Time tracking is the act of recording the amount of time spent on each activity in a day. Typically, time sheets are used for time tracking. A conventional and simple time sheet lists the start and end time of tasks or the duration of each task. It can also have a more detailed breakdown of the various tasks done, as well as the results obtained from each of these tasks. Traditionally, time sheets were designed to keep track of the employees time management, in order to determine their productivity. Time cards or punch cards are the most basic form of time tracking programs.

Time tracking is very beneficial for businesses. Time sheets can also be used to track other things like billing, payroll, project cost and estimation, and others that are very beneficial for management. There are several direct advantages of time tracking: make payroll processing easier by tracking the exact hours an employee worked, increase revenues by correct invoicing, and make database management easier. It also helps the user to determine exactly what went wrong with a project. There are also some disadvantages of time tracking: employees do not appreciate it they feel too much pressure for showing results for every minute; or the information may not be used properly. Time tracking is especially beneficial for attorneys, writers, programmers, self-employed professionals, consultants, contractors, artists and other professionals who do not work as per scheduled timings.

There are sophisticated time-tracking programs and software packages available today. These software packages are very easy to install and use, and they can be used in any environment. They can also be custom-designed to suit all kinds of requirements. Some time tracking software also contains other functions like invoicing, billing, expenses tracking, project management and other applications. Some of these are offered as freeware, while others have to be purchased. Standard time tracking software costs around $100 for a single user and $1,200 for a 10-user program. However, prices vary significantly depending on the program. TimeWhiz, Timesheet, Titrax, Hours, Seconds Count, AllTime, PicoTrack, Standard Time, Doing, SDS Time, and TimeMate are some of the popular time tracking software packages available today.