Quick Answer
Time tracking software for engineering firms logs every hour against a client, project, phase and task, then compares those hours with the fee agreed for each stage. The best tools add rate cards by grade, approvals and invoicing from approved time, so the same timesheets drive billing, budget-vs-actual reports and utilisation per engineer.
Engineering time tracking software records hours by project, phase and task. Engineering firms use it to bill clients accurately, compare effort with fee budgets and see utilisation per engineer.
This guide is for civil, structural, MEP and mechanical consultancies that sell design and advisory work. It covers why phase-level tracking matters, which features to check and how to roll a tool out without losing goodwill. If you run a software team instead, our guide to time tracking for developers is a better fit.
What is engineering time tracking software?
Engineering time tracking software is a timesheet and project costing tool built around how consulting engineers bill. Every entry is tied to a client, a project, a stage of work and a task. That structure turns hours into fee tracking, not just attendance records.
General time trackers log hours against a project name. Engineering firms need more, which is why some vendors sell it as engineering time management software. A single commission can run for months across concept, detailed design and construction stages, with several disciplines booking to it. Our page on time tracking for engineering firms shows how Keito handles that structure.
Who is it for?
It suits consultancies that sell professional engineering services by the hour, the stage or a fixed fee. That includes structural and MEP practices, multidisciplinary consultancies and civil engineering firms working on infrastructure schemes.
Software engineering teams have different needs. They usually track time against sprints, tickets and capitalised R&D rather than client fee stages. The rest of this guide focuses on consulting and design engineering.
Why do engineering firms track time by project phase?
Engineering firms track time by phase because their fees are agreed by phase. A proposal usually splits the fee across stages such as feasibility, concept, detailed design and site support. Tracking hours the same way shows which stage is burning through its budget.
Without phase codes, overruns stay hidden until the project closes. A design stage can quietly absorb extra rounds of client comments. By the time anyone notices, the hours are spent and the fee is gone.
Phase tracking also supports change orders and variations. When a client changes the brief, the extra hours sit in their own code. That gives you evidence for a fee variation claim instead of a vague request for more money.
What does budget burn by phase look like?
Here is a simple example for one commission with a fixed fee split by stage.
| Stage | Fee budget (hours) | Hours logged | Burn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept design | 120 | 96 | 80% |
| Detailed design | 400 | 352 | 88% |
| Site support | 80 | 12 | 15% |
Detailed design is close to its limit with drawings still in progress. A weekly look at this table gives the project lead time to talk to the client before the stage overruns.
What features matter most for engineering firms?
The features that matter most are phase and task codes, budget versus actual reporting, rate cards by grade, approvals and invoicing from approved time. Use the checklist below when you trial any tool.
| Feature | Why it matters | What to check in a trial |
|---|---|---|
| Phase and task codes | Fees are agreed by stage | Can you set up stages per project in minutes? |
| Budget vs actual by stage | Shows overruns early | Does it warn you before a stage hits 100%? |
| Rate cards by grade | Graduate and principal hours cost differently | Can you set bill and cost rates by role and client? |
| Approvals and audit trail | Clients query invoices | Can a project lead approve and lock timesheets? |
| Invoicing from approved time | Avoids re-keying | Can it bill hourly and fixed-fee stages together? |
Phase and task codes
Codes should mirror your fee proposal. If the proposal has five stages, the timesheet should too. Keep task lists short so engineers can pick the right code in seconds.
Budget vs actual by stage
Budget tracking turns logged hours into a live fee position. Look for alerts at set points, such as 75% and 90% of a stage budget. A report that only runs at month end is too late.
Rate cards by grade
Engineering teams mix graduates, chartered engineers and directors on the same job. Each grade carries a different bill rate and cost rate. A good tool applies the right rates automatically, so profitability reports reflect who did the work.
Approvals and audit trail
Public sector and infrastructure clients often ask for timesheet evidence. Approval workflows let a project lead review hours before they reach an invoice. A clear audit trail shows who changed what, and when.
Invoicing from approved time
The last step is turning approved time into invoices. The tool should handle hourly billing, fixed-fee stages and expenses from the same data. That removes the spreadsheet step where errors creep in.
Mixed billing models are where many tools struggle, so the next section looks at them in detail.
How do you handle fixed-fee and time-and-materials work together?
Handle mixed billing by tracking every hour the same way, then applying the billing rule at invoice time. Fixed-fee stages bill the agreed amount, while time-and-materials stages bill approved hours at the right rate.
