How to Use TrackingTime: Easy Setup & Time Tracking Guide (2026)

Quick Start

This guide covers every TrackingTime feature:

• Getting Started — Create your account and learn the basics
• How to Use Project Manager — Create projects and organize work into tasks
• How to Use Timesheets — Build accurate timesheets for payroll and clients
• How to Use Attendance Tracking — Record clock-ins, short breaks, and overtime
• How to Use Invoices — Turn billable hours into invoices automatically
• How to Use Browser Extension — Track time inside Google Docs, Asana, and Trello
• How to Use Automated Time Tracking — Capture activity with almost no manual input
• How to Use Project Progress Tracking — See overall progress and time spent per project
• How to Use Integrations with Other Apps — Connect the tools your workflow already uses
• How to Use Time-Off Management — Handle holidays and leave beside tracked hours

Time needed: 5 minutes per feature

Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives

Why Trust This Guide

I have used TrackingTime for eight months across client work and my own projects. Every screen here comes from real hands-on use, not vendor marketing.

TrackingTime is one of the friendlier time tracking software options available today.

But most users only ever press start and stop.

Used well, it helps you track time spent on real work and boost productivity across the whole team.

This guide shows you how to use every major feature.

Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips.

TrackingTime Tutorial

This TrackingTime tutorial walks through every feature step by step. You will set up an account, track time, and finish by generating reports that actually change how you plan a week.

TrackingTime

Track time across projects, clients, and teams without the admin. TrackingTime turns tracked hours into timesheets, invoices, and reports automatically. Start free — no credit card needed.

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Getting Started with TrackingTime

Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.

It takes about three minutes.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Go to the TrackingTime website and click Sign Up.

Enter your email, create a password, and join with your work address if you plan to invite a team.

✓ Checkpoint: Check your inbox for a confirmation email.

Step 2: Install the App You Will Actually Use

TrackingTime runs in any browser, but the desktop app for Mac and Windows sits on your computer and starts with it.

Mobile apps for iOS and Android cover the hours you work away from a desk.

Here is what my own setup looks like after a few weeks:

✓ Checkpoint: You should see the main dashboard with an empty timer.

Step 3: Create Your First Project

Add one project, add two tasks inside it, and set a rough estimate in hours.

Then switch on reminders and notifications so the app nudges you when the timer is not running.

How to Use TrackingTime Project Manager

Project Manager lets you create projects and break them into smaller tasks. Each task gets its own owner, budget, and estimates.

Step 1: Create Your First Project

Open the Projects tab and click the plus button.

Name the project, pick a client, and set a colour. Clear names help later when generating reports.

Step 2: Add Tasks and Assign Owners

Add tasks inside the project, then assign each one to a teammate.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Every task shows an owner avatar and an estimate in hours.

Step 3: Set Budgets and Estimates

Add hourly budgets and estimates so you notice overruns before the invoice goes out.

How to Use TrackingTime Timesheets

Timesheets turn every time entry into a weekly grid. It is the fastest route to accurate timesheets for payroll.

Step 1: Open the Timesheet View

Click Timesheets and choose the week you want to review.

Step 2: Fill Gaps by Manual Input

Empty cells accept manual input. Type the hours straight into the grid.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: The weekly total at the bottom matches your contracted hours.

Step 3: Submit for Approval

Click Submit. Your manager approves the week before payroll runs.

How to Use TrackingTime Attendance Tracker

Attendance Tracking records when people start, take short breaks, and finish. It runs quietly in the background.

Step 1: Turn On Attendance

Open Settings, then Attendance, and switch it on for your workspace.

Step 2: Clock In From Any Device

Staff clock in from the web app, mobile, or their work computer.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Each person shows a start time, a break, and an end time.

Step 3: Review the Daily Log

Check the attendance log each morning and adjust anything that looks wrong.

How to Use TrackingTime Invoices

Invoices pull billable hours straight from your tracked time. No copying numbers between tools, so you bill clients more efficiently.

Step 1: Mark Time as Billable

Set an hourly rate on the project so entries count as billable.

Step 2: Generate the Invoice

Open Invoices, pick the client and date range, then click Create.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: The invoice total matches the billable hours in your report.

Step 3: Send and Track Payment

Export as PDF or send it directly, then mark it paid when the money lands.

