Bonsai Time Tracker: Master Your Billing and Boost Productivity

7 Tips to Get the Most from Bonsai Time Tracker

Tracking time consistently and accurately makes billing cleaner, boosts productivity, and reveals where your work hours actually go. Bonsai Time Tracker is built for freelancers and small teams — here are seven practical tips to get the most from it.

1. Set up projects and tasks clearly

Create a separate project for each client and break projects into task-level entries (e.g., Research, Drafting, Revisions). Clear task names let you quickly start timers and produce precise time reports for invoices.

2. Use the timer consistently — start, pause, stop

Use the built-in timer for real-time tracking rather than guessing later. Pause the timer for interruptions and stop it when switching work types. This preserves accuracy and prevents lost billable minutes.

3. Add detailed notes to time entries

Include short notes for each session (what you worked on, milestones reached). Notes help justify billed time to clients and make post-project reviews easier.

4. Categorize billable vs. non-billable time

Mark entries as billable or non-billable immediately. That ensures your invoices reflect only chargeable work and helps you analyze where time is spent on non-revenue activities.

5. Sync entries with tasks, invoices, and contracts

Link tracked time to specific tasks, then attach that time to invoices. When time is tied to contracts or scope items, you reduce disputes and speed up payments.

6. Run weekly reports and review trends

Generate weekly or monthly reports to see where hours accumulate. Look for recurring time sinks (emails, meetings, administrative tasks) and set goals to reduce them or reprice services accordingly.

7. Automate and integrate where possible

Connect Bonsai to your calendar, project management tools, or billing systems if you use integrations. Automations (like creating invoice drafts from approved time) save manual work and reduce errors.

Bonus quick checklist

• Start timers immediately when you begin work.
• Pause for interruptions; don’t create multiple short entries.
• Review and categorize entries once per day.
• Export reports monthly for tax and bookkeeping.

Following these tips makes Bonsai Time Tracker a reliable source for accurate billing, clearer project visibility, and smarter time-management decisions.