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Set up and use projects in QuickBooks Time

SOLVEDby QuickBooksUpdated June 30, 2023

This feature is part of QuickBooks Time Elite product.

Using Projects, you can set up time estimates to track the progress made on a project. You can break your estimates down by individual tasks, or keep it simple with total hours.

  1. In Projects, select +Add Project.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • For non-QuickBooks-integrated accounts, enter a Project Name.
      • (Optional) Choose the customer the project is for.
      • The Project will appear in Manage Customers and labelled with (Project) to differentiate it from any other codes.
    • For QuickBooks integrated accounts (QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop), choose an existing customer or sub-customer from the provided list to use as a project.
      • To add a new project that is not listed, add that project in QuickBooks first, then import. It will be added as a Customer in QuickBooks Time.
  3. (Optional) Add project start and end dates to have a timeline for your project.
  4. (Optional) Add a project description.
  5. (Optional) Add the project location using an address or GPS coordinates.
  6. Select Continue to add an estimate (see next section).
  1. In a project, select +Add Estimate.
  2. Choose By hours, or By tasks to divide the hours by list item.
    • Note: Once saved, the estimate type cannot be changed.
    • Note: QuickBooks integrated accounts will show the Service Items list from QuickBooks instead of Tasks.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • If you select By hours, enter the total hours projected. Any timesheet tracked against that project will count towards those total hours.
    • If you select By tasks, add a new item, or select an existing item from the provided list. Enter the desired number of hours for that item. Continue for as many items as needed. All time tracked for this project will count towards the total hours, but will be visually broken up per item.
      • Note: For QuickBooks integrated accounts, this field will be Service Items. If a new item needs to be added, it must be added in QuickBooks first and imported into QuickBooks Time.
  4. Select Add Estimate.

To edit a Project:

  1. While viewing the Project, select custom, then Edit Project.
  2. Make your changes and select Save.

To edit an Estimate:

  1. While viewing the associated Project, select custom, then Edit Estimate. Or, select edit above the Actual vs. Estimated progress bar.

Projects will look like any other customer or sub-customer to team members. When clocking in, they will select either the project directly, or the parent customer and then project to clock in.

On a mobile device, clock into a project from either Time Clock or the Projects view. Go to Projects or More > Projects and select Clock In​​​​​​​.

If required for the selected project, choose a task.

See: Clock in, switch jobs or customers, and clock out on a computer or on a mobile.

When viewing a Project's details:

Overview tab:

  • Actual vs Estimated - hours worked progress. The number of hours worked are on the left, the total hours estimated are on the right, and hours remaining is on the far right.
  • Date progress - if a projected date range is added, it will display the start and end dates and a visual of how much time has elapsed.

Estimated tab:

  • This tab displays the Total Hours or the Total Hours per Task item.
  • Each line shows the estimated hours, how many hours have already been worked, the progress in percentage, and the remaining hours left to work.
  • Select each line to see the hours broken out by team member.

Total hours tab:

  • Displays the total hours worked by each team member.

Project Posts and Activity: 

The Activity Feed is a great way to share updates from the office or the field for your whole team to see.

  • Select Posts to add a post or view posts from other team members working on the projects.
  • Select Activity to view all activity against that project, including edits, clock in and outs,

To complete a project:

  • Select In Progress, then Completed.

To cancel a project:

  • Select In Progress, then Cancelled.
  • Cancelling a project retains all tracked information and can be reactivated if needed.

To delete a project:

  • Select custom, then Delete Project or select In Progress, then Deleted.
  • Deleting a project removes the project from your Projects list. It cannot be recovered. Timesheets tracked against the project will be retained.
  1. Go to My Team, then choose a team member's name.
  2. Select the Permissions tab.
  3. Next to Projects, select Off, View Only, or Create/Edit.
  4. Select Save.

Notes:

  • Administrators will always have the Create/Edit permission.
  • All other users will default to the View Only permission.
  • Users with the View Only permission can see the total hours worked for a project as well as the breakdown of the hours they worked against that project.
  • Managers see the breakdown for everyone in their group.
  • If a user has the view timesheet reports for all permissions, they can see the breakdown for all users.

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