChat and phonePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlineOnline chat and video support in English,French,and Spanish
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Community forum
API

If your company is in an industry that charges clients per billable hours then you must be using a software to track your time. However, if you’re only tracking billable hours, you’re not really doing much to improve the efficiency of your business. Why?

It’s simple: for your business to function better, you must improve all processes, not only those you’re being paid to do.


What Are Non-Billable Hours and Why Should You Care?

Non-billable hours include the time you put in to finish work that can’t be paid by the client. They are a business expense, and if not optimized, they could cost you a fortune.


Non-billable hours usually include: (some other might be applicable as well, depending on your industry)

  • Networking
  • Client research
  • Employee development
  • Company meetings
  • Admin processes like invoicing, bookkeeping, etc.
  • Proposal writing


Non-billable hours are the backbone of your company. No matter how many actual projects you have, you wouldn’t be able to run them without the tasks that constitute as non-billable.


So, What Can You Do About It?


The first step towards resolving a problem is identifying the problem.


Once you start using electronic timekeeping software to track non-billable hours, you’ll be able to optimize the processes that take up most of the time. Maybe you’ll see that redundant meetings take a lot of time for no reason, and you’ll be able to cut them down.


Do you have any idea how much time you and your employees spend researching, pitching, writing proposals and seeking for new clients? An hour, two, three per day? Is it more? How can you be sure? You could be if you were using a business time tracking software. If you figure out that one of your employees spends too much time on research each time they get a new project, you should talk to them and shift them in another direction. Additionally, it’s possible you’ll see a way to rework the processes, in order to make more time for billable hours.


You’re the one who’s going to end up paying for those unbilable hours. You know that, right? It’s quite possible that some clients are costing you more than they’re worth due to a huge number of lengthy, usually pointless, meetings, emails and conference calls. When you start using a team time tracking software, you’ll see clearly if your team is spending more time on non-billable activities with clients. Once you identify the clients, you can either drop them, or update the terms of your arrangement.


The thing about time tracking is that it’ll give you, and your teams, an accurate picture of how you’re spending your time. This makes everyone more accountable for how they spend their work time. Generally, seeing how you’re using time makes you think how you can spend it more efficiently.


What is more, tracking both billable and non-billable hours will help you make much more accurate project estimates in the future.


In the end, you need to remember that each hour you spend on non-billable activities, is an hour less you can bill to the client. So, make sure you’re tracking time every single day.


How Can You Track Non-Billable Hours?

It’s actually pretty easy, and pretty much the same as for billable hours. You just keep your 

employee time tracking and management software running while you’re working. You just go ahead and label meetings as ‘Offline time’ and add a memo “Meeting with client X”.


Best time tracking programs will give you an option to classify time spent as productive or unproductive. With a bit of customization, you can have that time actually classified as non-billable and billable time.


Final Thoughts

It might not seem that way - but non-billable hours are just as important as billable ones. They are paving your way towards profit, and helping you achieve excellent results. The fact that you’re not getting paid for them doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be tracking, or trying to improve what you’re doing during those hours.


Are you tracking your non-billable hours? How? Did you try doing it with Insightful? Let us know!

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Time Tracking

Should You Track Non-Billable Hours?

Written by
Bojana Djordjevic
Published on
September 6, 2019

If your company is in an industry that charges clients per billable hours then you must be using a software to track your time. However, if you’re only tracking billable hours, you’re not really doing much to improve the efficiency of your business. Why?

It’s simple: for your business to function better, you must improve all processes, not only those you’re being paid to do.


What Are Non-Billable Hours and Why Should You Care?

Non-billable hours include the time you put in to finish work that can’t be paid by the client. They are a business expense, and if not optimized, they could cost you a fortune.


Non-billable hours usually include: (some other might be applicable as well, depending on your industry)

  • Networking
  • Client research
  • Employee development
  • Company meetings
  • Admin processes like invoicing, bookkeeping, etc.
  • Proposal writing


Non-billable hours are the backbone of your company. No matter how many actual projects you have, you wouldn’t be able to run them without the tasks that constitute as non-billable.


So, What Can You Do About It?


The first step towards resolving a problem is identifying the problem.


Once you start using electronic timekeeping software to track non-billable hours, you’ll be able to optimize the processes that take up most of the time. Maybe you’ll see that redundant meetings take a lot of time for no reason, and you’ll be able to cut them down.


Do you have any idea how much time you and your employees spend researching, pitching, writing proposals and seeking for new clients? An hour, two, three per day? Is it more? How can you be sure? You could be if you were using a business time tracking software. If you figure out that one of your employees spends too much time on research each time they get a new project, you should talk to them and shift them in another direction. Additionally, it’s possible you’ll see a way to rework the processes, in order to make more time for billable hours.


You’re the one who’s going to end up paying for those unbilable hours. You know that, right? It’s quite possible that some clients are costing you more than they’re worth due to a huge number of lengthy, usually pointless, meetings, emails and conference calls. When you start using a team time tracking software, you’ll see clearly if your team is spending more time on non-billable activities with clients. Once you identify the clients, you can either drop them, or update the terms of your arrangement.


The thing about time tracking is that it’ll give you, and your teams, an accurate picture of how you’re spending your time. This makes everyone more accountable for how they spend their work time. Generally, seeing how you’re using time makes you think how you can spend it more efficiently.


What is more, tracking both billable and non-billable hours will help you make much more accurate project estimates in the future.


In the end, you need to remember that each hour you spend on non-billable activities, is an hour less you can bill to the client. So, make sure you’re tracking time every single day.


How Can You Track Non-Billable Hours?

It’s actually pretty easy, and pretty much the same as for billable hours. You just keep your 

employee time tracking and management software running while you’re working. You just go ahead and label meetings as ‘Offline time’ and add a memo “Meeting with client X”.


Best time tracking programs will give you an option to classify time spent as productive or unproductive. With a bit of customization, you can have that time actually classified as non-billable and billable time.


Final Thoughts

It might not seem that way - but non-billable hours are just as important as billable ones. They are paving your way towards profit, and helping you achieve excellent results. The fact that you’re not getting paid for them doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be tracking, or trying to improve what you’re doing during those hours.


Are you tracking your non-billable hours? How? Did you try doing it with Insightful? Let us know!