What is really time tracking?
To put it simply, time tracking is exactly what it sounds like – you track HOW LONG it takes to complete a task.
For those who work in fields which produce a product, it is especially important that your clients are able to see how long you put into that final product.
Because, as clichéd as it sounds: time is money and as you keep track of how long it takes you to complete a task, you can be accurately reimbursed for your time. Time tracking software will help you show your clients that you put in the time on a product or service, and it will also help you to boost your own productivity.
Many designers find that having to keep a log and remember to write down accurate times makes them less motivated to continue their work, and end up losing a minimum of 15% productivity. With this kind of loses, designers need something that will work better for them.
Time Tracking For Designers
For designers, using a time tracker is especially important. Time tracking is the best way to hold yourself accountable for what you produce, and making your client accountable for paying you for as much time as you put in.
On the other hand, time tracking will show your clients just how much time it actually takes to complete a finished product. One of the most important parts of what designers charge their clients for a product is how much energy and time they put to complete a task.
Billing hourly is a much easier method of charging your clients, because it keeps both you and your client accountable. You must account for what you did for each hour you bill, and your client must be accountable for paying you for all of the hours and work you put into the product.
Overall, time tracking for designers is necessary because it means that you are able to ensure that you are getting paid for the work you complete, and that your clients cannot underpay you for the work that you done. A finished product is so much more than simply the materials, and time tracking will allow you and your clients to reflect that.
Really it is very essential tool for designers.