Tracking employee working hours is essential for maintaining productivity, managing resources, and ensuring transparency within an organization. Whether you're a freelancer, a small business, or a growing enterprise, having an accurate record of how time is spent can improve project planning, billing, and performance evaluation. Dolibarr, an open-source ERP and CRM platform, provides a powerful yet easy-to-use time tracking system — and best of all, it's completely free.

This article explores how to set up and use Dolibarr to track working hours efficiently using its built-in modules, without relying on third-party services or paid extensions. We’ll walk through every step — from activation to reporting — and share best practices to help you manage time like a pro.

Why Time Tracking Matters

Before diving into the technical setup, it's important to understand why time tracking is so vital:

• It enables accurate client billing and internal cost tracking

• It highlights time-consuming tasks that may require process improvements

• It supports better planning and forecasting of future work

• It creates transparency and accountability across teams

• It helps measure performance and identify underutilized resources

In short, a solid time tracking system provides clarity and control over how people spend their time — one of your most valuable assets.

Overview of Time Tracking Features in Dolibarr

Dolibarr’s time tracking is built around the Projects and Tasks modules. When these modules are active, users can log hours spent on specific tasks, assign responsibilities, and generate time-based reports. With the optional Timesheet module, you can gain even more control with a structured weekly overview of activities.

Here’s what Dolibarr allows you to do:

• Define projects and tasks

• Assign users to tasks

• Record time spent (manually or through the calendar/agenda)

• Generate reports by user, project, task, or time period

• Optionally validate timesheets for internal approval

The result is a fully integrated, centralized system to monitor activity across your organization.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Time Tracking in Dolibarr

Step 1: Activate Required Modules

Start by enabling the following modules:

• Projects

• Tasks

• Agenda

• Timesheet (optional, but highly recommended)

To activate them, go to your administration interface, open the list of available modules, and activate each one. You may also want to activate the Human Resources module if you plan to link time tracking with employee attendance or contracts.

Step 2: Create a Project and Add Tasks

Once the modules are active:

1. Go to the Projects section and create a new project. Give it a title, description, and assign it to the relevant department or client.

2. Within that project, create tasks for each work package. Define estimated workload, start/end dates, priority, and assign them to team members.

Tasks can be as granular or broad as you need. For example, a project called "Website Redesign" may include tasks like "Design Homepage," "Implement CMS," and "QA Testing."

Step 3: Log Time to Tasks

Users can record time using two primary methods:

1. Directly from the task: Users access their assigned task and input the time spent manually. This is ideal for end-of-day reporting or when summarizing time at once.

2. Through the Agenda module: Users can log time in real-time or via a calendar-like interface, selecting the task or project and entering the duration.

Both methods associate the time with the specific user and task, storing it in the database for reporting and project tracking.

Using the Timesheet Module

If you prefer a consolidated view of time tracking, activate the Timesheet module. This module enables:

• Weekly overviews for each user

• Quick entry of hours per task and per day

• Submission of timesheets for review

• A streamlined interface for team leads or managers to validate hours

You can access the timesheet through the dedicated tab. Each user sees their assigned tasks and can easily fill out hours by dragging across the grid or entering manually.

The module is simple yet effective, and it’s especially useful in companies where multiple users report their hours for approval.

Managing and Approving Timesheets

For teams that require validation of time entries (e.g., for billing or compliance), Dolibarr allows managers to review and approve timesheets.

The process typically follows these steps:

1. Users submit their weekly timesheets once completed

2. Managers review entries, checking for accuracy, completeness, and consistency

3. Managers approve or reject entries

4. Approved time becomes part of the final report or invoice calculation

This workflow is useful in environments where accurate labor tracking is essential, such as consulting, software development, or outsourced services.

Generating Reports and Analyzing Data

One of Dolibarr's strengths is its ability to generate clear, usable reports from time tracking data. Here are some of the insights you can extract:

• Total time spent per project or client

• Time worked by each employee per period

• Time spent per task type (development, design, support)

• Comparison between planned and actual hours

These reports support project reviews, client billing, payroll processing, and strategic decision-making. You can also export data as CSV for use in Excel or other tools.

Tips for Using Time Tracking Effectively

Here are some best practices to make the most of Dolibarr’s time tracking system:

• Encourage daily entries: Users should log time every day rather than waiting until the end of the week to ensure accuracy

• Clarify task definitions: Make sure tasks are well-defined to avoid ambiguity

• Set clear rules for billable vs. non-billable time: If you invoice clients based on hours worked, be transparent about what’s included

• Review regularly: Use weekly or monthly reviews to ensure the data reflects reality

• Train new users: Offer basic training to ensure team members understand how to use the system correctly

Advantages of Dolibarr Time Tracking

Here’s why Dolibarr stands out as a time tracking solution:

• Free and open-source: No licensing fees or hidden costs

• Integrated: Connects seamlessly with projects, billing, users, HR, and more

• Modular: Only activate what you need

• Customizable: You can develop your own modules or modify existing ones

• Accessible: Web-based, works on desktops, laptops, and mobile browsers

• Scalable: Suitable for solo users and large teams alike

Use Cases for Time Tracking in Dolibarr

• Freelancers can track billable hours and generate invoices directly

• Agencies can manage multiple client projects and compare profitability

• IT teams can track sprint-based work and analyze performance

• Construction or field teams can use tablets to log site hours

• Non-profits can measure volunteer time to support funding reports

No matter your industry, time is a valuable asset — and Dolibarr helps you manage it wisely.

Limitations and How to Overcome Them

While Dolibarr’s built-in time tracking is sufficient for most small to medium needs, here are some limitations:

• No real-time timer: There's no native stopwatch functionality

• No mobile app: The mobile interface is responsive, but not a standalone app

• Limited automation: It doesn’t support automatic idle detection or background tracking

Solutions:

• For live timers, you can integrate third-party tools or browser extensions

• You can develop custom plugins using Dolibarr’s API if you need automation

• Use scheduled exports or reports to sync data with external systems

Final Thoughts

Dolibarr offers a surprisingly complete time tracking system for a tool that’s entirely free and open-source. With minimal setup, you can enable your team to track hours, report progress, and analyze productivity — all inside the same platform that handles your invoicing, CRM, and more.

If you're looking for a unified, no-cost solution to manage working hours and keep your projects under control, Dolibarr is an excellent choice.

With clear setup steps, strong reporting, and integration with other modules, you can start small and grow your system as your organization evolves.