Time in Xero Projects is recorded as time entries on a project's tasks. Each entry has a person, a task, a date, a duration and a description, and it's what you invoice from. There are three ways to create them.
1. Xero's own timer and manual entry
Xero Projects has a start-stop timer in the browser and in the Xero Projects mobile app. You can also enter time by hand, either as a duration or as start and finish times. The mobile app can suggest entries when you're at a saved location.
It's free with your plan, but it's built around a browser tab or a phone. There's no desktop app, and users on Xero's product ideas forum report losing the running time when they switch tasks. More on Xero's timer →
2. A desktop app that writes to Xero Projects
A few apps create time entries in Xero Projects through Xero's API, so Xero stays the one record of your time:
- Punchcard (Mac, waitlist open) is a menu bar timer. Clock on with one click or ⌥⇧⌘P, review your entries, then push them onto their Xero tasks. Pro adds suggested entries from your apps and git commits.
- UpSheets: Uploads tasks and time to Xero Projects (and Payroll) from timesheets.
- Memtime: An automatic desktop activity tracker that exports hours to Xero Projects.
3. A separate tracker, with Xero on the side
The best-known trackers keep your hours in their own system:
- Toggl Track: Toggl's Xero integration is a browser extension that adds a Toggl timer button inside Xero. Toggl itself calls it a legacy integration. The time is saved in Toggl, and you report on it or export it from Toggl's web app. It doesn't create time entries in Xero Projects or raise invoices. Toggl vs Punchcard →
- Harvest: Harvest's Xero integration is one-way. When you send an invoice from Harvest, a copy goes to Xero, and payments can be copied too. Time entries and Xero Projects aren't part of it. Your hours live in Harvest. Harvest vs Punchcard →
That's fine if you report and invoice from those tools. If you invoice from Xero Projects, it means re-entering or exporting time, and two records that can disagree.
Before you start: check your plan
Xero Projects isn't on every Xero plan. In Australia, New Zealand and the UK it's only included in Ultimate. Which Xero plans include Projects →