Recognizing the importance of tracking hours and minutes, I have a suggestion on how to communicate this need to our product team, Tclark.

QuickBooks automatically calculates the amount in decimal format when you add entries to an invoice, as this is part of its functionality. You can send a request to our engineers if you'd like to request a change that better suits your business needs. To do so, please follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Gear icon, then Feedback.
2. Enter your comments or product suggestions. Then click Next to submit feedback.

This goes to our Product Development team to enhance your experience with QuickBooks Online. You can also track feature requests through the QuickBooks Online Feature Requests website and cast your vote on them if you find it necessary.

Moreover, you can learn how to set up and track time off, vacation, and sick pay for your employees, by referring this article: Set Up and Track Time Off in Payroll.

You can always ping me and let me know in the comment section below if you have any other questions or concerns about the invoice time entries format. I am readily available  to provide further assistance. Have a great day!

Hi Rea_M,

In the community thread titled “Can I format an invoice's time entries in hour-minute (0:00) format?”,

on 2020sep08, you offered what appeared to be a solution: the “ratio format”.  Is that method still available? I’ve contacted tech support and posted to that thread and nobody seems to be aware of it.

If that method or some other is available, can I do it on the QB Simple Start that I have? Or the QB online Plus version?

Thx

tclark47988

Hello, @tclark47988. I'm glad you've asked this question here.

I'll provide you with the information to ensure your invoice's time will be in a ratio format.

Yes, the ratio format is still available since this is the default format for entering time in QuickBooks Online (QBO). You can find this when you enter a time in the Single time activity or Weekly timesheet sections from the + New icon.

Feel free to use the screenshot below as a reference:

Then, this will show on the right side corner of the invoice form as Billable time and click the Add icon. You can see the sample screenshot below:

Once done adding, the time will show in the Qty (Quantity) column from the Product or Service section as a decimal point or whole number. You don't need to worry about it since it will return to ratio format once you send the invoice to your customer. A sample image is provided below:

Please know that you won't be able to use the Time feature for your invoices in a QBO Simple Start subscription since it's only available to Essentials, Plus, or Advanced.

To learn the details of each subscription, feel free to get it from this link: QuickBooks Online Plans and Pricing.

You can follow the steps below if you wish to upgrade your subscription:

1. Go to the Gear icon.
2. Select Subscriptions and billing from the Profile column.
3. In the subscription table, click on Upgrade your plan.
4. Then, follow on screen steps.

Check out this article for more information: Upgrade or downgrade your QuickBooks Online edition.

You might want to learn how to modify your sales form in QBO. Feel free to read this article: Customize invoices, estimates, and sales receipts in QuickBooks Online.

Don't hesitate to return here if you have additional questions about managing your invoice transactions. We'll help you as soon as possible. Take care, and have a good one.

"You can find this when you enter a time in the Single time activity or Weekly timesheet sections from the + New icon.

Feel free to use the screenshot below as a reference:"

Hi,

I'm completely new to QuickBooks.

How do I get to this first screen from the home page or from my invoice?

Is there a YouTube video that step us through these basics?

Thanks.

Hi there, Clark.

Welcome to the Community space. I’m glad to help you get started with recording time using Single Time Activity or Weekly Timesheet. These features are accessed from the + New button. Let's walk through the steps:

1. Log in to your QuickBooks Online account.
2. On the upper, click the + New button (it's often located at the top left corner or side panel).
3. Under Employees or Team section, you will see options to enter Single Time Activity or Weekly Timesheet.
4. Click on Single Time Activity under Employees.
5. Select the Employee or Vendor.
6. Choose the Date.
7. Fill in fields for Customer/Project, Service Item, Description, Billable (if applicable), and Time Duration (either by entering the start and end time or the duration).
8. Click Save and Close or Save and New to enter another time entry.

Steps for Weekly Timesheet

Open Weekly Timesheet:

1. Click on Weekly Timesheet under Employees.
2. Select the Employee or Vendor.
3. Choose the Week of date to set the timesheet period.
4. For each day of the week, fill in the fields for Customer/Project, Service Item, Description, Billable (if applicable), and Time Duration.
5. Click Save and Close or Save and New to enter another timesheet.

You can also check out the official youtube channel of Intuit QuickBooks and watch some tutorials about QuickBooks.

