How Do You Clock In Hours in QuickBooks Desktop

Tracking employee time doesn’t have to be a headache—at least not when you’re using QuickBooks Desktop. Whether you're managing a small team of hourly employees or billing clients based on hours worked, QuickBooks Desktop makes it easy to record, track, and manage time entries efficiently.

But here’s the twist: QuickBooks Desktop does not include a built-in clock-in/clock-out feature like a traditional time clock. So, how do you clock in hours on QuickBooks Desktop?

Great question—and that’s exactly what this guide will answer.

Why Clocking In Hours Matters

Whether you're running payroll or generating client invoices, accurate time tracking is critical. Misreported hours can:

• Lead to payroll errors
  
  
• Cause billing disputes
  
  
• Impact profitability
  
  
• Hurt team productivity
  
  
• Slow down project timelines
  
  

Thankfully, QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, and Enterprise offer  nn tools that help you stay organized—even without a live time clock.

Does QuickBooks Desktop Have a Clock In Feature?

Short answer: Not directly.
QuickBooks Desktop doesn’t offer a punch-in/punch-out feature by default—but it does allow you to enter and track time manually using Single Activity Time Entries or Weekly Timesheets.

If you’re looking for true clock-in/clock-out functionality, you’ll need either:
1. An integrated time tracking app like QuickBooks Time
2. Or manual time entry in QuickBooks Desktop which this guide explains step-by-step

Step 1: Enable Time Tracking in QuickBooks Desktop

Before entering any hours, you first need to turn on time tracking.

Here’s how:

1. Go to Edit on the top menu.
   
   
2. Click Preferences.
   
   
3. Select Time & Expenses from the left panel.
   
   
4. Click the Company Preferences tab.
   
   
5. Set “Do you track time?” to Yes.
   
   
6. Choose when to track time:
   
   
   • First Day of Work Week: Example – Monday
     
     
7. Click OK to save.
   
   

Time tracking is now enabled for your company file.

Step 2: Add Employees or Vendors for Time Tracking

Time can be recorded for anyone who performs billable work—employees, vendors, contractors, or even owners.

To activate time tracking for team members:

1. Go to the Employee Center → select an employee → click Edit Employee.
   
   
2. In the Payroll Info tab, check Use time data to create paychecks.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   
   

Repeat this for any vendor or contractor by going to the Vendor Center and editing their profile.

Step 3: Enter Hours in QuickBooks Desktop Manually

You can enter time in two ways:

Option A: Enter Time Using Weekly Timesheets (Most Common)

Best for entering weekly time in bulk.

1. Go to Employees → Enter Time → Use Weekly Timesheet.
   
   
2. Select the Name from the dropdown.
   
   
3. Choose the Customer/Job (optional for billable time).
   
   
4. Enter:
   
   
   • Service Item (e.g. Consulting, Installation, Payroll)
     
     
   • Payroll Item (Hourly, Overtime, etc.)
     
     
   • Hours per day
     
     
5. Tick Billable if the hours will be invoiced.
   
   
6. Add Notes if needed.
   
   
7. Click Save & Close.
   
   

Option B: Enter Time Using Single Activity

Best for tracking specific tasks, one activity at a time.

1. Go to Employees → Enter Time → Time/Enter Single Activity.
   
   
2. Choose:
   
   
   • Name
     
     
   • Customer/Job
     
     
   • Service Item
     
     
3. Enter Start and End time OR total Duration.
   
   
4. Mark Billable if applicable.
   
   
5. Click Save & Close.
   
   

Step 4: Use Time Data for Payroll

If your time entries were assigned to payroll items, QuickBooks Desktop lets you pull that data directly into paychecks.

To run payroll using time entries:

1. Go to Employees → Pay Employees.
   
   
2. Select your payroll schedule.
   
   
3. Click Continue.
   
   
4. QuickBooks will automatically pull hours from timesheets.
   
   
5. Review and approve.
   
   

 No more manual calculations—QuickBooks uses the tracked time to calculate wages automatically.

Step 5: Create Invoices with Billable Hours

If you track client billable hours, QuickBooks Desktop can automatically convert time into invoices.

Here’s how:

1. Go to Customers → Create Invoices.
   
   
2. Select the Customer/Job.
   
   
3. If billable hours exist, a popup appears:
   “Time/Costs Available – Would you like to add them to the invoice?”
   
   
4. Click Add Time.
   
   
5. Review and finalize the invoice.
   
   

That’s it—billable work becomes billable revenue effortlessly!

Bonus: Reports You Can Run with Time Tracking

Use these reports to review productivity and billing performance:

Collaboration Tip: Manage Time Data Smoothly with Qbox

If your team collaborates on QuickBooks Desktop files from different locations, time tracking can get messy when files are being shared by email or USB drives. That’s where Qbox makes a difference.

 How Qbox Helps with Time Tracking Workflow:

• Syncs QuickBooks Desktop files across users securely
  
  
• Prevents version conflicts while entering timesheets
  
  
• Enables remote team collaboration
  
  
• Maintains file integrity and backups
  
  
• Keeps payroll data accurate and secure
  
  

If you're managing remote employees or outsourced bookkeepers, Qbox keeps your time tracking organized and conflict-free.

Common Questions About Time Tracking in QuickBooks Desktop

1. Can employees clock in directly in QuickBooks Desktop?

No, manual entry is required unless you integrate a time tracking app like QuickBooks Time.

2.  Can I track time against a project or customer?

Yes. Choose a Customer/Job when entering time.

3. Can vendors enter time?

Yes. You can assign time to vendors for billable work.

4. Can I approve timesheets?

Approvals aren’t built-in, but third-party time tools offer this feature.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been wondering how to clock in hours in QuickBooks Desktop, the answer isn’t a punch clock—but it is simple and powerful time tracking through manual timesheets and third-party integrations. With time data flowing into payroll and invoices, QuickBooks Desktop gives you full control over labor tracking and job costing.

Whether you're tracking billable time, payroll hours, or contractor work, QuickBooks Desktop gets the job done—with a little setup and a consistent routine.

If your team works across locations or shares company files, don’t forget:

Use Qbox to collaborate securely on QuickBooks Desktop files. It prevents version conflicts and keeps your accounting workflow on track. Sign up today