A timer records time while you work, so you don't have to remember when you started and stopped. When you stop it, the time is saved as an entry on your timesheet.

To use timers you need the Timesheet/Expense User or Administrator role, set on your contact in Contacts, and Timesheet entry allowed? on the projects you track. See getting started with timesheets.

Start a timer

  • From any page: click Start at the top of the page. The timer starts at once on a new, blank entry. On a phone, open the menu and tap Start Timer.
  • From the timesheet popup: click the clock button next to Start to see today's entries. Click the play button on an entry, or click Add Entry.
  • From your timesheet: in Timesheets, click Add Entry and choose the Project and Category. Leave the duration empty, so the button reads Start Timer, and click it. In Day view, each entry also has a play button.
  • From a task: in a project's List or Board view, click the play button on a task. Or open the task, go to its clock tab (Task Timesheets) and click Add Entry: the popup opens with the project and task filled in.
A task open on its clock tab (Task Timesheets), with the Estimated Effort box, the estimated, actual and remaining hours, and the Timesheet entries list with the Add Entry button
Timesheets Day view for Sofia Alvarez, with the Start button and the clock button at the top right and a play button beside a time entry

A timer always records on today's date, even if you're looking at another day. If your account records start and end times, you can type a Start Time before you click Start Timer, and the timer counts from then. See start and end times.

The New timesheet entry popup with Project Management as the Category and no project chosen yet, empty Start Time and End Time boxes, the duration left at 0:00 with the hint Enter a duration, or start a timer, and the Start Timer button

While it runs

  • The Start button shows the running time, and so does your browser tab.
  • The timer runs on Avaza's servers, not in your browser. It keeps going when you close the tab, and you can stop it from another device.
  • Only one timer runs at a time. Starting another stops the first and saves its time.
The top of a project's List view with a timer running: in place of Start, the button shows a stop square and the running time 0:00:05, next to the clock button

Stop a timer

Click the running time at the top of the page, or the stop button on the entry or task. Avaza adds the time to the entry.

Timesheets Day view with a timer running on an entry: the running time 0:02:59 at the top of the page and on the entry, and the entry's stop button with the tooltip Timer started October 13 2026 4:07 PM

When you stop from the top of the page, the Edit timesheet entry popup opens. Fill in the Project and Category if they're missing: a timer from Start has neither, and one from a task's play button has no category. Add notes and click Save. If you close the popup, the entry waits on your timesheet, marked [Unassigned Project/Category] or [Unassigned Category], until you edit it.

Keep in mind:

  • Running timers aren't submitted. Stop the timer before you click Submit for Approval.
  • An entry holds at most 24 hours. A timer runs until you stop it. If you forget one, stop it and correct the duration.
  • Restarting an entry: an entry from today carries on from its current time. An entry from an earlier day starts a new entry for today with the same project, category, task and notes. Restarting a submitted entry puts it back to draft, so submit it again.
  • Locked entries: the play button is disabled on entries that are invoiced, on a bill, or approved and locked.
  • Completed tasks: if the project's settings don't allow time on completed tasks, you can't start a timer on one.

Timers record the exact time. To bill in steps such as 15 minutes, set up timesheet rounding.

Timers in the Avaza apps

The Avaza Timesheets apps for iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows, and the All in One app for iPhone and Android, have timers too. They share your timer with the web app, so you can start it on your phone and stop it at your desk. The same roles apply. See the mobile time tracking guide.