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Your firm runs on hours — but are you capturing all of them? Professional service time tracking software is the difference between a firm that bills accurately and one that quietly loses thousands every month.
- Professional service firms need more than basic timers — they need billable tracking, approval workflows, budget visibility, and compliance-ready reporting.
- Timesheet 365 stands out as the only Microsoft 365-native solution with AI-powered time entry, Teams approvals, SharePoint storage, and Power BI reporting.
- The best time tracking software depends on your firm size, workflow, billing complexity, and whether your team already works inside Microsoft 365.
What Makes a Great Professional Service Time Tracking Tool?
Not every time tracking tool is built for professional services. Before we dive into the list, here is what separates the great ones from the generic ones:
- Billable vs. non-billable separation: Client-facing time and internal work must be tracked and reported separately.
- Multi-client and multi-project logging: Fee earners switch between engagements all day. The tool must make that fast and frictionless.
- Automated approval workflows: Managers should approve timesheets in their existing tools — not in a separate app.
- Budget vs. actual tracking: Scope creep costs firms money. Real-time budget alerts stop that before it’s too late.
- Security and compliance: Legal, accounting, and consulting firms handle sensitive data. Enterprise-grade protection is not optional.
- Works where your team already works: Adoption fails when people must open yet another app. The best tools embed into existing workflows.
Quick Comparison: All 11 Tools at a Glance
Use this table to find your match before reading the full reviews below.
Tool | Best For | M365 Native | AI-Powered | Billable Tracking | Ideal Firm Size |
Timesheet 365 ⭐ | Microsoft 365 firms | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | All sizes |
Clockify | Free basic tracking | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Freelancers / SMB |
Harvest | Invoicing + time | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | SMB / Agencies |
Wrike | Project management | ❌ No | Limited | ✅ Yes | Mid-market |
Timely | Auto memory tracking | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | SMB / Teams |
TMetric | Budget + reporting | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | SMB |
TimeCamp | Attendance + time | ❌ No | Limited | ✅ Yes | SMB / Mid-market |
My Hours | Simple teams | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Small teams |
DeskTime | Productivity monitoring | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ Limited | SMB / Remote teams |
Paymo | Agency PM + time | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Agencies / SMB |
Toggl Track | Simple timer | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Freelancers / SMB |
⭐ Editor's Pick: Timesheet 365
Timesheet 365 is the only tool on this list that is fully native to Microsoft 365, AI-powered, and built specifically for enterprise professional service teams
#1 Timesheet 365 — Best for Microsoft 365 Firms — Our Top Pick
G2: ★ 4.8 Capterra: ★ 4.9 Free trial: 14 days
🏆 Why It’s #1: Timesheet 365 is the only professional service time tracking solution built natively inside Microsoft 365. It combines AI-powered time capture, SharePoint-based storage, Teams integration, and Power BI reporting — all inside the tools your team already uses every day.
Think about where your team already lives. They are in Microsoft Teams for meetings. They use SharePoint for documents. They review reports in Power BI. Every other time tracking tool on this list asks them to leave that world and open something new. Timesheet 365 does not.
That is the single biggest reason firms that switch to Timesheet 365 see adoption happen fast. There is no resistance. No retraining. No separate login. Time tracking simply becomes part of the daily workflow your team already follows.
Key Features
- AI-powered time entry suggestions: The AI layer studies your team’s patterns meetings, documents, tasks and proactively suggests time entries. One click to confirm. No more reconstructing the week from memory.
- Billable vs. non-billable tracking: Every time entry is tagged as client-billable or internal. Leadership sees real utilization — not just hours worked, but hours that generate revenue.
- Automated approval workflows in Teams: Submitted timesheets flow to the right manager automatically. Approvals happen inside Teams — no email chains, no forgotten sign-offs.
- Resource allocation view: See who is at capacity, who has bandwidth, and how hours are distributed across the team and clients in real time.
- Power BI dashboards: Live, visual reporting on billable utilization, project profitability, and team performance — without a single spreadsheet.
