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Set up project time with Clockify #
The example project is Website refresh, with sessions for Homepage draft and Client revisions. These are sample labels, not records of work performed. Follow Clockify's regular-user instructions for the documented timer and entry controls.
Choose one project name and use descriptions for the pieces of work. Creating a new project for every short call can make a monthly report harder to read. If a workspace administrator already created the project, select that record instead of adding another spelling of the same name.
1. Open the correct workspace and tracker #
Sign in, choose the intended workspace, and select Time Tracker in the sidebar. Check the workspace before entering client time, especially if the account belongs to several teams.
The tracker should show the time-entry area and previous entries for this workspace. A personal test workspace and a team's working workspace keep separate records. Selecting the right one now saves a later search for apparently missing entries.
2. Describe the session and select its project #
Choose the clock icon for timer mode. In What are you working on?, enter Homepage draft. Open Project/Task and select Website refresh, or create it if the workspace allows that action.
Use Tags only if the team's reporting routine already needs them. For this example, the project and description are enough to explain the session. Controls visible during a paid trial may change when the account returns to Free, so keep this first workflow to the core fields.
You should see both the description and selected project beside the timer before starting. Check them now; a blank project makes the later report less helpful.
3. Start and stop the work session #
Select START when work begins, then STOP when the session ends. Clockify records a completed entry with its duration. You can change the description or project while a timer is running if the work changes.
Closing a browser page doesn't necessarily stop the timer. Make stopping it part of the same routine as saving the work. If you leave for a call about another project, stop this session and start a separate entry for that call.
The intended result is one completed Homepage draft entry under Website refresh. The example doesn't prescribe a duration; use the actual session's time.
4. Resume a similar task without rewriting the fields #
Find a previous entry and select its play icon. Clockify copies its details into the new running session. This is handy for another round of work on the same project.
For the sample, resume the homepage entry, then change the description to Client revisions before continuing. The project stays the same, while the new description explains why the next session happened.
Check the timer is running and that the copied project is correct. Copying an old entry from another client can save typing and still put the work in the wrong report.
5. Add a missed session manually #
Switch to Manual mode when you need to enter a completed session that wasn't timed live. Enter its start and end time, project, and description, then save it using the entry control shown in the tracker.
For example, add a real missed call as Revision discussion under Website refresh. Review the date as well as the duration, particularly when entering yesterday's work. A correct duration on the wrong day can distort a timesheet.
If manual tracking is disabled, follow the workspace's policy. The documented Force Timer setting prevents manual entry; an administrator controls that setting.
6. Review and correct the entries #
Check the project, description, date, and duration on each completed session. Use Bulk edit when several entries need the same correction: select the entries, change the applicable fields, then select Save.
A single session can be corrected individually by editing its recorded time. Don't compensate for an accidentally long timer by adding a negative-looking explanation to another entry. Correct the session itself so the total matches the work.
The documented three-dot menu also contains Delete, with DELETE as confirmation, and a short-lived Undo prompt afterward. Delete only an entry you intend to remove. Correcting its fields is often enough when the work happened but the label was wrong.
7. Check the month before sharing a report #
Review the project's entries over the reporting period your team uses. For Free, Clockify's current plan rules allow a report range up to 31 days; PDF exports remain available.
Use the report to look for unassigned work, duplicate sessions, and an unusually long duration. Compare the description with the calendar or project record when reconstructing a missed session. A report is easier to share after those checks than after a client asks why one short call lasted all afternoon.
Known problems and fixes #
The timer won't stop
Clockify's troubleshooting article explains that mismatched device time or browser timezone can make the stop time appear earlier than the start. Correct the device clock and timezone, then try saving the session again.
Manual entry is unavailable
The manual-entry help page identifies Force Timer as a cause. A workspace administrator can review Workspace settings → Permissions. If forced timing is intentional, use the team's correction process instead of changing it yourself.
Closing the app leaves the timer running
In a September 2025 forum discussion, Clockify staff explained that app exit doesn't stop the timer. On Windows, Preferences → Time tracking offers Stop timer if screen locks, Stop timer if computer goes to sleep, and Stop timer if computer shuts down. Choose the behavior that matches your working routine, or stop the timer manually.
Saving asks for a missing project
A 2023 forum report traced this error to a workspace requiring a project. Select the correct Project/Task before saving. The current required-field documentation explains the workspace rule; an administrator can review it if the requirement was unintended.
Troubleshooting #
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Timer continues overnight | It wasn't stopped | Correct its end time and review the duration |
| Manual tracking is disabled | Force Timer is enabled | Ask the workspace administrator about its policy |
| Time appears under another client | A resumed entry copied its project | Edit the project on the affected entry |
| Stop time can't be saved | Clock or timezone mismatch | Correct the device clock/timezone |
| Report misses a session | Wrong account, workspace, or date filter | Check all three before recreating time |
| Two sessions overlap | A manual entry duplicates tracked work | Review both start/end times and correct the records |
Variations #
Track a day with many short tasks
Keep one project record and change descriptions for each session. Resume a matching entry with the play icon when the same task returns. That reduces repeated setup without hiding a change of client.
Enter the day from a calendar
Use Manual mode for completed sessions when the workspace allows it. Check breaks and overlaps before saving. A calendar reservation can differ from the actual work, so enter the real duration when you know it.
Use a phone or desktop app
Clockify documents apps and regular-user tracking. Keep the same workspace and project names across devices. Review the resulting entries together so a device change doesn't create duplicate records.
Completion checklist #
- Each session belongs to the intended workspace and project.
- Descriptions explain the work without private client details.
- The live timer has stopped.
- Missed sessions have the correct date and actual duration.
- Corrections remove overlaps or accidental long sessions.
- The monthly report matches the entries you intend to share.
Next steps #
Read Clockify vs Toggl Track and the free time-tracking shortlist before choosing a long-term plan. The Clockify page, Clockify alternatives, and My Hours page cover other project-tracking options.