Feel free to leave a reply if you have further concerns in starting with QuickBooks Online. I'm always here to assist you.

Hi Bryan_M

Hi MarkAngeloG

As suggested by Bryan, I upgraded to QB Essentials this morning.

When I click on the + New button, I get 4 major lists: Customers, Vendors, Team, and Other.

I don’t see an Employees section.

Thx

tclark47988

Allow me to chime in and guide you further in creating your time entry in QuickBooks Online (QBO), Tclark.
 

My colleague's steps for generating a time entry are accurate. However, to access them, you must navigate to the Team selection and locate the Single Time activity. I can provide a screenshot for your reference.

Moreover, this article will guide you further through the process of Entering a single-time activity timesheet in QuickBooks Online: Enter a single time activity timesheet in QuickBooks Online. I also recommend utilizing QBO's YouTube channel and searching for the topic to find a more comprehensive guideline about it.

In addition, I'll be leaving these video tutorial resources that will give you a better understanding of QBO's features and customize your account to suit your business needs:
 

• QuickBooks Video Tutorials
• Learn about QuickBooks Online with how-to videos
   

Don't hesitate to return to this thread if you require additional assistance with your Single-time entry or any QBO-related inquiry, Tclark. The Community is here to help you out anytime. Keep safe!

Hi Irene_R,

Under Team I see: Payroll, Time Entry, Add Employee, and Add Contractor.

I don't see "single time entry" or "weekly time sheet"

Thx.

tclark47988

I'll provide additional steps to ensure you can find the single time activity option in QuickBooks Online (QBO), tclark.

We can verify that your user role has the necessary permissions to access time-tracking features. If you're not the Master Admin, check with the account owner to ensure you have appropriate access rights.

Here's how:

1. Click the Gear icon and select Manage Users.
2. Highlight the user's name, click Edit.
3. Under Edit user settings, go to User type.
4. Make sure to select the correct option to access and enter single time activity.
5. Hit Save.

I'm also sharing this article: User roles and access rights in QuickBooks Online.

Once done, let's check that time tracking is enabled in your QBO settings.

1. Go to the Gear icon and select Account and Settings. 
2. Choose Advanced from the left menu.

3. Select Time Tracking and confirm that the feature is turned on. 

However, if the issue persists, I suggest contacting our customer care team to have this investigated.

Here's how to reach them: 

1. Click the Help menu in the upper-right-hand corner.
2. Type in Talk to a human, then press Enter.
3. Select Contact Support Team.
4. Type again Talk to a human and click Contact Support Team.
5. Choose a way to connect with us.

I'm adding this article to learn more about entering a single timesheet in QBO: Enter a single time activity timesheet.

Please know that I'm just a reply away if you need any further assistance tracking a single timesheet. Have a good one.

Hi LeizyIM,

I'm at Settings>Account and Settings>Advanced

I see: Accounting, Company Type, Chart of Accounts, Automation, Currency, Business Network, and Other Preferences.

I don't see "Time Tracking"

Thx

tclark47988

Thank you for your continued engagement, Tclark. Let’s get started on enabling time tracking in your QuickBooks Online Essentials.

Before we proceed, it’s important to note that the Single Time Entry and Weekly Timesheet options are only available once you have payroll set up in QuickBooks Online (QBO). If you don't have payroll, your only option for tracking time will be the Time Entry feature.

Here’s how to turn on time tracking:

Enable Time Tracking Options:
 

1. Navigate to Time.
   
2. Decide whether you want basic time tracking in QuickBooks Online or explore a QuickBooks Time account for enhanced features. Regardless of your choice, you can access timesheets directly from QuickBooks Online.
3. Click Get Started.

Next, adjust Your Time Tracking Preferences:

1. Go to the Gear icon and select Account and Settings.

2. Click on the Time tab.

3. In the section you wish to update, click the Pencil icon.

Set your time tracking preferences:

• Who Tracks Time: Choose team members who will track their time. Activate the switch for any team members needing time tracked. To allow 1099 contractors to track time, select Show contractors and hit Save.
• First Day of Work Week: This setting influences how employees and contractors view their weekly timesheets.
• Add Service Field: When enabled, team members can specify if activities should be billed to a customer.
• Allow Time to Be Billable: This adds a checkbox on timesheets to indicate whether activities should be billed to the customer. If desired, check Show billing rate for team members entering time.