- Enterprise-grade security: All data stays in your organization’s Microsoft 365 environment. Role-based access, full audit trails, and Microsoft’s encryption standards — built in from day one.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
Native Microsoft 365 integration with no extra app or login required | Requires an active Microsoft 365 subscription |
AI-powered suggestions reduce manual time entry | Full Power BI reporting may require an additional BI license |
Automated approval workflows inside Microsoft Teams | Works best for organizations already using Teams regularly |
| Timesheet 365 |
Best For | Microsoft 365 firms of all sizes |
AI-Powered | Yes — pattern-based entry suggestions |
M365 Native | Yes — SharePoint, Teams, Power BI |
Billable Tracking | Yes — billable vs. non-billable split |
Ideal For | Law, consulting, IT, agencies, engineering |
See Timesheet 365 in Action, No credit card required
#2 Clockify — Best Free Time Tracking Tool for Small Professional Teams
Clockify is one of the most widely used free time trackers in the world. It supports unlimited users on its free plan, which makes it attractive for small professional teams watching costs. Lawyers in solo practice, two-person accounting shops, and freelance consultants all find it useful.
The core experience is a start/stop timer with manual entry backup and a weekly timesheet grid. You can tag time to projects and clients, mark entries as billable or non-billable, and pull basic reports. For simple needs, it works.
Where it falls short for growing professional service firms: Clockify is a standalone web app with no native Microsoft 365 integration. Your team has to open a separate browser tab, remember to log in, and switch away from Teams or Outlook every time they want to track time. There is no AI assistance, no automated approval workflow inside your existing tools, and no Power BI connection. As firm complexity grows — more clients, more projects, more compliance requirements — Clockify’s limitations become friction.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Generous free plan with unlimited users | • No Microsoft 365 / Teams native integration |
• Simple timer interface, low learning curve | • No AI-powered time suggestions |
• Browser extension for quick tracking | • No automated approval workflows |
• Billable vs. non-billable tagging | • Limited reporting depth for complex firms |
| Clockify |
Best For | Freelancers and very small teams |
AI-Powered | No |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free plan available; paid from ~$3.99/user/mo |
#3 Harvest — Best for Agencies That Need Fast Client Invoicing
Harvest sits at a sweet spot between time tracking and invoicing. It lets teams log hours, connect them directly to client invoices, and process payments through Stripe or PayPal. For small and mid-size agencies where billing speed matters, this combined workflow is genuinely useful.
Teams can track time via web, desktop app, or mobile. There are integrations with Asana, Jira, Trello, and other project tools. Billable vs. non-billable tagging is solid, and budget tracking warns managers when a project approaches its limit.
Where it falls short: Harvest is an external platform. It does not live inside Microsoft 365. Your team must open a separate app, maintain a separate login, and work outside Teams and SharePoint. There is no AI, no SharePoint-native storage, no Power BI reporting, and no enterprise-grade compliance trail. For firms that need deep Microsoft 365 integration or enterprise security, Harvest hits a ceiling quickly.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Clean invoicing workflow from tracked hours | • External app — not Microsoft 365 native |
• Payment processing built in (Stripe/PayPal) | • No AI-powered time suggestions |
• Budget alerts when project approaches limit | • No SharePoint or Teams integration |
• Integrates with Asana, Jira, Trello | • Premium plan required for full reporting |
| Harvest |
Best For | Small agencies billing by the hour |
AI-Powered | No |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free for 1 user / 2 projects; paid from ~$12/user/mo |
#4 Wrike — Best for Project-Heavy Professional Service Teams
Wrike is primarily a project management platform that includes time tracking as part of its broader feature set. Teams that need Gantt charts, task dependencies, workload management, and time capture in one place will find Wrike compelling.
Time tracking in Wrike is embedded inside tasks — you log time directly on the work you are doing, which reduces the gap between doing and recording. Reports show hours by project, team, and timeline. Budget tracking is included on higher plans.