Most engineering commissions mix both. Design stages are often fixed fee. Site visits, expert witness work and client-requested changes are often billed on time and materials. Our comparison of fixed price vs time and materials explains how each model shifts risk between you and the client.
The key is not to stop tracking time on fixed-fee work. Those hours are what tell you whether the fee was right. They are also your best evidence when pricing the next similar job.
Which utilisation and profitability reports should engineers review weekly?
Review three reports every week: utilisation, realisation and budget burn. Together they show whether people are busy on billable work, whether that work is being paid for and whether projects are on track.
- Utilisation shows billable hours as a share of available hours, per engineer and per team. Our guide to employee utilisation rate explains how to calculate it.
- Realisation compares what you billed with the value of the hours worked. Low realisation points to write-offs, discounts or unbilled changes.
- Budget burn shows hours used against the fee for each stage, as in the table above.
Keep the weekly review short. Look for exceptions, such as a stage past 90% burn or an engineer far below target. Monthly reviews can then focus on trends and pricing.
How do you roll out time tracking without annoying engineers?
Roll out time tracking by keeping manual entry to a minimum and setting a clear weekly rhythm. Engineers accept timesheets when they take little effort and visibly protect project fees.
- Mirror the fee proposal. Use the same stages engineers already know from the project brief.
- Cut manual entry. Use timers, calendar imports or automatic capture so hours are logged as work happens.
- Set a weekly deadline. Ask for timesheets by a fixed time each week, then approve them within a day.
- Show the payoff. Share budget burn with project leads so they see why accurate time matters.
- Start with one team. Prove the set-up on a few live projects before the whole firm moves across.
Architecture practices face many of the same issues. Our guide to time tracking software for architects covers the overlap.
Which engineering time tracking tools are worth comparing?
Compare at least one tool built for architecture and engineering firms against a lighter time tracking option. Specialist suites bundle accounting and project management. Lighter tools focus on fast time capture, budgets and invoicing.
- BQE CORE’s pricing page (checked 8 October 2026) lists phased billing and reporting by phase in its Foundations module. Pricing is per user, with a custom quote based on firm size.
- Deltek’s Ajera page (checked 8 October 2026) describes it as project and accounting software for small A&E firms. Deltek positions Vantagepoint as ERP for architecture, engineering and consulting firms.
- Keito focuses on capturing time by project and phase with little manual entry, then turning approved hours into budgets, reports and invoices.
Suites suit firms that want accounting and project management in one system. A lighter tool suits firms whose main problem is missing or late timesheets.
Key Takeaway
Engineering firms win on fee accuracy. Track time by phase against the proposal budget and review burn every week.
Ready to track engineering hours against every fee budget?
Keito tracks time by project and phase and shows budget burn before it becomes a write-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do engineering teams use Tempo Timesheets for project billing?
Some do, mostly software engineering teams that already plan their work in Jira. Tempo Timesheets logs time against Jira issues and can group hours by account for client billing. Consulting engineering firms that bill by fee stage usually also need phase budgets, rate cards by grade and invoicing from approved time, so they often pair Jira time logs with a dedicated time and billing tool.
How do you map an engineering project structure to timesheet software?
Mirror the fee proposal. Set up each client and project, add one code per stage of work (for example feasibility, concept, detailed design and site support), then add tasks or disciplines under each stage. Give every change order its own code and mark each code billable or non-billable, so hours roll up to the same stages you invoice against.
What is the best time tracking software for engineers?
The best time tracking software for engineers is the one that tracks hours by phase and compares them with the fee. Look for rate cards by grade, approvals and invoicing from approved time. Trial two or three tools on live projects before you choose.
How do engineering firms track billable hours?
Engineering firms track billable hours by logging time against a client, project, stage and task. Each entry is marked billable or non-billable, then approved by a project lead. Approved hours feed invoices and fee reports.
Should engineers track time by project phase?
Yes, engineers should track time by project phase if the fee is agreed by phase. Phase tracking shows which stage is overrunning while there is still time to act. It also gives evidence for change orders and fee variations.
What is a good utilisation rate for an engineering firm?
A good utilisation rate is one that hits your billable target without hurting delivery or quality. Targets usually differ by role, with project engineers expected to bill more than directors. Set targets per grade, then track them weekly against actual hours.
Can time tracking software handle change orders?
Yes, most project time tracking software can handle change orders if you give each change its own code. Hours logged to that code show the extra effort the change required. You can then bill it as a variation or use it to support a fee claim.