Clocking, or time tracking, is a core practice for many freelancers. It involves recording the hours you spend on client work to ensure accurate billing and payment.
What is Clocking?
Clocking is the process of recording the time you spend working on a task or project. For freelancers, it typically means using a timer or log to track billable hours. This data forms the basis for your invoices when you charge clients by the hour.
Why is this important?
Accurate clocking is crucial for fair compensation. It ensures you get paid for all your work and provides transparency for your clients. It also helps you analyze your productivity and estimate future projects more effectively.
How does it work?
You start a timer when you begin a task and stop it when you finish. Many use dedicated apps or simple spreadsheets. You then compile these tracked hours into an invoice, often detailing the work done during each time block for client review.
Pros and cons
The main advantages are precise billing, transparency, and valuable productivity insights. The downsides include the administrative overhead and potential client disputes over logged time if not detailed clearly.
Conclusion
Mastering clocking is essential for any hourly freelancer. It protects your income and builds trust with clients through clear, justified invoices. Making it a consistent habit is a key part of running a professional freelance business.
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