Where it falls short: Wrike is a complex, relatively expensive platform. The time tracking is a feature within a broader project management tool — not a dedicated, billing-first system built for professional services. There is no Microsoft 365-native integration at the depth that Timesheet 365 offers, no AI time suggestions, and the learning curve for new users is steep. Firms that want time tracking as the core function, not an add-on, will find Wrike over-engineered for that need.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Time tracking embedded within tasks | • Complex setup and steep learning curve |
• Strong project management capabilities | • Not Microsoft 365 native |
• Workload and resource visibility | • No AI time suggestions |
• Gantt charts and dependency tracking | • Expensive for small to mid-size firms |
| Wrike |
Best For | Mid-market project-heavy service teams |
AI-Powered | Limited (project suggestions only) |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free limited plan; paid from ~$10/user/mo |
#5 Timely — Best for Teams That Struggle with Manual Time Logging
Timely takes a different approach to time tracking. Instead of asking professionals to start a timer or fill in a form, it uses AI memory tracking to automatically capture activity across apps, meetings, and documents — then presents a draft timeline for the user to confirm.
For professionals who genuinely hate manual entry, the concept is appealing. Timely logs what you did and surfaces it in a visual daily plan, making it easier to fill in timesheets retrospectively without guesswork.
Where it falls short: Timely is not Microsoft 365-native. It connects to some Microsoft apps via integration, but it does not live inside SharePoint or Teams the way Timesheet 365 does. It lacks enterprise-grade compliance capabilities, and its billing and approval workflow features are limited compared to a purpose-built professional service tool. The AI is useful for reducing entry friction, but firms need more than that — they need billing accuracy, approval workflows, and audit-ready records.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• AI memory tracking reduces manual entry | • Not native to Microsoft 365 / SharePoint |
• Visual daily timeline is easy to review | • Limited approval workflow capabilities |
• Good for forgetful or busy professionals | • Weaker compliance and audit trail features |
• Supports billable vs. non-billable tagging | • Can feel intrusive to privacy-conscious teams |
| Timely |
Best For | Teams with poor manual entry habits |
AI-Powered | Yes — memory-based auto-capture |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | From ~$9/user/mo (billed annually) |
#6 TMetric — Best for Budget Tracking and Basic Reporting
TMetric is a straightforward time and budget tracking tool that appeals to small professional teams with simple billing needs. It offers a clean timer interface, project budget tracking, billable rate management, and basic reporting.
Teams can log hours manually or use browser extensions to track time on websites and apps. Invoicing is supported on paid plans. The interface is clean and onboarding is fast — which is its main advantage.
Where it falls short: TMetric does not integrate natively with Microsoft 365. There is no Teams-based time logging, no SharePoint storage, no Power BI reporting, and no AI layer. For firms that want basic tracking done cheaply, TMetric works. But for any firm managing multiple clients, approval workflows, or compliance requirements at scale, TMetric quickly shows its limits.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Clean, simple interface | • No Microsoft 365 native integration |
• Budget tracking with alerts | • No AI-powered suggestions |
• Billable rate management per user/project | • Limited workflow automation |
• Browser extension for fast tracking | • Reporting is basic vs. Power BI |
| TMetric |
Best For | Small teams with simple billing |
AI-Powered | No |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free for up to 5 users; paid from ~$5/user/mo |
#7 TimeCamp — Best for Attendance and Basic Hour Logging
TimeCamp combines attendance tracking with time logging in a single platform. It auto-tracks time spent in apps and websites, supports keyword-based task detection, and includes basic invoicing. Teams with remote employees and attendance management needs find it useful.
Integration with project tools like Asana, Trello, and Jira is available. The free plan is relatively generous compared to some competitors, which makes it a viable starting point for small teams.
Where it falls short: TimeCamp is a general attendance and productivity tool, not a billing-first professional service platform. It lacks deep Microsoft 365 integration, has no AI-powered time suggestions, and its approval workflows are basic. For professional service firms that need structured, client-linked billing records and audit-ready compliance, TimeCamp’s generalist nature creates gaps.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Auto-tracking via app and keyword detection | • No Microsoft 365 native integration |
• Attendance and time in one place | • Not designed for professional service billing |
• Reasonable free plan | • Approval workflows are basic |
• Integrates with Asana, Trello, Jira | • No Power BI reporting |
| TimeCamp |
Best For | Remote teams needing attendance + time |
AI-Powered | Limited keyword detection only |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free plan available; paid from ~$3.99/user/mo |
#8 My Hours — Best for Very Small Teams on a Tight Budget
My Hours is a lightweight time tracking tool designed for small teams and freelancers. It offers a simple timer, project and task tagging, basic reporting, and client billing rate management. For a team of two to ten people with uncomplicated billing, it does the job.
