Time Tracking in Project Management – Definition and Meaning
Time tracking is the process of systematically recording and documenting the working hours spent by project team members or resources on specific project tasks, work packages, or other activities. It is used to monitor actual effort, track project progress, calculate costs, generate invoices, and collect data for future estimates, typically supported by timesheets or specialized software tools like PLANTA Project (agile component) that capture the recorded working hours.
Example, best practice, and further information on the term
In an external consulting project, for example, consultants must record their working hours in detail against the respective project tasks to enable correct billing to the client. A fundamental best practice is to ensure accurate, complete, and timely time tracking by all involved personnel. This is an important basis for time and cost management according to the PMBOK Guide and also supports agile principles of transparency regarding the effort expended. Correct time tracking enables precise post-calculations, performance evaluations, and invoicing.