How to Use TrackingTime Browser Extension

Browser Extension adds a start button inside the web apps you already use. That is where most people forget to track time.

Step 1: Install the Extension

Add it from the Chrome, Firefox, or Edge store and sign in.

Step 2: Start a Timer in Context

A small play button appears inside supported tools. Click it to begin tracking.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: A play button shows next to task titles in your other apps.

Step 3: Match the Entry to a Project

Pick the project and task in the popup so the entry files itself correctly.

How to Use TrackingTime Automated Time Tracker

Automated Time Tracking watches which apps you use on your computer and suggests entries. It is the cure for a forgotten timer.

Step 1: Install the Desktop App

Download the desktop app for Mac or Windows and log in.

Step 2: Enable Background Capture

Switch on automatic tracking in preferences and set your working hours.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your day view fills with grey suggestion blocks by mid-afternoon.

Step 3: Convert Activity Into Entries

At the end of the day, drag captured blocks onto the right project.

How to Use TrackingTime Project Progress Tracker

Project Progress Tracking gives a bird’s-eye view of all projects. You see overall progress and total time spent at a glance.

Step 1: Open the Dashboard

The dashboard shows every active project with a progress bar.

Step 2: Compare Estimates Against Actuals

Read the estimate column beside actual hours to identify areas that drift.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Each project bar turns amber once it passes eighty percent of budget.

Step 3: Leave a Comment for the Team

Comment on any time entry to keep communication attached to the work.

How to Use TrackingTime Integrations with Other Apps

Integrations with Other Apps connect your tracker to more than fifty tools. Tasks flow in, so you stop retyping them.

Step 1: Open the Integrations Page

Go to Settings and then Integrations to see every available connection.

Step 2: Connect Your Main Tool

Pick Asana, Jira, Slack, or Google Calendar and approve access.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your external project names appear in the TrackingTime project list.

Step 3: Sync Tasks Both Ways

Imported tasks appear inside TrackingTime and time flows back to the source.

How to Use TrackingTime Time-Off Manager

Time-Off Management keeps leave in the same place as your hours. Capacity planning stops being a spreadsheet job.

Step 1: Set Up Leave Policies

Define holiday allowance and leave types for your workspace.

Step 2: Request and Approve Leave

Staff request days off in the app and managers approve in one click.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Approved leave appears as coloured bands on the team calendar.

Step 3: Read the Team Calendar

The shared calendar shows who is away before you plan the week.

TrackingTime Pro Tips and Shortcuts

After eight months of daily use, these are the tips that saved me the most hours.

Keyboard Shortcuts

The desktop app keeps these shortcuts alive even when the window sits behind your editor.

Hidden Features Most People Miss

• Pomodoro timer: Switch it on in preferences. The technique runs twenty-five minute sprints with short breaks, which helps focusing and does reduce stress on long days.
• Time blocking view: Drag empty slots onto your calendar to plan tomorrow. Time blocking assigns dedicated time slots to tasks and cuts decision fatigue.
• Customize your reports: Save a filtered report once, then reuse it every week to share reports with clients in two clicks.

Here is the benefits view I check most often:

Export those reports as CSV or PDF, then analyze last month beside this one. The insights point at habits worth changing, and the areas of improvement stop being guesswork.

Task batching pairs well with all three. Group similar tasks to cut context switching and improve efficiency.

TrackingTime Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Tracking Everything as One Giant Task

Mistake #2: Fixing Entries Weeks Later

Mistake #3: Skipping Breaks Entirely

TrackingTime Troubleshooting

Problem: The Timer Kept Running Overnight

Cause: You closed the laptop lid without stopping the timer.

Fix: Open the entry, drag its end point to the right hour, and save. Then set idle detection to stop the timer after fifteen minutes.

Problem: Hours Are Missing From a Report

Cause: The entries sit outside the date range, or they were never assigned to a project.

Fix: Widen the specific period in the filter, then check the unassigned bucket and move stray entries.

Problem: The Integration Stopped Syncing

Cause: The connected account expired its access token, usually after a password change.

Fix: Open Settings, disconnect the integration, and reconnect it. Tasks resync within a minute.

📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact TrackingTime support.

What is TrackingTime?

TrackingTime is a time tracking tool that records how long work takes, then turns that record into timesheets, invoices, and reports.

