Guide · 6 min read
Billable hours: what they are and how to track them
Billable hours are the hours you can charge a client for. They sound simple, but most teams lose a meaningful share of them between doing the work and sending the invoice. This guide covers what counts, how to capture it, and how to keep billed numbers stable.
What counts as billable
Anything the client agreed to pay for: the work itself, and often calls, meetings and travel if your contract says so. Internal admin, sales and training usually aren't billable.
- Billable: client work, client meetings (if agreed), revisions within scope
- Usually non-billable: internal meetings, proposals, admin, learning
Where billable time leaks
- Short tasks that never get written down
- Timesheets reconstructed from memory days later
- Switching between clients without switching timers
- Entries edited after the invoice was sent
How to track billable hours accurately
- Decide billability per type of work once — for example, make Design billable and Admin non-billable.
- Keep a timer one click away (a menu bar timer removes most friction).
- Write a short note on each entry; it becomes your invoice narrative.
- Review the week before it ends, while you still remember.
- Lock time once invoiced so it can't drift.
Billable hours in Hourtick
Task types carry billability, entries snapshot it when tracked, and Reports show billable, invoiced and not-yet-invoiced hours for any period. Mark invoiced entries and they lock on every device.
Frequently asked questions
Are meetings billable?
If your agreement with the client covers them, yes. Many firms bill client meetings and not internal ones.
What's a good billable percentage?
It depends on role and business model. Measure yours for a month before setting targets.
Should I round billable time?
Track exact time and apply your contract's rounding when invoicing.
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