Track actual hours vs your estimate

How it works

The Hours vs Estimate report compares the hours you actually log against the hours you quoted for a job — an honest hours-vs-hours read, not a money figure. It uses two things: an estimated-hours figure on the quote, and a link from each time entry to that quote.

Set it up

1. On the quote, fill in Estimated hours for this job. If you built lines from priced items that carry hours, this is suggested for you.
2. In the Time Log, when you record time, pick the quote under Link to quote.
3. Open Hours vs Estimate, under Scheduling Reports, to see the hours logged against the quote, with a warning when a job goes over.

The Hours vs Estimate report

Open Hours vs Estimate, under Scheduling Reports. Each job shows the hours logged against the hours quoted with a progress bar and a badge — On track while it is comfortably within the quote, Near limit once about 80% of the quoted hours are used, and a red Over once it has passed the quote — plus a billable / non-billable split so you can decide whether to bill an over-run or absorb it. Jobs that are most over sort to the top.