Best Practices for Accurate and Ethical Time Tracking

Overview
Maintaining integrity in time tracking fosters trust with clients and ensures fair compensation.

Guidelines

  1. Track in Real Time: start your timer before work begins—don’t estimate after the fact.

  2. Use Descriptive Memos: brief notes help reviewers understand what was accomplished.

  3. Review Daily: at day’s end, confirm all timers stopped and manual logs are added.

  4. Avoid “Padding” Hours: report only the actual time spent.

  5. Communicate Issues: if you encounter obstacles, note them in the memo or discuss with your manager—don’t record non‑billable time as billable.

By following these standards, you ensure your timesheet data is reliable, transparent, and aligned with professional ethics.