How to track time on projects in FreshBooks

beginner 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Track time on FreshBooks projects by navigating to the Time Tracking section, starting a timer for your project, and logging hours manually or automatically. You can then convert tracked time into invoices for client billing.

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Prerequisites

Active FreshBooks account
Created project in FreshBooks
Access to FreshBooks time tracking features
Client assigned to your project

Step-by-Step Instructions

Navigate to Time Tracking

Log into your FreshBooks account and click on Time Tracking in the main navigation menu. This will take you to the time tracking dashboard where you can see all your tracked time entries and active timers.

You can also access time tracking quickly by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+T (Cmd+T on Mac)

Start a New Timer

Click the Start Timer button or the + New button in the top right corner. Select Timer from the dropdown menu to begin tracking time in real-time for your project work.

Starting a timer immediately helps ensure you capture all billable hours accurately

Select Your Project and Task

In the timer interface, click the Project dropdown and select the project you want to track time for. Then choose a specific Task from the task dropdown menu. Add a brief description of the work being performed in the Notes field.

Use descriptive notes to help clients understand the value of your work when invoicing

Set Timer Preferences

Configure your timer settings by clicking the Settings icon. You can enable Idle Detection to automatically pause the timer when you're away, and set up Notifications to remind you when the timer is running.

Idle detection prevents overbilling and ensures accurate time tracking

Monitor and Stop the Timer

The timer will display in the top navigation bar showing elapsed time. Click the Stop button when you finish working. The timer will automatically save the time entry to your project with all the details you specified.

You can pause and resume timers multiple times throughout the day for the same project

Log Time Manually (Alternative Method)

To add time manually, click + New and select Time Entry. Choose your Project, enter the Date, set Start Time and End Time or enter Duration directly. Add task details and notes before clicking Save.

Manual entries are useful for logging time worked offline or correcting timer mistakes

Review and Edit Time Entries

View all tracked time in the Time Tracking section. Click on any time entry to edit details like duration, project assignment, or notes. You can also delete entries by clicking the trash icon or duplicate entries using the copy icon.

Regularly review your time entries to ensure accuracy before converting to invoices

Convert Time to Invoice

Select the time entries you want to bill by checking the boxes next to each entry. Click Create Invoice at the bottom of the page. FreshBooks will automatically generate an invoice with your tracked time converted to billable hours at your project's hourly rate.

You can modify invoice details before sending to ensure proper formatting and add any additional charges

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Timer not saving or stopping unexpectedly

Check your internet connection and refresh the browser. Clear your browser cache and cookies for FreshBooks. If the issue persists, try using the Manual Time Entry option as a backup.

Project not appearing in dropdown menu

Ensure the project is Active in your Projects section. Check that you have proper permissions for the project and that a client is assigned to it. Refresh the page to reload project data.

Time entries showing incorrect duration

Edit the time entry by clicking on it and manually adjusting the Start Time, End Time, or Duration fields. Check your timezone settings in Account Settings to ensure accuracy.

Cannot convert time entries to invoice

Verify that the time entries have an hourly rate assigned and are marked as billable. Check that the associated project has a client assigned and is set up for billing.

Prices mentioned in this guide are pulled from current plan data and may change. Always verify on the official FreshBooks website before purchasing.

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