Time tracking software seems like an easy way to boost your productivity.
However, you probably know that time tracking software for developers needs to capture more than the number of hours you work. You need time and space to troubleshoot, test, research, and communicate with clients about their needs. Sometimes jobs you have done a hundred times before suddenly do not work and need more investigation.
Although it may not work for every project, tracking your software developer hours can help to set you apart on the job market by improving client relationships and increasing efficiency.
Keep reading to find out why software developers should be time tracking (and how it benefits your profitability overall).
Why Should Software Developers Track Their Time?
Developer time tracking comes down to two things: profit and productivity. The more work you get done (while cutting down on menial tasks), the happier your clients will be and the more clients will come to you over competition.
Here are just a few of the benefits of time tracking (especially if you are building your own developer agency).
Increased Development Productivity
Anybody who has worked in an office knows that simply being at your desk for 8 hours doesn’t mean you have produced 8 hours worth of work. However, time tracking is different to simply logging the number of hours- you are also tracking what tasks you are doing and for how long. This boosts productivity because you can see what parts are taking longer and which you could maybe outsource.
Improved Relations With Management and Clients
Even though it might seem obvious that coding from scratch takes longer than researching, your clients might not know it! Time tracking keeps them fully informed and makes it easier to give them a quote in advance so that when invoice time comes around everyone is happy. If you have a manager, time tracking will also keep them informed so that they can budget future projects accurately.
Helps Set Yourself Apart
If you successfully keep all your stakeholders happy and produce high quality work in less time, you will always stand out from your competitors. Developer time tracking is the sort of practice that you can easily add to your client experience so that you can show them quantitative evidence that you are the right person for the job.
Ways to Track Software Developers and Testers Time
As a developer, there are different ways you can track your time to measure efficiency and productivity in your projects. Software developer hours can change from client to client, depending on what type of work you are doing for them, so it is important to have a system for keeping track of everything.
Automatic Time Tracking for Hourly Work
Time tracking for software developers can be entered after the work or captured with a timer while the work is happening. A timer reduces the need to reconstruct the day from memory, while deliberate project and task selection keeps the resulting record useful for budgets and invoicing.
Automated Timesheets
Timesheet admin can become expensive when entries are reconstructed at the end of a project. A better workflow lets developers start a timer or add an entry against the correct client and project, then applies the appropriate billing rate when the work is reviewed.
Benefits of Using a Software to Track Time
Besides the obvious productivity benefits, developer time tracking can help you work with your team better, hit deadlines, and reduce admin time that could be spent on actual client work. Time tracking for remote workers is essential for a functioning project team!
Helps Monitor Project Profitability
Time tracking can help increase profitability, both for your current project and in future client work. By keeping tabs on how long you spend on each task, you can easily see if
- You are staying on budget/aligned with the quote you provided
- Certain tasks are taking longer than expected and you need to readjust your quote
- You need to quote higher hours for your next project and therefore give clients more accurate expectations
Keeps Track Billable Hours & Work-in-Progress
By using automated tracking and invoicing software, you can keep clients up to date along the way with accurate data. No more adding up time manually and wasting time transferring it to invoices! It also means that you are not accidentally undercharging by using approximate times. By keeping track of billable hours, you can get paid what you are owed faster.
Connects to a Range of Software
Using tracking software streamlines your backend processes by integrating with other apps. For example, instead of using 10 different billing services, time tracking software like MinuteDock connects with tax providers like Xero and Freshbooks directly. That way, you never have to manually add payments and expenses to your accounting software. This saves you admin time and leaves you free to do the actual work and wow your clients.
Keeps Development Work Organised
Developer time tracking is most useful when the record explains where the time went. Organising entries by client, project, task, and activity makes coding, debugging, testing, meetings, and support visible without relying on screenshots, keystroke logging, or automatic application monitoring.
Creates Accurate Time Sheets for Billing
Developer time tracking is not “one size fits all”. One minute you might be testing and the next you might be researching. Due to the nature of your development work, it can be difficult to set accurate expectations for your clients in advance! That’s why using software that creates accurate time sheets is so important. It gives an overview of exactly what you are billing clients for so there is no confusion when it comes time to pay.
Lets You Focus on Your Work
Time tracking software gives you your focus back when starting, switching, and stopping a timer stays lightweight. The goal is not to monitor every action; it is to capture enough context that project review and billing do not become a separate reconstruction exercise.
Simplifies Communication and Reporting
Tracking your projects gives you quantitative data to communicate with. Time tracking for teams can give an accurate overview of how you price your services, whether your manager needs to set more realistic timelines, and what budget you should recommend for similar projects. Having data like this at your fingertips makes you easier to work with (and easier to recommend to new clients!).