Now that you’ve enabled time tracking, you can easily add and manage your team's hours from the Time tab.

Moreover, I'll share a valuable resource to help you personalize and enhance your sales forms: Customize Invoices and Other Transaction Forms in QuickBooks Online. This article provides comprehensive insights into tailoring your invoices, estimates, and sales receipts to reflect your brand identity.

I invite you to comment below if you have further questions or need additional assistance with your invoices or any other inquiries in QBO. I’m here to help you navigate this and find a solution.

Hi Aldren18,

I see the second part starting with the "gear"

However, the first part "Navigate to time" ... Is that something different?

If so, how do I get to "Time"?

Again, I am very new to Quickbooks.

Thx.

tclark47988

Good afternoon, @tclark47988. 

I appreciate you hoping back onto the thread. 

You can easily find the "Time" option from the left-hand menu bar on the home page. You can also scroll on the menu bar to see additional features you have as well. 

Check out this link for more details about turning on and setting up time tracking in QBO.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. Have a great day! 

Hi QB Team,

It looks like there may be several ways to do this but some ways are not visible to me so for.

I was able to do the following:

+ New > Team > Time Entry > Add Time > (click on Employee (I am the only Employee))

A pop-up with title “Add time for (my first name)” comes up.

I was able to fill this out and save it.

My new questions are:

• How can I view this saved entry? I think it exists, but I don’t see it anywhere.
• How do I add this to my invoice?

Thanks,

tclark47988

Hello, tclark47988. Let me join the thread and answer your question.
 

In QuickBooks Online (QBO), all the time entries you’ve recorded will appear on the Time entries page. Here’s how to find them:
 

1. Click on Time in the left menu.
2. Navigate to the Time entries tab.
3. Adjust the filters for Employee, Date range, and Status.

Then, to include those time entries on invoices, ensure they are marked as billable, which will allow you to add that time to your invoices.

If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out in the comments. I’m here to help, tclark47988!

Hi QB Team,

When I click on “Time Entries”, I get “Super Charge your time” with the following 3 bullet items:

+ view your team’s location

+ manage time for projects

+ track time from any device

And ending with a “check out pricing” button.

I hope that this is not another up charge. I just upgraded from “simple start” to “essentials” to track my time. I’m a one-person consulting firm and don’t need a lot of features.

Thanks,

tclark47988

Thanks for continuing the conversation, tclark47988.

The Super Charge Your Time offer introduces advanced time tracking features for an additional fee. As an Essentials plan user, you can upgrade to access team location tracking, project time management, and multi-device time logging. However, you always have the option to ignore this prompt if you prefer to maintain your current plan.

To access time entries or complete the setup of QuickBooks Time in QuickBooks Online, you can either directly log in to the QuickBooks Time sign-in page or in your QBO company by switching to the classic view to do so.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Time menu on the left panel and select Time entries.
2. Navigate to the Go to classic QuickBooks Time option on the upper right corner of your screen to launch your account.
3. Once you're in, click the Time Entries option. 

Additionally, you can refer to this article for a comprehensive overview of the process and the tasks you can accomplish with the feature: Use QuickBooks Time in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Online Payroll.

If you'd like your employees to track their time in QuickBooks Workforce or manage hours for your group or crew, please follow the detailed steps in the links below:

• Track their time in QuickBooks Workforce
• Track time for your group or crew in QuickBooks Workforce
   

Keep in touch if you have additional questions navigating QuickBooks Time and other product-related concerns. We'll get back to provide the assistance you need.

Hi QB Team,

When I tried the “Quick Books Time sign-in page” link above and tried to login with my account login/password I get “We didn't find any companies for this account”

Trying the other method, where it says “Navigate to the Go to classic QuickBooks Time option on the upper right hand corner of your screen to launch your account”

I am confused by that. At that point, I am already logged into my account and at that screen that says “Super Charge Your Time”. While on that screen, I don’t see a “Go to classic QuickBooks” in the upper right corner. Is it inside one of the several icons there? Like the gear?

Thanks,

tclark47988

The Go to classic QuickBooks Time option is found in the Time window in QuickBooks Online (QBO), tclark47988. I'll share more details regarding this matter to ensure you can access your QuickBooks Time account.

