Core Feature

Time Tracking
for Freelancers

Track every billable minute with one-click timers or manual entry. Whether you're shooting a session, writing copy, coaching a client, or managing an event — know exactly which projects are profitable and turn tracked time directly into invoices with no copy-paste required.

Free plan included · No setup required · Cancel anytime

The Problem

Sound familiar?

Most freelancers deal with these frustrations every week. Time Tracking in Builtomate fixes all three.

Forgetting to log hours means you undercharge clients every single month — money left on the table

Juggling spreadsheets, sticky notes, and multiple apps that never sync with each other

No idea which projects are actually profitable vs. which ones drain your time for little return

Capabilities

What's inside

Every tool you need for time tracking, without the learning curve.

One-click timers

Start and stop timers from any page. Time is captured automatically — whether you're on a coaching call, photo shoot, or writing session.

Manual hour entry

Log hours after the fact with date, duration, and notes. Perfect for work done offline, on location, or in client meetings.

Per-project reports

See time breakdowns by project, client, and date range. Know exactly where your hours go and which work pays you best per hour.

Workflow

How it works

Get up and running in minutes. No training needed.

1

Select a project

Pick the project or client you're working on from your list — a photography session, consulting retainer, writing gig, or any other work.

2

Start the timer

Hit start and focus on your work. The timer runs in the background — stop it when you're done or add notes as you go.

3

Review & invoice

At billing time, all tracked hours auto-populate your invoice. One click turns your logged time into a professional invoice.

Time TrackerLive00:45:22StopBrand Photography · runningBrand Photography2h 30mClient Strategy Call1h 15mCopywriting Revisions0h 45mTotal: 4h 30m

Built into Builtomate — no extra app, no integrations needed

Getting Started

Tips for getting the most out of Time Tracking

Practical advice from freelancers who use Builtomate every day.

1

Start the timer the moment you begin any task

Start the timer as soon as you begin work — whether that's opening a client brief, starting a shoot, or jumping on a call. You'll be surprised how many short sessions you were previously forgetting to log. Those add up to real money at billing time.

2

Log yesterday's hours with manual entry

Forgot to run the timer? No problem. Use the manual entry mode to add hours for any past date. Enter the date, duration (hours + minutes), project, and an optional note — it takes under 30 seconds.

3

Add a note to every entry

Short notes like "Product shoot — 3 setups" or "Strategy call with client" make your invoices look professional and detailed. Clients trust itemized time logs far more than a single "Project work: 8h" line.

4

Review weekly before invoicing

At the end of each week, open your time log and scan for anything missing. It takes 2 minutes and ensures you capture every billable hour before sending the invoice.

5

Filter by project to spot overruns

If a project feels like it's taking longer than quoted, filter your time log by that project. You'll see the real hours at a glance — use this to have a transparent conversation with your client or adjust future quotes.

6

One-click: time log → invoice

When you're ready to bill, create a new invoice and select "Import from time entries." Builtomate pulls all uninvoiced hours for that client automatically — no copying, no calculating, no mistakes.

5+
hrs/week saved
vs manual spreadsheet logging
100%
billable capture
Never miss a billable minute again
faster invoicing
Auto-calculated from your tracked time

FAQ

Common questions about Time Tracking

Yes. Builtomate supports two modes: live timer (start/stop while you work) and manual entry (add hours for any date after the fact). You can mix both — use the timer when you remember, and fill in manual entries for sessions you forgot to track. Both modes feed into the same time log and invoice system.
When you create an invoice, you can select "Import from time entries" for that client. Builtomate pulls all unbilled time entries automatically, calculates the totals based on your hourly rate, and adds them as line items. You can review and edit before sending.
You can only have one live timer running at a time (just like reality), but you can log manual entries for multiple projects for the same day. Each entry is linked to a specific project, so your reports stay clean and separated.
Time tracking is included in the free plan. You can log unlimited time entries, use live timers, and export tracked hours to invoices at no cost. Advanced reporting is available on the Pro plan.
Yes. Your time log can be filtered by project, client, and date range. You'll see total hours and can break down individual sessions. Pro users also get full analytics reports with profitability data.

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Free plan included · No setup · Cancel anytime