The interface is intentionally simple, which means onboarding takes minutes. There is no clutter, no steep learning curve, and no feature overload. For teams that just need to log hours and pull a basic invoice, that simplicity is valuable.
Where it falls short: My Hours is not built for scale. There is no Microsoft 365 integration, no AI, no automated approval workflows, and no Power BI reporting. The reporting is basic, compliance capabilities are minimal, and the tool simply cannot handle the complexity of a growing professional service firm with multiple clients, departments, and compliance needs.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Extremely simple to set up and use | • No Microsoft 365 integration |
• Good for freelancers and tiny teams | • No AI or automation |
• Client billing rate management included | • Minimal approval workflows |
• Free plan for small teams | • Not scalable beyond small teams |
| My Hours |
Best For | Freelancers and teams under 10 people |
AI-Powered | No |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free plan; Pro from ~$9/user/mo |
#9 DeskTime — Best for Remote Productivity Monitoring
DeskTime is primarily an employee productivity and monitoring tool that includes basic time tracking capabilities. It auto-tracks application usage, classifies time as productive or unproductive, and shows attendance data alongside activity metrics.
For managers overseeing remote teams who need visibility into how time is being spent across apps not just what hours were logged, DeskTime provides a level of transparency that pure time trackers do not.
Where it falls short: This core product is productivity surveillance, not professional service billing. It is not designed for client-linked time records, multi-project billing, or structured approval workflows. The billable hour capture is limited, Microsoft 365 integration is minimal, and for many professional service firms, the monitoring focus creates employee trust concerns. It is better positioned as an HR productivity tool than a billing-first time tracker.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Auto-tracks app and website usage | • Limited billable hour capture for invoicing |
• Good for remote team visibility | • Monitoring focus can hurt team morale |
• Attendance and productivity in one view | • No Microsoft 365 native integration |
• Pomodoro timer included | • No AI time suggestions |
| DeskTime |
Best For | Remote team productivity monitoring |
AI-Powered | No |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free for 1 user; paid from ~$7/user/mo |
#10 Paymo — Best for Creative Agencies Wanting PM and Billing Combined
Paymo is a project management and time tracking platform built specifically for agencies and creative teams. It combines task management (with Kanban, Gantt, and list views), time logging, and invoicing in a single product — which gives smaller agencies a compelling all-in-one option.
Time can be tracked via a web timer, desktop app, or mobile. Entries link directly to projects and clients, making invoice generation straightforward. There is also a budget tracking feature that alerts teams when a project runs over planned hours.
Where it falls short: It operates as a separate ecosystem from Microsoft 365. There is no native SharePoint storage, no Teams integration, no Power BI reporting, and no AI. For agencies or firms already operating inside Microsoft 365, Paymo adds another platform to manage rather than eliminating one. It works well for smaller creative teams that have not yet committed to a Microsoft-centric workflow.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• Combined PM, time tracking, and invoicing | • Not Microsoft 365 native |
• Built specifically for agencies | • Separate ecosystem from Teams/SharePoint |
• Budget tracking with overrun alerts | • No AI-powered time suggestions |
• Multiple task views (Kanban, Gantt, list) | • Limited enterprise compliance capabilities |
• Mobile app for on-the-go tracking | • Can be complex for non-agency service firms |
| Paymo |
Best For | Creative agencies under 50 people |
AI-Powered | No |
M365 Native | No |
Pricing | Free for 1 user; paid from ~$5.90/user/mo |
#11 Toggl Track — Best for Individuals and Freelancers Wanting Simplicity
Toggl Track is one of the most recognizable names in time tracking. Its one-click timer, clean interface, and cross-platform availability (web, desktop, mobile, browser extension) have made it a favorite among freelancers and solo professionals.
Billable vs. non-billable tagging is available. Projects and clients can be created. Reports are clean and easy to export. For individual use or very small teams that just need to know where time is going, Toggl Track is reliable.