To launch your QuickBooks Time account, you'll need a QuickBooks Time subscription. If you have QBO Payroll Premium and Elite, please note that these services already include QuickBooks Time, which allows you to access the Go to classic QuickBooks Time option.

In your case, you're seeing the Super Charge Your Time screen since you don't have QuickBooks Time connected to your company yet. It's also why you're unable to see the option to launch your account. Therefore, you can proceed to these steps to choose a plan that best suits your needs:

1. Access your QBO company.
2. Select Time in the left navigation menu and click Check out pricing.
3. Either choose QuickBooks Time Premium or Elite. You can add it to your subscription or start a 30-day free trial.
    

After that, here's how to launch your QuickBooks Time account:

1. Head to Time in the left pane.
2. In the For review tab, select Go to classic QuickBooks Time at the upper right corner.

Moreover, follow the remaining steps in this article to complete the setup process, starting from Step 3: Set up QuickBooks Time in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Online Payroll.

Furthermore, you might want to explore this material for guidance on managing your team members' timesheets: Track and manage QuickBooks Time in QuickBooks Online.

Please revisit the Community page whenever you need assistance navigating your QuickBooks Time account and related tasks. We are here to help you in any way possible.

Hi QB Team,

I already upgraded from “simple start” to essentials” to invoice my time in minutes.  I don’t want to have to do another upgrade. Again, I’m a one-person consulting shop.  I don’t need a lot of fancy features for employees. Is there a way for me to do that?

Thanks,

tclark47988

1. Go to the Gear icon and select Account and Settings.
2. Click the Time tab and hit the Edit icon in the Timesheet section.
3. Toggle on the Allow time to be billable setting. You can also check the Show billing rate to users entering time if you want to see your rates when entering time.
4. Click Save and then Done.

Hi QB Team,

That worked to get the work item into the invoice.

I entered the time as 20 min, but the invoice shows 0.33333 hrs.

How do I get the invoice to show 20min so that it is easier for my clients to read?

Please note that my first client wants me to e-mail the invoice.

Thanks,

tclark47988

Thank you for always engaging with us as you continue to use and explore the program to track billable hours, tclark47988. As a new user, there's certainly a learning curve to navigate.

Regarding the time format on invoices, the system automatically converts time entries to decimal format once they're added in the Quantity column. For now, changing this format is not an option within the program.

As a workaround, you can generate the invoice using QBO and save it as a PDF. Then, utilize Adobe Acrobat to modify the time entries, reverting them to a minutes-based format before emailing the invoice to your clients. This workaround should help you achieve the desired time presentation on your invoices.

Just click the Print and download link at the bottom part of the invoice after saving the transaction. You can also use this article as a guide: Download And Save Sales Forms And Statements In QuickBooks Online.

Customer input and recommendations are essential in enhancing the software's functionality and catering to user requirements. I encourage you to submit a feature request regarding the ability to convert time formats when generating invoices. Here's how you can share your feedback in QBO:

1. Go to the Gear icon and select Feedback.
2. Type in your feedback and suggestions.
3. Click Next to submit them.

Suggestions submitted through the forum and other channels are collected and reviewed by our engineers. This process is designed to enhance your QuickBooks experience based on user feedback.

Allow me to share these additional resources with you in case you might also need them:

• Compare Time Periods In Reports In QuickBooks Online
• Track Hourly Labor Costs And Profitability By Project In QuickBooks Online

Once again, we appreciate your patience and dedication as you navigate our software. Please don't hesitate to always reach out if you have any further questions or concerns.

We're here to support you every step of the way in your QuickBooks journey. Thank you for choosing our product, and we look forward to assisting you in the future.

Hi QB Team,

Well, back on 2020sep08, Rea_M wrote:

“When you enter your client's billable time, you'll have to use the default ratio format (hours: minutes). However, it'll automatically be converted to the decimal format (i.e 0.00) when you add it to an invoice. Then, the said format will be converted back to the first-mentioned one when you print and send the invoice.”

Based on the above, it looks like when I enter my time as 20 minutes and it shows as 0.33333 hrs in the invoice, it will automatically show as 20 minutes when I print or send the invoice.

So, my new question is: How do I save and then print my invoice?  Hopefully it will show my time as 20 minutes and not 0.3333 hrs.

Thx

tclark47988