Think of it like a stopwatch that files its own paperwork.

It includes these key features:

• Project Manager: Create projects and tasks to organize your work
• Timesheets: Weekly grids that become accurate timesheets
• Attendance Tracking: Clock-ins, short breaks, and overtime records
• Invoices: Billable hours converted into client invoices
• Browser Extension: A timer inside your other apps
• Automated Time Tracking: Background capture of app activity
• Project Progress Tracking: A bird’s-eye view of every project
• Integrations with Other Apps: Two-way sync with fifty-plus tools
• Time-Off Management: Holiday and leave requests in one calendar

For a full review, see our TrackingTime review.

It suits freelancers billing clients, agencies watching budgets, and managers who need attendance without heavy monitoring.

TrackingTime Pricing

Here is what TrackingTime costs in 2026:

Free trial: Yes — test every feature before you pay.

Money-back guarantee: Not advertised; cancel any time instead.

💰 Best Value: Pro at $5.75/month — it adds invoices and shared reports for two dollars over Starter.

TrackingTime vs Alternatives

How does TrackingTime compare? Here is the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: Clockify — the widest feature set at the lowest cost per user
• Best budget: TrackingTime — full timesheets and invoices from $3.75 a month
• Best for beginners: Toggl — one button, almost no setting up required
• Best for accountability: Time Doctor — monitoring and reports built for managers

🎯 TrackingTime Alternatives

Looking for TrackingTime alternatives? Here are the top options:

• 🚀 Time Doctor: Adds screenshots and distraction alerts. Best when accountability matters more than a light touch.
• 💰 Clockify: The strongest free tier in time tracking software. Unlimited users cost nothing at all.
• ⚡ Toggl: A one-click timer with a genuinely free plan. Ideal for freelancers who hate setup.
• 🧠 Memtime: Records every app you touch offline, with no timer at all. Nothing reaches the cloud.
• 🎯 Timeular: A tracking dice you flip to switch tasks. Surprisingly effective for building consistency.
• 💼 Harvest: Mature invoicing with deep accounting links. A favourite of agencies billing many clients.

For the full list, see our TrackingTime alternatives guide.

⚔️ TrackingTime Compared

Here is how TrackingTime stacks up against each competitor:

• TrackingTime vs Time Doctor: TrackingTime wins on price and friendliness. Time Doctor wins if you need proof-of-work monitoring.
• TrackingTime vs Clockify: Clockify is cheaper at scale. TrackingTime has the better attendance and time-off side.
• TrackingTime vs Toggl: Toggl feels lighter for one person. TrackingTime handles teams, payroll, and leave better.
• TrackingTime vs Memtime: Memtime captures more automatically. TrackingTime costs a third as much and adds invoices.
• TrackingTime vs Timeular: Timeular is a habit tool. TrackingTime is the fuller time tracking software for teams.
• TrackingTime vs Harvest: Harvest has richer billing. TrackingTime covers attendance and leave that Harvest skips.

Start Using TrackingTime Now

You learned how to use every major TrackingTime feature:

• ✅ Project Manager
• ✅ Timesheets
• ✅ Attendance Tracking
• ✅ Invoices
• ✅ Browser Extension
• ✅ Automated Time Tracking
• ✅ Project Progress Tracking
• ✅ Integrations with Other Apps
• ✅ Time-Off Management

Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.

Most people begin with Project Manager.

It takes less than five minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does TrackingTime cost?

TrackingTime starts at $3.75 per month on the Starter plan. Pro costs $5.75 per month and Business costs $10 per month. A free trial lets you test the app first.

Is TrackingTime free?

TrackingTime offers a free trial rather than a permanent free account for every feature. You can create projects, track time, and view reports before you pay anything.

How does TrackingTime work?

You create projects and tasks, start a timer, and TrackingTime records the hours. Entries feed timesheets, reports, and invoices, and you can edit any entry later.

Does the time tracker take screenshots?

No. TrackingTime records hours, apps, and attendance rather than screenshots. Teams that want screenshot monitoring usually pick Time Doctor or a similar tool instead.

Does Google have a time tracker?

Google has no dedicated time tracking software. Most people track time inside Google Calendar or Sheets, or connect TrackingTime to Google apps through the browser extension.