Where it falls short: It is designed for simplicity, not enterprise complexity. There is no Microsoft 365 integration, no AI, no approval workflows, no compliance features, and no budget-vs-actual tracking. For growing professional service firms especially those already using Microsoft 365 — Toggl Track becomes a workaround rather than a solution. Teams outgrow it quickly as client counts, project complexity, and billing requirements increase.
✅ What Works Well | ⚠️ Things to Consider |
• One-click timer — extremely simple | • No Microsoft 365 integration |
• Cross-platform availability | • No AI assistance |
• Browser extension for quick entry | • No approval workflows |
• Clean report export | • Not suitable for multi-team professional firms |
| Toggl Track | |
| Best For | Freelancers and solo professionals |
| AI-Powered | No |
| M365 Native | No |
| Pricing | Free for up to 5 users; paid from ~$10/user/mo |
How to Choose the Right Time Tracking Software for Your Firm
With 11 tools reviewed, the right choice depends on what your firm actually needs – not the longest feature list. Use this guide:
| Your Firm Looks Like… | Best Pick |
| Already uses Microsoft 365 / Teams | Timesheet 365 — no new app, AI-powered, SharePoint-native |
| Small team, tight budget | Clockify (free tier) or My Hours |
| Agency needing invoicing fast | Harvest or Paymo |
| Dislikes manual entry, wants AI | Timesheet 365 or Timely |
| Complex multi-project PM needed | Wrike or Paymo |
| Enterprise security & compliance first | Timesheet 365 — Microsoft 365 enterprise grade |
| Remote productivity monitoring | DeskTime or TMetric |
Conclusion
Every professional service firm runs on time. Legal work, IT consulting, agency campaigns, accounting engagements, and management advisory all of it is measured, priced, and delivered in hours. When those hours are captured accurately, firms get paid fairly, clients receive verifiable invoices, and leaders can plan with real data.
Timesheet 365 is the only professional service time tracking software built natively inside Microsoft 365. It eliminates the adoption problem, automates the entry problem, and solves the billing accuracy problem – all from inside the tools your team already uses every day.
No spreadsheets. No guesswork. Just accurate, effortless time tracking.
Start using Timesheet 365 today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is professional service time tracking software?
It is a digital system that records, organizes, and reports on the hours professionals spend across client work, internal projects, and administrative tasks. For professional service firms, where revenue is directly tied to billable hours accurate time tracking is the difference between billing what you earned and writing off hours you can never recover.
2. Why is Timesheet 365 ranked #1 on this list?
Timesheet 365 is the only tool on this list built natively inside Microsoft 365. It combines AI-powered time entry suggestions, Teams-based approval workflows, SharePoint-native storage, and Power BI reporting — all inside the tools your team already uses. No new app to adopt. No separate login to manage. Adoption happens faster, and billing accuracy improves almost immediately.
3. How is Timesheet 365 different from free tools like Clockify or Toggl Track?
Free tools like Clockify and Toggl Track are standalone apps that require your team to leave Microsoft Teams or Outlook, open a different platform, and manually log time in an unfamiliar interface. Timesheet 365 eliminates that friction entirely. It also adds AI-powered entry suggestions, automated approval workflows, Power BI dashboards, and enterprise-grade Microsoft 365 security — none of which are available in free-tier tools.
4. Can Timesheet 365 handle a firm with multiple clients and complex billing codes?
Yes. Timesheet 365 is specifically designed for professional service complexity. Custom fields support matter codes, engagement types, phase names, client IDs, and any billing label your firm uses. Every time entry links to a specific project, client, or account. Budget vs. actual tracking flags scope overruns in real time. Power BI dashboards show utilization and profitability by any dimension leadership needs.
5. How long does it take to set up and get the team using it?
Because Timesheet 365 lives inside Microsoft 365 and connects to Teams and SharePoint — which your team already uses — setup does not require a major IT project or a long change management campaign. Most firms are fully operational within days. Employees start logging time from inside Teams immediately, managers approve in their existing inbox, and leadership sees Power BI data within the first week.
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