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The Practice Management Knowledge Community (PMKC) identifies and develops information on the business of architecture for use by the profession to maintain and improve the quality of the professional and business environment.  The PMKC initiates programs, provides content and serves as a resource to other knowledge communities, and acts as experts on AIA Institute programs and policies that pertain to a wide variety of business practices and trends.

    

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Project Time Management Software

  • 1.  Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-22-2017 10:19 AM
    I need help with finding a program designed to track time spent on project in different phases to compare to my contracted time allowed.
    I have a small practice with three employees and use Quickbooks for my book keeping. I use a payroll service for cutting payroll checks.

    Can someone share what works for you in a similar size firm?
    Thanks,
    Lionel Bailey

    ------------------------------
    Lionel Bailey
    Baton Rouge LA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 05:24 PM

    We've used Ajera with great success over many decades. It's served our office of <30 employees quite well. Deltek purchased it a few years back, but that has not been an issue.

     

     

    Rich Wagner | FAIA

    Senior Principal

     

    10801 Main Street, # 110 | Bellevue, WA 98004

    T: 425.454.0566   C: 425.894.4646

    www.BaylisArchitects.com

    LinkedIn | Facebook | Houzz

     






  • 3.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 05:27 PM

    There are several free or low-cost smartphone apps that are built to track time by job and task and can export CSV (Excel Compatible) files. One such app is called atWork Timesheet that works on iOS devices.






  • 4.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 05:36 PM

    We're a 4.5 person firm, looked at a variety of software options, but found and settled on BeeBole, an online timekeeping application – and have been pleased.  Costs are reasonable at about $6/person/month.  Check it out at www.beebole.com.  

     

    Tommy Jameson, AIA

     

    JAMESON Architects PA

    300 Pulaski Street

    Little Rock, Arkansas  72201

    501-666-6600

    www.jamesonarchitects.com

     






  • 5.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 05:42 PM
    We are a 6 person firm and use Quickbooks as well. We've tried InFocus and didn't like it at all. We are unable to really afford Deltek. Currently we're gearing up to try a Quickbooks Plugin - BigTime - to add project management tools to Quickbooks native capabilities. There are a few plugins in the Intuit ecosystem that might be helpful for you. We'll see how it goes later this year.

    Michael Byrd, AIA CDT
    principal







  • 6.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 05:49 PM
    I just started my own firm and was looking for the same thing.  This space is very crowded.

    I am currently using MyHours (https://myhours.com/).  Is very easy to use, and allows you to track hours against phases.  The best thing is its VERY low cost.  $3/mo for the first user and $2/mo after that.  DOWNSIDES: No Quickbooks integration and the built-in invoicing system is sub par.  But if you are looking just for a fast, pretty, and cheap way to track hours, look here first.
    The others I would check out:
    MyCorbu (Free)
    BIGTIME ($)
    Paymo ($)
    TEAMWORK ($)
    MAVENLINK ($$$)
    They all come with different feature sets.  Most companies are trying to combine time tracking with other things - with various levels of success.
    MyCorbu is a pet project - and is being released within the next month. Totally free and designed strictly for architects.  I played around with the demo - not as slick as some out there - but it would get the job done.  Don't expect any integration.
    BigTime is a solid choice.  They only do Time Tracking but have that down pretty well.  They do have QuickBooks integrations and are low cost. 
    Paymo is like Harvest but with more features.  It is well priced, and for flat additions, you can get some surprisingly well-executed project management tools like Gantt charts.  I think this is where I will be going when I scale up.
    Teamwork is more about project management than time tracking, but they allow you to track time against phases and tasks.  Since it is <g data-gr-id="2061" id="2061" class="gr_ gr_2061 gr-alert gr_spell ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace">ot</g> its primary function, time tracking is a little buried. You have to go into each project to log time against it.  I am using it now because it is free for one project and its Gantt Scheduling and Task Tracking is very good.
    Mavenlink is the best feature-rich solution I have seen, but you pay out the nose for it.  If money was no object, I would definitely use Mavenlink.  


