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Time and billing software can do two different jobs: record employee hours for review and payroll preparation, and turn professional time into client charges, invoices, and practice reports. Some products support both, but they are not interchangeable. Choose according to the workflow you need to control: employee timekeeping, client billing, or both.
What time and billing software does
At its simplest, the software captures time against an employee, task, project, or client. It then routes that record to a reviewer or into a downstream workflow. For HR and payroll teams, the important output is a dependable, approved timesheet that can be handed to payroll or accounting. For an accounting firm, a record may also need a billable status, rate, expense, invoice treatment, and reporting context.
A timer alone does not ensure either result. The value depends on whether the system preserves the right context and controls from entry through approval, billing, or payroll preparation.
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How accounting firms track billable hours
A client-billing workflow generally starts by setting up clients, projects, and tasks, then assigning rate rules and classifying time as billable or nonbillable. Staff record time with a timer or timesheet; a reviewer checks the entries; and approved billable time can be used to prepare an invoice. Expenses and billing arrangements may need to be handled alongside hours.
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- Free Cloud Service: The TC1 Cloud-Connect time clock, powered by NGTeco Office software and app, allows you to access real-time punch data from anywhere. Benefit from accurate hour calculations and automatic report generation through any web browser.
- Customizable Shifts for Any Workflow: Fully flexible shift configurations (fixed, rotating, split‑shift, open) suit all team structures. Perfect for part‑time staff, multi‑department operations, and 24/7 workplaces, this feature eliminates manual scheduling errors. It also supports custom weekly overtime rules and dual OT1/OT2 pay grades, enabling precise, adaptive overtime payroll calculations that align with diverse company compensation policies.
- Bank-Grade Data Security & Compliance: Powered by AWS US servers with end-to-end encryption, your attendance data is stored securely and fully compliant with global data protection standards, keeping sensitive workforce records protected.
- Multi-Language Support for Global Teams: NGTeco Office software supports 7+ languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin American Spanish) for diverse, international workforces.
- Large Storage & Offline Functionality: Supports up to 200 users and 30,000 logs, connects via 2.4GHz WiFi or LAN. Offline punch capture syncs automatically to the cloud once network is restored, no data loss.
Clockify’s accounting workflow describes client projects and tasks, rates at employee, project, or task level, billable and nonbillable classifications, time entry across web, mobile, and desktop, reports, invoice generation from billable time, and sending approved time to QuickBooks. That is a useful illustration of the basic sequence, not evidence that every product has the same capabilities or integrations.
Billing details to check
- Rate rules: Can rates differ by employee, project, task, or engagement?
- Billing treatment: Can staff mark time billable or nonbillable, and can the reviewer identify exceptions before invoicing?
- Expenses: Can reimbursable expenses be associated with the client and invoice workflow?
- Billing arrangements: If the firm uses retainers, progress billing, or fixed fees, does the system represent those arrangements rather than assuming every invoice is hourly?
- Review and output: Can reviewed time and expenses feed the invoice process without losing the client, project, or rate context?
Why firms track time when they charge fixed fees
Fixed-fee work still consumes staff time. A firm can compare time and expenses with the fee to understand the work involved, assess client or service profitability, and see how staff capacity is being used. Those records inform management; they do not guarantee higher margins.
Rank #2
- True Standalone Operation, Zero Setup Hassle: Get started in minutes with no WiFi or complex software. Easily export all attendance data via the included USB drive, with ready-to-use Excel reports for instant payroll integration—fully independent time tracking.
- Built to Scale With Your Business: Onboard memory supports up to 500 user profiles and 50,000 punch records. Reliably handles shifts for growing teams without constant maintenance, ideal for expanding small businesses.
- Paperless & Cost-Effective Tracking: Ditch wasteful paper cards and printer ribbons. Our digital system delivers precise, instant records while cutting supply costs—combining accuracy with eco-friendly efficiency.
- Secure, Reliable Data Protection: An internal backup system preserves every punch during unexpected power loss. Your employee records and timesheets stay fully secure and retrievable, with no reset hassle.
- Durable, Versatile Design for Any Workplace: Built with industrial-grade materials for daily durability. Its compact design installs anywhere—warehouses, retail counters, offices, schools, and healthcare facilities—for consistent performance.
Canopy describes connecting time and expenses to invoices, using built-in timers, and supporting retainer and progress billing. It also describes visibility into unbilled time and work in progress (WIP), alongside dashboards and reports for profitability, realization, utilization, and capacity. Its FAQ advises tracking time even when a firm does not bill hourly; that is the vendor’s recommendation, rather than an independent accounting standard.
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For employee timekeeping, selection should focus on the path from submission to payroll handoff: how employees record hours, how managers review them, what happens to approved records, and whether the payroll or accounting connection is available for the organization’s region and product edition.
Rank #3
- Made in USA. Veteran-Owned and Proudly Produced in Ohio.
- THIS IS ESSENTIAL FOR LAWYERS AND CONSULTANTS: BookFactory Time Tracking book is a necessary addition to any attorney’s office, small business or freelance assignment. It’s a fundamental part of any business like. A simple and easy way track your billable hours
- TRACK BILLABLE HOURS BY DAY OR BY CLIENT: For business or personal use, time tracking is shown across a 2-page spread, on the left side, you have days and each hour, where you can write quick details about who you worked for. On the right side of the page you can keep more detailed track of the specific tasks you worked on and what client it was for – what breaks you took, and when, as well as the specific amount of time you spent on each task
- EXCELLENT VISUAL TO SHOW HOW YOU’RE SPENDING YOUR TIME: You may wonder where your day is going, or how you still have so much to do when you’ve already been working for hours. You may just need to be able to give your client an itemized invoice of work provided… either way, this book will be a help to you
- BUS-100-69CW-PP-(Time-Tracker)
- Choose the entry methods: Confirm whether staff can use a web or mobile timesheet, timer, desktop app, or kiosk as needed. Do not assume every method is available in every edition.
