How many of you bill clients based on the time you spend on projects? If you do, one of the biggest chores can actually be tracking that time so you can bill it accurately. For many designers, the time tracking may be more difficult than the actual project.
A tool that promises to make it much easier is Harvest. You can run it on your computer or on your smartphone and it will sync all data collected. Not only will it help you track the time you spend on projects, it will also create invoices for you.
There is a free trial available so you can decide if it is the right tool for you. And if your needs are minimal, you may be able to continue using it for free. Those trying multiple clients and projects will most likely need to sign up for one of the paid versions. But if it is making your tracking and billing easier, it is most definitely worthwhile!
I’d also recommend checking out Chrometa, which automatically tracks file usage as well as allowing you to manually add entries and mobile usage. As a designer firmly tied to my desktop, I find the automatic file tracking especially useful since it tracks up as well as down time without having to remember to start and stop a timer.