    ------------------------------
    Thomas Klaber AIA
    Principal
    KDA (KLABER DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE)
    Brooklyn NY
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 05:49 PM
    We use Archioffice for our 10 employee firm and it does exactly what you are looking for.

    ------------------------------
    Guillermo Monter-Cervano AIA

    Klawiter & Associates
    Los Angeles,CA
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 06:49 PM

    Quickbook ProTimer is what we use with our billing and payroll run through Quickbooks.  Have the employees record the phase along with their daily time entries.

     

    Paul Poirier, AIA, LEED AP

    Paul Poirier + Associates Architects
    156 West Alamar Ave., Suite C
    Santa Barbara, CA 93105
    phone 805.682.8894 x201
    fax 805.898.9683

    www.poirierandassociates.com 
     P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail         

     






  • 9.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-23-2017 07:00 PM
      |   view attached

    Hi Lionel, attached is an article that reviews 6 time tracing options for you to evaluate.  There's dozens of these small software packages, you just have to find the one the work best for your firm's needs.

     

    Hope this is helpful, good luck.

     

    Regards,

    Steve

     

    MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES

    Steve L. Wintner, AIA Emeritus

    281.723.2090 (c)  Georgetown, TX

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgmtconsultgsvcs

    www.managementconsultingservices.com

     

    "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value" – A. Einstein 

     

     




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  • 10.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-24-2017 09:59 AM
    Hi Lionel,
      I have found this relatively easy to do with QB over the last 20 years or so.  
      To compare, each job needs an estimate.  I uniquely number each job under a customer name.  
      You then create estimates based on quantity of hours by item names to correspond to your proposals (the safest way to be sure the proposals have correct math in any case!).  The items for the estimates are the phases (I use the Items named SD, CD, BD, CA).  You also use the same "service items" for your timesheets.  Then the Time by Job Summary report, customized to add the Estimate column, will show how the budgeted and actual hours line up. 
      The actual costs by staff rates cannot be compared except roughly with invoices, unless possibly if you use QB for payroll.  (I do not, as I find a payroll service much simpler and safer to use, like you.)
      As you build your data up over time, the total time by phase information is invaluable for later budgeting.
      Feel free to contact me by phone at 508-746-4646 if I can help further. 
    Best, Lester

    ------------------------------
    Lester Lloyd AIA
    Principal
    Lloyd Architects
    Plymouth MA
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-27-2017 08:26 PM

    We use Harvest (https://www.getharvest.com/) in our 5 person office; this works very well for budgeting, time tracking and invoicing.  We use QB separately for accounting – information can be exported back and forth if desired.   It has been very good, intuitive and something all employees can access effectively. 

     

    David Rausch,  AIA  LEED AP

    DAVID RAUSCH STUDIO

    T h e  A r t  o f  B u i l d i n g

     

    70  East Oak Street

    Zionsville, IN 46077

    c.  317.523.0516 | p.  317.873.4970

    www.DavidRausch.com

     

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  • 12.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-24-2017 10:18 AM
    Lionel - I have had good success with ArchiOffice. In addition to time tracking and profitability reporting, I use it for client billing.

    Andrew M. Fethes AIA

    Andrew Fethes Architects, PA
    613 Oradell Avenue - Ground Floor
    Oradell, NJ 07649-1706

    T 201.261.5510 x101
    F 201.261.5523




  • 13.  RE: Project Time Management Software

    Posted 03-24-2017 10:37 AM

    Lionel,

     

    I've been using an online tool called TimeCamp for over a year now and like it very much.  It allows you to track time based on projects, phases, tasks, subtasks in real time.  It also includes some very useful reporting functions that allow me to dig into the time data I'm capturing.  I set up templates based on the phases and types of services outlined in the old AIA B163 document.

     

    Recently, I also looked into a software package called Clearview InFocus.  This is an integrated project management and financial management package that has tools for time tracking by phase, task, etc.

     

    Best of luck, 

     

    Kendal W. Perkins

    Architect, AIA, MBA

     

    Apex Architectural Services, LLC

    1030 Williams Avenue / Natchitoches, LA  71457

    Tel: (318) 581-3237

    kwperkins@apexofla.com

     

    Isn't GOD Good?