Basecamp Time Tracking: A Step By Step Guide On How To Track The Time Of Each Task On Basecamp

Have you ever struggled to keep track of the time spent on each task during a project? Or, have you ever missed an important deadline because you couldn’t estimate how long it would take to complete each task? If so, then Basecamp Time Tracking is here to help.

Your project management experience is about to get a whole lot better. With Basecamp Time Tracking, you can easily keep track of the time spent on each task during a project and quickly estimate how long it will take to complete all tasks. This way, you’ll never miss another deadline or have an unfinished project again.

In this article, we’ll discuss what Basecamp is, why you should track time on it, and how to do so. We’ll also provide best practices for Basecamp Time Tracking and list some of the best apps available for tracking your project time. So let’s get started!

What is Basecamp?

Basecamp is a project management tool that helps you collaborate with your team, stay organized, and plan out projects. It’s a great way to keep everyone on the same page and ensure all tasks are completed promptly.

Basecamp provides an easy-to-use platform for managing projects. It includes task lists, messages, document sharing, notifications, and more. With Basecamp’s powerful tools, you can easily organize your team’s workflows and keep track of progress. 

Why Should You Track Time on Basecamp? 

Tracking time on Basecamp is essential for staying organized and keeping projects within budget. With accurate time tracking, you can ensure that your team is completing tasks efficiently and meeting deadlines. Plus, it’s a great way to accurately measure the time spent on each task so you can adjust your strategy if necessary. 

Time tracking also helps you identify any inefficiencies or bottlenecks in your workflow. You’ll be able to quickly spot areas where you may need to make adjustments or delegate tasks more effectively. As a result, your team will be able to work smarter and faster with greater efficiency.

Step-by-step Guide on Basecamp Time Tracking

The time-tracking functionality was natively available on Basecamp Classic. If you’re using  Basecamp 3 or 4, you’ll need to install a third-party app for time tracking. First, we’ll show you how to track time on each task with Basecamp Classic. 

Time Tracking with Basecamp Classic

With Basecamp’s time tracking feature, you can quickly and accurately track the time spent on each task and project, providing you with invaluable insights to improve your workflow and productivity. But before you can start tracking time, you’ll need to enable the feature. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your Basecamp account and navigate to the project you want to track time for.
2. Click on the “Time” tab to access the time tracking feature.
3. Next, head to the “To-Do” tab and find the list you want to enable time tracking for.
4. Hover your mouse over the list’s title, and you’ll see a red “Edit” link appear to the left of the title.
5. Click on the “Edit” link and check the box next to “Enable time tracking for this list.”
6. Voila! All the items on the list now have a clock icon next to the checkbox, indicating that time tracking is enabled.

With time tracking enabled, you’re ready to start adding time entries and reaping the benefits of improved project management.

Managing Your Time Tracking on Basecamp

Basecamp does not allow you to import any external time tracking data, but you can export your own in CSV format. In addition, you can use the Time tab to create reports of your team’s total hours for any 6-month date range. 

You can edit, trash, or export these reports as needed and go back to the main time log page when finished. With Basecamp’s time-tracking data management features, you’ll always have an up-to-date view of how your team is managing its time!

Time Tracking with Basecamp 3 or 4

You can easily integrate external time tracking apps like Day.io with Basecamp using its API system. Simply do the following steps on the API: 

1. Import your app icon to the icons/ folder. Your app icon should be in PNG format and sized 256*256 pixels. 
2. Then you can add the integration description using the integration.yml file and provide the following details:
   1. App name
   2. App description
   3. Website
   4. Icon
   5. Category

You can find the relevant list and details of apps on Basecamp website’s extra app section.  

Basecamp Time Tracking Best Practices

Basecamp time tracking has some best practices to help you maximize productivity. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Create clear and detailed tasks: To ensure accurate time tracking, make sure your tasks are clear and detailed. This will help your team members understand what needs to be done and how long it should take them. 
• Set realistic deadlines: When creating tasks, set realistic deadlines that can be met. This will help you stay on track when tracking time in Basecamp. 
• Break down large projects: Break large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks so you can accurately estimate the time needed for each task. 
• Track progress regularly: Check in with your team members regularly to ensure that all tasks are progressing as expected and being completed on time. 
• Manage distractions: Ensure everyone on your team is focused and free from distractions while working. This will help them stay productive and complete their tasks promptly. 
• Ensure clear communication: To ensure everyone is on the same page and tasks are completed correctly, communicate clearly with your team.