- Define review controls: Check how employees submit time, how managers approve it, and whether approved entries can be locked or corrected through a controlled process.
- Trace the handoff: Confirm which approved data reaches payroll or accounting, whether it transfers automatically or requires an export, and what integration setup is required.
- Validate local fit: Verify the product, integration, and payroll workflow for the country and edition you will use. A vendor page for one market does not establish availability or compliance elsewhere.
QuickBooks Time’s Australia page describes employee timesheets submitted and approved through web, mobile, or kiosk, plus payroll-related workflows, job costing, invoicing, reporting, and integrations including QuickBooks, Gusto, and Sage. This is Australia-specific evidence; check local availability and payroll requirements before treating those details as applicable to another country.
actiTIME describes manager review and approval of submitted timesheets, locking approved entries, and transferring approved time into QuickBooks Online payroll and invoicing workflows. The product page also lists billing summaries, cost of work, profit and loss, and estimated-versus-actual time reports. Verify the current integration and configuration for your account before relying on that handoff.
Rank #4
![Pyramid Time Systems - TimeTrax Swipe Card Time Clock [TTEZEK]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31zwMbcBdoL._SL160_.jpg)
- Instant Time Tracking: Efficiently records employee arrivals, breaks, lunches, overtime, and departures. This employee swipe card ensures accurate and timely attendance tracking for seamless operations.
- No Monthly Fees: Includes comprehensive payroll editing, reporting, and exporting software, eliminating any subscription charges. Save costs while having full control over time management and payroll processes.
- Expandable System: The system accommodates 50 employees (with Swipe cards included). It can be expanded to support up to 500 employees with additional badges and terminals, making it perfect for growing businesses.
- Simple Setup: The system is designed for quick and easy installation with a standard Ethernet connection. Set up in minutes, allowing you to streamline your time and attendance tracking with minimal hassle.
- Payroll Savings: The system saves 17 minutes per employee daily or 70 hours annually, cutting down on payroll costs. It enhances efficiency by automating attendance and payroll calculations, reducing manual effort and errors.
Reports answer different questions
Reporting labels are not interchangeable. Identify the decisions the reports must support before comparing products.
- Utilization: How staff time is allocated, including billable and nonbillable work.
- WIP and unbilled time: Which recorded work has not yet been invoiced.
- Profitability or cost of work: How revenue or fees compare with the cost of delivering work, subject to the data and assumptions used.
- Estimate versus actual: Whether time spent differs from the expected effort.
- Payroll reports: Whether employee hours are approved and organized for the payroll workflow.
ClickTime describes client- and engagement-specific rates, billable and nonbillable time, utilization, and profitability reporting for accounting firms. Canopy lists WIP, realization, capacity, and profitability visibility, while actiTIME lists cost-of-work and estimated-versus-actual reports. Compare the actual report fields and filters you need; a product’s use of a broad term such as “profitability” does not establish that its calculation matches your firm’s method.
How the main product approaches differ
These examples illustrate different emphasis, not a tested ranking. Vendor feature descriptions can change, so confirm current product editions and regional availability before purchasing.
Quick Recap
| Product | Described emphasis | Details to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Clockify | Client/project time, rate rules, billable status, reports, invoices from billable time, and approved-time connection to QuickBooks. | Confirm the required billing arrangement, integration behavior, and edition for your workflow. |
| Canopy | Practice-oriented time and expense billing, retainers and progress billing, WIP, and practice reports. | Confirm which reports, billing processes, and connections fit your firm’s configuration. |
| Sage Timeslips | Time and expense capture, flexible billing, and multiple product configurations: Premium with desktop access, Go as a web/mobile companion, and Anywhere as cloud-based. | Check the current edition, region, deployment, and integration details. Sage’s page describes more than 120 prebuilt reports; verify the count and availability for the edition under consideration. |
| QuickBooks Time | Employee timesheets and approvals, payroll-related workflows, job costing, invoices, and reporting, as described on its Australia page. | Do not generalize the Australia page’s integrations or availability to other markets; check local payroll and edition support. |
| ClickTime | Accounting-firm time by client and engagement, rates, billable classification, utilization, and profitability reporting. | Confirm its payroll handoff and billing features against the specific requirements; the cited page emphasizes practice reporting. |
| actiTIME | Timesheet submission, manager approval and locking, described QuickBooks Online handoff, and billing and cost reports. | Confirm the current QuickBooks Online workflow and whether its billing arrangements match your firm. |
A practical selection checklist
- State the primary job: employee timekeeping and payroll preparation, client/project billing, or both.
- Map one real workflow: Follow a typical employee timesheet or client engagement from time entry through its final output.
- Test the controls: Check submissions, approvals, corrections, locking, and billable/nonbillable classification.
- Match the billing model: Include hourly rate rules, fixed fees, retainers, progress billing, and reimbursable expenses where relevant.
- Name the required reports: Specify utilization, WIP, profitability, cost of work, or estimate-versus-actual rather than relying on a general reporting claim.
- Verify the ecosystem: Confirm the exact payroll, accounting, or invoicing integration, the region and edition it supports, and whether data moves automatically or by export.
- Check deployment and usability: Match desktop, cloud, mobile, web, or kiosk access to how employees and reviewers actually work.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
