Glossary
Time entry
Also called: time log · time record
A time entry is a single recorded block of work — a start and end time or a duration — attached to a client, project, and often a task, with a note describing the work and a flag for whether it is billable. Timesheets and invoices are built from time entries.
Last updated October 13, 2026
Anatomy of a useful entry
Date and duration are the obvious fields. The fields that make an entry useful later are the ones people skip: the project (so it can be invoiced at the right rate), a one-line description (so the client understands the charge), and the billable flag (so non-billable work never lands on an invoice by accident). An entry logged against a task inherits that context automatically.
Timer entries versus manual entries
A timer entry is created live by starting and stopping a clock; a manual entry is typed in afterwards. Timers are more accurate for short, interrupted work; manual entries are fine for predictable blocks like a two-hour workshop. Most people use both. What matters is that both kinds end up in the same place with the same fields.
Locking entries after invoicing
Once a time entry has been billed, changing its duration or rate would make the invoice and the books disagree. Good billing tools lock invoiced entries, and corrections happen through a credit or a new invoice rather than by editing history.
In Hoursmith
Entries can start from a one-click timer on a task or be entered manually; each carries client, project, task, note, and billable status. Entries that have been invoiced are locked so the invoice snapshot and the timesheet never drift apart.