Best Apps for Basecamp Time Tracking

While Basecamp Classic natively allows you to track time on tasks, a few great apps can help you streamline the process. Moreover, if you’re using advanced versions of Basecamp, you will still need to install an app to track time. Here are some of the best apps for Basecamp Time Tracking:

1. Day.io – Best Overall App for Basecamp Time Tracking

Day.io is an essential app for Basecamp users who need to track their time and collaborate with others in real-time. It offers a comprehensive suite of features that make it easy to accurately measure the amount of time spent on projects, tasks, and other activities. With Day.io, you can easily monitor your progress and stay productive while collaborating with colleagues from anywhere in the world. 

The app’s intuitive interface makes it simple to keep tabs on team members’ workloads, so you can plan better for upcoming projects or deadlines without constantly asking for updates from each team member individually. 

Plus, its robust reporting capabilities provide detailed insights into how your team’s time is being spent, enabling you to make informed decisions about productivity and resource allocation. 

Features

• Full range of time-tracking functionalities
• Intuitive and authenticated time clock
• Automatic and manual timesheet approval management
• Real-time reporting and analysis
• Task-specific time tracking
• Comprehensive activity logs 
• Customizable rules and restrictions 
• Team collaboration and scheduling tools 
• Granular breakdown of hours worked per project/task 
• Integration with third-party apps such as Slack, Asana, Trello, etc.  
• Multi-device support for both desktop & mobile devices

Pricing

• Project time tracking: $6 per user/month
• Attendance and time tracking: $4 per user/month

2. Calamari – Excellent for HR Management and Attendance Tracking 

Calamari is a fantastic app that helps HR professionals manage employee attendance and tracking needs. It’s a cloud-based application, so it’s easy to use across multiple countries without needing your own server infrastructure or IT department. 

The app also supports the labor legislation of over 100 countries and comes in five languages – English, German, Polish, French, and Spanish!

Features

• Online absence requests handling with compliance with legal requirements
• Acceptance and rejection of absence requests 
• Time tracking with GPS locations 
• Tracking work on projects  
• Viewing company absence calendar, upcoming absences, and birthdays in the company 
• Automated time tracking with iBeacon technology

Pricing

• Leave management: $2 per user/month
• Clock in/clock out: $2.5 per user/month
• Core HR: $1.5 per user/month

3. Centreli – Good for Managing Leaves and Time Offs

Centreli is a powerful and intuitive app that simplifies managing leaves and time offs for teams of all sizes. It enables you to track employee paid time off in one centralized location, and easily visualize when employees are out simultaneously with TeamViewer. 

Centreli makes managing leave and time offs easier and provides direct access to view paid time off balances with easy-to-use dashboards. It supports tracking for exempt and hourly employees and can be used as a great planning tool. 

Features

• Time off tracking and request management
• Billable and non-billable tracking for hourly employees
• TeamView to visualize approved and pending requests
• Shared calendars for the most popular calendar apps
• Powerful reporting tools for employee balances 

Pricing

• Mini: $12/month for up to ten employees
• Small: $26/month for up to 25 employees
• Medium: $35/month for up to 50 employees
• Large: $89/month for unlimited employees

Wrap-up: Track Your Project Time on Basecamp

So, there you have it! Basecamp Time Tracking is a great way to stay organized, estimate project timelines more accurately and ensure all tasks are completed on time. With this step-by-step guide and the best apps for tracking your project time, you’ll be able to maximize efficiency and get projects done faster than ever before. 

So what are you waiting for? Get started with Basecamp Time Tracking today and manage your projects like a pro! Still confused where to start? Sign up for Day.io today and you will find an effortless way to track and manage time on Basecamp.