Project Management Tools with Time-Tracking Features

 Time tracking is a critical component of project management, especially when it comes to monitoring team productivity, ensuring projects are completed on time, and staying within budget. Accurate time tracking can also help with invoicing clients, understanding resource allocation, and identifying bottlenecks within the workflow. Many modern project management tools integrate time-tracking features directly into their platforms. In this blog, we'll explore some of the best project management tools with time-tracking features.

1. Trello

Trello is a popular project management tool known for its visual board system. While Trello itself doesn’t have a native time-tracking feature, you can integrate third-party apps to add time-tracking functionality. Some of the most common time-tracking integrations for Trello are:

• Trello Power-Ups: Time tracking tools like Time Doctor or Harvest can be integrated into Trello through Power-Ups. Once integrated, these tools allow you to track time spent on specific cards, making it easier to monitor project progress.

• Trello Card Timer: This integration allows users to start and stop a timer directly from the Trello card, which automatically logs the time spent on tasks.

Trello is ideal for users who are looking for a highly customizable and visual project management tool, especially when combined with time-tracking integrations.

2. Asana

Asana is one of the most widely used project management platforms and offers a simple interface for team collaboration. It includes time-tracking features in the following ways:

• Built-in Time Tracking: While Asana doesn’t have an integrated native time tracker, it allows users to set due dates, track task progress, and use custom fields to record time manually. Asana also integrates with third-party time-tracking tools like Toggl and Harvest.

• Toggl Integration: Toggl, a popular time-tracking tool, can be easily integrated with Asana to track time directly from your tasks. This integration enables users to start and stop timers while working on specific Asana tasks.

Asana is perfect for teams looking for a straightforward and flexible project management tool with time-tracking integration capabilities.

3. Teamwork

Teamwork is an all-in-one project management platform with robust time-tracking features built right into the tool. Here’s how Teamwork handles time tracking:

• Time Tracking on Tasks: Teamwork allows users to track time directly within tasks. You can start and stop the timer while working on tasks and log hours manually when needed.

• Reports: The platform provides detailed reports on time logged by each team member, allowing project managers to assess how much time is being spent on each task or project.

• Time Tracking for Billing: Teamwork also includes features for billing clients based on the time tracked for each task. This makes it a great option for service-based businesses or freelancers.

For teams looking for a project management tool with built-in time tracking, Teamwork is an excellent option.

4. Monday.com

Monday.com is a highly flexible project management platform with time-tracking capabilities. It helps teams manage tasks, track progress, and monitor the time spent on projects. Monday.com offers:

• Time Tracking Column: You can add a time-tracking column to your boards. This allows you to log time manually or use the "start/stop" timer feature.

• Automations and Integrations: Monday.com also integrates with third-party time-tracking tools like Toggl and Clockify. These integrations allow for more advanced time tracking and reporting options.

• Dashboard and Reporting: The platform offers customizable dashboards that allow you to see real-time data on time spent across all projects, making it easier for project managers to monitor efficiency and team productivity.

Monday.com’s time-tracking features are excellent for teams that require a lot of customization and automation to meet their specific needs.

5. Wrike

Wrike is a powerful project management tool that provides robust time-tracking features. Here’s how Wrike handles time tracking:

• Time Tracking Widget: Wrike includes a built-in time tracking widget that lets you log time directly from the task details. You can track the time spent on each task and project.

• Time Log: Users can manually input time spent on tasks or use the timer feature to record time automatically. Wrike also generates time logs that can be reviewed later for reporting purposes.

• Integration with Time Tracking Tools: Wrike integrates with time-tracking apps such as Toggl and Harvest for teams that need more advanced time-tracking capabilities.

Wrike is ideal for teams that need detailed time-tracking reports and want a comprehensive platform to manage both tasks and time.

6. ClickUp

ClickUp is an all-in-one project management platform that comes with time-tracking features built into the software. ClickUp’s time tracking options include:

• Time Tracking on Tasks: You can start, stop, and log time directly on any task. This allows team members to track time as they work.

• Time Estimates: You can set time estimates for tasks and compare the actual time logged against these estimates to see how accurate your planning is.

• Time Reporting: ClickUp offers detailed time reports, which show time spent on tasks, projects, and by individual team members. These reports can be customized for different time periods (daily, weekly, etc.).

• Third-Party Integrations: ClickUp also integrates with time-tracking tools like Toggl and Harvest for teams that prefer using these platforms for detailed reporting.

ClickUp’s built-in time-tracking features are great for teams looking for a comprehensive solution that combines task management with time tracking.

7. Basecamp

Basecamp is known for its simplicity and ease of use, but it also includes some basic time-tracking features:

• Manual Time Tracking: Basecamp doesn’t have a built-in timer feature, but you can manually log the time spent on tasks within the app. This is useful for tracking hours worked for clients or internal purposes.

• Integration with Time Tracking Tools: For more advanced time-tracking features, Basecamp integrates with third-party tools like Toggl and Harvest. These integrations allow users to track time directly within Basecamp without needing to switch between apps.

Basecamp is suitable for teams that need a simple, no-frills project management tool with basic time-tracking capabilities.

8. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a work management platform that combines project management and spreadsheet-like functionality. Its time-tracking features include:

• Time Tracking Columns: You can add time-tracking columns to your Smartsheet project sheets. This allows team members to manually enter time spent on tasks or use a built-in timer feature.

• Automated Time Reports: Smartsheet provides automation options to generate time reports based on the data entered in your project sheets. This can help project managers keep track of time spent across multiple projects.

• Integrations: Smartsheet also integrates with time-tracking tools like Toggl and Harvest, offering additional flexibility and tracking options.

Smartsheet is ideal for teams that are used to working with spreadsheets but need the added functionality of time tracking and reporting.

9. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is a project management software with a strong focus on task management and collaboration, and it also includes time-tracking capabilities:

• Time Tracking on Tasks: Zoho Projects allows users to log time spent on tasks manually. You can also set up time logs to track each team member’s hours worked on different tasks.

• Built-In Timesheets: Zoho Projects has an integrated timesheet feature that lets you track time spent on tasks, helping you calculate project costs and time efficiency.

• Time Tracking Reports: The software generates detailed time tracking reports that can be exported for billing or payroll purposes.

Zoho Projects is an excellent choice for teams that need an affordable project management solution with built-in time-tracking functionality.

Conclusion

Time tracking is an essential part of effective project management, and several tools offer built-in or integrative features to help track time spent on tasks and projects. Whether you’re looking for a tool with a simple timer feature or an advanced time-tracking system with reports, options like Teamwork, Trello, Monday.com, Wrike, ClickUp, and Zoho Projects provide varying levels of time-tracking functionality. The best choice depends on the complexity of your projects, your team’s needs, and your preferred work style. Time-tracking features help improve efficiency, ensure deadlines are met, and provide insights into how time is allocated across tasks and projects.